WAXO

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WAXO was a Kenosha, Wisconsin stereo radio station at 96.9 FM. WAXO first signed on the air on November 4, 1962 with an effective radiated power of 3,500 watts from a transmitter and 143-foot tower at 6400 67th Street and studios within the Isermann Building at 616 56th Street in downtown Kenosha. In 1966, WAXO built new AM-FM studios at the transmitter/tower location, and moved operations there. (The building is now a medical facility, though tower supports remain.)

WAXO was Kenosha's second radio station, after WLIP (which had signed on in 1947) and was billed as "The new voice of a new and greater Kenosha". WAXO's first station manager was longtime broadcaster Roy Ambrose of Manitowoc, Wisconsin; Paul Weyrich was the first program director and Don Jensen was the first news director. Subsequent station managers included Richard Blaha and Darrell Gorr.

WAXO was owned between 1962 and June 14, 1969 by Service Broadcasting Corporation; Arnold Johnson was president, Dr. Robert Heller was executive vice-president, and John E. Malloy Esq. was secretary-treasurer.

Service Broadcasting had always intended to operate an AM radio station, and there was an unused local Federal Communications Commission AM frequency allocation at 1500 kilohertz. However, there were competing interests for the AM license, most notably from neighboring Zion, Illinois which had lost its 50,000-watt radio station in a 1930s fire.

After lengthy testimony the FCC decided to grant the AM 1500 license to the Zion-Benton Broadcasting Association of Zion; it became WZBN AM 1500, signing on the air on September 19, 1967. After that, Service Broadcasting decided to sell WAXO, and competition developed for the licensed 96.9 FM frequency from broadcasting interests in both Zion and Racine, Wisconsin. The owners of WZBN in Zion were the successful applicants, and paid $250,000 for WAXO. Within weeks a lightning strike destroyed the transmitter and WAXO's new owners were granted permission for an increase in power to 10,000 watts horizontal and 8,100 watts vertical and a new 500-foot antenna tower at Dexter's Corner, Wisconsin.

By autumn of 1969 the new owners had changed the call letters to WKZN (for "Waukegan Kenosha Zion Newport"), had ordered and installed a new Schafer automation system, then sold the three-year-old building and moved the WKZN studios to 2219 63rd Street in uptown Kenosha, which was built as a fire station. By 1974 WKZN was moved from Kenosha to combined WZBN-WKZN studios at 2700 Sheridan Road in Zion.

In 1983, WKZN was sold to WNIB ("Northern Illinois Broadcasting", 97.1 KHz) which had been experiencing interference problems from WKZN's adjoining frequency. WKZN then became WNIZ, and simulcast nearly all of WNIB's programming until both stations were sold for $158 million to the Bonneville broadcasting interests. WNIB became WDRV ("The Drive"), and WNIZ became WWDV. The WAXO call letters were later issued to 1220 AM in Lewisburg, Tennessee. WAXO's 1969 tower at Dexter's Corner still broadcasts at the original 96.9 KHz frequency for WWDV.

[edit] Typical WAXO Programming

Sundial with Paul Weyrich

The Mike is Yours with Larry Taylor

Home Executive Club with Lida Hindley

The Noon Report and Showtime with Don Jensen

The Chuck Presley Show - Chuck Presley

The Lou Rugani Show - Lou Rugani

Sentimental Journey with Augie Gnorski (Gus Gnorski)

Moondial with Jay Wells

Passport to Italy with Mario Capponi

Your Opinion Please with Roy Ambrose

The Big Bands with Lew Strangberg

Play By Play with Jim Wynne

Invitation to Music with Wayne Blackmon

The Frank Carmichael Show - Frank Carmichael

The Hammond Organ Show with Lillian Crawford (and later, Lillian Gildenstern)