WWZN-AM 1440
Winter Park

Original Call Letters: WABR 

Originally Licensed: Sep 1954  

Original City of License: Winter Park  

Original Frequency: 1440 

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 5,000 watts-Daytime

Original Location: 222 Hazard St., Orlando

Original Format: Talk

Network Affiliation(s):
CNN
Unistar

Owner(s):
1954-Orange County Broadcasting
1959-Contemporary Broadcasting Co.
1966-Norfolk Broadcasting Corp.
1971-Rounsaville Broadcasting, Atlanta (Co-owned with WBJW-FM 105.1)
1982-Nationwide Communications  (Purchase price for WBJW-FM 105.1 & WLOF-AM 950 ($6.5 million)
1986-Alleluia Broadcasting Corp  
1987-Metroplex Communications of Orlando Inc.
1993-Paxson Communications ($5.6 million with WMGF-FM 107.7)
1994-J & V Communications, Inc.($300,000)

History Of Call Letters and Formats:
WABR-1954-Country
WBJW-1973-Oldies/Lite Rock "The Entertainer"
WNBE-1976-NBC 24 Hour News
WAJL-1987-Christian Ministry (Station sold. WAJL moves to 1190)
WPRD-1987-Classics of the '40s, '50s and '60s  "Pride-1440"
WAJL-1987-Religion  
WPRD-1990-Children "The Imagination Station"  (Kids' Choice Broadcasting Network)
WPRD-1991-CNN Headline News
WWZN-1993-Talk
WWZN-1993-Sports
WPRD-1994-Talk
WPRD-1995-Spanish


History of WWZN 
WWNZ began life as WABR in 1954. Steve Schiffman helps fill in the history of WABR From an email from Steve; "...WABR (Top Gun, Orlando, bang bang, W-ABR!)...WABR...was sold and call letters and format changed by 1973 (...I was working for them on air at the time; I did overnights, Jim Boynton was the PD, and Clive Thomas (who I knew from his days in Indianapolis and WFBM-AM) was doing morning drive...We aired the CBS Mystery Theatre, nightly at 10pm, although we were an ABC affiliate!  WDBO(-AM 580) chose not to take it at the time.


WWZN Personalities



Clive Thomas Biography

Mike Wiley
Mort White-1993-"Magic Garden" Saturdays
Dr. Alan Pressman-1993-"Dr. Pressman on Health"
Paul Daigel-1993-Host of "Computer Bytes" Mon-Fri-2PM-2:30PM
Scott and Molly MacKenzie-1993-"The Senior Forum"-M-F-1:30PM-2PM
 Peter Banks-Host-"British Breakfast Club-a show aimed at British tourists-M-S-9AM-10AM



"The Coach" Marc Daniels-1993-"The Sports Nut"-M-F-7PM-10PM  Biography

Richard Buhrmann-1993-The Safety and Security Show aired Thursday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.

Richard Halpern-Host of "Film Talk"-Movie Reviews, Entertainment Gossip- Wednesdays from 12:30 to 1PM


Other Names In WWZN History

Peter Ferrara-1987-President -Metroplex 
Jenny Sue Rhoades-1993-General Manager-Paxson Broadcasting
David Elliot-1993-Promotions Manager-Paxson Broadcasting

John Frost-1993-Operations Manager-Paxson Broadcasting
Chris Persaud-1993-Program Director-Paxson Broadcasting
Jim Buss-1993-News Director-Paxson Broadcasting
David Kreitzer-1993-Chief Engineer-Paxson Broadcasting


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