WGTO-1955-Top 40  “Gulf To Ocean”

WGTO-1958-Top 40   "Covering Florida Like Sun"

WGTO-1977-Country Western "Great Country Music 54"

WGTO-1986-Gospel

WGTO-1990-Oldies ''Cruisin' Oldies 54''  

WGTO-1990-Talk/Sports

WWZN-1994-Sports

WWZN-1995-Talk

WRTM-1996-Sports

WQTM-1996-Sports "540 the Team" 

WFLF-1997-News/Talk "540 WFLA"

 
    WGTO two antenna array on a cattle ranch 6.4 miles from Haines City
(RCA Broadcast News, February 1957)

             
            WGTO Transmitter building 
           (RCA Broadcast News, February 1957)

1957 Ad

    
 
Here's a photo of the WGTO control room when the studios were located on Marshal Farms Road in Ocoee in 1992 
Photo courtesy of Dave Edwards

Dale Starkey-1955-1958-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)

Dar Dodds-1955-1959-Morning Drive-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)

George Prescott-1958-Host of "Welcome to Florida Show" from Cypress Gardens/1966-1971-Program Director-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) / 1973-Promotions Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting

Richard Hart-1958-Farm Director--KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)/1964-Farm Director-Hubbard Broadcasting /1971-Chief Engineer-Hubbard Broadcasting

Bob Collins-1965-Hubbard Broadcasting

Larry Green (Larry Cox)-1967-1968-Mid-days/ 1973-1974-News-Hubbard Broadcasting 

Dan Grant-1968-Mid-days-Hubbard Broadcasting

Ronnie Gee (Ron St. John)-1968/1973-Program Director-Hubbard Broadcasting

Jim Kennedy-1970-1971-Weekends-Hubbard Broadcasting

Dave Wright-1972-1973-Hubbard Broadcasting

Dick Bennick-(Dr. Paul Bearer)1973-1977-Mornings/Program Director/Production Director/Sales/1977-1986-General Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting In Memory

Terry "The Bird" Slane-1977--Hubbard Broadcasting Terry was named Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year in 1979-Hubbard Broadcasting

Dave Campbell-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting

Henry Jay-1984-1986-3PM-7PM/Music Director-Hubbard Broadcasting

Jerry Steffen-1990-2008  Biography

Kathy McFarland-1990-Morning News Anchor-Florida Media Inc.

"Captain" Joe Canzoneri-1990-Traffic Reporter/Weekends-Florida Media Inc.

Hank Dole-1990-Assistant Program Director-Florida Media Inc.

Jeff Allen (Cassell)-1990-Florida Media Inc./1994-Morning Drive/Program Director/Sports Director-Paxson Broadcasting  Biography  

Perry Moore-1991-10AM-Noon Weekdays/Sales/Promotions-Florida Media Inc. Biography   In Memory

Ric Karlson and Ed Schmidt Jr.-1993-Co-hosts of Golf Talk- Fridays 4PM- 5PM-Florida Media Inc.

Peter Banks-1993-Host of "Singles Connection", a talk show for singles-Florida Media Inc. 

Gordon Banta-1993-Co-host and psychic on "Singles Connection", a talk show for singles-Florida Media Inc. 

Doug Gilley-1993-Host of "Let's Go Fishing"-6AM-7AM-Florida Media Inc.

Steve Duff-1993-Producer of "Let's Go Fishing"-Florida Media Inc.

Peter Rocchio-1993-Florida Media Inc.

Ed Hartley-1993-"Cryin', Lovin' & Leavin'"-Florida Media Inc.

