Earlier this month, Cumulus Media began the process of taking some stations that were no longer financially viable silent. That continues as 1260 WFTW has been silenced in Fort Walton Beach.
The heritage station will sign off the air at Noon on Friday, ending a more than 70-year run in the Florida city.
Local host Dan Diamond informed listeners on Thursday that the station would be ceasing operations Friday. He added that the station was one of 23 that would be shuttered by Cumulus Media, though it is unclear if that is additional stations being shuttered after those already silenced, or if WFTW was included in that figure.
The show hosted by Diamond was the only local weekday programming heard on the station. It was otherwise filled with syndicated shows, mostly from Westwood One, while also airing Premiere Networks’ The Sean Hannity Show in afternoon drive.
1260 WFTW signed on the air on November 20th, 1953 on Florida’s Emerald Coast. The AM signal of the station features a Class D signal with 2,500 watts of daytime power, which drops to 131 watts at night. Additionally, the station is heard on an FM translator at 107.5 FM. The license for that translator was granted in 2021.
Cumulus Media continues to operate 1370 WCOA in nearby Pensacola. Like 1260 WFTW, the station airs an almost identical lineup of Westwood One programs. The Pensacola news/talk station, however, does not feature any local programming during weekdays.
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Unbelievable! As a part of the Cumulus station group WFTW held a specific genre of listeners that should have been considered valuable for advertising, public outreach, and local awareness. I find it hard to believe operating costs dictated this. Feels more “woke” to me. Silence conservative radio! (Corporate assholes!) Thank GOD we have an alternative source in Florida Man Radio 103.1
Yep! The one I’ll miss most is Chris Plante. Anyone interested can get his podcast easily enough (I Heart Radio), or just go to his flagship station in DC (WMAL).
What a damn shame. With a local “newspaper” that doesn’t cover local news and now the only radio station that provided it, we’re in an information blackout. WFTW simply needed to divest itself of incompetent ad reps, increase its ad corps with competent people and dump 90 percent of its PSAs to survive.
We listened to it every day. My wife listened at night when she couldn’t sleep. Damn shame.