WCNU
Encyclopedia
WCNU was a radio station
located in Crestview
, Florida
, USA
. The station served the Northwest Florida and South Alabama
areas.
s of power. WCNU operated from its studio in Radio Valley on State Road 85
south of the city limits.
WCNU played a country-western format for its listeners in the Northwest Florida/South Alabama area. It was known as the "Community Station" and for playing "Dixie
" before and after the news in the morning. The station was also known for signing off every evening to "Canadian Sunset
."
In the late 1950s, WCNU and WDSP
were owned and operated by W.D. "Cooter" Douglass and his wife, Marie. In 1959, citing his actions "in the spirit of emphasizing the public interest" and his "faithful reporting of the news and fearless comment thereon from Radio Stations WDSP, DeFuniak Springs and WCNU, Crestview", the Florida Legislature passed a resolution designating U.S. Route 90
passing through Walton
and Okaloosa
counties as the "William D. "Cooter" Douglass Highway."
WCNU was purchased by Jerry W. Milligan, Sr. in the late 1970s. In 1980, Milligan changed the format of the station to light rock/pop music
and, in September 1983, increased its power to 10,000 watts. The new format and high power significantly increased the station's listener appeal and listener area. WCNU went out of business in 1989.
Licensed to Eagle International Broadcasting Inc., based in Pensacola, Florida
, WCNU's final FCC license expired on February 1, 1996 and it was cancelled and deleted from the FCC database on August 29, 1996.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
located in Crestview
Crestview, Florida
Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The station served the Northwest Florida and South Alabama
South Alabama
South Alabama is a term used to describe various parts of southern Alabama. Its usage does not however reflect a strictly defined geographic region...
areas.
History
Samuel F. (Sam) Townsend purchased WCNU radio station in Crestview, Florida in 1949. The station began broadcasting on a frequency of 1010 kHz on the AM dial with 1000 wattWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of power. WCNU operated from its studio in Radio Valley on State Road 85
Florida State Road 85
State Road 85, or SR 85, is a north–south state highway that runs from US 98 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida north to State Route 55 at the Florida/Alabama state line.-Route description:...
south of the city limits.
WCNU played a country-western format for its listeners in the Northwest Florida/South Alabama area. It was known as the "Community Station" and for playing "Dixie
Dixie (song)
Countless lyrical variants of "Dixie" exist, but the version attributed to Dan Emmett and its variations are the most popular. Emmett's lyrics as they were originally intended reflect the mood of the United States in the late 1850s toward growing abolitionist sentiment. The song presented the point...
" before and after the news in the morning. The station was also known for signing off every evening to "Canadian Sunset
Canadian Sunset
"Canadian Sunset" is a popular song with music by jazz pianist Eddie Heywood and lyrics by Norman Gimbel. An instrumental version by Heywood and Hugo Winterhalter reached #2 on the Billboard chart in 1956. A version sung by Andy Williams was also popular that year, reaching #7 on the Billboard chart...
."
In the late 1950s, WCNU and WDSP
WDSP
WDSP is licensed to De Funiak Springs, Florida, USA, the station serves the Walton County, area. WDSP is the first station to play all Independent music in the USA. It's Artist supported so it can be commercial free 24/7. The station is currently owned by The SportzMax, Inc.-History:WDSP was...
were owned and operated by W.D. "Cooter" Douglass and his wife, Marie. In 1959, citing his actions "in the spirit of emphasizing the public interest" and his "faithful reporting of the news and fearless comment thereon from Radio Stations WDSP, DeFuniak Springs and WCNU, Crestview", the Florida Legislature passed a resolution designating U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90
U.S. Route 90 is an east–west United States highway. Despite the "0" in its route number, U.S. 90 never was a full coast-to-coast route; it has always ended at Van Horn, Texas. A short-lived northward extension to U.S...
passing through Walton
Walton County, Florida
Walton County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 40,601. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 50,324. Its county seat is DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The county is home to the highest natural point in Florida: Britton Hill, at .- History...
and Okaloosa
Okaloosa County, Florida
Okaloosa County is a county located in the state of Florida. Located in northwest Florida, it extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2000 census, the population was 170,498. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 182,172. The 2009 estimate for the...
counties as the "William D. "Cooter" Douglass Highway."
WCNU was purchased by Jerry W. Milligan, Sr. in the late 1970s. In 1980, Milligan changed the format of the station to light rock/pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and, in September 1983, increased its power to 10,000 watts. The new format and high power significantly increased the station's listener appeal and listener area. WCNU went out of business in 1989.
Licensed to Eagle International Broadcasting Inc., based in Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, WCNU's final FCC license expired on February 1, 1996 and it was cancelled and deleted from the FCC database on August 29, 1996.