Welcome to Radio Years!
Let Radio Years take you on a nostalgic look back at some of your favorite radio stations of the past across the central counties of the Sunshine State. Included are complete histories of all the stations in Polk County, plus select stations from Tampa Bay to the Space Coast. These were stations we all listened to before corporate conglomerates and automation became the norm. Most were locally owned and operated, and we got to know personally the people whose voices came into our lives via the airwaves because they were active in the community.
Take a moment to browse through Who’s Who, the Photo Albums and Memorabilia. Check out the bios and photos of local radio personalities from years gone by. If you ever had the opportunity to visit your favorite stations, we’ve got pictures of the way you remember them. Take a look at classic station music surveys that you used to pick up each week at the record store, bumper stickers, and other memorabilia. Click on Audio Clips for program intros, show themes, newscasts, commercials, airchecks, jingles, and more.
On the Radio Years homepage, Related Links will direct you to historical sites for other great radio stations like Nashville’s WLAC, “Tiger Radio” WQAM in Miami, and Chicago’s WGN. You’ll find the histories of the four major radio networks, ABC, CBS, Mutual, and NBC, including the story behind the latter network’s famous chimes and most ambitious program, “Monitor.” There’s information about other favorite old time radio shows, too, like “The Lone Ranger,” “Suspense,” Don McNeil’s “Breakfast Club,” “Amos ‘n’ Andy,” and “Dragnet,” plus links to sites that deal with restoring antique radios, and much more. And don’t forget to click on the Featured Audio Clips box to hear some vintage commercials from radio’s golden era.
It’s all here, and more, inside Radioyears.com – your source for the history of Polk County radio and other really great Tampa Bay and central Florida stations. So sit back, kick your shoes off, and reminisce through our pages about your favorite station or personality.
OUR STATIONS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM |
| Featured Stations: |
WLAK, WONN, WPLA |
| Other Stations: |
Hall Communications Big 4, WFSI, WGTO, WLKF, WLLD, WMBL, WPCV, WQPD, WSJT, WVFM/WEZY, WWRZ, WYSE/WWAB |
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Polk County: |
WBAR, WCIE, WFXI, WHAN, WHFL, WHNR,
WINT AM/FM, WIPC, WKES, WLVF AM/FM, WPUL, WQXM, WSIR, WTHN, WTWB, WWBF, WXEZ, WXKL, WYFO, WYXY, WZNG |
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Tampa Bay: |
WAKS, WALT, WAMA, WAMR AM/FM, WAVE, WAVV, WAYP, WAZE, WBBY, WBDN AM/FM, WBOY,
WBRD AM/FM, WBSB, WBTP, WBVM, WBZZ, WCBF, WCIE, WCKX, WCLE, WCOF, WCTQ, WCWR,
WDAE AM/FM, WDCF, WDCL, WDDV AM/FM, WDHL, WDUV, WEBK, WEND, WENG, WEZX, WFHH, WFJO,
WFLA AM/FM, WFLZ, WFNN, WFNS, WFSO, WFTI, WFUS, WGES, WGHB, WGNB AM/FM, WGNP,
WGUL AM/FM, WHBO, WHBS, WHNZ, WHPT, WHVE, WIBC, WIBQ, WILV, WILZ, WINQ, WIOK, WIQI, WISP, WJIS, WJBB, WJQB, WJYW, WKES, WKGA, WKRL, WKTS, WKXY, WKZM, WLCC, WLCY AM/FM, WLFF, WLLD, WLSS, WLTQ, WLVU AM/FM, WMBR, WMGG, WMGG AM/FM, WMLO, WMNF, WMTX, WMTX, WNSI, WNZE, WOFN, WOKF, WPAS, WPDS, WPIN AM/FM, WPKM, WPLP, WPOI, WPSO AM/FM, WQBN, WQSA, WQSR, WQXM, WQYK AM/FM, WRAV, WRBB, WRBQ AM/FM, WRFA, WRMD, WRXB, WSAA, WSAF AM/FM, WSDV, WSEB, WSGX, WSJT, WSMR, WSOL, WSPB AM/FM, WSRQ, WSRZ, WSRZ AM/FM, WSSR, WSST, WSUN AM/FM, WTAN AM/FM, WTBT, WTCX, WTIS, WTKN, WTMP AM/FM, WTMY, WTRL, WTSP AM/FM, WTUN, WTYM, WTZB, WUGL, WUSA, WUSF, WVTY AM/FM, WWBA AM/FM, WWJB, WWLF, WWMI, WWPR, WWQT, WWRM, WWTB, WWZZ, WXCR, WXGL, WXJB, WXTB, WXYB, WYAK, WYND, WYNF, WYNF, WYOU, WYTA, WYUU, WZHR, WZNE, WZRH, WZST, WZTM |
