WOWO first signs on the air on March 31, 1925 with 500 watts at 1320 kilocycles. The call letters were chosen arbitrarily. "W" for broadcast station east of the Mississippi and "O" for ease of pronunciation. This is a photo of the Unique Orchestra getting ready to perform in 1927. Did you ever listen to WOWO what is your favorite memory?
They broadcast from studios on the second floor of the Main Auto Supply Co. at 215 W. Main Street. "Fort Wayne's legendary 50,000 watt radio station. ... roster of air personalities, like Bob Sievers, Jack Underwood, Dugan Fry, Jay Gould, Chris Roberts, Ron Gregory, Bob Chase, Don Chevillet, John Cigna and many others created a lifelong bond with the citizens of WOWOland. February 1, 1954, the station would raise the new towers at their site on U.S. 24 near Roanoke to become 50,000 watts from History of WOWO on wowo.com. It was an upgrade that would make the station as strong as the most powerful station in the United States. In its earliest years, WOWO Radio also launched the careers of many prominent broadcasters, including comedian Herb Shriner, Fort Wayne TV pioneer Hilliard Gates, and Tom Carnegie, known to millions worldwide as the voice of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. from the Timeline on The History of WOWO Radio web site.
"Fort Wayne Offers Wonderful Opportunities, WOWO." Our #tbt #fortwayne celebrates the 90 years of broadcast history at...
"Fort Wayne Offers Wonderful Opportunities, WOWO." Our #tbt#fortwayne celebrates the 90 years of broadcast history at WOWO News/Talk 1190 AM & 92.3 FM. Originally owned by the Main Auto Supply, the station was put on the air to help their dealers sell radio sets in 1925. To help make sales, a dealer would call in, turn on the radio station and have them play the piano and mention the potential buyers name. Fort Wayne has always been a hub of broadcast history with both television and radio.
You can also see in the photo several of the structures in downtown Fort Wayne that once stood. The Main Auto Supply was located at Main and Harrison near where Aptera Software and Stoners is today. (the fireescape came years later)
On September 18, 1927, Fort Wayne radio station WOWO, along with sixteen other stations across the nation, became a...
On September 18, 1927, Fort Wayne radio station WOWO, along with sixteen other stations across the nation, became a pioneer station for the CBS network. The Muncie Star Press noted "A new era in radio broadcasting will be ushered in today and tonight when the inaugural programs of the recently-formed Columbia broadcasting system go on the air." According to the Indiana Historical Society, "Radio gave everyone, rural and urban alike, access to a broader world and new ideas. Beyond providing entertainment, radio had the ability to alert people to important news faster than newspapers could. During natural disasters, broadcasters organized relief efforts, provided vital information, and calmed fears."
In July 1929, the Main Auto Company, where WOWO was located, caught fire and damaged broadcast wires. The damages were minimal to the building, the wires were replaced, and the station was up and running the next day. The Indiana Historical Society noted that the station went on to be the first "to broadcast a basketball game and the first to air a Man on the Street program, which it did from the lobby of the Old Indiana Theater."
On September 18, 1927, Fort Wayne radio station WOWO, along with sixteen other stations across the nation, became a pioneer station for the CBS network. The Muncie Star Press noted, "A new era in radio broadcasting will be ushered in today and tonight when the inaugural programs of the recently-formed Columbia broadcasting system go on the air."
According to the Indiana Historical Society, "Radio gave everyone, rural and urban alike, access to a broader world and new ideas. Beyond providing entertainment, radio had the ability to alert people to important news faster than newspapers could. During natural disasters, broadcasters organized relief efforts, provided vital information, and calmed fears." In July 1929, the Main Auto Company, where WOWO was located, caught fire and damaged broadcast wires. The damages were minimal to the building, the wires were replaced, and the station was up and running the next day.
The station went on to be the first "to broadcast a basketball game and the first to air a Man on the Street program, which it did from the lobby of the Old Indiana Theater."
