WLOF-AM 950
Orlando
Original Call Letters: WLOF |
Originally Licensed: Oct 26, 1940 |
Original Frequency: 1230 |
Origin of Call Letters: Slogan; We Love Orlando Florida |
Original Power: 5,000 Watts |
Original Location: Angebilt Hotel |
Original Format: Block Programming |
Network Affiliation(s): |
NBC Blue Network |
Mutual Broadcasting System | |
United Press International |
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Associated Press |
Owner(s): |
1940-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
1949-Hazelwood, Inc. | |
1953-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. | |
1964-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. ($525,000) | |
1972-Home Security Broadcasting Company ($2.5 Million) | |
1977-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. | |
1982-Nationwide Communications (Purchase price for WLOF and WBJW-FM 105.1 $6.5 million) | |
1983-New City Communications | |
1991-ABC, Inc. ($5 Million) | |
1997-Cox Broadcasting | |
1998-Thomas Harvey Moffit, Sr. | |
1998-TM2, Inc | |
2006-Salem Communications |
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WLOF-1940-Block Programming On 1230 kHz |
WLOF-1947-Pop-Moved to 950 kHz-5,000 Watts- "Florida's Sweet Music Station" | |
WLOF-1972-Top 40 | |
WCOT-1982-Adult Standards 1 | |
WBJW-1984-Simulcast of WBJW FM 105.1 | |
WOMX-1989-Simulcast of WOMX FM 105.1 | |
WZKD-1994-Children "Radio AAHS" 3 | |
WZKD-1996-Adult Contemporary | |
WTLN-1998-Religion (simulcast of WTLN-FM) Moved from 1520 AM |
History of WLOF |
Orlando's second radio station, WDBO-AM 580 being the first, WLOF-AM, began broadcasting at 6:30AM Oct. 26, 1940 with 250 watts of power and radius of 50 miles on 1230 kHz . The studios and offices were located on the mezzanine floor of the Angebilt Hotel. The station was an affiliate of the National Broadcasting Co. (NBC). The station was moved to 950 kHz in 1947 and power was increased to 5,000 Watts. |
In 2004 we had a chance to visit the old WLOF studios. See photos here |
Rounsaville logos courtesy of Dave Edwards
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The WLOF hearse |
WLOF license tags over the years |
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WLOF Personalities |
Donn R. Colee, Sr.-1950-Air Talent/Commercial Manager/1952- Secretary /Treasurer-Hazelwood Broadcasting /1954-Vice President/ General Manager -Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Forrest Clark-1950-1954-News Director-began at WLOF when the studios were located in the Angebilt Hotel |
Paul Marlowe-1951-News Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting/1952-News Director-Hazelwood, Inc. |
Louise Grant-1951-Office Manager-Hazelwood, Inc. |
Bob Keith-1952-Farm News Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting/1957-3PM-6PM-Mon-Sat/1963-Commercial Manager-Mid Florida Radio Biography In Memory |
R. B. Smith-1952-Sports Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
John Hugh-1953-Program Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Louise Grant-1952-Office Manager/Talk Show Host, Bookkeeper/Secretary-Hazelwood Broadcasting (died May 13, 2000 at the age of 99) |
Bob Kilgore-1952-Farm News Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Ernie Legge-1953-Program Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting/1954-Program Director /1957-"WLOF Hot Parade" -Noon-3PM/ 1958- News Director/Program Director / Operations Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. In Memory |
Tom
Doyle-1954-Sports Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp./1958-Promotions
Director/1960-Publicity Director-Mid Florida Radio Corp. Orlando Speedway Spot courtesy of Dick Camnitz |
Bocky Smith-1954-Sports Director/1957-"Sunshine Special"-6AM-Noon-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Ben Aycrigg-1955-News Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Bob Brown-1957-"Top 40 Show"-6-10:30PM-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Howard McKenney-1959-News Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Robert Bartl-1959-News Director/1960-Program Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Peter
Jay(#1)-(Pete Forgione)
Biography Dick Camnitz tells us. "There were around 13 DJs in Orlando that went by the name of Peter Jay. All but one were on WLOF Channel 95. It will be a surprise to most that the first, who's real name was Peter J., was on WHOO-AM 990. When he came over to WLOF he used the same name. I last saw him when I worked with him at WFTV Channel 9 (formerly WLOF-TV just as a historical note). He hosted dialing for dollars for several years. His full name...Peter J. Forgione" |
Terry Wood-1962-1963-Afternoons-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Johnny G (John Gilbert)-1963-Program Director-Mid-Florida Radio |
Tom Siegfried-1963-News Director-Mid-Florida Radio/1964-Operations Manager-Tom would bill himself as the "Masked Marvel"-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. In Memory |
Gary "Dutch" Schaffer-1963-Promotions Director-Mid-Florida Radio (Gary J. Schaffer) Gary passed away in St. Augustine in 2013. |
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Lee "Baby" Simms (Gilmore LaMar Simms) -1964-1964-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp.-Lee retired from radio in 2005 See more on Lee at RadioYears.com |
