Recent Video WKMF/WFNT/WGMZ/WCRZ Former Owner George H. Ross

[Fingerboard Corners]

George H. Ross, the Ross of the Beck Ross Group, which bought WKMF (WFNT) in 1968 and WGMZ (WCRZ) in 1970, is interviewed recently about his more recent boss, Donald Trump, and his Presidential bid.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ya9bc9e9Rs

It was the Beck Ross Group which built the beautiful studios on Bristol Rd., which at the time were far superior to anything else in the area. It even put the Long Island studios of co owned WGLI to shame. And also put the studios of Metrocom's WHRF and WHRF-FM Riverhead at the back of a Drive Inn movie theater to shame. At the time I visited, VP/GM Bill Lee said that the WGMZ automation equipment, which was being acquired from Metrocom, would be in the garage, which it soon was. There have been at least a couple of additions since.

[audiophile]

He should buy it back...their product is terrible now.

[Fingerboard Corners]

The 1470 facility has an interesting pedigree of owners. Originally it was WWOK, owned by some people named Drohlich (alternatively spelled Drolich with umlaut). Later, it was owned by the Carrell (not Carroll) family, of mobile station fame, out of Chicago, as WCLC. Apparently it was relicensed in 1953, owned by the Knorr family, of WKMH/WKNR Keener 13 fame. John Carroll was the GM at WKMH and later at WKMF, and then bought WKMF. About the same time he sold WKMF to Beck Ross Communications in 1968, John Carroll bought WIOS Tawas City, and of course later put WKJC on the air, and the next generation continues to own the Tawas stations. Beck Ross sold WKMF and WGMZ to the Lee family in 1984. The Lees sold it to Faircom, and it was merged to Regent and then Townsquare.

The Townsquare acquisition of WFMK in East Lansing put WCRZ (formerly WGMZ) back as the sister station of WFMK (formerly WSWM). WSWM (now WFMK), WGMZ (now WCRZ), WQDC (now WUGN), WABX (now WYCD), WAMM (WFLT), and WMAX (WGVU) and WMAX-FM (WBFX) were all once owned by the Mid States FM Network. Later, it was called Panax Corporation. Those were owned by John McGoff, and managed or partly owned by a man named Clarence "Dusty" Rhodes, not to be confused with the Dusty Rhodes in Cincinnati, Syracuse, and at CKLW. Dusty's family continues to own Dusty's Wine Cellar in Okemos, just down the road from the old WFMK studios and tower on Grand River. In about 1968 or 1969, WGMZ was sold to Metrocom, which also owned stations on Long Island. One was WBLI, which was sold to Beck Ross Communications as WGLI Babylon's FM. The Metrocom PD was Bob Layne/Bob Liggett, who later bought WFMK from Panax.

This history was mainly from memory and may not be completely accurate or complete. So feel free to add or correct.

[Fingerboard Corners]

Just did some research on the Drohlich/Drolich Brothers. They were from St. Louis, had several radio and TV stations (not listed in the obituary), and one ended up as the Mayor of Longboat Key, FL. He passed away just last year at the age of 99. WWOK was probably hindered in its early years due to the rapid proliferation of radio stations in Flint after World War II. But apparently the three distinctively designed 175 foot towers of WFNT remain from 1947 as a legacy to the Drohlich Brothers. The Night pattern apparently remains, though extensively augmented over the years.

[jry]

Man, It was a different Flint, back then.... I'm sure he made good money on that deal, both in operating it and in the sale.

He was always my favorite on "The Apprentice".

[Fingerboard Corners]

I was looking up the history of the Carrells. They had seven portable stations when the FCC declared in 1928 that stations had to stay in one place. Basically, they left them in the towns where they were located when the decree came down. WCLC was named for the late founder, Charles L. Carrell who had passed away. The Carrell stations, including WHBL Sheboygan, WI and WBBZ Ponca City, OK as well as WCLC, were managed by his wife Adelaide Carrell after he died.

[Fingerboard Corners]

I remember listening to WKMF 1470 sign off quite a few times, when they were 24 hours a day for 5 days a week, and signed off for maintenance on Sunday and Monday mornings. The sign off tape was voiced by Dick Bing as I recall. About 1968, I remember that the sign off tape said WKMF was owned and operated by "the Carroll Broadcasting Company". Then Dick Bing spliced in "Beck Ross Communications" to the sign off tape. The rest, as they say, is History.

Still don't believe this is the same George H. Ross?

http://www.janjonesworldwide.com/ross.html

Wonder if Donald Trump ever had stock or a finance role in Beck Ross Communications.

[Fingerboard Corners]

One of George Ross' clients before joining the Trump Organization was real estate magnate George LeFrak. His daughter was Denise LeFrak, who was the inspiration for "Denise" by Randy and the Rainbows.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1RwciS ... 5AFb3adFwM