WOWO Legends Special | 1h 2m 51s Local radio personalities gather at the WFWA-TV39 PBS Fort Wayne studios to reminisce about WOWO (AM radio). Featuring Bob Sievers, Bob Chase, Don Chevillet, Ron Gregory, and Chris Roberts. Aired: 03/02/98 Rating: NR VHS at Allen County Public Library.
A conversation with Bob Sieversfrom WFWA-TV39 PBS Fort Wayne, 1999 "Join Bob as he reminisces with Jane Avery Doswell about his long career in broadcasting from the 'world famous WOWO Fire Escape.' Bob gives an insider's perspective on how the business of radio and advertising has changed over the years, as well as the Fort Wayne area and America itself."--Container. VHS at Allen County Public Library.
Promotional 9 minute WOWO YouTube video uploaded April 27, 2011 by compcore.
There's A Little Red Barn In Indiana advertisement on page 86 September 13, 1954 publication Broadcasting Telecasting Publication date: 1954 on Archive.org
Charles Osgood profiles Nancy Lee & the Hilltoppers and the "Little Red Barn" in this 10-16-1989 broadcast of "CBS This Morning." You can find many more memories of WOWO Radio at www.HistoryOfWOWO.com!
You've probably heard Bugs Bunny & Elmer Fudd sing this song in Looney Tunes "Robot Rabbit." Here it is sung by Rosemary Clooney, Aunt of actor George Clooney, and comedienne Judy Canova. Judy started her career singing with Rudy Vallie. Known as "The Queen of the Hillbillies" her daughter Diana Canova played Corinne Tate on the series "Soap" opposite Katherine Helmond. Judy and Rose can belt out a tune with no special equipment needed! "In a Little Red Barn" was also the theme song for the morning radio show on WOWO in Fort Wayne, Indiana, hosted by Bob Sievers for the better part of 50 years.
Entertainment has long been sought after in Fort Wayne. Starting in the 1920s one of the most popular forms of entertainment was listening to the radio. One of Fort Wayne’s first radio stations was WOWO, established by Chester Keen of Main Auto Supply. This station began broadcasting exactly 98 years ago today on March 31, 1925. It initially broadcast at 500 watts of power on the upper floor of Keen’s business. The call-sign “WOWO” was created to satisfy the FCC requirement to use ‘W’ as the first letter, with a length of three to four letters. In 1928, WOWO was sold to Fred Zieg, who gained permission to broadcast at 10,000 watts and create WOWO’s sister station WGL. Zieg sold the stations to Westinghouse Broadcasting Company in 1936, and WGL remained WOWO’s sister station until 1945 when it was sold to Farnsworth Television and Radio Corporation. In 1941, WOWO became a clear-channel AM station, broadcasting at all hours at 50,000 watts, except for Sunday evenings. The same year WOWO moved to its familiar 1190khz. The station could be heard by millions throughout “WOWO-land,” which encompassed most of the U. S. east of the Mississippi, and parts of Canada. Its programming, its performers, and its broadcasters became famous. Programs such as Little Red Barn, the Hoosier Hop, Komet Hockey, and the Bob Sievers Show were highly rated nationally. It was also during this time that the station’s weather reporting came from the “World Famous Fire Escape.” WOWO remained a Class-A clear-channel station until 1995 when it was purchased and its license was transferred to WLIB in New York City. Today the people of Fort Wayne can still tune into WOWO. #sociallyhistory
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WGL received permission to move to 1250 kHz in 1946. On September 24, 1947, the station's power was increased from 250 to 1,000 watts. Subsequently it was purchased by the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. The call letters of WGL were reinterpreted as "Wayne's Great Lady", referring to Helene Foellinger, who had markedly improved circulation of the News-Sentinel since becoming publisher less than a decade earlier, when she became the youngest, as well as one of the first female, publishers of a major newspaper. From WGL (AM) on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