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Donn Colee-1964-1966-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
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Aldo Vivona-1964-Host of "Teen Tempo"-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. Biography |
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Johnny
Gee (Jim
Ivey) Biography Johnny Gee on WLOF 1966 courtesy of Dick Camnitz |
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Sir Arthur Knight (Carroll Gaylord (Gay) Hendricks)-1965-1968-10AM-2PM-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
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Dick
Shane-(Dick Camnitz)1966-1970, 1973-Clarke Broadcasting,
Corp. Dick is the moderator and creator of: CFL Broadcast History Discussion |
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Nickie Sarner-1966-Commercial Manager-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp In Memory |
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Bill Baer (Dennis Winslow)-1965-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. Biography |
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Peter Jay (#6?) (Jerry Phillians)-1967-1968-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp |
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Gabe Burton-1968-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp |
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Doug Van Allen (Doug Laby)-1968-1971-(1968)-Midnight-6AM/Afternoon Drive-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
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James Sandridge-1968 | |
Terrence McKeever-1970-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. | |
Bill Barber-1971-3PM-7PM/Music Director-Home Security Broadcasting Biography |
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Buddy Pittman-1971-Weekends Biography |
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Sean King-1972-Home Security Broadcasting Company Biography In Memory |
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Sean King cover 1972 |
"Fun 40" for the week of June 6, 1972 |
courtesy of Sean King |
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Sean King tells about his
day as a "male model" "In 1972 I was working for Pat O'Day (he was Jerry Thompson off the air) at WLOF, Orlando, East Central Florida's top rocker at the time. Burt Reynolds had just appeared as a partially nude centerfold for Cosmopolitan Magazine and Pat wanted to do a "take-off" on the idea. So, he asked me if I would be a model for the photo which was to be a double page in a local newspaper known as "The Watcher". He said we'd cover the private parts with 45s or an LP or two. I agreed and the one-month on-air promotion began. The picture was to appear in April. However, two weeks into the promotion, the sale of the station was finalized and the new owners heard the promotion. They ordered it cancelled immediately as they felt it was in bad taste and might affect business (at least one major sponsor had threatened to cancel). Pat called an emergency staff meeting to pick our brains for a solution. After about a half an hour he came up with the answer himself. He asked me if I had any of those nude baby pictures that parents often take of their infants and I remembered that I did. We cleared the idea with the new management, informed the wary sponsors, kept the on-air promotion going unchanged and arranged with the newspaper publisher to have the newspaper on the stands April 1st, "April Fool's Day". So, after a month of all the air personalities telling their audiences that I would appear nude in an upcoming edition of "The Watcher", that's exactly what I did. Only the picture was one of me when I was less than a year old. It was a great "April Fool's" joke. The newspaper sold out in hours, the promotion was a tremendous success and the new owners were pleased. Pat O'Day saved the day. |
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The caption reads; "Cosmopolitan's Helen Brown may be culturally refined, but WLOF is on the "ahead" and never on the "behind". APRIL FOOL - WLOF Sean King talks about his "nude" centerfold on the air in 1974. |
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Top 40 Hits for the Week October 16,1958 courtesy of Greg Galloway |
Peter Jay (#6?) at a remote (Jerry Phillians) |
Bill Dennis-1972-Program Director-Home Security Broadcasting Company |
Dave Elliot-1972-News Director-Home Security Broadcasting Company |
Mike Lyons-1972-1972-Home Security Broadcasting Company In Memory Mike would join WLOF for a short stint in 1972, then back to WORJ-FM 107.7 |
Blue Christie-1974-Music Director-Home Security Broadcasting Company |
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Gary Collins-1975-1977-Afternoons |
"Banana" Joe Montione-1978-Program Director/Afternoons-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Reggie Blackwell-1978-Music Director-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Richard Hunt-1978-News Director-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Bobby Sharpe-1979-1982 |
Kelly Love-1980-"Dateless and Desperate"-Thurs-6PM-10PM-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
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Tom Sawyer |
Bob Andrews Biography In Memory |
