WFOY

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WFOY is the oldest station in the United States's oldest city—St. Augustine, Florida. It signed on at 15:45 on the afternoon of Thursday, February 11, 1937 on 1210 kilocycles at a power of 100 watts, despite claims that the station started July 7, 1936 (more likely the 1936 date is when the construction permit was issued).

[edit] History

WFOY was originally owned by the operators of the Fountain of Youth park, where the station remained until March 12, 2003 (although the park and radio station parted owners). With the NARBA shift of 1941, WFOY shifted from 1210 to 1240 kc. (the new home of all stations formerly on 1210). Over the years WFOY gained power increases to 250 watts (first in the daytime only, then continuously) and then 1 kW (again, daytime only at first, then continuously). When WFOY vacated its property to move to the WAOC building, it had to reduce power to 580 watts to avoid interfering with WIYD/1260 in Palatka, Florida and other stations on or around 1240.

In August 1965, WFOY added FM service on 97.7 Megacycles (Channel 249) which was primarily a simulcast of WFOY. With Shull Broadcasting taking possession of WFOY-AM-FM in April 1984, the FM became WUVU "View 97.7 FM" with a rock format. WUVU was sold in 1992 when it increased power to 50 kW and shifted frequency to 97.9 Mc. (Channel 250). Today, this station is WFKS "97.9 Kiss FM" and is owned by Clear Channel. FM service returned to the site in 1993 when Flagler College's WFCF/88.5 (Channel 203) began broadcasting.

Shull Broadcasting bought competing AM station WAOC in 2002 and sold off WFOY's property at 1 Radio Road, St. Augustine, Florida to developers. WFOY moved its studios and transmitter to the WAOC building at 567 Lewis Point Road Extension from where WAOC, WAYL and WSJF transmit. WFCF moved to its own property where it was able to increase power to 10 kW (Class C3) up from the previously authorized 6 kW (full Class A).

[edit] Programming

WFOY had been an affiliate of CBS Radio from 1940 to 2006. Today it broadcasts the news/talk format including Rush Limbaugh, FOX News, Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage and other talk programming. Local programming is on for only a few hours each day, including a live morning show between the hours of 7-9 and an afternoon news show from 17:00-18:00. WFOY also features a live radio auction, Saturdays from 11:00-13:00.

On July 1, 2006, the station began streaming on the Internet at www.1240news.com.

Also in 2006, an article appeared in the St. Augustine Record about Shull Broadcasting's sale of the station (along with WAOC 1420) to Florida-based Phillips Broadcasting, a minority-owned broadcasting company owned by Kristine Phillips.

[edit] Controversy

Kevin Leslie Geddings, known on air as "Kevin Leslie" & also husband of WFOY owner Kris Phillips was sentenced on May 7th 2007 due to an October 2006 conviction of 5 counts of fraud when he served as the state lottery commissioner for North Carolina. Phillips must serve 4 years in federal prison in Jesup, Georgia as well as pay a $25,000 fine. [1]

[edit] External links

• Query the FCC's AM station database for WFOY
• Radio Locator Information on WFOY
• WFOY official website