WHOO-AM 990
Orlando

Original call Letters: WHOO

Originally Licensed: Dec. 5, 1947

Original City of License: Orlando

Original Frequency: 990

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 50,000 Day/14,000 Night

Original Location: 

Original Format: Country


Network Affiliation(s):


ABC

Owner(s):

1947-Orlando Daily Newspapers, Inc. 

1949-Radio Station WHOO 

1950-Orlando Daily Newspapers 

1952-WHOO, Inc. 

1957-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Horton-Kincaid)

1978-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Bluegrass Broadcasting)
1987-TK Communications ($13.5 million)
1994-Granum Communications ($11.5 million)
1997-Cox Broadcasting
2001-American Broadcasting Co. ($5 million)
2003-Radio Disney Group (subsidiary of ABC)

History Of  Call Letters and Formats:

WHOO-1947-Pop   
WHOO-1968-Country  "Country Gentlemen"
WHOO-1971-Modern Country 
WMMA-1987-Adult Contemporary "Magic 99"
WMMA-1987-Oldies
WHTQ-1988-Rock (simulcast of  WHTQ 96.5 FM)
WHOO-1988-Big Bands/Adult Standards  (Music Of Your Life)
WHOO-1989-Classic Country
WHOO-1990-Rock (simulcast of WHTQ 96.5 FM)
WHOO-1993-Adult Standards (ABC Radio "Stardust" format)
WDYZ- 2001-Radio Disney-Children  

History of WHOO


    
WHOO would broadcast from the Hotel Fort Gatlin in 1947

WHOO, first owned by the company that published the Orlando Morning  Sentinel and the Reporter-Star newspapers, went on the air on Dec. 5, 1947.  A gala grand opening event was held along with an "invitation only" reception and dance. Bob Chester's New York Orchestra performed and the "western" band the WHOOT Owls were introduced. In 1951 the newspaper company sold WHOO-AM and WHOO-FM 96.5 to Edward Lamb, a  Toledo attorney and broadcaster.

WHOO Personalities (The Country Years)
Clay Daniels-1958-1991-Afternoon Drive/Program Director-WHOO radio, Inc. Clay is also a singer, recording for SoundCot in the 1970's.  He, Roy Marler and Jeff Blair put together "The Three Amigos". Clay was the voice for Sonny King's Orange Buick in Orlando.  
In Memory
Cecil West-1966-News Director-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Pete Porter (Don Lapp)-1966-1968-M-F-Noon-3pm,Sat-Noon-6pm/Music Director-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Horton-Kincaid)
Johnny Walker-1966-1968-Bluegrass Broadcasting  
John Thacker-1967-Program Director-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Rock Robinson-1967-News Director-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Mac Allen-1966-1967-Mornings-WHOO Radio, Inc.


Jim Maloy-1967-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Tom McCloud-1967-Traffic Reporter
Bob Baker-1968-Program Director-WHOO Radio, Inc.

John Dolive-1969-1970-News Director-Bluegrass Broadcasting 

Mike Burger-1970-Mid days for nine years, eventually taking over the program directors position in 1978. Mike would join WDBO-AM 580.  Mike left radio for WCPX-TV (now WKMG) in 1988.  He returned to Central Florida from Houston in 1996 to replace retiring newscaster Ben Aycrigg. Mike missed Dallas, Texas so he headed back to take a position as a TV weather reporter.  Biography
Greg Galloway-1970 Biography


Greg Wolas-1973-1979 
In Memory


Bob Nyles
-1974
-1988 
Biography

  Here's Bob, with WHOO GM Bob Johnson in 1966  The same two Bobs at WDBO  in 2003


Dennis Moore-1975-1976-News-Bluegrass Broadcasting


Bucks Braun
-1979-1985-6AM-10AM-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Bluegrass Broadcasting)  Biography

Lee Brandel-1980-1981-Overnights/Evenings/Mid-days/Music Director-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Bluegrass Broadcasting)



June Myers-1983-1985-WHOO Radio, Inc. (Bluegrass Broadcasting)   Biography

 

Willie Clark-1993-''Community Forum''
FHP Sgt Jim Humphries-Traffic Reporter In Memory 
 
   courtesy of Dick Camnitz
Al Dunaway-6AM-9AM. Al would always have a "second call to coffee". Which was the second hour of his show. 
From Bob Nyles; "...Al is retired and spends his time delivering emergency vehicles around the country..." You might recognize Al as the voice of Southeast Steel commercials.

