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This Page Last Updated: Friday 13 January 2012

The Essentials

Frequency: 1190am
Frequency: Formerly 96.1fm (Note: We are unsure if this was ever on the air.)
Frequency: Formerly 103.1fm
City of License: AM: Fort Wayne FM: Roanoke
Metro(s): Fort Wayne
Power: AM: 50,000 watts - Day, 9800 watts - Night, DA-Night
Format: AM: News/Talk, FM: Simulcast of AM
Address: 2915 Maples Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46816-3199
Phone: 260.447.5511
FAX: 260.447.7546
Ownership: Pathfinder Communications Corp.
Network Affiliation(s): ABC (News), Citadel Media (Sean Hannity, Mark Levin), FOX News Radio, Indianapolis Colts, Premiere Radio Networks (Glenn Beck, Bill Cunningham, Rush Limbaugh, George Noory), The Weather Channel, WestStar Talk Radio Network (Kim Komando), Wilbur Entertainment (Bruce DuMont/Beyond the Beltway)
Web Presence: http://www.wowo.com

Station Personnel

Current

GM: Mark DePrez (April 9, 2001 - Current; GSM: October 1994 - November 2000)
Director of Engineering: Jack Didier (? - Current; Was Chief Engineer from April 1997)
Chief Engineer: Mogan David
GSM: Ben Saurer (February 16, 2009 - Current)
OM/PD: Gregg Henson (May 2, 2011 - Current) (From morning co-host at KRLD-FM in Dallas, Texas)
News Director: Mike Wilson
Newsperson: Erica Taylor
Production Director: Steve Brelsford
Mornings: Charly Butcher ("Fort Wayne's Morning News") (5:00am - 9:00am) (February 2004 - Current) (From mornings at WMEE) (Butcher did Middays (1:00pm - 3:00pm) on WOWO: ? - September 1995)
Mid-Mornings: Glenn Beck (9:00am - 12:00pm) (January 7, 2002 - Current) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Mid-Afternoons: Rush Limbaugh (12:00pm - 3:00pm) (August 20, 1997 - Current) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Afternoons: Pat Miller (3:00pm - 6:00pm) (April 26, 2010 - Current)
Nights: Sean Hannity (6:00pm - 9:00pm) (March 26, 2002 - Current) (Syndicated via Citadel Media)
Nights: Mark Levin (9:00pm - 12:00am) (Syndicated via Citadel Media)
Overnights: George Noory ("Coast to Coast AM") (12:00am - 5:00am) (June 25, 2001 - Current) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Weekends: Rush Limbaugh ("Week in Review") (Saturday 5:00am - 8:00am)
Weekends: "The Weekend" (Saturday 12:00pm - 3:00pm) (April 2003 - Current) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Weekends: Glenn Beck ("Glenn Beck Weekend") (Saturday 3:00pm - 6:00pm) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Weekends: Sean Hannity (Saturday 6:00pm - 9:00pm) (Syndicated via Citadel Media)
Weekends: Kim Komando Show (Sunday 1:00pm - 4:00pm) (Syndicated via WestStar Talk Radio Network)
Weekends: Bruce DuMont ("Beyond the Beltway") (Sunday 7:00pm - 9:00pm) (Syndicated via Wilbur Entertainment)
Weekends: Bill Cunningham (Sunday 10:00pm - 12:00am) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)

