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WPLA-AM 910
Plant City
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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 Location: Hopewell Road |
| Original Format: Block Programming |
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Network Affiliation(s): |
United Press International |
| Keystone Broadcasting System | |
| Mutual Broadcasting | |
| Associated Press | |
| Florida Network News | |
| ABC |
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1949-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| 1974-WPLA Broadcasting Co., Inc. | |
| 1987-Harmon Broadcast Partners ($850,000) | |
| 1996-Harmon Communications, Inc. | |
| 1996-WWRM. Inc. | |
| 2000-Cox Radio, Inc | |
| 2000-South Texas Broadcasting, Inc. (Salem Communications Group) |
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WPLA-1949-Block Format "Your Community Station" |
| WPLA-1970-Country Western/Oldies | |
| 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-Music of the 50's Rebroadcast of WCOF-FM 94.9, Tampa | |
| WTWD-2001-Religious "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-1949-General Manager/1958-1990-Co-host of "This n' That"/1956-Promotions Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Elyse Shuman-1950-1951-Program Director/Women's Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Joseph. J. Wilson-1950-1952-News Director/1955-Sales Manager/Promotion Manager/Publicity Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Jerry Bleich-1950-1951-Chief Announcer-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Miss Frankie Blackwelder-1951-Program Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| James Derrick-1951-Sports Director/1952-Chief Engineer/Sports Director/Women's Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Chuck Saunders-1951-1952-Farm Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Jim Shumway-1951-Chief Announcer/1952-Promotion Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| J.J. Wilson-1952-News Director/Publicity Director/1955-Promotions Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Stan Hendricks-1952-Farm Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
 Gordon Solie-1953-Sports Director/1954-1955-Promotions Manager/Sports Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Mary Snapp-1955-Program Director/Women's Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Joe Derrick-1955-Farm Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Jack Rushing-1955-Sports Director/1986-News Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| O. Hutto-1956-Program Director/Women's Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Ken Shroyer-1956-Program Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Bob "Buddy" Collins-1960-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
 Jim Maloy-1960-Program Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Dick Shiflett-1965-1989-Commercial Manager/Host of "Gospel Homecoming" for 25 years/“The Voice of the (Plant City) Raiders”/Assistant Engineer/Commercial Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. In Memory |
| Ron Baxley-1966-1970-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Ercelle Smith-1968-1990-"This n' That" -WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
 Dave Campbell-1969-1971, 1972-1974, 1988-1990-Program Director-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Ron Haley-1986-Program Director/Music Director-WPLA Broadcasting Co., Inc. |
| Nanci Donnellan-1990-Monday-Friday 4PM-7PM-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Rick Sarro-1990-1PM-4PM-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Norm Hale-1993-Program Director-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
 Paul Delaney Biography |
| Bob Crews |
 Brent Harmon |
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Other Names In WPLA History |
| W.A. Smith-1949-1974-President-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Leon Lloyd-1949-General Manager/Commercial Manager-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| Jim Cruickshank-1950-Chief Engineer-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
| George Friend-1956-General Manager/1958-General Manager/Chief Engineer-WPLA Broadcasting Company, Inc. |
 Ercelle Smith-1974-1987-Co-Owner (Son of W.A. Smith) In Memory |
| Al Berry-1974-General Manager/Chief Engineer-WPLA Broadcasting Co., Inc. |
| Elvin Harmon-1987-President-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Dave Pecchia-1993-General Sales Manager-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Jennifer Farina-1993-Promotions Director-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Mark Guthrie-1993-Chief Engineer-Harmon Broadcast Partners |
| Christopher Gould, Sr.-2000-General Manager-South Texas Broadcasting, Inc. |
| Chris Turner-2000-Operations Manager-South Texas Broadcasting, Inc. |
| Phil Jimenez-2000-General Sales Manager-South Texas Broadcasting, Inc. |
| Casey Bell-2000-Program Director-South Texas Broadcasting, Inc. |
| 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 | |||
| Canada Calling-Prior Smith | |||
| Orlando Magic Basketball | |||
| "Sports Final"-All night sports talk (syndicated) | |||
 Logo Courtesy of Larry Flegle |
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| Biographies | In Memory | Sounds AM / FM |
Misc. | Chronology | What's News? | |
