WMMB-AM 1240
Melbourne

Original Call Letters: WMMB
Originally Licensed: 1946
Original City of  License: Melbourne
Original Frequency:  1050 kHz
Original Power: 250 watts
Original Format: Block Programming
Original Location: 1800 Turtle Mound Road
  
Network Affiliation(s): Mutual Broadcasting System

Owner(s): 1948-John Turner
                       -Larry Bessler, Sr.
                       -Henry Dravneek
                 1965-Broadcast Enterprises
                1974-Lee Ruwich
                1978-Miler Broadcasting
               1986-City Broadcasting Co. (Dave and Dr. Frank Franco of Reading, PA)  ($2.25 million)   
                1997-Capstar Broadcasting
                1997-Commodore Media
                1998-
                1999-
                2004-Capstar TX Limited Partnership       

History Of  Call Letters and Formats: WMMB-1948-
                                                          WMMB-1951-Moved from 1050AM
                                                          WMMB-1965-MOR
                                                          WMMB-2004-News/Talk
                                                         
                                                          
WMMB History
WMMB signed on the air on May 8, 1948. The original frequency was on 1050-AM. WMMB would be Brevard County's first radio station. The station signed on at sunrise and signed off at sunset. Then on June 21, 1951 the FCC authorized WMMB to move to 1240-AM  and they began broadcasting 24 hours a day. The main studios moved from Front Street to the Florida Market Place in 1998.    
In 1978, Miller Broadcasting purchased WMMB. Miller Broadcasting was owned by Chicago radio personality Howard Miller. Miller also owned WRRR-AM 1150, Rockford, IL, WFXW-AM 1480, Geneva, IL, WYRL-FM 102, Melbourne and  
WGGG-AM 1230, Gainesville.  Howard Miller would sell WMMB and WYRL in 1986 and retire.

WMMB Personalities                                                                                                 
Ernie Legge       
 Mr. Legge died Thursday, Dec. 8,2005, at William Childs Hospice House, Palm Bay, Fla. He was born May 28, 1927, in Chicago and moved with his family to Melbourne, Fla., in 1936. He was a 1945 graduate of Melbourne High School. He served briefly with the Navy before attending the University of Florida from 1946-47. He was a graduate from broadcasting school in California before returning to Melbourne and working at WMMB. In the early 1950s, he was a radio and television broadcaster in Orlando, Fla., and the first newscaster for WLOF-TV (now WFTV) in 1958. Following his return to Melbourne, Fla., he worked with WMEL as the space program reporter for many years, retiring in 1999 as the national regional sales manager. In Memory

Phyliss Hoskins-co hostess of "Town Topics"                                           
Barbara Bancroft-co hostess of "Town Topics"
Hugh Tyler                                                                                    click photo for full view                   
Ann Knoop
Don Gould-1973-1979 Biography
August Sindone
George Wenstrom
A.V. (Chick) Catteron-General Manager
Norman Ledger
Mark Pence-10AM-3PM  
Dave Wilson
Dale Bryan
Rob Nichols
Neal Stein    
Alan Gast                                                                                                               Don Gould WMMB 1975  courtesy of Don Gould
Alison Whitney
Larry Brewer-6PM-9PM weekdays/Program Director
Vanessa Allen                             
Norm Keller-began at WMMB in 1963 would become General Manager in 1965, until his death in February, 1974.
David Waterman-partnered with Larry Brewer for the morning show from 1989 until 1993
Ron Mahr-known as "Rockin' Ron Mahr", he was Melbourne's Wolfman Jack In Memory
Larry Bessler-In Memory From Lee Garen; "...he (Larry) worked from his pre-teen years until after graduation from H.S. (at WMMB) It was owned, at one time, by his father who used the name Vern King on the air.  I believe Sr. became ill and the station was sold (either just before or shortly) after Sr.'s death..."
Vern King
Lee Garen-Biography
George Tomlinson-newscaster  From Don Gould; "... George reportedly was an eyewitness to Jack Ruby shooting 
(Lee Harvey) Oswald at the Dallas police station in 1963.  Although he could sound a bit pompous on the air, I really loved that guy.  He was Ted Baxter with a heart...".
Andrea Shea King-6PM-7PM
Scott Duncan-2006-2007-Mornings
Bill Mick-2004-2006, 2007-
Matt Carter
Steve Luba-News                                                                                     The 1996 Marconi Award
Bob Justice                                                                                             for Best Nostalgia Station
Gene Bueckman-Mornings for 15 years
Dave Kershaw
Chuck Deel-Afternoons
Larry T. Brewer-6AM-10AM
Jim Morgan-3PM-5PM          
Jim Morgan and Cutter-5PM-7PM
Steve Padgett  Biography
Randy England-overnights-Currently with the Southern Baptist Mission Board in Richmond, VA
Jon Roberts-Program Director


