A brief history and highlights of WIXY 1260, including Coverage Map....

11/65 - After quitting their jobs as account executives at WHK-AM in July 1964, Bob Weiss, Norman Wain and Joe Zingale form the Westchester Corporation and purchase WFAS radio in White Plains (Westchester County), New York. They take control in December 1964, and in November the following year, they assume control of WDOK-AM & FM.

12/12/65 - WDOK-AM becomes "WIXY 1260". The call letters are inspired by Detroit's WXYZ, and the similarity in sound between the call letters and the frequency. The original lineup includes Al Gates (6-10 am), Howie Lund (10-1 pm), Johnny Michaels (1-4 pm), Johnny Canton (4-7 pm), and Mark Allen (7-11 pm).  Then comes "The World Tomorrow" from 11 to 11:30, followed by "Project 1260", a news/public affairs program hosted by Fred Griffith, from 11:30 to midnight.  Bobby Magic has the all-night show, from midnight to 6 am. Mark Allen later takes the name Bob Dearborn when he moves on to WCFL / Chicago, and Bobby Magic programs WDMT-FM for a time in the 1980's. WIXY's original pop music format is called "chicken rock", but that label is quickly dropped, and after one month WIXY goes typical Top 40.  Among the news staff are Bob Engel, Fred Griffith, Gary Ritchie, and Mike Dix..

8/14/66 - The station sponsors the Beatles at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, though John Lennon's remark suggesting the group is "bigger than Jesus Christ" keeps attendance at just 20,000. Fans tear down a snow fence and storm the stage, halting the show until order is restored. 

8/22/66 - The staff lineup includes Jerry Brooke (6-10 am), Johnny Canton (10-1 pm), Johnny Walters (1-4 pm), Al Gates and "Feathers" (4-7 pm), Jack Armstrong (7-midnight), and Bobby Magic (midnight to 6 am). WIXY also begins running the classic "Chicken Man" show once an hour.

9/1/67 - The staff lineup includes Mike Reineri (5:30 - 10 am), Larry "the Duker" Morrow (10-1 pm), Jerry Brooke (1-4 pm), Lou "King" Kirby (4-8 pm), Dick "Wilde Childe" Kemp (8-midnight), and Bobby Magic (midnight-5:30 am).

9/13/71 - The staff lineup includes Mike Reineri (5:30-10 am), Larry Morrow (10-2 pm), Chuck Dunaway (2-4 pm), Steve Hunter (4-8 pm), Chip Hobart (4-midnight) and Bobby Knight (midnight-5:30 am).

12/71 - Wain, Weiss and Zingale merge Westchester Corporation with Globetrotter Communications for $14.3 million dollars. Jeff McKee has since taken over the 8-midnight slot, and Mike Kelly has replaced Bobby Knight on the overnight shift.

5/75 - Combined Communications (later Gannett) purchases all the Globetrotter properties. The staff lineup includes Mike Reineri (6-10 am), Mike Collins (10-2 pm), Paxton Mills (2-6 pm), Randy Robbins (6-10 pm), Greg "Groover" Cleveland (10-2 am) and Mark Allen (2-6 am).

7/18/76 - WIXY's final air staff includes Tom Murphy (5-10 am), Bill Bailey (10-2 pm), Paxton Mills (2-6 pm), Randy Robbins (6-10 pm), Brother John (10-2 am), and Tom Smith (2-5 am).

7/19/76 - WIXY changes call letters and format to "adult rock" WMGC-AM, or "Magic." Its slogan, "Get Your Rock Soft," raises eyebrows as it appears in ads and billboards around town.  The original WMGC lineup includes Ed Brady (6-noon), Wayne Shane (noon-6), Kris Phillips (6-midnight) and Dan Bradford (midnight-6am). The format lasts less than three years. 

1976 - 2002 1260 goes thru numerous call letter and format changes. After WMGC, the station was WBBG (SuperTalk1260 and big band) for a number of years, then WRDZ (religious), then WMIH, Radio Disney.

2005 - Today, Cleveland's 1260 AM is WWMK which is still RadioDisney.  Far cry from the days of WIXY!!

Information provided, in part, as a courtesy from www.cleve-radio.com


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