WDVH (AM)
Encyclopedia
WDVH is a commercial radio station
in Gainesville, Florida
, broadcasting to the Gainesville
-Ocala, Florida
area on 980 AM
. The
In the mid-'50s it became a rock and roller and added a second tower to give it night time service to much of Gainesville. Around 1968 both towers were lost in a storm and only one tower was replaced, making it a non-directional daytime station again.
WDVH was sold in 1969 to Roy Danner (of Shoney's
restaurant fame) and Larry Edwards. On May 1 1970 the format changed to Country Music
.
On June 30, 1980, the studio building burned down due to an electrical fire. Temporary studios were installed next to the transmitting tower in a double wide trailer while a new permanent studio building was built in place of the old one.
In April 1988, WWLO 1430 kHz (now WTMN
) was diplexed onto the WDVH tower. WWLO first went on the air with 2.5 kW daytime only. That station increased its power to 10 kW daytime, 45 watts nighttime in July 2003.
It was sold again to Bill Morris, who in turn sold it to Crystal which became Pinnacle AM Broadcasting, Inc. The format changed to Adult Standards
and the call letters were changed to WLUS in 1996 (US98). In 2000, the transmitter and computer automation equipment was ceased by the Alachua County Sheriff's department for failure to pay unrelated business debts. This equipment was bought at auction by morning show host, Jim Brand with the hopes that it could be re-installed, quickly returning the station to the air. When station ownership declined, the transmitter was sold to a religious broadcaster in St. Louis, Mo. The station remained dark for nearly 8 months while a sale was arranged to Pamal Broadcasting
. This sale was consummated in late 2000 after Pinnacle installed a new transmitter.
When Pamal Broadcasting
took over, it combined the studios of WKZY
and WHHZ
in the WDVH studio building. The format remained Adult Standards
until 2004, when it was changed back to Country music
under the slogan "WDVH Country legends, 101.7 FM 980 AM"
In 2005 the studios where moved across town to the Sunshine Broadcasting building on 100 NW 76th Drive (Tower Hill office park) along with WTMN
, WTMG
, WKZY
, WHHZ
and WPLL-FM. The Country Legends format continues to be very popular along with other local programming such as the Saturday morning show, Swap Shop. WDVH is now Fox News Talk 980changing format in late Oct 2011.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, broadcasting to the Gainesville
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
-Ocala, Florida
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
area on 980 AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
. The
History
WDVH signed on the air on in October 1955 from its current transmitter location on SE 27th street (formerly known as Kincaid Road). The call letters stand for the three partners that launched the station, Toby Dowdy, Rob Vaughn and Tom Hanson. Toby Dowdy was a country radio musician, Rob Vaughn owned the land and Tom Hanson was a radio station manager. Initially it was a day time only station.In the mid-'50s it became a rock and roller and added a second tower to give it night time service to much of Gainesville. Around 1968 both towers were lost in a storm and only one tower was replaced, making it a non-directional daytime station again.
WDVH was sold in 1969 to Roy Danner (of Shoney's
Shoney's
Shoney’s is a privately held restaurant chain that operates primarily in the Southeast, Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It is named after Alex Schoenbaum, who was the owner of the original chain of Big Boy restaurants in the southeastern United States...
restaurant fame) and Larry Edwards. On May 1 1970 the format changed to Country Music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
.
On June 30, 1980, the studio building burned down due to an electrical fire. Temporary studios were installed next to the transmitting tower in a double wide trailer while a new permanent studio building was built in place of the old one.
In April 1988, WWLO 1430 kHz (now WTMN
WTMN
WTMN is a commercial radio station in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 1430 AM. WTMN's programming is primarily Gospel music, mostly from the Sheridan Gospel Network's The Light.-History:...
) was diplexed onto the WDVH tower. WWLO first went on the air with 2.5 kW daytime only. That station increased its power to 10 kW daytime, 45 watts nighttime in July 2003.
It was sold again to Bill Morris, who in turn sold it to Crystal which became Pinnacle AM Broadcasting, Inc. The format changed to Adult Standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
and the call letters were changed to WLUS in 1996 (US98). In 2000, the transmitter and computer automation equipment was ceased by the Alachua County Sheriff's department for failure to pay unrelated business debts. This equipment was bought at auction by morning show host, Jim Brand with the hopes that it could be re-installed, quickly returning the station to the air. When station ownership declined, the transmitter was sold to a religious broadcaster in St. Louis, Mo. The station remained dark for nearly 8 months while a sale was arranged to Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
. This sale was consummated in late 2000 after Pinnacle installed a new transmitter.
When Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
took over, it combined the studios of WKZY
WKZY
WKZY is a commercial radio station in Cross City, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 106.9 FM.-History:...
and WHHZ
WHHZ
WHHZ , branded as "100.5 The Buzz", is a commercial radio station licensed to Newberry, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area...
in the WDVH studio building. The format remained Adult Standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
until 2004, when it was changed back to Country music
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
under the slogan "WDVH Country legends, 101.7 FM 980 AM"
In 2005 the studios where moved across town to the Sunshine Broadcasting building on 100 NW 76th Drive (Tower Hill office park) along with WTMN
WTMN
WTMN is a commercial radio station in Gainesville, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 1430 AM. WTMN's programming is primarily Gospel music, mostly from the Sheridan Gospel Network's The Light.-History:...
, WTMG
WTMG
WTMG is a commercial radio station in Williston, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 101.3 FM.WTMG has been in its current format since 1994, playing Hip Hop, R&B, Old School and Classic Soul and Gospel...
, WKZY
WKZY
WKZY is a commercial radio station in Cross City, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area on 106.9 FM.-History:...
, WHHZ
WHHZ
WHHZ , branded as "100.5 The Buzz", is a commercial radio station licensed to Newberry, Florida, broadcasting to the Gainesville-Ocala, Florida area...
and WPLL-FM. The Country Legends format continues to be very popular along with other local programming such as the Saturday morning show, Swap Shop. WDVH is now Fox News Talk 980changing format in late Oct 2011.