WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida

jmtillery said:

redneckriviera said:

Mark, did you take over as PD from a guy named The Real Ken Steele? (Real name, Ken Stazsko). Ken and I had worked together up in Pennsylvania at a great little Top 40 station in the early seventies, 1130/WEEO in the Hagerstown/Chambersburg/Waynesboro market, where he was the PD from 1970-1976 I believe. I remember stopping in Ocala to visit Ken & his wife on my way down to Cypress Gardens/Winter Haven upon joining the airstaff at 54/WGTO in March of 1977. I believe he left within the year, though, and that was the last I ever heard of the guy. Big voice. Classic Top 40 delivery. My recollection was that WTMC sounded great...

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I know Ken (or knew him) but I did not replace Ken as PD. Ken was PD and morning personality on WWKE, while I was PD and PM drive jock on WTMC. The PD I replaced on WTMC was Mike "Jaybird" Papas who had replaced Dave Williams. The last time I saw or spoke with Ken would have been late 70s. Ken had left WWKE to go to Atlanta sometime in 1977, returning after the Summer and taking over middays on WWKE. Bill Early had replaced Ken as "morning man" and PD on "Key". I liked Ken and everyone over at Key Radio. And I agree, Ken had a great classic Top 40 voice. Like I said, it was all about having fun and entertaining the listeners. The competition between Key Radio and The Music Connection (WTMC) was fun and healthy.

I remember the "big switch" on WGTO, having listened to 540 rockin' the airwaves with Top 40, suddenly changing to country. It seems to me more than a few Top 40 stations flipped to country around that same time. We had an FM station here - WTRS-FM - that flipped from Adult Contemporary/Top 40 to country in 1978.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

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Hey, Mark, thanks for jogging my memory. It was indeed "Key"--the one on 1370. And I do remember Ken leaving for Atlanta, but that's the last I ever heard (most likely because I was such a self-absorbed SOB in those days). So he came back for a second round at WWKE and then vanished into the ether...

Yeah, I was part of the "original" crew--actually arriving about a month late--to do Mid-Days at 54/WGTO, as Mike McCoy, coming from Country-formatted WFEC in Harrisburg, PA. Hubbard had hired Frank Magid & Associates, the cosultants who became famous for "Eyewitness News" on TV--and they identified the opportunity in Country. The guys actually doing the consulting were Alan Burns & Robert Lowery, both of whom went on to become rich & famous radio consultants in their own right. During the first two years that I stuck around (before taking a PD gig in Greenville-Spartanburg) we showed up in the Orlando and T/SP books and scored big in Lakeland. Hubbard spared no expense, and the surroundings in Cypress Gardens were terrific. Had much more fun than one is legally allowed...

BTW, if anyone else from the Ocala scene has a better track on Ken Steele/Stazsko's whereabouts, I'd great appreciate the direction. Great guy!

PS: Upon seeing your correction of my faulty memory (hey, it's 30+ years ago!!!) I googled WWKE and read the tribute site. Looks like they had some spectacular digs, too!

redneckriviera said:

jmtillery said:

redneckriviera said:

Mark, did you take over as PD from a guy named The Real Ken Steele? (Real name, Ken Stazsko). Ken and I had worked together up in Pennsylvania at a great little Top 40 station in the early seventies, 1130/WEEO in the Hagerstown/Chambersburg/Waynesboro market, where he was the PD from 1970-1976 I believe. I remember stopping in Ocala to visit Ken & his wife on my way down to Cypress Gardens/Winter Haven upon joining the airstaff at 54/WGTO in March of 1977. I believe he left within the year, though, and that was the last I ever heard of the guy. Big voice. Classic Top 40 delivery. My recollection was that WTMC sounded great...

Click to expand...

I know Ken (or knew him) but I did not replace Ken as PD. Ken was PD and morning personality on WWKE, while I was PD and PM drive jock on WTMC. The PD I replaced on WTMC was Mike "Jaybird" Papas who had replaced Dave Williams. The last time I saw or spoke with Ken would have been late 70s. Ken had left WWKE to go to Atlanta sometime in 1977, returning after the Summer and taking over middays on WWKE. Bill Early had replaced Ken as "morning man" and PD on "Key". I liked Ken and everyone over at Key Radio. And I agree, Ken had a great classic Top 40 voice. Like I said, it was all about having fun and entertaining the listeners. The competition between Key Radio and The Music Connection (WTMC) was fun and healthy.