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Central
Florida: |
WAPG, WAPR, WAUC, WAVP, WBIL, WDBO AM/FM, WFHT, WFLN, WHOO AM/FM, WITS, WJCM,
WKGF AM/FM, WKHF, WLOF, WOKD AM/FM, WPRV, WSEB AM/FM, WSLC, WWKE, WWLL, WWOJ, WWTK, WXKT, WYMR, WZSP, WZTK, WZZS |
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What's New |
February 2012
New Stations Added
WUGL-AM 930 Sarasota
WXKT-FM 98.3 Arcadia
WEZX-FM 104.7 Tampa
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Who's Who - New Bios
Tracy Black, Dave Cash,
Bill Owens, Frank Parker,
Charlie Fernandez, Tony Vigue, Myron Hieronymous Thomas
* * *
Featured Audio Clip
"Stella Dallas"
(CBS 1938-1955)
Tampa Bay Audio Clips
WAKS - John Stewart (1997); WFLZ - Dave Mann (1998); WKXY - The Bahi Hut; WPIN - Earle Anthony newscast (1966-Tony Vigue); WPIN - FM license renewal announcement (1966-Tony Vigue); WRBQ - Jam "Country Buzz" compilation (1997)
* * *
Tampa Bay Photo Album
- People -
WALT - Woody Garcia (c. 1953- Angelo Rumore); WCTQ - Some
of the staff (2003-Tracy Black); WCWR - Tedd Webb (c. 1969-Tedd Webb); WDAE - Roger Bruce Lum and William Pharr Moore (1929); WEBK - Gordon Solie (c. 1951); WENG - Sales director Dave McClure (mid 2000s-Tracy Black); WFLA - Unidentified announcer at microphone (1936); WILZ - Jim Boynton (1963-Earl Polk);
WKXY - A.G. "Tony" Fernandez
and Sarasota mayor sign station
on the air (1949)
- Studios -
WBRD - Original studio and transmitter site (2011); WFLA - Tampa tower site off Memorial Highway (2012-Kevin Coldiron); WJQB - Studio location (2011); WTIS - Master control
(2 photos-2011)
* * *
Tampa Bay Memorabilia
- Music Surveys -
WLCY - Pocket-sized "Top 50 Swingin' Survey" - Nov. 12, 1960; WLCY - "Fun Fifty" - Oct. 12, 1970
- Station Related -
WDDV - Coffee cup (c. 1999-Tracy Black); WLCC - Coverage area (2010); WPLP - Station broadcast license (1987-Michael Serio); WQYK - Long-sleeve and pullover shirts with logo (2001); WRBQ - Billboard promoting Cleveland Wheeler (Cleveland Wheeler); WSUN - "Country Classics" sticker (1992-Larry Flegle); WTBT - Model billboard promoting Dave Cash (early 2000s)
WONN - Photo Album
- People -
Don Hiers among judges for Florida Southern College's Miss Interlachen finalists (1968); Grand opening of Lakeland's First State Bank (1954-Flo Steenson); Jay Rich goes mining for "gold" (1969-Jay Rich); WONN sales staff (1999)
- Studios -
Entrance to offices and studios
with broadcast tower behind
building (2011)
* * *
WONN - Memorabilia
- Music Surveys -
Nifty 50 Survey - week of Dec. 2, 1967 (Bob Crews)
* * *
Other Stations
WVFM - Photo Album
- Studios -
Control room console
(1977-Frank Berry)
* * *
Other Central Florida Stations
- Photo Album - Studios -
WDBO - Lake Ivanhoe studios'
state of disrepair - photo 7
(2011-Kevin Coldiron)
- Memorabilia - Station Related -
WHOO - Mailing label (Larry Flegle); WHOO - Mailing label
(mid 80s-Larry Flegle)
* * *
REMEMBERING...
Robert T. "Bobby" Rowland
former GM Tampa's WQYK
passed away Jan. 19th at 77.
Angelo Fazzari
former owner/GM
Winter Haven's WINT
passed away Jan. 12th at 93.
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Be a part of RadioYears!
Got photos, memorabilia, or information about Tampa Bay or other Central Florida stations and personalities to share?
We update our station history pages and personality bios as
new information comes in.
Check back with us often.
Click here to contact us.
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