WPLA-AM 910   (Moved from 1570)
Plant City

Original Call Letters: WPLA 
Originally Licensed:  July 1949  
Original City of  License: Plant City                                                                                Logo Courtesy of Larry Flegle
Original Frequency: 1570
Origin of Call Letters: Location: PLAnt City
Original Power: 1,000 Watts
Original Format: Block Programming 
Original Location: 1607 South Collins Street

Network Affiliation(s): 1986-Mutual Broadcasting
                                  1989-Associated Press
                                         Florida Network News
                                                                       
Owner(s): 1949-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc.
                1974-Ercelle Smith and Al Berry 
                1987-Harmon Broadcast Partners  (Brent L. and Elvin L. Harmon) ($850,000)
                1996-Harmon Communications, Inc.
                1996-WWRM. Inc.
                2000-Cox Radio, Inc.
                2000--South Texas Broadcasting, Inc.

                
History Of Call Letters and Formats: WPLA-1949-Block Format   "Your Community Station"
                                 WPLA-1970-Country
                                                         WPLA-1987-Adult Contemporary
                                                         WPLA-1989-Country
                                                         WPLA-1989-Sports Talk  "Sportsradio 910 AM"
                                                         WFNS-1990-Sports Talk   "WFNS Sports Radio 910 Tampa Bay"   "Fans"
                                                         WSUN-1995-
                                                         WTWD-2001-                    "Good Advice - Tampa Bay's Christian Talk"
                                                         
History of WPLA
In 1949, Plant City business man,  W.A. Smith purchased a broadcast tower from an Orlando radio station and had it re-assembled on the property on South Collins Street where Smith built  WPLA-AM 1570 as a daytime only station. By 1956, Mr. Smith filed an application with the FCC for what he considered a better dial position and was granted approval  to move the signal to WPLA-AM 910. In 1974 W.A. Smith sold the station to his son, Ercelle and General Manager Al Berry. The younger Smith and Berry wanted to have the station broadcast a full 24 hour day. In order to meet FCC approval they had to build directional towers. These were built in the city of Dover, west of Plant City. This arrangement also allowed an increase in daytime power to 5,000 watts with 1,000 watts at night. By 1987 Smith and Berry sold the station to brothers Brent L. and Elvin L. Harmon. The Harmon's purchased WPLA's license, transmitter and broadcasting equipment. Smith and Berry retained title to the land and building that house the WPLA broadcast office. Harmon leases the property from month to month. Under the Harmon's the mornings were programmed in 20-minute blocks, introducing each with news headlines, traffic, weather, eventually segueing into music. And around and around it goes from 6AM until 9AM. In the afternoons, WPLA runs its blocks in 30-minute cycles, since the average listener tends to stay tuned for a longer time, according top Harmon. Under the Harmon's ownership WPLA became an AM stereo station utilizing the Motorola C-QUAM system.  In 1989 Brent Harmon revamped the format to country music. In 1990, the station made a full-time commitment to sports broadcasting, becoming "Sportsradio 910 AM".  Harmon would also move it's studios (not its tower) to East Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa. According to the station's owner, Brent Harmon, it was "necessary, because of economics, in order to keep the station."  

WPLA Personalities
Al Berry-1958-1990-Co-host of "This n' That" 
Ercelle Smith-1968-1990-"This n' That"   
Dave Campbell-1969-1971, 1972-1974, 1988-1990-Program Director
Nanci Donnellan-1990-Monday-Friday 4PM-7PM
Rick Sarro-1990-1PM-4PM
Dick Shiflett-1949-Commercial Manager/Air Personality-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. In Memory
Ron Baxley-1966-1970
Jim Malloy-Program Director

Other Names In WPLA History
W.A. Smith-1949-1974-President-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Al Berry-1949-General Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc.
Ercelle Smith-1974-1987-Co-Owner (Son of W.A. Smith) In Memory 
Al Berry-1974-General Manager -Co-Owner 
Brent Harmon-1987-Co-owner/Station Manager 
Elvin Harmon-1987-Co-owner
Doretha Adams


Other Programs In WPLA History
Cincinnati Reds Baseball-1988
Tampa Bay Bucs Football-1988
Florida Gators Football
Plant City High School Raiders Football
SEC Football
WTSP-TV Channel 10 Newscenter simulcast at noon and 6PM                                                     Logo Courtesy of Larry Flegle
Canada Calling-Prior Smith
Orlando Magic Basketball
Sports Final-all night sports talk (syndicated)

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