I remember the "big switch" on WGTO, having listened to 540 rockin' the airwaves with Top 40, suddenly changing to country. It seems to me more than a few Top 40 stations flipped to country around that same time. We had an FM station here - WTRS-FM - that flipped from Adult Contemporary/Top 40 to country in 1978.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

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Hey, Mark, thanks for jogging my memory. It was indeed "Key"--the one on 1370. And I do remember Ken leaving for Atlanta, but that's the last I ever heard (most likely because I was such a self-absorbed SOB in those days). So he came back for a second round at WWKE and then vanished into the ether...

Yeah, I was part of the "original" crew--actually arriving about a month late--to do Mid-Days at 54/WGTO, as Mike McCoy, coming from Country-formatted WFEC in Harrisburg, PA. Hubbard had hired Frank Magid & Associates, the cosultants who became famous for "Eyewitness News" on TV--and they identified the opportunity in Country. The guys actually doing the consulting were Alan Burns & Robert Lowery, both of whom went on to become rich & famous radio consultants in their own right. During the first two years that I stuck around (before taking a PD gig in Greenville-Spartanburg) we showed up in the Orlando and T/SP books and scored big in Lakeland. Hubbard spared no expense, and the surroundings in Cypress Gardens were terrific. Had much more fun than one is legally allowed...

BTW, if anyone else from the Ocala scene has a better track on Ken Steele/Stazsko's whereabouts, I'd great appreciate the direction. Great guy!

PS: Upon seeing your correction of my faulty memory (hey, it's 30+ years ago!!!) I googled WWKE and read the tribute site. Looks like they had some spectacular digs, too!

Click to expand...

Did your Google search take you to cflradio.net? If you look at that website, take a look at WWKE, WOCA, WTMC, WMFQ, WFUZ, WMMZ, WRUF-AM-FM, and all the stations located in Ocala and Gainesville. Those were posted by me as "Marc Tyll". You might find something useful there in your search either from me or from another contributer to the website.

Another good site is Jim Maloy's radioyears.com. Jim has done an excellent job with the history of various Central Florida stations from Tampa to Orlando, including WGTO.

LOL, yes, it has been over 30-years ago, so sometimes the memory with me gets a little "fuzzy", but not too bad. I remember seeing the name Mike McCoy associated with WGTO. So, that was you?

Regrading Ocala's WTMC and WWKE, WTMC is now dark while WWKE is now News-Talk 1370 WOCA. The changes that take place within 30-years...

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

Mark: Do you recall a girl named Jan who worked nights at WTMC in the late 70s? The last name escapes me, maybe Wilson.

Yes I do... Her name was Jan Wilson a/k/a Bonnie Scott on air. She followed me on air doing 7PM to Midnight and was Mike Pappas' girlfriend. She left for WBSG within a few months of Mike's departure.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

[/quote]
Wazzie, do you remember who you spoke with when you applied for a job at WTMC? If it was in 1978, it was either me, Lou Patrick, Bill Mansfield, Greg Richards, Dave Williams or possibly Vernon Arnette himself. Vernon liked to keep a direct input on the operation, and often times would interview prospective employees.

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Wow Mark--- 1978 was a LONG time ago. I don't remember names but I'm sure the PD interviewed me, took me into the studio and the mid day jock was playing Ammi Stewart's "Knock On Wood". (I remember he was a wirey guy with a bad case of zits) (Not picking on him-- just an observation). I also remember the local news coming on (Bill did the news, right?) And I was amazed that the news was on cart and the reporter was at a government meeting instead of "in-studio". Little did I know that 30 years later, most of us would be "ghosts in the machine". LOL

Another Ocala memory was about two years earlier-- summer/fall 1976, I didn't have my third class ticket and some jock at WMOP was forming a training class. After three months of waiting for him to get it together, I gave up, went north and did it on my own. I didn't understand directional antenna systems and the local owner/GM in my one station hometown took the time to teach me. A few weeks later while I was taking the test in Chicago, he called my house and offered me part time hours IF I passed.

That's been my radio career... Mr Lucky-- landing gigs without even trying. Even my current job, I was only looking for some part time work and three weeks later was offered full time. I'm not knocking it but I wish I was as lucky with lottery tickets!

Wazzie, do you remember who you spoke with when you applied for a job at WTMC? If it was in 1978, it was either me, Lou Patrick, Bill Mansfield, Greg Richards, Dave Williams or possibly Vernon Arnette himself. Vernon liked to keep a direct input on the operation, and often times would interview prospective employees.

