WSIR-AM 1490
Winter Haven

Original Call Letters:
WSIR  
Originally Licensed: Feb.14, 1947
Original City of  License:
Winter Haven
Original Frequency: 1490
Origin of Call Letters:
Original Power: 500 watts daytime/250 watts nighttime                 
Original Location: 
Original Format: 

Network Affiliation:
Mutual Broadcasting System

Owner(s): 1947-Citrus Belt Broadcasters, Inc.
                195
6-
Hundred Lakes Broadcasting
               
1960
-
Larry Rollins, Mr.& Mrs. Arnold Silvert
                      
-Cypress Central Communications
               
1985
-WHF Associates
               
1985
-CFL Ltd.
                      
-Bill Histed
               
2001
-Anscombe Broadcasting Group, LTD

                

History Of Call Letters and Formats: WSIR-1947-        “The Information Station”
                                
WSIR
-1960-Pop                       
                                
WSIR
-1998-News
                                                         WSIR
-2003-Gospel  "Mighty Gospel 1490"   "Rejoice 1490"


WSIR History

WSIR is the second oldest station in Polk County. Put on the air in 1947 by Larry Rollins, Dach Brandstetter, and Frederick Allman. They formed Citrus Belt Broadcasters, Inc., and were granted a license in November of 1946. The studios were located on Third Street S.E. in Winter Haven in a building which would later be the home of Tyler Jewelers. The transmitter and tower were placed on the southwest shore of Lake Howard. In the first year of operation WSIR became an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System. WSIR was  very community oriented, as were most small local stations of the time, and they helped with over-the-air appeals for blood donors before area blood banks came into existence. WSIR also broadcast editorials on a regular basis and won many Associated Press Awards. WSIR revived plans to build a permanent  football stadium for Winter Haven High School. 1954 saw construction of  a new building at the transmitter site on Lake Howard Drive to house its offices and studios. And the FCC granted a power increase to 500 watts. In 1998, Florida's Entertainment & Information Network began as an effort by Anscombe Broadcasting Group to return WSIR, to the air as a Winter Haven-based news station.

Names In WSIR History
Larry Rollins-1947-Co-owner/General Manager
Jack Brandstetter-1947
-Co-owner 
Frederick Allman-1947-Co-owner

Dick Eyrich
-1947-Program Director-Dick broke a marathon announcing record in a stunt to publicize a fund-raising campaign for improvements to Winter Haven’s hospital

Larry Rollins-1956-President/General Manager-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting  
H. Howard Cole, III-1956-Music Director-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting  
Richard Eyrich-1956-Program Director-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting
Nellie Barber-1956-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting
Tom Moore-1956-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting
L. Orden Craig
-1956-Chief Engineer-Hundred Lakes Broadcasting
Bob Prescott
-1958
-2PM-10PM  
Bob tells us that his salary was $1.00 an hour.
Bob was host of the "Polk County Express" from 8PM-10PM nightly. It was a "rock and roll" record show and Bob tells us "...kids in the neighborhood  coming by, some times I would put them on the air, a local young person get together, happened almost every night, I was 24-25 (back) then..." He also talks about signing the station off at 10PM. "Had to walk around to the back and turn off the trans, next to the station was a canal, Alligators slept there, 22 rifle was at the door to carry, just in case, people lived next door had a nasty dog liked to catch  me..."
Boris Mitchell

Roger Zinszer
-Station manager
Debra Anscombe
-General manager
Arnold Silvert-1960-Sales/Station manager
Jim Greenfield-News
Jim Knight
Jack Shaw-1964
Bill Davis-1966-1967-8pm-Midnight  From Larry Vee; "Bill ran a rock n roll show from 8pm to midnight 6 days a week. He was also a student at Polk Junior College in Bartow."  
Larry Vee (Larry Flegle)-1967-1968-8pm-Midnight-"Night beat with Larry Vee"  
Ross McVicker
Steve Howard

Ken Copper
Craig Harper
Lori Edwards-1977-1985
Bob Stephenson-Program director/mornings
Dan Dermody-Station manager

Tom Anthony Biography



Brother Joe Fisher
-5am-9am Monday-Friday/General manager


Keith Solis

Deitra Miles



Damien-9-11AM




Willie Mae McIver
-11am-3pm




Tony Charles


Scott West
Pam Gibson
Greg Scurry
 



Roy Murray
-Sat 5-9am, Sun 5 - 8am



Programs in WSIR History
Swap Shop-buy, sell and trade
Want A Job?
The Florida Gardener
The Fishing Reel
Daily Obituaries-
many local radio stations carried these daily. It was always easy to find funeral home sponsors

Sunday Church Services
Winter Haven High School football
Florida Citrus Showcase
Boston Red Sox spring training games
Florida Seminole Football
Doug Stephan's
"Good Day U.S.A." 
Debbie Nigro's "The Working Mom" 
                  
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