WGTO-AM
540
Haines City
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Originally Licensed: Sep 9, 1955 |
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Original City of License: Haines City Moved to Cypress Gardens in 1958 |
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Original Frequency: 540 |
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Origin of Call Letters: |
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Original Power: 50,000 watts |
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Original Location: Palm Crest Hotel, Haines City Palm Crest Hotel original home of WGTO |
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Original Format: Top 40 |
Owner(s): |
1955-KWK, Inc. |
| 1958-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) | |
| 1964-Hubbard Broadcasting | |
| 1986-Cypress Broadcast, Ltd ($1.5 million) | |
| 1990-Florida Media Inc. | |
| 1994-Paxson Broadcasting | |
| 1997-Clear Channel Communications |
Network Affiliation(s): |
CBS |
| Florida Gators Radio Network | |
| Motor Car Racing Network |
History Of Call Letters and Formats: |
WGTO-1955-Top 40 “Gulf To Ocean” |
| WGTO-1958-Top 40 moved to Cypress Gardens "Covering Florida Like The Sun" | |
| WGTO-1977-Country Western "Great Country Music 54" | |
| WGTO-1986-Gospel | |
| WGTO-1990-Oldies ''Cruisin' Oldies 54'' (Studios moved to Ocoee) | |
| WGTO-1990-Talk/Sports | |
| WWZN-1994-Sports | |
| WWZN-1995-Talk | |
| WRTM-1996-Sports | |
| WQTM-1996-Sports "540 the Team" (These calls moved to 740 AM in 2001) | |
| WFLF-1997-News/Talk "540 WFLA" |
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1966 logo |
The Sleeping Giant |
1970's logo |
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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 |
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| Bayliss "Jim" Corbett-1955-News Director-KWK, Inc./1958-News/Farm Director-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
| Bob Wery-1955-KWK, Inc./1958-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
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Dale Starkey-1955-1958-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
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Dar Dodds-1955-1959-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 |
| Paul Hershey-1958-Farm Director-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
| Bill Cramer-1959-Program Director-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
| William Gramer-1960-Program Director-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
| Bob Grossman-1964-Program Director/1969-General Sales Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
Bob Collins-1965-Hubbard Broadcasting |
Woody Wooden-1967-1971/ 1975-1984-Sales/1968-Farm News Director-Hubbard Broadcasting In Memory |
Larry Green (Larry Cox)-1967-1968-Mid-days/ 1973-1974-News-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| John Taylor-1968-News Director-Hubbard Broadcasting |
Dan Grant-1968-Mid-days-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Ronnie Gee (Ron St. John)-1968/1973-Program Director-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Jim Kennedy-1970-1971-Weekends-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Dave Wright-1972-1973-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Wes Belisle-1974-1978 1974-1978-News-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Jim Greenfield-1976-1982 News Director-Hubbard Broadcasting 1969 bumper sticker courtesy of Larry "Vee" Flegle |
| Patti Jordan-“PJ the DJ”-1977-Overnights-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Bill Carson-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| "Crazy" Bob Fuller-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting |
![]() Jim "Jimbo" Maloy-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Terry "The Bird" Slane-1977--Hubbard Broadcasting Terry was named Small Market Broadcast Personality of the Year in 1979 |
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Dave Campbell-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Mike McCoy-1977-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Terry Stone-1977-Program Director-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| James Greenfield-1979-News Director-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Joe Penny-1987-1990-Cypress Broadcast, Ltd |
| Robert J. Wright-1990-Mornings-Florida Media Inc. |
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. |
| Terry Mason (Terry England)-1990-Program Director In Memory |
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Perry Moore-1991-10AM-Noon Weekdays/Sales/Promotions-Florida Media Inc. Biography |
| Dave Edwards-1992-Florida Media Inc. Biography |
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 |
![]() Allan Brady-Host of "Music and Memories" and "The Rock and Roll Palace Show", "live" from Little Darlin's Rock and Roll Palace. Biography |
| Crista Deason |
| Tom Drake |
Scott Edwards Courtesy of Steve Kennedy |
Jack Nelson-"MoneyTalk"-Saturdays from 8AM- 9:30AM |
Joe Francis-News Director |
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| Robert Convey-1955-President-KWK, Inc. |
| Eugene Hill-1955-General Manager/Commercial Manager-KWK, Inc. |
| David Schick-1955-Chief Engineer-KWK, Inc. |
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Stanley E. Hubbard-1958-President-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)/1969-Chairman of the Board-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| C.M. "Max" Kimbrel-1958-General Sales Manager/1959-General Manager/General Sales Manager-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
| Gary Miller-1958-Sales Manager/Promotions Manager-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting) |
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Hal Meyer-1958-Sales Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Marvin Rosene-1959-Vice President In Charge Of Sales-KSTP, Inc. (Hubbard Broadcasting)/1969-Vice President-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Stanley S. Hubbard-1969-President/General Manger-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Spencer Danes-1970-1972-Management-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Dick Hart-1958-1971 and 1982-1986-Engineer-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Bob Kelly-1971-1973-Station Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting-Now owner of Kelly Communications, Inc in Peoria, Illinois |
| Hal Myer-1972-Sales Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Paul Titchenal-1972-1979-Engineer-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Howard Trickey-1973-1978-General manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| John Redwine-1977-Commercial Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
| Jackie West-1977-Promotions Manager-Hubbard Broadcasting |
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Lloyd Barham-1978-General Manager |
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Howard Hoffman-1990-General manager |
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Keith Feeney-1990-Accounting/Traffic manager |
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Bill Patti-1990-Creative Services Director |
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Nancy Cattarius-Sales |
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Tommy Kramer-Program Director |
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John Frost-General Manager |
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Thanks to Jay Waggoner for these WGTO photos |
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| WGTO 6 Tower Array WGTO Transmitter Workshop |
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WGTO FEMA Bomb shelter WGTO phasor |
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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.
| Other Programs In WGTO History |
| Cousin Brucie's Cruisin' America-1991-Friday nights from 10PM-1AM-syndicated |
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