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WCOA
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'''WCOA''' is the oldest radio station in Pensacola and one of the oldest in Florida. It broadcasts on the '''AM 1370''' frequency. The call letters stand for "Wonderful City of Advantages."
The station was founded by the [[City of Pensacola]] under Mayor [[J. Harvey Bayliss]], which appointed and [[Pensacola City Clerk|City Clerk]] [[John E. Frenkel, Sr.]] was appointed to manage operations. The station went on the air at 8:30 AM on [[February 3]], [[1926]]. The first broadcast featured a song written for the station, "[[Down Pensacola Way]]," with Frenkel providing the vocals. Operations were temporarily disrupted by the [[1926 hurricane]], but were quickly restored. Frenkel became the station's main voice for years, styling himself "the Breezy Boy from the Gulf." WCOA was purchased by [[John C. Pace]] in the early 1930s, and operations were moved to the top floor of the [[San Carlos Hotel]].
The station is currently owned by [[Cumulus Broadcasting]]. It switched to an all-talk format in [[1991]] and carries a number of nationally syndicated talk shows, including [[Wikipedia:Rush Limbaugh|Rush Limbaugh]], [[Wikipedia:Sean Hannity|Sean Hannity]] and [[Wikipedia:Michael Savage|Michael Savage]]. Its own call-in talk show, "[[Pensacola Speaks]]," was founded in [[1960]] and is one of the oldest in the nation. [[Luke McCoy]] was the host of this show since the early 1990s, but held his final program on [[May 18]], [[2007]].
==References==
*[http://wcoapensacola.com/default.asp?pid=4443 WCOA - About Us]
*[http://www.stjohnshistoriccemetery.com/pensacolas_heritages/government.htm#j_h_bayliss J. Harvey Bayliss biography]
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[[Category:Radio stations]]