Russ Wheeler   Biography


Tom Haley 
Biography   
Charlie Champion-Program Director

WHOO 99 staff 1984.JPG (33530 bytes)
Here's the staff of WHOO-AM in 1984
 courtesy of Dave Edwards
click photo for full sized view



"Large" Larry English
-2PM-7PM Mon-Sat
Allen Dennis  (Dennis Glab) In Memory
Ken White


Tony George
Gary Roberts
Adrian Charles-News Director


Denise Gainer
-Reporter/News Director  
Biography




For years, WHOO would broadcast live shows from “The Rainbow Ranch” on the weekends, (later "The Joint in the Woods"), in Longwood. 
Location: General Hutchison Parkway, next to Big Tree Park, Longwood



Rick Saylor-10AM-2PM-Mon-Sat
Chuck McKay
Ruby Love

Dave Edwards has been kind enough to supply much information and many of the pictures on this site. "...Around 1984 WHOO-FM changed it's name to "96 Country" to compete with "K-92 FM." The station became "Q-96FM" (AOR) just before Bluegrass Broadcasting sold it. (Here)...is the cover of the WHOO 2nd Annual Reunion Booklet which was held at the central Florida fairgrounds in the fall of 1984..."

Dick Sollom In Memory

Bill Michaels



Pete
Lazar (Pete Forgione)  Biography



Mike Goode-2PM-6PM



Alan Spector-News  

WHOO crew caravan.jpg (183624 bytes)  
Click photo for full sized view
Courtesy of Dave Edwards 

Andy Wilson-Production Director     Biography

Tom Robinson-1981-1982- Overnights

Rick Chamberlin-1967-Born in Kissimmee, Rick got his start in the radio business at the age of 17 by sweeping the floors and taking out the trash at WFIV-AM 1080. One day the Program Director said "Hey kid, how would you like to do Saturday afternoons?" and Rick was thrilled. Rick is now heard on "DIXIE 105.7", WRSF-FM, North Carolina.   In Memory

Chuck Lowe

Bob Grayson-Program Director

Silent Sam the Segue Man-Overnights

Jim Sandridge

Ron Frasier-Mid-days

Tracy

The Kingbird

Christie Max


Other Names in WHOO History
Ralph Worster-1966-President-WHOO Radio, Inc.
O. C. Halyard, Jr.-1966-Vice President/General Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Bob Hood-1966-Commercial Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc./1967-Station Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc./1968-Vice President/General Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Bill Martin-1966-Chief Engineer-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Ted Grizzard-1967-President-WHOO Radio, Inc.
Ron Nickell-1967-Vice President/General Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc.  In Memory
Billy Love-1967-Program Manager-WHOO Radio, Inc.
H. Hart Hagan, Jr.-1968-President-WHOO Radio, Inc.
C. A. Baker-1968-Chief Engineer-WHOO Radio, Inc.


Bob Johnson-1974-General Manager-Bluegrass Broadcasting
Bill Early-1980-1984-General Sales Manager-Bluegrass Broadcasting
Max Rein-1983-1985-General Manager/Executive Vice President-Bluegrass Broadcasting
Thelma Tharp-1990-"Senior Networking"-Sundays, 8AM-9AM  In Memory
Frank Tenore-Manager at WHOO and WHTQ-FM 96.5/Regional Vice President-T.K. Communications
Mary Jo Bledsoe
Bill Stakelin-General Manager


Jim Poling
-News Director  Biography
Kathy O'Neill-Traffic Reporter
Nate Webb-Traffic Reporter
Chuck Wilson
Jim Jordan-Vice President/General manager
Dan Jones- Assistant Chief Engineer
Polly Morgan-Sales
Charlie Masden-Sales
Linda Gutierrez-Copywriter

        

               Transmitter.jpg (43634 bytes)                Tower.jpg (60162 bytes)          
                 WHOO TX Bldg.jpg (40031 bytes)   
studio1.jpg (73835 bytes)
From Chuck Wilson 
   WHOO transmitter, studios and tower facility 


Other Programs In WHOO History

The Music Country Network-10 PM to 5 AM nightly


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