[/quote]

Wow Mark--- 1978 was a LONG time ago. I don't remember names but I'm sure the PD interviewed me, took me into the studio and the mid day jock was playing Ammi Stewart's "Knock On Wood". (I remember he was a wirey guy with a bad case of zits) (Not picking on him-- just an observation). I also remember the local news coming on (Bill did the news, right?) And I was amazed that the news was on cart and the reporter was at a government meeting instead of "in-studio". Little did I know that 30 years later, most of us would be "ghosts in the machine". LOL

Another Ocala memory was about two years earlier-- summer/fall 1976, I didn't have my third class ticket and some jock at WMOP was forming a training class. After three months of waiting for him to get it together, I gave up, went north and did it on my own. I didn't understand directional antenna systems and the local owner/GM in my one station hometown took the time to teach me. A few weeks later while I was taking the test in Chicago, he called my house and offered me part time hours IF I passed.

That's been my radio career... Mr Lucky-- landing gigs without even trying. Even my current job, I was only looking for some part time work and three weeks later was offered full time. I'm not knocking it but I wish I was as lucky with lottery tickets!
[/quote]


LOL, the guy on air during middays sounds like it may have been Jerry Kay or Greg Miller... Greg had wirey hair as you described, and Jerry had the acne. Maybe they were both on air at the same time lol. And, yes, Bill Mansfield handled news and was also the operations manager. Bill did news live in the morning and recorded it on cart the rest of the day with few exceptions. Sometimes he would do the 5PM news cast live. You have to remember the WTMC news department was basically a one man operation and Bill would come in around 5AM and stay well past 6:30PM, so he put in some long hours each day.

Was the guy at WMOP Wes Unold? He was WMOPs program director back then and he also offered a radio training class. I was one of his first students. The course cost me $200, and he still didn't hire me. I ended up going to work for WTRS-AM-FM in nearby Dunnellon. They were happy to get me. Later I started doing overnights fulltime on WMFQ before landing the PD and afternoon drive position at WTMC. I really don't know how I remember all this trivia from 30-years ago, but I do. Those were fun days for me in radio.

Mark Tillery,
Former Program Director (1978-1981) and former General Manager (1993-1998)
WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

WTMC was the radio station that started the career of the late legendary DJ, Roby Young, known for shouting "Paul is Dead" on his last night at "The Home of the All-Americans, WA Beatle C".

ai4i said:

WTMC was the radio station that started the career of the late legendary DJ, Roby Young, known for shouting "Paul is Dead" on his last night at "The Home of the All-Americans, WA Beatle C".

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I met Roby Younge several years later. I was doing a weekend shift on WOCA-WMFQ when he popped in to do a commerical. This was 1992, so he had to be...what...in his late 60s or early 70s at least.

Quite a colorful fellow. He told me several good stories about his "old days" at W-FUN in Miami.

Ya mean those three towers on the east side of I-75 are gone?
Why is 1290 not listed with Radio-Locator?
They show WTMC as some low power AM station on 1380 belonging to the DOT in Wilmington, DE.

ai4i said:

Ya mean those three towers on the east side of I-75 are gone?
Why is 1290 not listed with Radio-Locator?
They show WTMC as some low power AM station on 1380 belonging to the DOT in Wilmington, DE.

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The original WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida changed its call letters to WCFI in 1999. The former WAMS-AM 1380 Wilmington, Delaware picked up the WTMC calls after Vector Communications, Inc. dropped those hertiage calls associated with Ocala radio since 1939, originally on 1500khz later moving to 1290khz. Vector ran into a few serious FCC problems and ultimately shut WCFI (WTMC) down in late summer 2004 and never returned the station to the air after losing its tower site lease. The FCC deleted the 1290 frequency from Ocala, Florida in February of this year (2008) and the three East/West in-line 1290 tower configuration was demantled in May of 2005.

Mark Tillery,
Former General Manager
WTMC-AM 1290 (1993 - 1999)
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

jmtillery said:

The FCC deleted the 1290 frequency from Ocala, Florida in February of this year (2008) and the three East/West in-line 1290 tower configuration was demantled in May of 2005.
Mark Tillery...

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Wow, and neither of the other two AM's in the market or anyone else tried to get 1290?
I think they had the best night signal in the market (the mop and key radio were both daytimers in my UF days, middle 1970's).

ai4i said:

jmtillery said:

The FCC deleted the 1290 frequency from Ocala, Florida in February of this year (2008) and the three East/West in-line 1290 tower configuration was demantled in May of 2005.
Mark Tillery...

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Wow, and neither of the other two AM's in the market or anyone else tried to get 1290?
I think they had the best night signal in the market (the mop and key radio were both daytimers in my UF days, middle 1970's).

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There's no doubt that WTMC had the best night-time signal of any AM station in the area. For years WTMC was the only full-time AM station in Ocala with WMOP and WWKE (now WOCA) operating with day-time status only. Now WMOP and WOCA have low power night-time authorization with 23 watts and 33 watts respectively.