Former

VP/GP: Jane Bartsch (Deceased 14 June 2011)
VP/GM: Gina Maxwell (December 1993 - 1994. GM: December 1991 - December 1993)
GM: Wilmer Swartley
GM: John B. Conley
GM: Joe D. Buys (? - ?) (Now out of radio)
GM: Robert Duffield (1946? - ?) (Deceased June 29, 1998)
GM: Dan Friel
GM: Bill Latz
GM: Charlie Slavik (March 1984 - April 1985)
GM: Steve Schram (Now Market Manager for the CBS stations in Detroit, Michigan)
GM: Carl Vandagrift
GM: John Irwin
GM: Tony Richards (Started with parent Pathfinder Communications Corp. in 1978. Served as GM from ? until June 30, 2001) (Now Chief Operating Officer with parent company Pathfinder Communications Corp.)
Chief Engineer: Billy L. Wolfe (1970's)
Chief Engineer: Homer Evans
Chief Engineer: David Snyder
Chief Engineer: Ed Didier (? - March 1997) (Now Chief Engineer at WBNI and WBOI)
Director of Sales: Mark Osborn (February 15, 2002 - ?) (From Sales Manager at WBYR)
GSM: Howard D. "Tommy" Longsworth (? - 1972) (Deceased 26 February 2002)
GSM: Ted Jordan (Now GM at WBZ in Boston, Massachusetts)
GSM: Scott Savage
GSM: Rodney Krol (May 1988 - ?) (From WKWK-AM/FM in Wheeling, West Virginia)
GSM: Jim Tighe (November 2000 - ?) (From salesperson) (Now out of radio)
NSM: Doug Wagner (November 1997 - ?) (Now out of radio)
SM: John Boggs (1985 - ?) (From GSM at WTPI)
OM/PD: Tommy Allen (April 22, 1996 - ?) (From OM/PD at KDTH(AM)/KATF-FM in Dubuque, Iowa) (Now out of radio)
OM/PD: Jon Zimney (September 2, 2002 - July 18, 2007) (From OM at KERN in Bakersfield, California) (Now PD/News Director at WTRC and WTRC-FM)
OM/PD: Dan Mandis (October 7, 2008 - March 9, 2011) (From OM/PD at KKML and KVOR in Colorado Springs, Colorado)
PD: Chris Rathaus (1973- 1974) (Deceased 18 May 2006)
PD: Ned Foster
PD: Gary Noe (September 1982 - 1995) (From APD/Production Director) (Deceased 13 February 1997)
PD: John Picano (December 1995 - February 1996) (From WJNO in West Palm Beach, Florida) (Now out of radio)
PD: Chuck Bailey (Now out of radio)
PD: Dan MacClintock (March 1991 - 1992) (From PD at WNRB in Youngstown, Ohio)
APD: Bethany Rowe (August 2004 - January 2005) (Now out of radio)
APD: Andy Ober (October 7, 2008 - April 25, 2011 and March 6, 2006 - August 29, 2007; OM/PD: August 30, 2007 - October 6, 2008)
MD: Sam DeVincent (Deceased 1 December 1997)
News Director: Gary Froseth (Deceased 9 January 2010)
News Director: Art Saltsberg (1977 - 1979) (Now in sales at WOWO)
News Director: Victor Locke (1979 - 1983) (Now News Director at KSUT in Durango, Colorado)
News Director: Dugan Fry (? - August 5, 1989)
News Director: Michael O'Shea (1995 - January 2003) (Now News Director at WGFN in Glen Arbor/Traverse City, Michigan)
News Director: Kevin Morse (February 17, 2003 - July 27, 2004) (Now out of radio)
News Director: Jon Zimney (August 2004 - July 18, 2007) (From OM at KERN in Bakersfield, California) (Now PD/News Director at WTRC and WTRC-FM)
News Director: Andy Ober (October 7, 2008 - April 25, 2011) (OM/PD: August 30, 2007 - October 6, 2008) (Also PD at sister WKJG) (From Newsperson at WASK)
Director of War Programs: Carl Kenagy ("Tom Carnegie") (1942 - ?) (Deceased 11 February 2011)
Production: Chris Tyler (? - November 1997) (Now APD/afternoons at WITL in Lansing, Michigan)
Promotions Director: Andrew Dawson
Promotions Director: Sheryce Hilkey (February 1991 - ?) (From Promotions Asisstant)
Promotions Director: Tony Malone (November 1997 - June 1998) (Now out of radio)
Promotions Director: Lynn Williams (August 20, 1998 - October 1999) (From Promotions Director with the former Kovas Communications stations in Fort Wayne)
Promotions Director: Natalee Kohls (1998 - December 13, 2001) (Now middays as "Sky Taylor" at WWMJ in Ellsworth/Bangor, Maine)
Promotions Director: Sean Bratton (July 29, 2002 - April 27, 2003) (From nights at WMEE, where he does afternoons now.)
Farm Director: Jay Gould (1938 - July 10, 1983) (Deceased January 1984)
Farm Director: Pam Geppert
Farm Director: Dave Russell
Farm Director: Ron Powers (? - September 1995) (Deceased 15 July 2001)
Farm Director: Kevin Morse (February 12, 1996 - February 23, 2003) (Now out of radio)
Farm Director: Kurt Deffenbaugh (February 24, 2003 - December 2006) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Kurt Deffenbaugh (March 6, 1998 - December 2006) (From Newsperson at WKXA in Findlay, Ohio) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Jim Schweickart (1974 - 1977) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Doug Fischer (1975 - 1979)
Newsperson: Jerry Hoffman
Newsperson: Linda Losch (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Eric Berman (Now a newsperson with WIBC and Network Indiana)
Newsperson: Van Rockefeller (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Bonnie Presser (March 1997 - March 1998) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Dan Knight (? - January 1997) (Now weekends at WFWI)
Newsperson: James Measel (1997 - 1998) (Now a newsperson at WLKI)
Newsperson: Lee Burdorf (? - September 2000) (Now PD at WVPE)
