WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida

Is there anyone here who remembers, or better yet, worked at Ocala radio station WTMC-AM 1290? The station's greatest days were in the mid to late 70s (1974 through 1980) when the late Vernon Arnette owned and operated WTMC. At one time WTMC pulled in a 21 share, surpassing all of the other stations in the market.

Over the years following 1980, WTMC had numerous owners and formats, finally "retiring" the WTMC call letters in 1999 in favor of becoming WCFI. The format had become All News and was known as News Radio 1290 before signing off the air for the last time in August 2004. The towers were dismantled in May of 2005, and the license and frequency was deleted from Ocala in February 2008.

I would be very interested in hearing from any of the great WTMC Top 40 jocks from the mid to late 70s, or anytime during WTMC's run.

Mark Tillery,
Former Program Director/General Manager
WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida

I have pictures of the place taken sometime after the towers were taken down.. the station was silent and the towers were gone LONG before they told the FCC.

The owner/licensee was a real piece of work... and real damn hard to track down.

I would be very interested in seeing those pictures. If you don't mind, send copies to [email protected]. Do you happen to have any other pictures of WTMC - building, studios, anything from its glory days?

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida

Jim,

I never worked there, but I heard all about the Vernon Arnette days from the late Trapper Ron Morgan a/k/a Walter Sutherland.

Back in 1991, I did 7-Midnight on WTRS. "Trapper" did overnights. He spoke highly of those days on WTMC. They were still live by the time I got to Ocala, but ratings were near zero. FM had taken over by then, of course.

Also heard some great stories about "The Mop" (WMOP-900) and "The Fuzz" (WFUZ-93.7) during the Jim Kirk regime.

jmtillery said:

I would be very interested in seeing those pictures. If you don't mind, send copies to [email protected]. Do you happen to have any other pictures of WTMC - building, studios, anything from its glory days?

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida

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No pics of the studio, just of the area after the towers came down.

MN Maniac said:

Jim,

I never worked there, but I heard all about the Vernon Arnette days from the late Trapper Ron Morgan a/k/a Walter Sutherland.

Back in 1991, I did 7-Midnight on WTRS. "Trapper" did overnights. He spoke highly of those days on WTMC. They were still live by the time I got to Ocala, but ratings were near zero. FM had taken over by then, of course.

Also heard some great stories about "The Mop" (WMOP-900) and "The Fuzz" (WFUZ-93.7) during the Jim Kirk regime.

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I had no idea that Ron Morgan had passed. When did that happen? I knew that he had left WTRS overnights sometime ago. They replaced him with a satellite feed. I remember him from overnights on WFUZ (now WOGK), first as a block formatted station: easy listening during the day and country at night; then after the Big Switch to adult contemporary and everntually CHR as Z93 and a call letter change to WMMZ. Ron moved over to WTMC doing nights when 1290 was owned by Sunstar Telecom (Gary Cooper of the Southeast Agrinet).

The late Vernon Arnette was one of the last of the great owners and station managers. WTMC was a fine, "well oiled machine". He always treated me fair. I remember once he had asked me to convert records from my own record library to reel-to-reel tape along with tones so the station would have copies of music it did not have. I had offered and expected nothing more than possibly a "thank you" for the conversion. I was glad to do it. Much to my surprise, at the end of the week there was a white envelope in my station mailbox. When I opened it, there was a check for $200. I had made four reels and he paid me $50 per reel. I didn't even use my reels. The station provided those. All I did was bring in a box or 45s from my personal collection and started dubbing to reel. And I might add they sounded GREAT over the air.

Relating to WMOP, WFUZ and Country Jim Kirk, Country Jim owned WMOP from 1953 till 1993. It was Florida's oldest continuous running country station. He placed WMOP-FM 93.7 on the air in 1960. That station became WFUZ in 1973 with a power increase to 100,000 watts and a slight format change. Kirk sold WFUZ to present owner Dix Communications in 1985 for approximately $4 million and kept WMOP till it was sold in 1993 to Richard Andrews. Andrews kept the classic country format for three years then sold it in 1996 to current owner Gordon Smith who also owns WGGG-AM 1230 Gainesville. Both of those stations program ESPN sports.

