M.N. "Buddy" Bostick celebrated his 95th birthday on May 18. He got the nickname "Buddy" as a young boy when he began performing on radio and in travelling stage shows playing his guitar and yodelling.
Buddy (at age 28) was the first station manager of KWTX (1230 AM) in Waco. The station was founded by Corsicana lawyer Beauford Jester and a group of Waco businessmen (W.W. Callan, Dewitt T. Hicks, Hilton E. Howell, Robert E. Levy, Wilford W. Naman, Ross Sams and Davis Stribling).
Jester was elected Texas governor in 1946 and again in 1948. He died in 1949; the only Texas governor to die while in office.
An application for KWTX was made in 1941, but the start of World War II imposed equipment and construction restrictions, delaying the station’s approval and completion for five years.
KWTX radio’s inaugural broadcast was May 1, 1946, at "1-2-3 on your dial" from its original second-floor studio at 108-1/2 South 6th Street in downtown Waco. The station was a Mutual affiliate and aired a mix of local and network music, news, sports and drama.
The station moved to a new facility at 4520 Bosque Blvd. in Waco around 1952. This building would become known as Broadcast Center, and after the building was expanded, it shared space with KWTX-TV (Channel 10) in 1955 and KWTX-FM (97.5) in 1970. Today, the South 6th building is occupied by other tenants, although the second floor, where the KWTX offices, studio and control room were located, has completely changed.
Bostick and his business partners were also involved in other broadcasting ventures: KBTX-TV (Channel 3), Bryan-College Station (1957); KXII-TV (Channel 12), Ardmore, Okla.; KNAL radio, Victoria, Texas (1959); and KLFY-TV, Lafayette, La. (1965).
KWTX radio and TV moved from 4520 Bosque Blvd. to a new building at 6700 American Plaza in 1986. The Bosque Blvd. building later became Oakcrest Funeral Home. KWTX-AM and FM were sold to GulfStar Communications in 1996, ending Mr. Bostick’s 50-year relationship with KWTX radio. The stations are now owned by Clear Channel Communications and are located at 314 West State Hwy. 6 in Waco. KWTX-TV was sold to Gray Communications in 1999 and remains at 6700 American Plaza.
The KWTX-AM transmitter and tower are in their original location near Primrose Drive between South 16th and South 18th streets (off LaSalle Avenue) in Waco. The KWTX-TV and KWTX-FM transmitters and towers are located in Moody (south of Waco).
Buddy Bostick was voted Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year in 1996 by the Texas Association of Broadcasters.
Mike Braun
KWTX-AM/FM
1975-1979
Buddy (at age 28) was the first station manager of KWTX (1230 AM) in Waco. The station was founded by Corsicana lawyer Beauford Jester and a group of Waco businessmen (W.W. Callan, Dewitt T. Hicks, Hilton E. Howell, Robert E. Levy, Wilford W. Naman, Ross Sams and Davis Stribling).
Jester was elected Texas governor in 1946 and again in 1948. He died in 1949; the only Texas governor to die while in office.
An application for KWTX was made in 1941, but the start of World War II imposed equipment and construction restrictions, delaying the station’s approval and completion for five years.
KWTX radio’s inaugural broadcast was May 1, 1946, at "1-2-3 on your dial" from its original second-floor studio at 108-1/2 South 6th Street in downtown Waco. The station was a Mutual affiliate and aired a mix of local and network music, news, sports and drama.
The station moved to a new facility at 4520 Bosque Blvd. in Waco around 1952. This building would become known as Broadcast Center, and after the building was expanded, it shared space with KWTX-TV (Channel 10) in 1955 and KWTX-FM (97.5) in 1970. Today, the South 6th building is occupied by other tenants, although the second floor, where the KWTX offices, studio and control room were located, has completely changed.
Bostick and his business partners were also involved in other broadcasting ventures: KBTX-TV (Channel 3), Bryan-College Station (1957); KXII-TV (Channel 12), Ardmore, Okla.; KNAL radio, Victoria, Texas (1959); and KLFY-TV, Lafayette, La. (1965).
KWTX radio and TV moved from 4520 Bosque Blvd. to a new building at 6700 American Plaza in 1986. The Bosque Blvd. building later became Oakcrest Funeral Home. KWTX-AM and FM were sold to GulfStar Communications in 1996, ending Mr. Bostick’s 50-year relationship with KWTX radio. The stations are now owned by Clear Channel Communications and are located at 314 West State Hwy. 6 in Waco. KWTX-TV was sold to Gray Communications in 1999 and remains at 6700 American Plaza.
The KWTX-AM transmitter and tower are in their original location near Primrose Drive between South 16th and South 18th streets (off LaSalle Avenue) in Waco. The KWTX-TV and KWTX-FM transmitters and towers are located in Moody (south of Waco).
Buddy Bostick was voted Pioneer Broadcaster of the Year in 1996 by the Texas Association of Broadcasters.
Mike Braun
KWTX-AM/FM
1975-1979