WDVH-AM 980 Gainesville

WDVH-AM 980
Gainesville

Original Call Letters: WDVH

Originally Licensed: Oct 1954

Original City of License: Gainesville

Original Frequency: 980

Origin of Call Letters: Partners in WDVH, Inc.-Toby Dowdy, Buster Vaughn and Tom Hanssen

Original Power: 5,000 watts daytime

Original Location: SE 27th street (formerly known as Kincaid Road)

Original Format: Country Western

Network Affiliation(s):	ABC
	ABC Information

Owner(s):	1954-Decatur Broadcasting Co.
	1955-WDVH, Inc.
	1969-DAE Broadcasting Co.
	1988-Eagle Broadcasting Co. ($407,000)
	1999-Pinnacle AM Broadcasting, Inc
	1999-Prime Time Radio
	2000-Pamal Broadcasting ($762,500 purchased with WDJY-FM)
	2004-Jablamo License Holdings

History of Call Letters and Formats:	WDVH-1954-Country Western
	WDVH-1969-Country
	WLUS-1986-MOR/Big Bands
	WLUS-1996-Adult Standards "US98"
	WDVH-2004-Classic Country "WDVH…Your Country Legends"

History of WDVH
WDVH AM radio was first licensed by the FCC to operate on 980 KHz with 5,000 watts daytime only with a non-directional antenna in October of 1954 in Gainesville. Toby Dowdy was a country musician, Rob Vaughn owned the land and Tom Hanson was a radio station manager. Larry Edwards was the General Manager, Ferrell Asbell was the Station and Commercial Manager, Jim Brand was the Program and Music Director, Gary Nelson was News Director and Bob Cunningham was the Chief Engineer. In 1969 Roy Danner and Larry Edwards became the owners of the station. On June 30, 1980, the studio building burned down due to an electrical fire. Temporary studios were installed next to the transmitter in a double wide trailer while new studios were constructed.

Names in WDVH History

Thomas Hansen-1954-General Manager-Decatur Broadcasting Co./1955-General Manager/Chief Engineer/Sports Director/1957-General Manager/Chief Engineer/1958-General Manager/Commercial Manager/Chief Engineer-WDVH, Inc.

John Dowdy-1954-Commercial Manager-Decatur Broadcasting Co.

Robert Cain-1954-Program Director-Decatur Broadcasting Co.

Toby Dowdy-1954-Decatur Broadcasting Co.

Robert Vaughn-1955-President-WDVH, Inc.

Jimmy Hales-1955-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Bill Marr-1955-Program Director/1957-Promotion Manager/1958-Program Director-WDVH, Inc.

Jack DuMars-1955-Promotions Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Jimmy Moore-1955-News Director-WDVH, Inc.

Jack Herring-1955-Farm Director-WDVH, Inc.

Faye Slaughter-1955-Women's Director-WDVH, Inc.

Joe Hill-1956-Program Director-WDVH, Inc.

Rick Hutto-1956-News Director-WDVH, Inc.

Betty Daniels-1956-Women's Director-WDVH, Inc.

Robert Norris-1957-Program Director-WDVH, Inc.

Jimmy Burnett-1957-Farm Director-WDVH, Inc.

Gene Bowen-1958-Promotion Director/1959-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Everett Flagg-1958-Farm Director-WDVH, Inc.

Mark Fowler-1959-Promottions Manger-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Ferrell Asbell-1959-News Director-WDVH, Inc./1969-Commercial Manager/1972-Station Manager/Commercial Manager-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Dan Huth-1959-WDVH, Inc.

Tom Kennington-1961-WDVH, Inc.

Guy Hamilton-1963-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Whitey McMullen-1964-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Stu Bowers-1964-Promotion Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Bobby Dennis (Dennis Winslow)-1965-1968 Biography

Fred Lewis-1966-Commercial Manager-WDVH, Inc.

Steve Sullivan-1968-Promotion Manager-WDVH, Inc./1974-Program Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Bud Blackpool-1968-Program Director-WDVH, Inc.

Rob Sharkey-1968-News Director-WDVH, Inc.

Chris Morgan-1968-WDVH, Inc.

Larry Edwards-1969-General Manager-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Jason McCrae-1969-Program Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Gary Nelson-1969-News Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

George Fogle-1969-Chief Engineer-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Jim Brand-1969-Program Director/1972-Program Director/Music Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Steve Rutledge-1969-News-DAE Broadcasting Co. Biography

Jinx Miller (McCall)-1969-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Ray Danner-1969-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Bob Cunningham-1972-Chief Engineer/1974-Sales Manager/Chief Engineer-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Jim Williams-1974-Music Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Don Dorenberg-1974-News Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Forrest Sawyer-1975-1977-News Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Don Donovan-1976-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Wayne Payne-1978-Sales Manager-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Jerry O'Laughlin-1978-News Director-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Ron Rich-1978-Chief Engineer-DAE Broadcasting Co.

Lewis Zucker-1982-1985- News Producer/Reporter-DAE Broadcasting Co.

William E. "Bill" Morris-1986-Eagle Broadcasting Co.

Dutch Schaffer

Pat Patterson-Afternoons

Eloise Cozens Henderson-Sunday Program "Lady of Smiles"

Iottis Adams-Chief Engineer

Lee Allen (Lee Allen Feinberg)

Pierre Bejano

Tom Hanson-Owner

Jackson W. Herring Sr.

Gary Allen-4PM weekdays

Mike Reynolds-11:30AM-4PM

Rick Morton

Mark Fowler

Dave Derry

Ray Ryan

Bud Blackwood

Cliff Walden

Tom Hansen

Mary Neal Langford

Larry Havill

Randy Rogers

Tom Allan (Tom Talcott)

Brad Cox

Keith Conway

Preston Hicks

Jamie McIntyre

Glenn Asbell

Janis Koppenhoefer Barber

Mary Helen Owen

1975 MediaStat (before Arbitron) Promo for WDVH thanks to Bill Watson	1963 Mobile Studio
click photos for full sized view

                    Gary Allen                                                 Gary Nelson                                Jason McCrae

                                 Steve Sullivan                                          Jim Brand                                          Mike Reynolds



                   WDVH Studios1963                                                                                 WDVH Studios 1975

What's New Biographies In Memory Sounds Misc. Links Chronology What's News?