Vince Regan-1994-Host-"House of Sports"-6PM- 9PM Weeknights-Paxson Broadcasting

"Judge Krater"  (Mike Greager)-7PM-Midnight-Hubbard Broadcasting

"Uncle Russie"-Russ Ross  Biography

Lee Manning

Keith Holliday

Becky Johnson

Jeff Kierce

R.C. Kelley

Carol Lamons

Dave Lane

Jay Menchen

Bob McCord

Allen Rich

Roy Riley

Jack Robertson

Tom Rusk

Dan Sanborn

Harry Sharp

Maris Siegel

Kathi Tanner

Lyle Wood

Roy Beemer

Jack Nelson-"MoneyTalk"-Saturdays from 8AM- 9:30AM

Patricia Madden

Merrill Craig

Jay Cresswell

Clive Thomas Biography

Jerry O'Neill  Biography

Greg Warmoth

Al Brock

Charlie "Rock" Brown

Larry Cox

Allen Shaw, Jr.

Joe Francis-News Director

Other Names in WGTO History

Stanley E. Hubbard-1958-President-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)/1969-Chairman of the Board-Hubbard Broadcasting

Hal Meyer-1958-Sales Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting

Spencer Danes-1970-1972-Management-Hubbard Broadcasting

Dick Hart-1958-1971 and 1982-1986-Engineer-Hubbard Broadcasting

Frank Berry-1971-1973 and 1979-1982-Director of Technical Operations--Hubbard Broadcasting
Frank tells us about his time at WGTO-AM. "...During my tenure at WGTO, I replaced almost all of the studio equipment and, when the old RCA BTA 10H transmitter failed, I replaced the transmitter with a Harris MW-1A to provide better nighttime service at their 1kw licensed power level. The night that the old RCA transmitter failed, I put the Gates MW-50 transmitter on the air at its lowest stable power which was about 8kw.  I was able to reduce the output power further by detuning the output network of the transmitter so that it produced about 1kw of power. After we achieved stabile nighttime operation, I called Stanley Hubbard at home and explained that the old RCA transmitter had failed beyond reasonable repair.  Stan authorized me to purchase a Harris MW-1A transmitter. I called Harris and ordered the transmitter and requested rush delivery. We operated in that mode overnight and before pattern change in the morning, I re-tuned the output network so that the station could operate at full power. We went through these detuning/retuning gyrations for two or three days until the new MW-1A transmitter arrived. During the time that it took to receive the new transmitter, we removed the old RCA 10kw unit and moved the nighttime phasor  into its new position...directly beside the soon-to-be-delivered Harris MW-1A. Before moving the phasor, I called our Consulting Engineer, Ogden Prestholdt of A. D. Ring and Associates and told him of my desire to move the phasor.  Mr. Prestholdt told me "absolutely not.  You don't have the knowledge to re-tune the antenna array". I moved the phasor anyway and retuned the array.  It remained stable and within the licensed specifications throughout my tenure at WGTO..."

Bob Kelly-1971-1973-Station Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting-Now owner of Kelly Communications, Inc in Peoria, Illinois

Paul Titchenal-1972-1979-Engineer-Hubbard Broadcasting

Howard Trickey-1973-1978-General Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting  

Lloyd Barham-1978-General Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting

Howard Hoffman-1990-General Manager-Florida Media Inc. 

Keith Feeney-1990-Accounting/Traffic Manager-Florida Media Inc. 

Bill Patti-1990-Creative Services Director-Florida Media Inc. 

Bob Johnson-1991-General Sales Manager/General Manager-Florida Media Inc. 

Jay Waggoner-Chief Engineer 

Nancy Cattarius-Sales

Tommy Kramer-Program Director

John Frost-General Manager  

Thanks to Jay Waggoner for these WGTO photos

 WGTO 6 Tower Array                      WGTO Transmitter Workshop

WGTO FEMA Bomb shelter                          WGTO phasor                        

Frank Berry took this photo of the original WGTO transmitter in 1975. It was an RCA BTA-10H which was purchased in 1955. The photo was taken as the old RCA Ampliphase transmitter was being dismantled for shipment to Guayaquil, Ecuador. The 10H was on the air as WGTO's only transmitter at the time this photo was taken. The boxes in the photo contain parts for the old RCA BTA 50G Ampliphase.  On the far right of the photo you can see one of the power amplifier tubes.