Newsperson: John Perlich (September 2000 - ?) (From WGL) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Blake Miller (May 6, 2002 - November 14, 2003) (From WGSN/WRSW) (Now out of radio)
Newsperson: Steve Douglas (November 24, 2004 - February 2005)
Newsperson: Laura King (April 1, 2003 - ?)
Newsperson: Damon Bruce (March 2005 - ?) (From afternoon co-host at WBNS in Columbus, Ohio) (Now nights at KNBR in San Francisco, California)
Newsperson: Jeremy Lawrence (August 2007 - January 2, 2009) (Now PD at KPEL in Lafayette, Louisiana)
Newsperson: Aishah Hasnie (Now a General Assignment reporter for WANE-TV)
Newsperson: Charlotte Burke (From PD at KDWN in Las Vegas, Nevada)
Newsperson: Matt Demczyk (January 5, 2009 - ?) (From news reporter at KTRH in Houston, Texas) (Now a news reporter at WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio)
Mornings: Jay Gould (Deceased January 1984)
Mornings: Bob Sievers (1936 - 1986) (Deceased 3 September 2007)
Mornings: Chris Roberts (1973 - June 30, 1995) (Now owns WERT(AM) in Van Wert, Ohio, and WKSD-FM in Paulding, Ohio)
Mornings: Rick Hughes (Interim between Chris Roberts and Jay Walker) (Retired)
Mornings: Jay Walker (October 8, 1995 - March 1997) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Dave Macy (5:00am - 9:00am) (June 1998 - December 16, 2002) (From PD/mornings at WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Rob Hines (5:00am - 9:00am) (October 1999 - ?) (Producer for Dave Macy's morning show) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Kelly Turner (5:00am - 9:00am) (May 2001 - ?) (Producer) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Bethany Rowe (5:00am - 9:00am) (August 2004 - January 2005) (Producer) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Brock Andrews (Producer) (5:00am - 9:00am) (February 2, 2005 - ?) (Now out of radio)
Mornings: Enoch Perry (5:00am - 9:00am) (Producer) (November 7, 2005 - March 3, 2009)
Mornings: Chevy Smith (5:00am - 9:00am) (News) (November 2005 - April 27, 2009)
Mid-Mornings: Dr. Laura Schlessinger (9:00am - 12:00pm) (? - January 4, 2002)
Middays: Doug Gruber ("Doug Stephens") (1963 - 1968) (Now Jazz Music Director and on-air host at WBOI)
Middays: Jack Underwood (1966 - 1986) (Deceased 18 February 1992)
Middays: Ron Gregory (September 1995 - June 1997; Nights: 1973 - March 1985)
Afternoons: Bob Chase (Retired)
Afternoons: Chris Roberts (Now owns WERT(AM) in Van Wert, Ohio, and WKSD-FM in Paulding, Ohio)
Afternoons: "The Gary Burbank Show" (Syndicated from WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio) (? - March 14, 1997)
Afternoons: Diane Current (3:00pm - 6:00pm) (Producer) (March 17, 1997 - May 2007; APD: October 1999 - July 2002; Formerly Promotions Director) (Now Promotions Director and "Pat White Show" producer at WGL(AM))
Afternoons: Pat White (3:00pm - 6:00pm) (March 17, 1997 - April 22, 2010) (Now afternoons at WGL(AM))
Early Evenings: SportsTalk (6:00pm - 7:00pm) (1985 - June 16, 2003)
Nights: Marvin Hunter (10:00pm - 12:00am)
Nights: John Cigna (mid 1960's) (Deceased 20 May 2011)
Nights: Jim Reed (1994 - ?; Middays: ? - April 1991) (Now mornings at WLDE.)
Nights: Mike Rivers (September 1991 - ?) (From WRVQ in Richmond, Virginia)
Nights: BJ Stone (From morning co-host) (1993-1994) (Now out of radio)
Nights: The Dolans (7:00pm - 9:00pm) (? - March 25, 2002)
Nights: Paul Phillips (8:00pm - 10:00pm) (March 26, 1996 - September 18, 1996) (Now out of radio)
Nights: Michael Savage (9:00pm - 12:00am) (March 26, 2002 - ?) (Syndicated via Talk Radio Network)
Late Nights: Mike Reagan (9:00pm - 1:00am) (? - March 25, 2002)
Overnights: Michael O'Shea (Now News Director at WGFN in Glen Arbor/Traverse City, Michigan)
Overnights: Listo Fisher
Overnights: Tony Robinson
Overnights: Terry Morgan
Overnights: Chris Underwood (October 1991 - March 23, 1996) (Now out of radio)
Overnights: Joey Reynolds (1:00am - 5:00am) (August 1998 - June 2001)
Weekends: Syd Cornell (1931 - 1934) (Deceased 1993)
Weekends: Sean Compton (June 1992 - November 1992) (Now President of Programming and Entertainment for Tribune Company)
Weekends: Rusty Humphries (Saturday 7:00pm - 10:00pm) (April 2003 - ?) (Syndicated via TRN)
Weekends: Clark Howard (Saturday 6:00pm - 7:00pm; Sunday 8:00pm - 9:00pm) (Syndicated via Cox Radio Networks)
Weekends: "The Weekend" Mike McConnell (Saturday 12:00pm - 3:00pm) (April 2003 - ?) (Syndicated via Premiere Radio Networks)
Weekends: Laura Schlessinger (Sunday 4:00pm - 7:00pm)
Weekends: Michael Savage (Sunday 9:00pm - 10:00pm) (Syndicated via Talk Radio Network)
Weekends: The Allen Hunt Show (Saturday 9:00pm - 12:00am) (Syndicated via Cox Radio Networks)
Airstaff: George Applegate (1937 - 1938)
Airstaff: Bob Delgiorno
Airstaff: Carol Ford
Airstaff: Manthis Manchikes ("Pete Mathews") (Deceased 26 January 1993)
Airstaff: Neil McGinley
Airstaff: Al Mitchell
Airstaff: Richard S. (Dick) Rice (Deceased 22 February 2002)
Airstaff: Calvin "Baby" Richards