Other Names in WMMB History
John Turner-1948-Owner
Chick Catterton-Station Manager 
Janice Amoroso-Sales
Bill Gray-1948-first Engineer
Mikiel Brower-1948- first Program Director
Vicki Sherlock-Office Manager
Greg Phillips-Promotions
Linda Taylor-Sales
Jay Waggoner-1987-mid 1990's-Engineer
Tom Haymond-General Manager-1997-2000
Rosalind Postell-News Director 1993-1999
Hugh Tyler-Chief Engineer 
Joy Jorgenson-traffic manager
Donna Kimball-bookkeeper                                                                                                          
Beverly Flemming-commercial manager                                                                                         
Victoria Martin-advertising director
Vicki Martin-Program Manager 
Fay Stevenson-1979-1980-and-1983 to 1986-General Manager
Dave Franco-1987-1997-Owner & General Manager 
Samantha Whaley-Promotions Manager
Doug Remington-Chief Engineer
Jim Faires-Director of Sales
Joan Palmer-Business Manager
Kay Little-Sales
Gordon Sherman-1965-President-Broadcast Enterprises
Howard Knox-1965-Commercial Manager-Broadcast Enterprises
John Roberts Atfield-1965-Program Director 

Station Manager Chick Catterton welcomes new owner Henry Dravneek. Chick eventually left WMMB, helped begin WMEG-AM 920 and the Melbourne Municipal Band. Chick was also Melbourne's Mayor at the age of 41. 

Howard Miller
Known as "Uncle Moo Moo" in Chicago radio, he was the #1 Morning Personality from 1947-1968 in Chicago, on WIND. In the 1950's, Howard was also on the CBS following Arthur Godfrey's program. Howard was sponsored by Wrigley's Gum and he would interview the "stars" of the day. When he left WIND, over an on-air controversy, he was pulling in 58% of the morning audience. Howard was a conservative (Republican) talk show host, the controversy involved Howard's defense of the Chicago Police Department during the politically charged summer of 1968. Howard died on Election Day, 1994. 

WMMB Program Schedule 1999

Saturday
5:00  -  6:00 AM  Week In Review (Westwood One)
6:00  -  9:00          Mike Mitchell
9:00  -10:30          "The Trading Post"
10:30-11:00          "American Dream Real Estate Show" with Betty McClusky
11:00-  1:00           Dale McClary
1:00  -  4:00          "Seems Like Old Times" with Ed Pell
4:00  -  7:00          "Swingthing" with Fred Hall
7:00  -  9:00          "Big Band Jump" with Don Kennedy
9:00  -  1:00 AM   "Big Band Swing" - Coast to Coast Live with John Sutton

Sunday
1:00  -  3:00 AM        Sounds of Sinatra Preview
3:00  -  4:00               Weekend with Perry Preview
4:00  -  5:00                Big Band Classic Preview
5:00  -  5:30                Weekend Headliner
5:30  -  8:00                Dale McClary
8:00  -  9:00                Week in Review (ABC News)
9:00  -10:00                Brevard Broadcast News Magazine
10:00-11:30                "Harmony" with Al, Stella, Chris & Jeffrey Alberts
11:30-  1:00                Weekend with Perry
1:00  -  6:00                Bill Miller
6:00  -  9:00                Don Kennedy Show
9:00  -11:00                Sounds of Sinatra with Syd Mark
11:00-Midnight            "Big Band Classics" with Warren Durham
Midnight - 3:00 AM     "Seems Like Old Times" repeat
3:00  -  5:00               "Big Band Jump" repeat

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