There have definately been many changes since those days although the only real casualty is the former WTMC 1290, having lost its license in February of this year (2008).

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

I tried out for a jock job at WTMC around 1978-79 and didn't get the gig. What I remember most was how such a big market sound came from such a junky studio. Truly, a talented group of people ran that station. And I still don't know why there was an iron railing, intended for outdoor use, installed behind the jocks chair.

How sad to hear that Ocala lost that frequency forever.

Wazzie said:

How sad to hear that Ocala lost that frequency forever.

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Im sure someone who wants to squeeze another frequency into a crowded market will apply in the next AM filing window in a few years.

Wazzie said:

I tried out for a jock job at WTMC around 1978-79 and didn't get the gig. What I remember most was how such a big market sound came from such a junky studio. Truly, a talented group of people ran that station. And I still don't know why there was an iron railing, intended for outdoor use, installed behind the jocks chair.

How sad to hear that Ocala lost that frequency forever.

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That was quite an interesting studio set-up. I was PD there in the late 70s, and I liked the fact that the turn-tables were directly in front. We did have a talented group at WTMC back then, and thank you for the compliment.

Regarding the iron railing, lol, that was there, quite simply, to prevent the jock chair from completely rolling off the raiseed platform. If you remember from your visit, you had to step up to get in front of the control board, turntables and cart machines. Everything was directly in front with the exception of the oldies record library which was directly to the left rear of the jock chair and circled around to back wall. We also had our album collection in the "back rack".

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.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

radioguybroadcasting said:

Wazzie said:

How sad to hear that Ocala lost that frequency forever.

Click to expand...

Im sure someone who wants to squeeze another frequency into a crowded market will apply in the next AM filing window in a few years.

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Yes, that is true, and I am one person (among many, I'm sure) who will apply for the 1290 facilities once the FCC opens the AM filing window for Ocala. I already have the engineering exhibits prepared and ready to file.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

>I had no idea that Ron Morgan had passed. When did that happen? I knew that he had left WTRS overnights sometime ago. They replaced him with a satellite feed. I remember him from overnights on WFUZ (now WOGK), first as a block formatted station: easy listening during the day and country at night; then after the Big Switch to adult contemporary and everntually CHR as Z93 and a call letter change to WMMZ. Ron moved over to WTMC doing nights when 1290 was owned by Sunstar Telecom (Gary Cooper of the Southeast Agrinet).

Ron passed away 8+ years ago. I was in Orlando at the time and drove up for the funeral. Most of the WTRS crew was in attendance, as were several Ocala police officers and others who had come to know him over the years. He was one of a kind. I'll never forget how he'd show up around 11:00 every night with his headphones and his "magic Thermos bottle."

MN Maniac said:

>I had no idea that Ron Morgan had passed. When did that happen? I knew that he had left WTRS overnights sometime ago. They replaced him with a satellite feed. I remember him from overnights on WFUZ (now WOGK), first as a block formatted station: easy listening during the day and country at night; then after the Big Switch to adult contemporary and everntually CHR as Z93 and a call letter change to WMMZ. Ron moved over to WTMC doing nights when 1290 was owned by Sunstar Telecom (Gary Cooper of the Southeast Agrinet).

Ron passed away 8+ years ago. I was in Orlando at the time and drove up for the funeral. Most of the WTRS crew was in attendance, as were several Ocala police officers and others who had come to know him over the years. He was one of a kind. I'll never forget how he'd show up around 11:00 every night with his headphones and his "magic Thermos bottle."

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LOL, I remember the thermos bottle. I saw it once while I was visiting Tony at WTRS. Ron came in as you explained and had his "handy, dandy" thermos in hand.

No doubt, Ron had many freinds. He must have had a large group of friends in Leesburg as well. When he was on overnight on WFUZ, everynight he was play a special song and say "This one is going out to my good friends in Leesburg".

Ron was also music director of WFUZ when the format flipped to adult contemporary. He did an outstandig job with the music playlist. He had just the right mix new and older music. I gave him copies of some records he didn't have, but I had, that he wanted to add to the WFUZ playlist. This would have been October 1985. Ron really knew his "stuff" and I think he may have been as much of a radio "nutt" as I am.

