WORL-AM 660
Altamonte Springs

Original Call Letters: WGNZ Construction Permit

Originally Licensed: 1984 

Original City of  License: Altamonte Springs

Original Frequency: 650

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 10,000 watts daytime

Original Location: 

Original Format: Business

Translator: W268CT-FM 101.5-Oviedo


Network Affiliation(s):


Money Watch Radio Network

Sporting News Radio Network
Salem Radio Network


Owner(s):


1985-
Central Florida Broadcasters
1987-Floyco, Inc.
2000-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.
2003-JCE Licenses, LLC
2004-Foster Sports (LMA)
2006-Salem Communications Corp (Station swap-value set in excess of $6 million)
2008-SCA License Corporation
2017-Caron Broadcasting, Inc. (Subsidiary of Salem Communications Corporation)
2019-JVC Media ($900,000)

History Of  Call Letters and Formats:

WGNZ-1984-Construction Permit
WGOR-1986-Religious/Black/Spanish
WORL-1987-Station moved from 650
WORL-1989-Business
WORL-1993-Big Bands
WORL-1998-Licensed/Silent
WORL-2004-Sports Talk  "WORL 660 The Fan"
WORL-2005-News/Business/Talk
WORL-2008-News/Talk   "News Talk 660   "News Opinion Passion"
WDYZ-2019-Hot Talk   "Florida Man Radio"
WDYZ-2023-Sports  "ESPN Orlando 660"


WORL-AM History
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WORL.
Although never on the air, originally Floyco, Inc., owned by Carl J. Auel, was granted a construction permit for WORL as WGNZ in 1984. Auel had several AM construction permits from around Florida including WWLO-AM 1430 Gainesville and WLVJ-AM 640 Royal Palm Beach (West Palm Beach). The original frequency was 650khz and was assigned to Titusville, Florida. The original authorized power was10kw daytime only operating with an East-West directional pattern. There was no night time authorization due to WSM Nashville being located less than 750 miles from Central Florida and operating on the same frequency. WSM is the dominate clear channel station for night operation on 650khz. Within a year of Auel receiving the construction permit for 650khz, he filed an application with the FCC to change the city of license to Christmas, Florida as that community's first service. A call letter change to WORL was applied for and granted as well since the original WORL-AM 1270 had dropped those heritage calls in favor of becoming business radio WHBS. The application to change the city of license to Christmas was granted, but the station never went on the air on 650khz. Sometime in the late 80s Auel petitioned the FCC to change the frequency to its currently dial position of 660khz with a reduced daytime power of 1kw and the additional of night service, also with 1kw, operating with an East-West directional day and night pattern using three towers. Auel had also specified in his application to once again change the city of license, this time to Altamonte Springs as its first service. The application was denied, but upon a re-filing the application was granted Auel sold the construction permit to James Crystal Enterprises, Inc. (JCE, Inc.) in the late 1990s. JCE placed WORL on the air in 1999 as an all news stations using A(ssociated) P(ress) 24-hour audio news programming. In 2004, Foster Sports took control through a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) with James Crystal Radio. On June 28, 2004, WORL became "660 The Fan".


PUBLIC NOTICE On July 13,1987, FLOYCO INC. filed with the Federal Communications Commission a modification of a Construction Permit for a standard broadcast station at Christmas, FL to request authorization to change frequency to 660 KHz: the city of license to Allamonte Springs FL, with an effective radiated power of 10 KW day and 10 KW night, utilizing 3 towers, each 78 meters above ground level and the transmitter site to Hwy 427 near Dog Track Road In Seminole County, near Casselberry. Studios will be located In Allamonte Springs, FL. A copy of the application and related material may be seen al the Altamonte Springs City Library, 281 Maitland Ave,, during normal business hours 

2-6-06  Salem Communications has closed even swap of Religious KNIT-AM 1480 in Dallas, Texas for News/Talk WORL-AM 660 with Jim Hilliard’s James Crystal Radio. The value placed on the deal was $6 million. Salem is expected to place their conservative Talk format on WORL.

12-13-06 From Brian; "... the WORL calls were first used on 950 in Boston until sometime in the 70's (see WORL-AM 1270) when the Boston station switched to WRYT. After the WORL calls were assigned to 660 in Florida, the Boston station tried to get them back, but 660 would not let them go. The Boston station settled for WROL, which are the calls used to this day.


Names In WORL History 

Carl J. Auel-1984-President-Floyco, Inc/1985-Central Florida Broadcasters

Marvin B. Clapp-1984-Central Florida Broadcasters
Robert A. Jones-1984-Central Florida Broadcasters


Allan Dempsey-1991-Program Director/Afternoon Host

James C. Hilliard-2000-President/General Sales Manager-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.

Rick Hindes-2000-Chief Financial Officer-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.

Steve Lapa-2000-General Manager-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.

John Trybuleck-2000-Station Manager/Program Manager/2001-General Manager/Sales Manager-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.

Joyce Kaufman-2001-Mornings-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.
Jack Lott-2001-Mornings-James Crystal Orlando, Inc.




Gary Cohl-2003-Sports Director-former WFTV channel 9 sports anchor/2004-6PM-8PM-JCE Licenses, LLC.

Edward G. Atsinger III-2005-President/CEO-Salem Communications Corp.
Joe Gonzalez-2005-General Manager-Salem Communications Corp.



Ron Bisson-2005-Mornings-Salem Communications Corp.

Darren Ryder-2006-General Manager of WORL-AM 660, WTLN-AM 950 and WHIM-AM 1520-Salem Communications Corp.

Nyda Bittmann-Neville-2006-"The Magnolia"-Fridays-11AM-Noon-Salem Communications Corp.

Dennis Miller-2007-10AM-Noon-Syndicated-Salem Communications Corp.



O.K. Walters-2007-"Central Florida Sports Tonight"-Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays-5PM-6PM-Salem Communications Corp 

Ruth Ackerman-2007-Host of "Gardening Smart"-9AM Saturdays-Salem Communications Corp 



David Koon-2007-General Manager-Salem Communications Corp 


Shannon Burke-2009-2010-Saturdays 2PM-4PM-Salem Communications Corp  
Biography


Bill Bokunic-2010-Cluster General Sales Manager-Salem Communications Corp 
Bill Files-2011-General Manager for Orlando cluster-SCA License Corporation



Mick Dolan-2013-News/Traffic/Producer-Salem Communications
Charles King-"Charles King Show"/Production Manager

Roger Franklin Williams-Salem Communications Corp 



Jeff Senas-Show Producer/Production Assistant-Salem Communications Corp 


Jim Turner-Weekend Board Operator/Producer-Salem Communications Corp 


Bill Rhoden-Church Relations-Salem Communications Corp 


John Stolz-Director of Ministry Development-Salem Communications Corp 


Joe Ferraro-Promotions Director-Salem Communications Corp 



Colin Brady
-Producer   In Memory


Debrah Hayden-Traffic Manager-Salem Communications Corp  


Christy Siron-Administrative Assistant-Salem Communications Corp 



Bruce Cherry-Account Executive-Salem Communications Corp 


Max Johnson-News Director/Public Affairs
Dave Santrella-President of Salem's Radio Division-Salem Communications Corp 

Other Programs In WORL History
Miami Dolphins Football
Florida Marlins Baseball
Florida State University
Tampa Bay Rays-2010-Monday-Friday Games/Weekend Night Games
Seminole College Football

 

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