WFIV-AM 1080 
Kissimmee

Original Call Letters: WFIV                                                
Originally Licensed: Apr 1964
Original Power: 5,000 watts daytime                                                   
Original City of  License: Kissimmee
Original Format: Country Western
Network Affiliations: The Farm Bureau Network

Owner(s): 1964-Radio Florida Broadcasters 
                1995-Kissor Communications  ($900,000)
                1999-Genesis Communications (Bruce C. Maduri, president) ($1.1 million)

History Of  Call Letters and Formats:  WFIV-1965-Country  "The Mighty Five"
                                                           WFIV-1995-Contemporary Hispanic  "Radio Selecta"  "Radio Exito"
                                                           WFIV-2000-"Positive Talk"  "Genesis 1080 Home of the good guys"
                                                           WFIV-20001-Adult Standards  "Music of your Life"
                                                           WHOO-2001-Adult Standards (Calls and format would move from 990 AM)
                                                           WHOO-2002-Sports ESPN radio

WFIV History
Air Force engineer Ed Allmon was putting the finishing touches on his personally designed country radio station, WFIV-AM 1080, in 1964.  WFIV took to the air in 1965 as a "daytimer", signing on at sunrise and signing off at sunset. Allmon spent $600,000 to  upgrade the station in 1983. At 10,000 watts, WFIV was one of the most powerful AMs in Central Florida. WFIV played traditional and contemporary country music. With the philosophy of ''more music, less talk'' they averaged about 12 songs per hour off the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, plus four or five tunes by "classic country" artists such as Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow and Kitty Wells.
In 1995 owner Ed Allmon signed a $900,000 agreement to sell the business to Kissor Communications, an Orlando-based company headed up by mortgage broker Jorge Perez. The sale included the station's three towers, transmission equipment and the 16 acres of land where they are located just outside the Buenaventura Lakes community. The studio building, however, was not included. 

WFIV History During The Kissor Days
In September, 1996 Kissor Communications, programmers of the all-Spanish "Radio Selecta" format on WFIV, were silenced after the station owner Ed Allmon evicted them. Kissor Communications began purchasing air time on WFIV in 1994 and later arranged to put money toward buying the small, 10,000-watt station from Allmon. Allmon said he evicted the Kissor staff recently from the station off Orange Blossom Trail north of Kissimmee because of a $107,000 debt. Kris Persaud, the head of Kissor, who disputes that money is owed, tried to broadcast from WFIV's transmission tower in Buenaventura Lakes, but he was kicked out of there, too. In a quote to the Orlando Sentinel, Persaud said; ''We went to the transmitter tower because we thought that we still had access to it.''  Persaud recently moved "Radio Selecta" up the radio dial to WOKB-AM 1600, a station he has worked with for several years. He hopes to return to Osceola soon if he can resolve financial differences with Allmon. Allmon began his own Latin music broadcasting after WFIV spent three days off the air. He said several other mostly Hispanic companies are interested in buying the station from him. 

 
WFIV Personalities

Bill Barber  Biography

 
Frank Reed Biography






Pete Forgione Biography





Bob Andrews Biography



Rick Chamberlin-1967-Born in Kissimmee, Rick got his start in the radio business at the age of 17 by sweeping the floors and taking out the trash at WFIV. One day the Program Director said "Hey kid, how would you like to do Saturday afternoons?" and Rick was thrilled. Rick is now heard on "DIXIE 105.7", WRSF-FM, North Carolina. 


"Big Sarge" Homer Rhoden
Tom Riggs-Now owner of American Bluegrass Network             
Dolph and Ruth Hewitt-1971
Sam Gilkey
Dutch Edwards-1971
Mikey Booth-1978-Mornings
Jeff Allen-1986-1993
Rev. Marion Fred Toms-1993-Sundays-12:30PM
Mike Wiley
Maria del Pilar-1994-Program Director
Titi Chagua (Rosaura Andreu) 
Joey Colon
Eddie Vazquez
Luis Montanez Jr.-1997
Ruben Perez-1999
Lee Brandel-1977-Afternoons
Bill Bauman   Biography

Other Names In WFIV History
Edward Allmon-1964-1996-President-Radio Florida Broadcasters

Bill Burgess long time sales sales manager of WFIV-AM 1080 in Kissimmee during the 1960s and 70s. Bill was Born in Johnson City, Tennessee. Bill took WHHL-AM 1190 from country to oldies and brought the oldies to Sanford's WTRR-AM 1400. Bill was an Air Force Veteran, and an avid fisherman. Bill died in 2005.
In Memory

Carolyn Misroon-1964
R. Jack Shipp-1964-Chief Engineer-Radio Florida Broadcasters
Jorge Perez-1995-President-Kissor Communications 
Juan Diaz-1995-Vice President/General Manager-Kissor Communications
Bruce C. Maduri-1999-President-Genesis Communications 
Bill Smith-Operations Director
Orchid Reyes-1996-Promotions/Marketing Director

Other Programs In WFIV History
Houston Astros Baseball-1985
Houston/Osceola Astros Baseball-1992


              
Chastain's Restaurant 
Back in the 1960's and early 70's there was a diner type restaurant Called Chastain's. It was on Orange Blossom trail. There was a two-story glass broadcast tower out in the front parking lot  Radio personalities would do their shows and give traffic reports on Orange Blossom Trail. Chastain's was located near the corner of Orange Blossom Trail (OBT) and Colonial Drive. The Chastain family took over the restaurant in 1956. Thanks to Dick Shane (Camnitz) of WLOF-AM 950 for the post card of Chastain's with the broadcast tower out front.
Chastain's would close in 1996. According to "Uncle Russie", Russ Ross broadcasting from there were Pete Forgione of WFIV-AM 1080 and  from Bill Barber,  WHOO-AM 990 would also use the tower (when it was a rock station). There is an Army-Navy store there now.
From Bob Andrews of WLBE-AM 790; "..the tower that stood out front, overlooking OBT (Orange Blossom Trail) was known as the "owls nest," and the C&W band, The 5 Owls performed there. They later built the Rainbow Ranch out near Big Tree Park, (in Seminole County, near Sanford) where they performed for many years. The tower was used for other things too. A DJ from WOKB-AM 1600, Eddie Lockwood, tried to set a "staying-awake record", up in the tower...he came within a couple hours of doing that. I was just coming out of Chastain's after a late night breakfast when I saw his head fall on the table...what some people wont do for publicity!..."
                                                       
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