Station History

WOWO(AM)

WOWO signed on March 31, 1925. It began as a 500 watt station with studios above the Main Auto Supply Company. While running 10,000 watts on 1160am, the station shared time with WWVA (Wheeling, West Virginia). Westinghouse purchased WOWO in 1936. On March 29, 1941, WOWO changed dial positions from 1160am to 1190am. In the Fall of 1968, WLYV(AM), then doing a Top 40 format and competiting with WOWO, beat WOWO by 1 point (12+). This was a significant feat, as WLYV was just under 500 watts, compared to the 50,000 watts of WOWO. WOWO was sold in 1982 by Westinghouse for $6 million to Price Communications. At 7:30am on December 16, 1988, WOWO changed formats from MOR to Oldies. In 1994, Price Communications sold WOWO to Inner City Broadcasting Corp., which soon sold it to present-day owner Pathfinder Communications Corp. When Pathfinder Communications Corp. acquired the station, they moved WOWO from its studios and offices at 203 West Wayne Street to their current Maples Road location. In January, 1997, the historic WOWO "Sunshine Studio" was retired. September 1998 saw the departure of ESPN Radio to rival WGL. It was later reclaimed by sister station WONO (Now WKJG) in August, 2000. WOWO began broadcasting in HD on April 4, 2005.

WOWO-FM

Before 103.1fm, WOWO-FM was on 95.9fm, then 96.1fm. 103.1fm signed on in 1965. 103.1fm later moved to 102.9fm. WOWO-FM was sold in December 1994 for $300,000 by Inner City Broadcasting to Robert Taylor, owner of WXKE. Today, it's the FM half of WGL.

For Further Reading...

