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This Page Last Updated: Friday 27 March 2020

The Essentials

Call Letters: WGL
Frequency: 1250am
City of License: Fort Wayne
Metro(s): Fort Wayne
Power: 2300 watts - Day, 1000 watts - Night (DA-2) (Class B)
Format: Sports
Address: 2000 Lower Huntington Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46819-1297
Phone: 260.747.1511
Ownership: Adams Radio Group, Inc.
Web Presence: http://1250foxsports.com

Station Personnel

Current

GM: Kevin Musselman (DOS: (June 2, 2014 - ?)
Chief Engineer: Ed Didier
LSM: Mark Osborn (January 2015 - Current)
PD: JJ Fabini
Production Director: Jason Lee
Mornings: Andy Furman and Mike North ("FOX Sports Daybreak") (6:00am - 9:00am)
Mid-Mornings: Dan Patrick ("The Dan Patrick Show") (9:00am - 12:00pm)
Early Afternoons: Rich Eisen (12:00pm - 3:00pm)
Late Nights: Jason Smith ("The Jason Smith Show") (10:00pm - 2:00am)
Overnights: Ben Maller ("The Ben Maller Show") (2:00am - 6:00am)

Former

WHBJ(AM)

WCWK(AM)

WGL(AM)

Owner: Frank Kovas (1981 - 2004) (Deceased 29 January 2005)
President: Helene Foellinger
President/CEO: Lloyd Roach (July 18, 2006 - ?)
President/CEO: Kristine Foate (May 2004 - July 18, 2006) (From VP/GM of the Illini Radio Group in Champaign, Illinois)
President: Karen Travis
VP/Programming: Bob Travis
GM: Fred C. Zieg
GM: W. Ward Dorrell (1930s)
GM: Wilmer C. Swartley (1930s)
GM: John B. Conley (1940s)
GM: Paul E. Mills (1940s)
GM: Pierre Boucheron (1940s)
GM: Merrill C. Johnson (1950s) (Then became VP)
GM: Leonard E. Davis (Deceased 11 August 1997)
GM: George Hays (November 2001 - ?) (From GSM at WFWI)
GM: Connie Kovas
GM: Bill Collins (July 1995 - ?)
GM: John Sloan (January 1997 - ?)
GM: Palmer Pyle (? - March 1998)
GM: Shel Leshner (June 2, 2014 - August 6, 2014)
GM: Chris Monk (October 2014 - January 2017)
Co-GM/SM: Dave Riethmiller (? - May 30, 2014)
Co-GM/OM/PD: J.J. Fabini (? - May 30, 2014)
Chief Engineer: Fred W. Fischer (1930s)
Chief Engineer: A.H. Rekart (1930s)
Chief Engineer: Robert G. Duffield, Jr. (1940s)
Chief Engineer: Alva E. Smith (1940s)
Chief Engineer: Bruce H. Ratts (1940s)
Chief Engineer: Frank V. Webb (1940s)
Chief Engineer: Howard J. Beck (1940s)
Chief Engineer: Don Holzapfer (1950s)
Chief Engineer: Dorsey Holzapfel (1950s)
Chief Engineer: Damon P. Wilson (1950s)
Chief Engineer: Richard Miller (1960s and 1970s)
Chief Engineer: Forrest Mills (1970s)
Chief Engineer: Steve Gagle (1980s)
Chief Engineer: Ken Kovas
Chief Engineer: Phil Jennings (April 2014 - June 2015) (Now Mid-South Regional Engineer for the WAY-FM Network, based in Nashville, Tennessee)
Director of Sales: David Wisniewski (September 2004 - February 2006) (From Station Manager at Artistic Media Partners in South Bend)
Director of Programming: Bill Stewart (September 13, 2004 - July 18, 2006) (From GM at KIWR in Omaha, Nebraska) (Now VP/GM of the Meredith Communications' stations in Atlantic, Iowa)
SM: C.R. Durbin (1930s)
SM: William R. Aldrich (1940s)
SM: Nancy Cunningham (March 1998 - ?)
SM: Dick O'Day
SM: Lloyd Roach (July 18, 2006 - ?)
SM: Scott Howard (January 2007 - 2011)
OM: Dave Lang (? - March 1998)
OM: Jack Holliday (? - February 1, 2002)
PD: Medford Maxwell (1930s)
PD: P.G. Robbins (1930s)
PD: Clair Weidenoar (1930s)
PD: W. Charles Roe, Jr. (1930s)
PD: Eldon Campbell (1940s)
PD: James Westover (1940s)
PD: Paul M. Havens (1940s)
PD: Norman Widenhofer (1940s)
PD: William (Bill) Hausman (1958 - ~1969)
PD: James C. Carpenter (1970s)
PD: Jon Patrick (1970s)
PD: Steve Gagle
PD: Eric Kinder
PD: Scott Howard (1998)
PD: Dean Taylor (September 2000 - December 2000) (From WBOW)
PD: Brian Michel (February 1999 - February 20, 2001) (From WPTE in Norfolk, Virginia)
MD: Jeane Brown (1930s)
MD: Jon Patrick (1970s)
MD: Steve Gagle
MD: Gary Carlson
News Director: Roy Harvey (1950s)
News Director: Norman Geron (1950s)
News Director: Robert Jones (1950s)
News Director: Don Hoyle (1960s)
News Director: Chuck Crouse (September 1964 - July 1967)
