
WXCV-FM
95.3
Homosassa Springs
Originally Licensed: 1983
Origin of Call Letters: XCV Roman
numeral 95 for
"Citrus 95"
Original Power: 3,000
watts
Original Network: Associated Press
Owner(s):1983-West
Wind Broadcasting, Inc. (Thad
Lowrey, Steve Manual, Jim Kimbrough)
1986-West
Wind Broadcasting, Inc. (Steve
Manual, Jim Kimbrough)
2002-WGUL-FM,
Inc. (Carl
Marcocci)
History of Call Letters and Formats:
WXCV-1983-Adult
Contemporary
"Citrus
95"
WXCV-1986-Hot
Adult
Contemporary
"Citrus 95"
WXCV-1993-Hot
Adult
Contemporary/CHR
"Nature Coast 95.3"
WXCV-1995-Hot
Adult
Contemporary/CHR
"Citrus 95.3"
WXCV-2002-CHR
"Citrus
95.3"
History Of WXCV
Thanks to Marc
Tyll for this history of WXCV.
WXCV-FM began
operations in 1983 as West Central Florida’s first adult contemporary station
known as "Citrus 95", broadcasting with 3,000 watts on 95.3 mHz.
Former WGUL-AM owner and New Port Richey resident Thad Lowrey
constructed WXCV along with partners Steve Manual
and Jim Kimbrough as the area’s third FM
station, programming a variety of adult contemporary hits from the 60s, 70s and
early 80s. Lowrey was the first general manager and Tampa Bay legend Dave
Harrell was the first program director and morning on-air personality.
Lowrey and Harrell had both been involved with New Port Richey station WGUL-AM
1500, converting it from Beautiful Music to Talk then eventually Music of Your
Life. "Citrus 95" was automated - live assist and was primarily
programmed by music programming syndicator Century 21 and was the number
one station in West Central Florida. Lowrey sold his interest in WXCV
in 1986, leaving Steve Manual and Sun Bank of Hernando County President Jim
Kimbrough as the remaining owners. Gainesville’s WCJB-TV 20 General
Sales Manager Alan Chatman was hired as General manager to replace Lowrey
who moved back to New Port Richey and re-purchased WGUL-AM. Dave
Harrell left for Beautiful Music formatted WEZY-FM
94.1 Lakeland and was replaced by Tommy Rockwell as WXCV’s
program director. In 1993 Rockwell was replaced by WKTK-FM
98.5’s, Ocala, Doug Burton who also assumed the morning drive time slot.
The automation-live assist was completely replaced with total local-live
programming. The on-air studio was overhauled with new equipment and a music
conversion from reel-to-reel tape to all compact disc was implemented. And
although over the years more stations had commenced operations creating stiff
competition, WXCV continued to remain number one. In
late 1993, Steve Manual fired Alan Chatman after nearly nine years
as WXCV's general manager. Chatman returned to WCJB-TV assuming
his previous position as General Sales Manager. A series of format adjustments
took place during the following years, and finally West Wind Broadcasting
sold "Citrus 95.3" to Palm Harbor, Florida based WGUL-FM,
Inc., owned by Carl J. Marcocci. Marcocci had purchased WGUL-AM-FM,
New Port Richey a few years earlier and was expanding his station portfolio into
the West Central Florida area to compliment his Tampa Bay stations. Marcocci’s
West Central Florida station portfolio consisted of CHR formatted WXCV-FM
95.3 Homosassa Springs; Music of Your Life formatted WINV-AM
1560 Inverness; Music of Your Life formatted WAVQ-FM
104.3 Inglis; and Country formatted WXOF-FM
96.3 Yankeetown. Marcocci later sold WAVQ-FM
to the Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto and began simulcasting WINV
with WGUL-FM 106.3.
Names In WXCV
History
Thad Lowrey
Dave Harrell
Steve Manual
Jim Kimbrough
Alan Chatman
Carl Marcocci In
Memory
Steve Shurdell
Dennis Miller-Program
Director
Tony Downes Biography
Doug Burton-Program
Director
Jeff Price
Bob and Sherry (syndicated mornings)
Dave Tyler
Charlie and Carly (mornings)
Dave Alan
Jordan Smith
Christine Stuart
What's
New Biographies
In Memory Sounds
Misc. Links
Chronology What's
News?