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FWB am 1400 history

R

Rob

What's the history of this station? I heard a jingle from it (cira 197X??) "big, bold professional sound" Was this always a simulcast of an FM station? From what I heard, they played big band and even heard Casey Kasum say he was on this station around 1980's.

Also, was it always a 1KW station? 'cause out here the signal is crap.

Un fornt., FWB is a former shell of what it was but back in the day, it seemed like a thriving city.
Due to this great depression of 2009.

-Rob
 
Don't know their history as I've only been here since 2000, but they put a monster signal at mid-day on Clearwater beach. As far as power, they're on a Class IV frequency which means 1000 watts maximum- can be less, but no more. I've heard them with Sports format (relaying 98.1 I believe) and another format before that, but memory fails me as to their format circa 2000-2001.

Greg Myers
Holiday, FL
 
In 1959, Smith Broadcasting purchased WFBS (Fort's Best Station) and changed the call letters to WNUE, the "Nue" station in town with the Top 40 format that's always "Nue". They were a daytimer on 950. In order to go 24 hours, they soon changed the frequency to 1400.

In the 60s and 70s, they were a great small market top 40 and were heard all over the beaches and in all the souvenir shops like Alvin's Island and Jimmy's downtown.

In September of 1985, they switched to an AC format using the Satellite Music Network. From July 1988 to September 1989, they actually tried live CHR again using the slogan NUE Hits 14. Station then went dark. Station came back on the air in October of 1990 as a talk station.

I don't know the 90s and after history of the station.
 
Before 1997 no idea,wasn't in the area. 1997- 2001 WW1 Adult Standards, It flipped to Urban in 01, after that no idea. Along the coast it actually produces a good signal for 1 kw on 1400.
 
ok, interesting. there now just relaying some station called WTKE that...humm stands for humm..

W TicKEt?????!!! (in sarcastic voice)

-Rob
 
Somewhere in the late 80s when they were satellite, I installed AM Stereo transmission equipment on that transmittter. Some guy from Georgia bought it when it went to satellite. Joe Moore who still works at Channel 7 in Panama City worked at WNUE in the mid sixties before moving to Panama City Beach when WGNE-1480 (Genie) went on the air.

cceng
 
CCENG you failed to mention that Ron Hale moved the 1400 AM tower to its current location 2 years before he applied to the FCC to move it there. I am sure you know about that. It is a wonder the FCC didn't catch that. The FCC's enforcement these days is selective and almost non-existant.

dit
 
Let's not forget the FCC isn't doing other things like keeping station's logs on E/I programming of what? 3 hours a day? We have stations here that air nothing but ads and infomercials which need to be taken off the air.

That's a whole other rant for a whole other topic.

People must be buying crap from say Channel 48 in Destin. WFBD-DT

But thanks for the history on this little station. Such a waste of what was once a really different station.
I know people here in NWF enjoy variety but the FM/MW bands don't seem to show it.

One thing I miss listening to is WYYY-Syracuse back home. That station really showed local roots for a Cheer Channel station. (last I heard still has local jocks running the board)

-Rob
 
I believe that a regular poster to the North Florida, Alabama, and Georgia boards named Jay Braswell from Hawkinsville, Georgia (now working at WCEH and it's sister stations) owned that station back in the 80's. If I recall, he may have had some crooked backers, and a tiny station without much potential caused this radio veteran to loose his shirt in the process of running it. It may have been seized from him by revenuers based on taxes owed by previous owners, the note holder, or his "partners." He pops up on here every month or so, he would post more details than any of us would want to know. Jay always throws out information like he has nothing to hide. If you read this post Jay, I hope I haven't posted anything offensive. If I have, I apologize in advance.

Also, when the station was listed in databases as urban, I NEVER caught the signal... even when driving past the Star building, it was dark. Because of this, I doubt the urban format lasted more than a couple of months.

Another big question is, what does the future of this station hold? Simulcasting a 100kw station with a few hours a day of different programming is just a waste of electricity. It's been in this mode for about 4 years now, right? We can only assume Hale is holding it to keep his sports station going after 98.1 goes to the highest bidder or a debtor in possession.
 
