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WDCL - A History

WDCL-AM 1470 Tarpon Springs – In 1956, five kilowatt daytimer WBOY, broadcasting from Clearwater and owned by Freede-Miller Broadcasting (Hal M. Freede, pres., J. McCarthy Miller, GM), switched call letters and became WDCL (Dunedin-CLearwater). 

Clearwater Broadcasting acquired WDCL in July 1957 followed by Consolidated Communities Corporation in 1961 when it became WRBB (Radio’s Big Beat).

The WDCL calls were resurrected on AM-1470 in 1973 by Dunedin Broadcasting Company (John Price, president/GM). By that time, the frequency had been re-licensed to Dunedin. Price sold it to Lowell Paxson who changed the format and calls to all news WWQT in 1978.

Names from WDCL’s late 50’s/early 60’s years include: William Emard (sales manager-1956), Clair Linn (PD-1956), John H. Walker (chief engineer-1956), Richard Buckingham (news director-1956), Everett Whitney (farm director-1956), Robert Sims (sports director-1956), Beatrice Freede (women’s director-1956),  Gurney P. Sloan (sales manager-1957), Harry Prior (news director-1957), Ross Charles (GM-1958), John Stagg (John Stagwillo PD-1958; promotions-1960), Arthur Roach (sales manager/promotions-1958), Fred Sample (promotions-1958), Ted Seaman (chief engineer-1958), Howard Hartley (news director-1958), James L. Garrett (GM-1959), Leo McDevitt (farm director-1959; PD-1960), and Melba Remig (women’s director-1959).

Other names from WDCL’s history as an MOR station in the 1970’s include: Ross Charles (GM), James H. Boyce (chairman, Dunedin Broadcasting), Manley St. Jean (chief engineer), Ron Scott (mornings), Bob Hughes, and Bob Snyder (talk show host).

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Station History