WORZ-AM 740 Orlando

Original Call Letters: WORZ

Originally Licensed: Feb 8, 1947

Original City of License: Orlando

Original Frequency: 740

Origin of Call Letters:

Original Power: 1,000 watts

Original Location: WORZ Building, Winter Garden Road

Original Format: Variety

History of WORZ

WORZ took to the air on Feb. 8, 1947, with 1,000 watts of power as another NBC affiliate at 740 on the AM dial. Offices and studios were at 790 N. Orange Ave., and the station's transmitter was on Old Winter Garden Road. In those days, NBC had two radio networks, called the red and the blue networks. In 1949, you could listen to the Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis show on Friday evenings.
Martin & Lewis opening

This building on Winter Garden Road was built to house WORZ-AM 740, WORZ-FM 100.3 as well as a planned TV studio as WORZ was granted a license to transmit on channel 9. Seems they ran out of money and channel 9 became WLOF TV. The area in the back of the station which housed the Sales dept. was to be the TV studio.
click photo for full sized view
Thanks to Jeff D'Aurora for the photo

WORZ Wins Decision In Bid For Orlando Television Channel
WASHINGTON. Aug. 10 UPI
A Federal Communications Commission examiner today recommended WORZ. Inc., be authorized to operate a channel 9 television station at Orlando, Fla. Examiner Basil P. Cooper pro posed that a competing application of Mid-Florida Television Corp. be denied. The owners of WORZ. Inc headed by Mrs. Naomi T. Murrell operate radio stations WORZ AM-FM in Orlando and WNTM at Vero Beach. Fla. Mid-Florida Television, whose owners operate Orlando radio station WLOF, is headed by Joseph L. Brechner, general manager of radio station WGAY, Silver Spring, Md., and includes a number of other stockholders in the Washington. D. C, area. The examiner's findings are subject to protest within 40 days. In the absence of objection, his recommendations would become final after that time.

WORZ Personalities

Tom Doyle-1946-News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

William Pennell-1947-Program Director & Promotions Director/1948-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Stephen Wesley-1947-Program Director/News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Walt Sickles-1950-1954-"Adventures with Uncle Walt"-(had its beginning with children's music and storytelling.) In Memory

John Lofton-1950-News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Lou Kennedy (Lou Candido)-1950-Farm News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Marcia Roen-1950-Women's Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Bob Andrews-1951 Biography In Memory

Robert Deihl-1951-News Director/Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Jim Wilson-1951-Sports Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Tony Chastain-1951-1958-Proram Director. Tony was then host of the first "Talk Show" in Central Florida-Central Florida Broadcasting Co. In Memory

Charles Hunt-1953-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

William Switzer-1953-News Director/Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Chuck Fuller-1953-Sports Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Phoebe Miller-1953-Women's Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Happy Ison (Stephen Wesley Ison)-1954-Program Director/1956-Sports Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co. In Memory

Harry Gaines-1954-Promotions Director/Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Don James-1954-News Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Bill Dawson-1954-Sports Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Mary Lou Edwards-1954-Women's Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Johnny Fairchild-1955-"Music 'Til One" -Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Jim Price-1955-Farm Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.ay

Russ Wheeler-1966-1969 Biography

Gordon Town

Sammy and Marsha-Hosted a breakfast show from their home

Tony Girard

Ken Knight (Adrian Kenneth Knight) In Memory

Lee Ronan

Glen Smith

Other Names In WORZ History

James Dandelake-1946-President-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Eugene Hill-1946-Stataion Manager/Commercial Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co./1948-Station & Commercial Manager/1949-General Manager/ Commercial Manager/1953-Vice President & General Manager/1955-Vice President & General Manager & Commercial Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Paul Parker-1946-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Bette Stein-1946-Promotions Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

H. B. Greene-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Naomi T. Murrell-1947-Presdident/General Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

W. O. Murrell Jr.-1947-Commercial Manager & Promotions Manager/1948-Station Manager/1950-Secretary/Treasurer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co./1951-President-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

W. R. Miller-1947-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

William Pennell-Promotion Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

W. Dodd Daniel-1947-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Howard Scott-1948-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Sam Roen-1950-Promotions Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

William Miller-1951-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Harold Stouitseh-1951-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Eugene D. Hill-1952-Vice President/General Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Chas. Hunt-1952-Program Director-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Winston L. Clark-1952-Commercial Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Georgia McCarty-1952-Promotions Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

John Surrick-1954-General Manager/Commercial Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Jim Moore-1954-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

James Guerrinni-1954-Chief Engineer-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

M.S. Wetzel-1955-Commercial Manager-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.

Thurs Jan. 8, 1948 Orlando Evening Star

Network Affiliation(s):	NBC
	Associated Press
	Mutual Broadcasting System

Owner(s):	1946-Central Florida Broadcasting Co.
	1966-WKIS, Inc. (Tom Cassel)
	1971-Susquehanna Radio
	1988-Guy Gannett Broadcasting
	1994-Paxson Broadcasting
	1997-Clear Channel Communications
	2007-Aloha Station Trust, LLC, as Trustee
	2008-Clear Channel Communications

History Of Call Letters and Formats:	WORZ-1947-Variety
	WKIS-1958-Adult Contemporary
	WKIS-1971-MOR/Contemporary
	WKIS-1973-Pop/Standard MOR
	WKIS-1975-MOR
	WKIS-1979-News/Talk "NewsTalk 74"
	WWNZ-1988-News/Talk
	WQTM-2001-Sports Talk formerly on 540
	WQTM-2007-Mexican Oldies "La Preciosa" ("The Precious One")
	WQTM-2008-Modern Spanish Pop
	WYGM-2009-Sports