WMJK-AM 1220
Kissimmee

Original Call Letters: WRWB  

Originally Licensed: 1954

Original City of License: Kissimmee 

Original Frequency: 1220

Origin of Call Letters: Sounds like; Magic

Original Power: 1,000 watts day time

Original Location: Olde Towne, Kissimmee

Original Format: Oldies


Network Affiliation(s):


CNN Headline News
Associated Press 
United Press International
SUN Radio Network
NBC
USA
Florida Network

Owner(s):

1954-Osceola Broadcasting Company, Inc.
1956-Frank Taylor
1964-Beacom Broadcasting Enterprises
1964-B & M Broadcasting Corporation
1968-Opportunity Broadcasters ($72,000)
1976-Magic Box Media
1980-Central Florida Spanish Broadcasting ($335,000)
1986-Cawley Broadcasting Corporation
1991-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc ($500,000)
1994-Winfield Broadcasting
1999-J & V Communications ($450,000)

History Of Call Letters and Formats:

WRWB-1954-MOR
WKBX-1959-MOR
WOSL-1964-MOR
WOSL-1964-Silent
WJPB-1966-MOR
WACY-1968-MOR  "1220 On Your Dial"
WACY-1972-Contemporary
WACY-1974-Progressive Rock
WACY-1976-Silent
WMJK-1976-Oldies
WMJK-1978-Spanish 
WMJK-1986-Oldies/Variety
WMJK-1988-Hits of the 50s and '60s "Your hometown radio station''
WMJK-1991-Adult Contemporary/Full Service  "Magic 1220"
WMJK-1992-Travelers Information  "InfoRadio 1220"
WMJK-1994-Silent
WOTS-1994-Travelers Information  "The Vacation Station"
WOTS-1996-Talk/Oldies
WOTS-1999-Oldies 
WOTS-2001-Spanish  "Magica"


WMJK History
In 1964 the FCC began accepting applications for a silent Kissimmee station, WOSL. In 1966 the FCC granted a construction permit for a 1,000 watt, daytime only operation to J. Patrick Beacom. In March, Mr. Beacom took on a partner, Hoyt C. Murphy and the corporate name became B & M Broadcasting Corporation. The calls WJPB were issued. WJPB began broadcasting in 1966, from a 230 foot tower on Hilda Street not far from the proposed theme park planned by the Walt Disney Company. 
In September WJPB was sold. New owners Robert W. Marlowe, Sam Gilkey and Thad M. Lowrey changed the call letters to WACY. From Paul; " At that time the station was located on Altman Street (off Neptune Road) near Lake Tohopekaliga, east of the Kissimmee city limits...actually on the edge of a swamp, but great for the tower ground array!  We were broadcasting with 1,000 Watts daytime only at that time. By 1971, Sam Gilkey became President and General Manager of WACY. Lowery was part owner of WGUL in New Port Richey. After a couple of years, Marlowe moved back to N.C. and was killed in a traffic accident.  Before leaving he sold his shares to Pat Yaturo of Indialantic.  In June of 1972,  WACY moved the studios and transmitter from Hilda Street to Highway 441 and Donegan Avenue in Kissimmee.  WACY was granted 65 watt pre-sunrise authority in May of 1972.  WACY operated from 6AM until 6PM daily."  Sam Gilkey tells me "...we realized the station did not have enough money to hang on and we started looking for a buyer.  The station was sold...(in 1974) to a group out of West Tennessee who ran it absentee for a year or so and then sold to an Orlando group...". Founder, John Patrick Beacom died at the age of 72 on January 3, 1976. Beacom also served as Member of West Virginia state house of delegates from Cabell County, in 1933, was also a member of West Virginia state senate 5th District from 1935-38 and then as Mayor of Port St. Lucie County. In 1976, WACY left the air for a few months until Magic Box Media purchased the silent station in the summer of 1976.  The WACY calls were replaced with WMJK.  In December of 1976, the FCC allowed  WMJK to move it's  studio location to 3150 N. Poinciana, outside the Kissimmee city limits.  In 1979,  the FCC granted WMJK permission to change its studio and transmitter remote control point to 1200 Central Avenue, a single story office complex known as "The Atrium".  In 1980 the transmitting location was moved east of US Highways 92 and 441.  That same year WMJK was sold to Central Florida Spanish Broadcasting.  By 1986 WMJK was sold to the Cawley Broadcasting Corporation.  In 1990, the station's licensee name was changed to Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc. and WMJK moved to new studios at 3463 Vine Street.  In 1991, Kissimmee Broadcasting was reorganized and in 1992 the studios were relocated to 5770 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in the "Old Town" complex and WMJK changed formats to "Travelers Information". In March,1994, WMJK went silent, but would return to the air in September of that same year when Winfield Broadcasting Inc. purchased the station and changed the call letters to WOTS, "The Vacation Station".  The FCC granted permission to add 110 watt nighttime operation in June, 1995 and by 1997 WOTS began a 24 hour operation. In June of 1999, WOTS was sold to J & V Communications for $450,000.  The studios were moved to 222 Hazard Street, Orlando in 2001 but remained licensed to Kissimmee where it's tower and transmitter are located.


WMJK Personalities


Sal Tee
(Salvatore Taglireno)-1976-Program Director-Magic Box Media


Bill Michaels-Mornings/1988-General Manager-
Cawley Broadcasting Corporation
"Uncle Russie" Russ Ross-Nights/1988-Mornings-Cawley Broadcasting Corporation  Biography 


Steve Kennedy-1988
-1989-Weekends-Cawley Broadcasting Corporation
  Biography
J.D. the D.J. and the Delinquents-1991-"Jukebox Classics"-(Jim Davis, Passaic Pete, Lucky Chuck and Lightning Lenny)-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Mark Rosenbauer-1991-1993-General Manager/News Director/Host of "All Around Osceola''-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.

Magic Max
(Rick Namey)-1991-President/1992-Magic Max would among other things, perform card tricks and use sleight of hand on the radio-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.  In Memory
Rocky D.-1992-''Rocky, the dog-faced boy'' part of the "Magic Max Show"-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Jessie Scott-1992-"Magic Max Show"-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
''Bean'' (Paul Warwick)-1992-"Magic Max Show"-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Big Al Munnings-1992-1994-Producer/Fill in Host of "Little Darlin's Rock 'n Roll Show" with Allan Brady-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.


Allan Brady-1992-1996-Weekends-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc. Biography 
Mark Ryan-1993-Program Director-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Roy Adams
Dave Lecklitner-Mornings
Larry Gibson-News/Host of "Osceola Today"
Mike Roberts
Bill Carson  

Other Names in WMJK History
James Shipley-1976-President-Magic Box Media
Wynn Rostek-1976-Chief Engineer-Magic Box Media
William Kirk-1978-Vice President-Magic Box Media
Bebo Kramer-1978-General Manager-Magic Box Media/1980-President/General Manager-Central Fla. Spanish Broadcasting
Brian Dunbar-1980-Vice President/General Manager-Central Fla. Spanish Broadcasting
Gus Cawley-1986-President-Cawley Broadcasting Inc. 
Al Wekelo-1986-General Manager-Cawley Broadcasting Inc. 
John Bowler-1990-General Manager-Cawley Broadcasting Inc. 
Donald Schutz-1991-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Susan Blake-1993-Sales Director-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Jay Wagoner-1993-Chief Engineer-Kissimmee Broadcasting Corporation, Inc.
Edward W. Englander
Bernard Kaplan
Norma Kaplan
Oscar Kramer
Brian Dunbar-General Manager

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