History Of WXCV
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WXCV.
WXCV-FM began operations in 1983 as West Central Florida’s first adult contemporary station known as "Citrus 95", broadcasting with 3,000 watts on 95.3 mHz. Former WGUL-AM owner and New Port Richey resident Thad Lowrey constructed WXCV along with partners Steve Manual and Jim Kimbrough as the area’s third FM station, programming a variety of adult contemporary hits from the 60s, 70s and early 80s. Lowrey was the first general manager and Tampa Bay legend Dave Harrell was the first program director and morning on-air personality. Lowrey and Harrell had both been involved with New Port Richey station WGUL-AM 1500, converting it from Beautiful Music to Talk then eventually Music of Your Life. "Citrus 95" was automated - live assist and was primarily programmed by music programming syndicator Century 21 and was the number one station in West Central Florida. Lowrey sold his interest in WXCV in 1986, leaving Steve Manual and Sun Bank of Hernando County President Jim Kimbrough as the remaining owners. Gainesville’s WCJB-TV 20 General Sales Manager Alan Chatman was hired as General manager to replace Lowrey who moved back to New Port Richey and re-purchased WGUL-AM. Dave Harrell left for Beautiful Music formatted WEZY-FM 94.1 Lakeland and was replaced by Tommy Rockwell as WXCV’s program director. In 1993 Rockwell was replaced by WKTK-FM 98.5’s, Ocala, Doug Burton who also assumed the morning drive time slot. The automation-live assist was completely replaced with total local-live programming. The on-air studio was overhauled with new equipment and a music conversion from reel-to-reel tape to all compact disc was implemented. And although over the years more stations had commenced operations creating stiff competition, WXCV continued to remain number one. In late 1993, Steve Manual fired Alan Chatman after nearly nine years as WXCV's general manager. Chatman returned to WCJB-TV assuming his previous position as General Sales Manager. A series of format adjustments took place during the following years, and finally West Wind Broadcasting sold "Citrus 95.3" to Palm Harbor, Florida based WGUL-FM, Inc., owned by Carl J. Marcocci. Marcocci had purchased WGUL-AM-FM, New Port Richey a few years earlier and was expanding his station portfolio into the West Central Florida area to compliment his Tampa Bay stations. Marcocci’s West Central Florida station portfolio consisted of CHR formatted WXCV-FM 95.3 Homosassa Springs; Music of Your Life formatted WINV-AM 1560 Inverness; Music of Your Life formatted WAVQ-FM 104.3 Inglis; and Country formatted WXOF-FM 96.3 Yankeetown. Marcocci later sold WAVQ-FM to the Seven Rivers Church in Lecanto and began simulcasting WINV with WGUL-FM 106.3.

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