Up until we saw how all the big CEO's are still getting huge bonuses as the radio world is caving in,
I was under the illusion that Ron Hale could not have continued to not pay the IRS, fill out the paper
work for the FCC or get away with half the things he has been accused of. Now it looks like he's
just following standard operating procedures of American Radio 101, just on a "mom and pop" level.
Seriously, how can this have gone on for a decade, now? I have no issue with the man, personally.
I just cannot believe all the things that have been posted on here over and over by so many people
and no one has been able to get this station after lawsuits, etc. What the hell? Can someone explain
it? Or is it all just lies on this board>
 
Is Hale a crook? I don't know, I hope not. Does (Did) he employ people that I consider crooks? Definitely.
Hale is responsible for the actions of his employees, even if they are independent subcontractors being paid on commission.
I'm afraid to say anymore. I don't want to risk being called up for a deposition.

Oh yeah, the disclaimer: I don't like sports radio. I do like satellite fed classic rock, it's my 3rd favorite station in Fort Walton.
 
In the 60's WNUE was a pretty small town sounding little local station. But in the early/mid 70's M.D. Smith hired Bob Baron as a consultant. Bob was an interesting guy to say the least. He started off as a dj in Huntsville then morphed into a TV weather guy and consulted on the side. He cleaned up the format, went to something like the Drake format with more music per hour, 47 rpm turntables (does anybody here remember turntables?) before putting all the music on carts (does anybody here remember cart machines? God I'm getting old) but perhaps most important of all installed a card file music selection system that was pretty much a manual version of Selector. He also hired some damn fine talent. For a few years that was probably as good a small market AM top 40 as you'll find anywhere. It was my second gig after paying some serious dues at WFSH (may it rest in peace, that place was a dump, but you'd never find a better place to learn radio) and you really felt like you were part of the community, even if you were just doing overnight and weekend fill-ins like I was. I worked there when the on air studio was just out of reaching distance behind a window and if you weren't watching where you were going you'd bump into the tower. One overnight, I was working during a thunderstorm and the tower got zapped and set the transmitter on fire. ah, memories.

Bob Baron is now the leading manufacturer of weather radar systems in the country and I suspect is making a small fortune. I had the pleasure of meeting him many years later when I was working in the Cayman Islands and trying to get a weather radar installed down there. He and his wife were delightful and we had a fine time discussing the old WNUE.
 
One of my old pals, Mike Barnhart--former Sales Manager of both WOWW & WMEZ--served as GM and/or SM of 1400/WNUE for awhile back in the dark ages and always testified to 'NUE's strength as a kick-ass Top 40 station. IIRC Pensacola's 1450/WBSR was a top-notch Top 40 operation, too--helping to launch the career of Jay Thomas (Charlotte's 610/WAYS + NYC & LA + "Cheers"), a guy who I still believe is one of the funniest one or two people ever to crack open a microphone.

Them there FM sticks kinda made Local/Class IV AM rigs into antiques, didn't they? Which kinda makes us who worked at 'em antiques, too, eh? Damn tootin' Sparky!

And speaking of antique Local/Class IV AMs, did y'all see the stories on 1340/WFSH going bye-bye? As AM sticks go down there along the Emerald Coast, that one might be among the best. Trouble is, whoever tries to breathe life back into that little SOB has to forget about (most of) Destin & FWB and focus every ounce of energy on Niceville & Valpo. And figure out how to live on $10K/month in billing. (The Secret: run it for $5K/month).
 
Yes, 1400 AM was once THE station in town. Right now it is automated as a sports station running Sporting News Radio and a few other syndicated sports talk shows. It broadcasts live high school sports, and live coaches shows for both high schools in town. The local high schools love the support they get from the station. Oh, and it is streaming live on the internet at www.1400zfan.com. As far as I know, Star Broadcasting owns it (or appears to), and it is being operated/managed by someone else.
 
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