Signon. Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. November 26, 1923. Page 10.
Signon. Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. November 20, 1929. Page 11 and 17.
Kurtz, Dave. "Jay Gould -- More Than Just Hog Prices." Kendallville News-Sun. December 28 and 29, 1974. Pages 1, 6.
Wight, Linda. "Voice of Mr. WOWO, Bob Sievers, go its start selling religious books." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. June 7, 1978. Page 7B.
"WBCL Names Manager." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. January 27, 1979. Page 5A.
"WOWO names sales chief." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. March 24, 1979. Page 7B.
Calkins, Royal. "AM stereo sounds like wave of future to Magnavox. Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. May 19, 1979. Page 1A.
McFarland, Myra. "Fry at east as 'voice of farming'." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. June 10, 1979. Page 3A.
Ross, K.D. "The Birth of a Station, WOWO." (Book) 1981.
Laughlin, Nancy. "Under this ceiling is no place to be." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. January 22, 1981. Page 1C.
McKenna, Lynne, and Doug Fisher. "Westinghouse places WOWO on selling block." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. September 15, 1981. Page 1A.
"Price Communications Purchase." The Wall Street Journal. November 18, 1982. Page 39.
Ehrlich, Heidi. "Plenty of radio personality." USA Today. April 24, 1984. Page 1D.
"Changing Faces...Changing Places." Fort Wayne Business Digest. June, 1988. Page 26.
Nall, Nancy. "Underwood's legend went beyond his voice." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. February 20, 1992. Pages 1A, 4A.
"WOWO legend Sievers will be host this week." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. July 6, 1992. Page 8F.
Kilbane, Kevin. "WOWO's closing list is one slick operation." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. February 2, 1994. Pages 1F, 6F.
"WOWO metro news 1st in state." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. April 18, 1994. Page 9A.
Barfield, Deborah. "FCC gets little WOWO feedback." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. April 27, 1994. Page 8A.
Sosbe, Tim. "WOWO news director moving on." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. May 19, 1994.
Kilbane, Kevin. "Johnny Appleseed songs grow out on limb." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. September 14, 1994. Pages 1F, 6F.
Marcus, Morton. "Hoosier state losing power and prestige." The Hammond Times. December 25, 1994. Pages E-1, E-3.
Kilbane, Kevin. "WXKE to buy WOWO-FM with FCC OK." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel December 16, 1994. Page 6A.
"WOWO, WMEE get new hosts." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel August 31, 1995. Page 2A.
"WQHK Changes Format." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. March 13, 1996. Page 3D.
Robinson, Dean. "Country reigns as K105 leads in local radio ratings." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. January 24, 1997. Page 9D.
Chang, Ellen Y. "WOWO Radio Manager and Racing Fan Gary B. Noe Dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. February 14, 1997. Page 3C.
Shepherd, Michelle L. "Veteran broadcaster Tom Williams dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. January 11, 1998. Page 14A.
Vela, Susan. "Former broadcaster in city dies of heart attack at 60." Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. January 12, 1998. Page 10A.
Robinson, Dean. "Channel 33 hires Majic Man." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. April 20, 1998. Page 6D.
Shepherd, Michelle L. "Former WOWO manager Robert Duffied, 90, dies." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. July 8, 1998. Page 3C.
Fortier, Bill. "Meaningful or Meaningless?" Worcester (Mass.) Telegram and Gazette. August 28, 1998. Page C1.
"Five midwestern radio stations continue to deliver strong farm programming." Agri Marketing. v. 38, no. 10 (2000), Page I-19 (Supplement).
"Obituaries." Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. July 17, 2001. Page 3C.
Reddick, Bekah. "Straddling the Great Divide: Farm Broadcasters Work to Overcome the Rural/Urban Gap." Agri Marketing. vol. 40, no. 6. June, 2002. Pages 38-40, 42-43.
"Dave Macy to return to airwaves, complete with more controversy." The (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel. February 22, 2003. Page 7A.
Emerson, Laura. "WOWO sues to block fired host Macy's new gig." The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. February 25, 2003. Page 2D.
"WOWO files court papers against Macy's new show." The (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel. February 25, 2003. Page 3A.
Emerson, Laura. "Ex-WOWO host fights for job at competition." The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. March 4, 2003. Page 2C.
Kelly, Niki. "Court delivers split decision in Macy feud." The (Fort Wayne) Journal Gazette. September 18, 2003. Pages 1C, 4C.
"That was then." Radio Magazine. vol. 11, no. 11. November, 2005. Page 62.
Wank, Ed. "Captain of the Airwaves." Indianapolis Monthly. vol. 33, no. 6. January, 2010. Page 20.
Burger, Ken. "Bringing in sounds from afar." The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier. January 15, 2011. Page B1.
Cavin, Curt. "The Voice and the heart of the Speedway are silenced." The Indianapolis Star February 12, 2011. Pages A1, A8.

RadioWatch Mentions

24 September 1995
5 October 1995
26 March 1996
14 April 1996
24 January 1997
16 February 1997
20 March 1997
9 June 1997
17 June 1997
10 November 1997
10 March 1998
29 April 1998
27 June 1998
2 September 1998
10 Feburary 1999
24 Feburary 1999
7 April 1999
16 October 1999
22 April 2000
3 June 2000
29 July 2000
23 September 2000
2 December 2000
24 March 2001
31 March 2001
19 May 2001
21 July 2001
28 July 2001
29 December 2001
5 January 2002
12 January 2002
16 February 2002
2 March 2002
11 May 2002
5 February 2005
26 February 2005
6 March 2005
27 April 2005
20 September 2005
23 September 2006
24 February 2007
20 October 2007
2 March 2008
17 October 2008
29 October 2008
7 January 2009
21 January 2009
6 March 2009

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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.