News Director: Don Bradley (November 1967 - 1970) (Then onto a career as News Director at WPTA-TV, which he left in 2005.)
News Director: Norm Taylor (1970s)
News Director: Drew Vogel (1970s)
News Director: Dick James (1970s)
News Director: Larry Jackson
News Director: Suzanne Katt
News Director: Jon Duffey (1976 - 1977)
News Director: Eric Burkhardt
News Director: Alan Boggs (1980s)
News Director: Dean Jackson (? - September 9, 2005)
News Director: Leslie Stone (? - May 30, 2014)
News Director: Joey Martin (October 2014 - ?) (From newsperson at WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio)
Sports Director: Len Davis (1950s - ?) (Deceased 11 August 1997)
Director of Creative Services: Mathew Albro (May 2005 - ?) (From Production and Operations Manager for Bacon's Broadcast Monitoring)
Production Director: Scott Kolesar (March 1998 - December 1998)
Production Director: Roxanne McVay (March 2001 - March 2001) (Deceased 8 December 2007)
Production Director: Brian Michel (October 1998 - February 20, 2001) (From WPTE in Norfolk, Virginia)
Promotions Director: Patricia McDowell (1950s)
Promotions Director: Jon Patrick (1970s)
Promotions Director: Steve Gagle
Promotions Director: Courtney Heiser
Promotions Director: Deb Washler
Promotions Director: Michele Tessier
Promotions Director: Diane Current
Promotions Director: Hannah Rupert (July 1, 2014 - ?)
Promotions Director: Taylor Matteson
Newsperson: Gary Lamble (1970s)
Newsperson: Dave Roberts (1970s)
Newsperson: Melissa Long (Now a TV Anchorperson at WPTA-TV in Fort Wayne)
Newsperson: Dan Knight (January 1997 - ?)
Newsperson: John Perlich (Now out of radio)
Mornings: J. Daniel Steeter (1970s)
Mornings: Don Imus (6:00am - 9:00am) (? - October 1999)
Mornings: Jeff Rollins (6:00am - 12:00pm) (? - 2013)
Mid-Mornings: Dave Macy (9:00am - 11:00am) (February 24, 2003 - ?) (AM) (From mornings at WOWO)
Mornings: Rod Tanner (6am - 12pm)
Mornings: Rick Hughes (? - May 30, 2014)
Middays: Jim Rome (11:00am - 2:00pm)
Early Afternoons: Carl Hampton (12:00pm - 3:00pm)
Early Afternoons: Dave Ramsey (12:00pm - 3:00pm) (March 28, 2011 - May 31, 2013)
Afternoons: G. Gordon Liddy (4:00pm - 6:00pm) (March 1998 - ?)
Afternoons: Paul Phillips (? - December 1995)
Afternoons: Rusty Humphries (August 1997 - February 1998) (Now nationally syndicated)
Afternoons: Chad Mitchell (Producer) (Now morning co-host at WRMF in West Palm Beach, Florida)
Afternoons: Andy Roman (August 1998 - August 1998)
Afternoons: Shane Albahrani (August 1998 - September 1998) (Now promotions manager at WFFT-TV in Fort Wayne)
Afternoons: Tony Kornheiser (September 1998 - ?)
Afternoons: Doug Dingler (September 7, 1999 - October 1999) (Now out of radio)
Afternoons: Michael Savage (2:00pm - 4:00pm) (January 2000 - ?)
Afternoons: Bill O'Reilly (3:00pm - 5:00pm)
Afternoons: B.J. Steele (12:00pm - 6:00pm) (Now nights at WJFX-HD3//W245CA)
Afternoons: Pat White (2:00pm - 5:00pm) (Afternoons: February 14, 2011 - May 30, 2014)
Afternoons: Diane Current (2:00pm - 5:00pm) (Producer) (Afternoons: February 14, 2011 - May 30, 2014)
Afternoons: Jay Mohr ("Jay Mohr Sports") (3:00pm - 6:00pm)
Early Evenings: G. Gordon Liddy (7:00pm - 9:00pm)
Nights: Larry King (9:00pm - 10:00pm)
Nights: Al Russell (~1958 - ~1965)
Nights: Don Amstutz (~1962 - ~1969)
Nights: Phil Hendrie (6:00pm - 9:00pm) (September 2000 - ?)
Nights: Chick Watkins (6:00pm - 12:00am) (? - 2013)
Nights: Steve Gorman ("Steve Gorman Sports") (6:00pm - 8:00pm)
Nights: J.T. "The Brick" (8:00pm - 10:00pm)
Late Nights: Jeff Rense (9:00pm - 1:00am)
Late Nights: Al Wayne
Overnights: Art Bell (March 1998 - ?) (12:00am - 5:00am)
Overnights: Don Reid (12:00am - 6:00am) (? - 2013)
Newsperson: Rod Tanner
Producer: Tom Williams (? - May 1997) (Deceased 9 January 1998)
Producer: Sean Lee (January 2000 - February 2001) (Now out of radio)
Robert Dudash (Deceased 1 April 1999) ("Bob Dean")

Station History

What's now WGL signed on January 24, 1924.