Clyde Sanders-"Clyde on a Cloud"-10PM-Midnight, weeknights playing rhythm and blues. In her book on the history of Orlando's black community, Geraldine Thompson says Sanders was the "first African American in the city to work as a radio announcer." Sanders also wrote a weekly column called "As Clyde Sees It" in the section dubbed "the Negro Edition" that the Orlando Sentinel produced for a time in the 1950s and early 1960s. |
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Photos courtesy of Paul Schiemer |
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Allen Shades | |
Charley the WLOF Girl |
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Steve Kane 1981-1982 Steve brought his show over to WLOF after being fired from WKIS-AM 740. On his firing Kane said; "When you run a controversial show and say what you think, you always upset some people and it's hard. Steve said he had few guests because he had to act as his own producer" Steve is now on the air in south Florida. |
Steve Kane TALK Club card courtesy of Dave Edwards |
"Hostile Harve" (Bob
Jenkins)-1982-Nationwide Communications |
Gary Mitchell-1982 |
Rudy Pylant |
Don Smith-(Bobby Church) (Glen Meadows) Biography |
"The Janitor" (Warren Miller)-6PM-Midnight |
Brandy Alexander-"Dateless and Desperate"-Brandy, (not her real name) is now married, has two children, lives in the West Palm Beach area and has a PH.D. in psychology. Thanks to Dave Edwards for this info. |
Barbara Barri-Sean King tells us about Barbara "...she was the first female jock at WLOF, I think it was 1976. She was my one and only "discovery". I found her working as a waitress in a night club and, thought she had a good voice & introduced her into radio at WCKS-AM 860, Cocoa Beach. She went on to be a top country jock in Los Angeles for 15 years and is currently doing voice work in New York" For more on Barbara see www.barbarabarri.com |
Bob Bacon-From Ray Slaton; "..."The Morning Mayor" ..., in real life Stan Barrett. I want to say 1963 or 64. He left WLOF and went to WMFJ-AM 1450 to do mornings there." And this from Dennis Snyder; "...one of the things he used to say was "Breakfast with Bacon" - he worked mornings right about that time, before Pat O'Day. |
Debbie Aubrey |
Bob Barnes Biography |
William Barry |
David Bartholomew |
Luther C. Beasley |
Burt Brown |
Peggy Camnitz |
Al Dunaway-6AM-9AM © Al Dunaway |
Jim Casey |
Phil Conrad |
Steve Craig |
George Crossley-Sales Biography In Memory |
Johnny Gilbert-From Ray Slaton on the name Johnny G; "...The first one called himself Johnny Gilbert around 1963-64 |
Gerald Douglas |
Mimi Doyle |
Chris Garrett |
David Gerard |
Jim Gantner |
Tom Gaut |
Jan Giles |
Chris Glendon |
Ron Fisher |
Arnold Kaufman-General Manager |
Rick Davis |
Tom Clark "The Body Beautiful" (Wayne Trout) Biography In Memory |
Johnny Sutton (front) & Tom Haley |
photos courtesy of Tom Haley |
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Marsh Muke | |
Ken Katt | |
Mike Mazur-Weekends | |
Paul Knepper-Sales | |
Ed Lazear | |
Ron Louis | |
John Lander |
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Bill MacCormick | |
Greg Masters | |
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Herb Craft | |
Robert Hall | |
Harmony | |
Sheila Hill | |
"Cowboy" O'Neil | |
Tom Roberts-Noon-3PM | |
Tom West |
Pete Porter |
John Scott |
Teri Deck-Copy Writer |
Tom Sherwood |
Johnny Sutton |
JT Almon |
Roger Stallard-Program Director Biography |
Brother T (Tom Nefeldt) |
Bill Taylor |
Tim Tindle |
Scott Walker |
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Chris Kampmeier aka T.C. Dooley |
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John and Juan | |
James Sandridge-1968 | |
Larry Blucher | |
Columbus "Lobby Charlie" Williams-doorman at the old Angebilt Hotel would occasionally go on the air, reading poems he had written. In 1922, Williams was working on a construction crew at the hotel when he fell off a sixth-floor beam. A sand pile cushioned his landing, but he lost an eye. The hotel offered him a job for life. Charlie took them at their word. After the Angebilt opened in 1923, Charlie signed on as doorman and remained there until 1972, when he began losing sight in his other eye. Charlie died at age 92 in 1991. In Memory | |
Deborah (Shreve) Moore-1975-1978-Sales | |
Steve Wein aka Steve Taylor-1975-1976-Overnights/Saturday Afternoons | |
Jonathan Hart aka Todd Demers |
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Barry Michaels |
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T. Michael Jordan (Tom Nefeldt)-6PM-Midnight |
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Alan Rock Biography |
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Herb Kraft | |
Dick Sollom In Memory | |
Greg "The Disaster" Masters | |
Alan Dean "Superdude"/(Peter Jay #?) (A.D. Whitehurst)-1970-1974-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. | |
Don Angelin | |
Jim Shirah aka Peter Jay (IV) |
Dave Riddle |
Al Brock aka Larry Brock-Assistant Program Director |
Al Gardener-News |
Other Names In WLOF History |
George Hazelwood-1940-President-Hazelwood Broadcasting/1952-President-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Victor Buisset-1940-General Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