I always envied him that he had worked in Key West, I believe WKWF-AM 1600 back in the days when that station was Top 40. Some of the stories he would tell made me feel as though I was living it.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

I'd heard WTMC but am a little more familiar with WWKE at 1470. When I worked in Celina, OH our bookeeper had worked at "Key" and I think she might have returned after moving back to Ocala. A friend of mine interviewed for a job there, and I sent a tape and talked to the PD on the phone (I think he was Fred Petty). Seems like the little bit I heard both AMs they had a similar A/C format. I know 1470 eventually became WOCA.

gr8oldies said:

I'd heard WTMC but am a little more familiar with WWKE at 1470. When I worked in Celina, OH our bookeeper had worked at "Key" and I think she might have returned after moving back to Ocala. A friend of mine interviewed for a job there, and I sent a tape and talked to the PD on the phone (I think he was Fred Petty). Seems like the little bit I heard both AMs they had a similar A/C format. I know 1470 eventually became WOCA.

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Just a small correction, WWKE was on 1370

gr8oldies said:

I'd heard WTMC but am a little more familiar with WWKE at 1470. When I worked in Celina, OH our bookeeper had worked at "Key" and I think she might have returned after moving back to Ocala. A friend of mine interviewed for a job there, and I sent a tape and talked to the PD on the phone (I think he was Fred Petty). Seems like the little bit I heard both AMs they had a similar A/C format. I know 1470 eventually became WOCA.

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Yes, Fred Petty was program director and operations manager for WWKE (later WOCA) and WMFQ-FM back in the late 70s and throughout the 80s and early 90s. Also, WWKE was, and still is, on 1370 with 5kw-daytime.

In the early days, WWKE "Key Radio" was hard core Top 40, rockin' the airwaves of Ocala. Key started mellowing slightly in the early 80s, eventually flipping to adult contemporary in 1983 with a call letter change to WOCA, known as "Ocala Radio".

WOCA flipped to full-time All News in 1989 and started adding talk programming to the mix with the addition of Rush Limbaugh later that same year. WTMC, Ocala's only full-time AM, was hot adult contemporary with a lean towards to Top 40. I was PD at WTMC in the late to mid 70s and early 80s. We eventually went full Top 40 on New Years day 1980.

For years WWKE and WTMC were direct competitors, but everyone got along well. I was friends with everyone over at the "other" radio station. Back then it was all about having fun and serving the community well which both stations did.

Mark Tillery,
WTMC-AM 1290 Ocala, Florida
Former Program Director (1978 - 1981)
Former General Manager (1993 - 1999)

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...

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]

What ever happened to Mike Papas? I haven't heard that name in over 25 years. If it's the same guy he worked at WAYX in Waycross Ga., and WBSG Blackshear Ga., around late '78- '80. Got to be the same guy.

fwillis said:

What ever happened to Mike Papas? I haven't heard that name in over 25 years. If it's the same guy he worked at WAYX in Waycross Ga., and WBSG Blackshear Ga., around late '78- '80. Got to be the same guy.

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He is one in the same Mike "Jaybird" Pappas, and I have no idea where Jaybird is now. The last time I saw him was when "Jaybird" hired me to work part-time Saturday afternoons on WTMC. I was told by his girlfriend (who remained on the evening shift) that Mike had left for Blackshear, Georgia becoming PD at WBSG-AM 1350. She soon left for Blackshear to be with Mike, and I believe she may have worked at WBSG, too, for a while.

By default, Mike's former afternoon drive-time slot (3PM - 7PM) was offered to me. I went from part-time to full-time the first day on the job. Additionally, since Jaybird was the recently departed PD, WTMC had no program director for about a month. No one else on staff wanted the job, so I asked if they would give the job to me. The following day I was promoted to PD which was my first program director's stint. It was tons of fun since I was still a kid (high school senior) and "experimented" somewhat with the format, eventually taking WTMC full fledged Top 40, doing away with most of the dayparting and adding all the hits.

I've wondered at times what ever happen to Jaybird. He seemed like a nice person.

Mark Tillery,
Ocala, Florida
[email protected]

Wow. He was a good programmer. WBSG aka G-135 suffered from having a weak signal. It was a good top 40 station. Nobody stayed there for an extended period of time, several months usually. I believe Mike passed through twice.