Regarding anyone else attemptping to secure the 1290 license, there were a few individuals, including me, along with at least one broadcast entity that attempted to buy the license, but apparently the previuos owner had no interest in keeping the license valid as all attempts to make contact went unanswered. The station was operated "absentee" from upstate New York with what I refer to as "Mo, Larry and Curley" as the local management in change, with what had become WCFI going dark in late 2004. The station really went downhill under the last owner. It's a real shame that a once very successful and profitable station (Number 1) was reduced to a "joke" of a radio station in its final days.

Mark Tillery,
Former General Manager
WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida (1993-1999)
[email protected]

Great times

I'm Jerry Kay, I was there back in the glory days of TMC from 74 to 79. I started with Chuck Morgan, Norm Perry, Bill Parr and I did 7 to midnight. Later Chuck left and Lou Patrick became our PD and a great friend of mine. I moved to afternoons and Dave Matthews did the 7 to midnight shift. After Lou left Dave Williams became our PD and I left when he did and along with Jackie Love went to WOKB in Orlando. I really miss those days and wonder if anyone is still around there that I would know. I heard Vernon passed away but I wonder if Bill Mansfield is still with us. If anyone is still reading this thread let me know if you want studio pics....I got them!

Unregistered said:

I'm Jerry Kay, I was there back in the glory days of TMC from 74 to 79. I started with Chuck Morgan, Norm Perry, Bill Parr and I did 7 to midnight. Later Chuck left and Lou Patrick became our PD and a great friend of mine. I moved to afternoons and Dave Matthews did the 7 to midnight shift. After Lou left Dave Williams became our PD and I left when he did and along with Jackie Love went to WOKB in Orlando. I really miss those days and wonder if anyone is still around there that I would know. I heard Vernon passed away but I wonder if Bill Mansfield is still with us. If anyone is still reading this thread let me know if you want studio pics....I got them!

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Hi Jerry. I remember you on evenings and afternoon drive. I worked with Dave Matthews at WTRS and later at WTMC. Yes, it's true that Vernon Arnette passed away in 1997. As far as I know Bill Mansfield is still living. Bill left WTMC in 1986 to become the public information officer for Munroe Regional Medical Center. He has since retired from there. Dave Williams (Titterington) passed away in 2012 at age 59. Dave was program Director and morning personality on classic hits WNYQ-FM 101.7 (Q 102) Glenn Falls, New York. Lou Patrick was with WYKS Gainesville in the mid '80s and now has his own consulting and research firm - Evolution Research Group.

WTMC went through several format changes and one call letter change since you were there. I was the last program director at WTMC as a Top 40 station, having left in 1982 for WGGG Gainesville, WDOQ (FM) Daytona Beach - Orlando and WAPE-AM-FM Jacksonville and others. I had returned to WTMC as General Manager in 1997 while it had its first incarnation of CNN Headline News, just before Vernon passed. Vernon sold WTMC in 1980 to a CPA. The format changed from Top 40 to an eclectic mix of MOR/Country/ Standards/Jazz. When the CPA, Charles Jackson, sold WTMC in 1984 to two local investors, it became Drake-Chenault's Musical Memories. Vernon took the station back in 1988 in a repossession and changed the format to adult contemporary/oldies, selling the station less than a year later. The format was changed to CNN Headline News/Travelers' Information Radio then to just CNN Headline News. In 1999 it was sold to its final owner, Vector Communications. The call letters were changed to WCFI with a format change to All News as News Radio 1290, using AP's 24/7 all news network programming with some local news content during morning drive before reverting back to CNN Headline News after AP discontinued its 24 hour news service.

I would love to see any photos you have of the WTMC studios at 321 South Magnolia Avenue. The building is still there but sits empty. When WTMC moved to the transmitter site, Ocala Lincoln Mercury acquired the South Magnolia Ave property. Ocala Lincoln Mercury has long since closed its doors, so both properties are unoccupied now. The former three tower 1290 transmitter site has been cleared and sits vacant as the station has long since gone dark. It signed off the air for the final time in August 2004.

Here's a link you may find interesting. It's the history of WTMC which I researched and submitted to cflradio.net. http://www.cflradio.net/1290_WTMC_AM.htm

PM me here or email me at [email protected]. I would love to hear from you.

Roby Yonge began his career at the age of fifteen (15) at WTMC.

ai4i said:

Roby Yonge began his career at the age of fifteen (15) at WTMC.

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Yes he did and he went on to work for WABC New York, WQAM Miami, and he was the first morning personality on the New Y 100 Fort Lauderdale (WLQY at the time before becoming WHYI) in 1973. Interestingly, Roby Young was fired from Y 100 after his first day. Overall, he made a big name for himself in the business which all started on WTMC Ocala, Florida.