- WDSP
Infobox Radio station
name = WDSP
city = De Funiak Springs,Florida
area =
branding = "Hometown Radio AM 1280"
slogan =
airdate = 1956
frequency = 1280kHz
format = News/Talk
power = 5,000watt s (day)
46watt s (night)
class = D
facility_id = 60812
coordinates = coord|30|42|41.00|N|86|6|25.00|W|region:US_type:city
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = The SportzMax, Inc.
licensee =
sister_stations =
webcast =
website =
affiliations =ABC Radio ,Jones Radio Network WDSP (1280 AM) is a
radio station broadcasting a News/Talk format. Licensed toDe Funiak Springs, Florida , USA, the station serves theFt. Walton Beach, Florida , area. The station is currently owned by The SportzMax, Inc. and features programing fromABC Radio andJones Radio Network . [cite web |title=WDSP Facility Record |url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WDSP |work=United StatesFederal Communications Commission , audio division]History
WDSP was founded in 1956 by W.D. "Cooter" Douglass and his wife, Marie.cite news |url=http://www.redorbit.com/news/technology/398777/destin_fla_resident_buys_wgtx_radio_station/index.html |work=The Destin Log |title=Destin, Fla., Resident Buys WGTX Radio Station |date=2006-02-20] After spending several years broadcasting as WGTX, the station was re-assigned the WDSP call letters by the
Federal Communications Commission onFebruary 25 , 2006.cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=60812&Callsign=WDSP |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database]LaVernie (Vern) Foster Jr., was hired by Mr. & Mrs. Douglas as manager of WDSP in 1957. The Radio Station Studio was at the time located at 30 South 8th Street, the current location of Peck Cawthon Insurance Agency.
After serving in WWII in the United States Army Air Corps, in the Chemical Corps, Vern Foster attended Trade School in Gadsden, Alabama where he received his certification in Broadcast Radio. He initially worked in Alabama at WELR Radio in Roanoke as an announcer and technician.
After moving to Florida to manage WDSP, Vern Foster became an avid golfer and was the Club Champion at the DeFuniak Springs Golf Course on more than one occasion. He was also an accomplished fisherman, hunter and marksman.
During the cold war and threat of nuclear attack from the U.S.S.R. in the early 1960's Vern oversaw the construction of a bomb shelter/civil defense broadcast center, which was located in the back yard of his residence where the transmitter and tower for WDSP was located at the intersection of South 2nd Street and Bruce Avenue.
Vern Foster died tragically in a single car crash on February 19th, 1966 near the Forestry Service Fire Watch Tower located on Highway 90 about 3 miles east of DeFuniak Springs. Not long after his death, the radio station changed ownership and the WDSP call sign was changed to WGTX. The studio of WGTX was relocated to the bomb shelter facility in the late 1960's where it remained for years broadcasting as WGTX. The station was re-assigned the WDSP call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on February 25, 2006.
References
External links
*AMQ|WDSP
*AML|WDSP
*AMARB|WDSP
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