WHBJ(AM)

WHBJ(AM) was on 1370am.

WCWK(AM)

WCWK(AM) was on 1280am. It signed on September 1, 1928. Call sign stands for Chester W. Keen.

WGL(AM)

WGL moved to 1370am (250 watts - Day, 100 watts - Night), then 1450am (250 watts). By 1947, WGL moved to 1250am. Owned by Fred C. Zeig, Inc. and Allen Wayne Co. In the early 1930s, studios were at 213-215 W. Main Street (with the transmitter at the same location). In the late 1930s, WGL's studios moved to 925 S. Harrison Street (Telephone: Anthony 2136-7). In the late 1930s, the WGL transmitter was on top of the former Keenan Hotel (at West Washington Blvd. and South Harrison Street), very near the former studio location of then-sister WOWO. Westinghouse Radio Stations, Inc. owned both WGL and WOWO. Later owned by Farnsworth Television and Radio Corp. By 1946, Farnsworth moved WGL to 201 W. Jefferson St. (Telephone: Eastbrook 3366, (briefly) Harrison 6111, later 219.743.3366.). Later owned by The News-Sentinel Broadcasting Co., Inc., which purchased WGL on June 10, 1949. In the 1970s, The News-Sentinel Broadcasting Co., Inc. programmed a standards format. WGL moved to its current Lower Huntington Road location in 1972 or 1973. The News-Sentinel Broadcasting Co., Inc. sold WGL in 1981 for $425,000 to Kovas Communications. In February 1998, WGL flips format to sports; most of its programming came from One-On-One Sports Network (now "The Sporting News Radio Network.") As a result, WGL dropped G. Gordon Liddy, Tom Leykis, Art Bell, and local host Rusty Humphries (now syndicated), but they retained syndicated morning host Don Imus. Between September 1998 and August 2000, WGL aired ESPN Radio, claiming it from rival WOWO. By August 2000, ESPN's affiliation moved to rival WONO (WOWO's sister station) WGL was sold (along with the other Kovas Communications stations) to Travis Broadcasting Corp. in December 2001, for $7.5 million. WGL was purchased, along with its sister stations by Summit City Radio Group in July 2004. On May 17, 2005, the sports format ended, and WGL became an adult standards station, later using "The River" as its slogan. On April 19, 2007, WGL dropped Dial Global's "Standards" satellite format and began programming its music in-house. That later changed and WGL now airs Dial Global Radio "America's Best Music" format. Flipped formats from Standards ("1250 The River") to Oldies in 2013. In February 2014, Summit City Radio Group announced a $2.9 million sale of all of its Fort Wayne radio stations to Adams Radio Group, Inc. That sale closed on Monday 2 June 2014.

For Further Reading...

"Bill Collins Promoted to General Manager of WGL." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 28 July 1995. Page 6D.
"Kovas, Williams replace Collins." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. 12 March 1996. Page 2A.
Robinson, Dean. "Country reigns as K105 leads in local radio ratings." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 24 January 1997. Page 9D.
"Newsbreakers" Radio and Records. March 28, 1997. Page 12.
Robinson, Dean. "Broadcaster Williams retiring." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 30 April 1997. Page 2D.
Sebring, Blake. "Former broadcaster Len Davis passes away at 72." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. 12 August 1997. Page 1S.
Shepherd, Michelle L. "Veteran broadcaster Tom Williams dies." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 11 January 1998. Page 14A.
Vela, Susan. "Former broadcaster in city dies of heart attack at 60." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. 12 January 1998. Page 10A.
Robinson, Dean. "WGL Gives Sports Talk A Try; WEJE Loses Edge." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 28 January 1998. Page 2D.
Edmonds, Rhea. "4 radio stations to get new owner." The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette. 3 November 2001. Page 7B.
Frazier, Lynne McKenna. "Kovases to sell 4 radio stations to company based in Virginia." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. 3 November 2001. Page 3A.
"Dave Macy to return to airwaves, complete with more controversy." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. February 22, 2003. Page 7A.
Emerson, Laura. "WOWO sues to block fired host Macy's new gig." The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. February 25, 2003. Page 2D.
"WOWO files court papers against Macy's new show." The Fort Wayne News-Sentinel. February 25, 2003. Page 3A.
Emerson, Laura. "Ex-WOWO host fights for job at competition." The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. March 4, 2003. Page 2C.
Hans, Jennifer Dawn. "Leading Lady." Business People Magazine. November 2005. Pages 69-73.

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All pages Copyright Blaine Thompson. Articles, photos, corrections, and other contributions should be e-mailed to the editors.