John Van Cronkite-1941-Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Leanore Dippy-1941-Copywriter/Sales-Hazelwood Broadcasting In Memory |
William Sears-1949-President-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
R. Donahue-1949-Program Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
W. Dodd Daniel-1949/1960-Chief Engineer-Hazelwood Broadcasting/Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Bob Whitney-1949-Hazelwood, Inc. |
Walter Shea-1950-Secretary/Treasurer-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Ruth Donahue-1950-Program Director/1951-Women's Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
J. Allen Brown-1950-General Manager/1952-Sales Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Ruth Bartelt-1950-Sales Manager/Promotions Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
J. Allen Brown-1951-Executive Vice President/Commercial Manager/1952-General Manager-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Pat Kerr-1951-Program Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Paul Marlowe-1951-News Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
John Thorwald-1951-Executive Vice President/1953-General Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Freda Hilton-1951-Promotions Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
John Kluge-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Thomas Donohue-1952-Commercial Manager-Hazelwood Broadcasting/1954-Commercial Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Charles Batchelder-1952-Sporting Events Director-Hazelwood Broadcasting |
Joseph L. Brechner-1953-President/General Manager/1960-General Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. In Memory
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W. Dodd Daniel, Jr.-1954-Chief Engineer-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Lee Hall-1955-Program Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Cathy Sorey-1955-Women's Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Howard S. Kester-1957-Executive Vice President/1958-Vice President/General Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Gene Cook-1957-Commercial Manager-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Douglas Coombs-1957-Production Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
R. G. St. Clair-1957-Chief Engineer-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
Ellen Wendt-1957-Women's Director-Mid-Florida Radio Corp. |
R.G. St. Clair-1958-Chief Engineer-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Robert Bartl-1959-Program Director-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Harris Thomson-1959-President-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Dutch Holland-1963-Program Manager-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Raymond Smith-1964-Vice President/Station Manager-Mid Florida Radio Corp. |
Robert Clarke-1964-President-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
John Rutledge-1964-Executive Vice President/General Manager/1971-President-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. Biography In Memory |
Don Welch-1964-General Sales Manager/1967-Vice President/Sales Manager/1971-General Manager-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Jerry Thompson (Pat O'Day)-1964-Program Director/Promotions Director/1970-Operations Director/Program Director/1971-Production Manager-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Timothy Sawyer-1964-Chief Engineer-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp./1972-Chief Engineer-Home Security Broadcasting |
D. Sidebottom Isaacs-1966-1969-Secretary to John Rutledge-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Jack Curran-1967-Vice President/General Sales Manager-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Marjorie Clark-1970-President-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Corey Meyer-1970-Chief Engineer-Clarke Broadcasting, Corp. |
Carl Glicken-1972-President/General Manager-Home Security Broadcasting Company/1977-General Manager /Commercial Manager-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. In Memory |
Jerry Frericks-1972-Commercil Manger-Home Security Broadcasting Company |
Luke Beasley-1973-Chief Engineer-Home Security Broadcasting Company |
Robert Rounsaville-1977-President-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Melody (Layburn) Lang-1977-1980-Billing-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Jill Rahill-1978-1980-Copywriter-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Joseph Lang-1979-1981-Chief Engineer-Rounsaville of Cincinnati, Inc. |
Warren F. Miller-Music Director |
Jerry Ferricks-Sales Manager |
M.F. Kershner-General Manager |
Pamela Lawrence-Traffic Director |
Tom Thacker (One of the many Peter Jays) |
Chris Wolf |
Allan Brown-Station Manager |
Carole Smock-Advertising Manager In Memory |
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Terry Long |
David Waterman |
Carl
"Buzz" Hallberg |
Wolfman Jack-syndicated. But there is a Central Florida Connection. In 1991 Wolfman Jack would open a club in the Old Towne section of Kissimmee. It was originally called "Little Darlin's Rock and Roll Palace" becoming "Wolfman Jack's Rock and Roll Palace" |
Its Bernie's Turn (Weekends, Barnard of London mid 60s) |
Casey Kasem-"American Top 40" syndicated |
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