Bob Ladd - Broadcast Journalism

BROADCASTING

Bob was the first to create a personal advice on-air program in the Midwest. On his show over WNRR FM, listeners called in for tips on how they could improve their relationships or start new ones. He later used this program as a template for his talk shows in Florida.

Bob Ladd's broadcasting career began at radio station WLEC in Sandusky, Ohio in 1965. Two years later he was heard on Mulwright Broadcasting's WTTF AM and FM in Tiffin, Ohio before moving to WAWR FM and later WOHO AM and WTTO AM Toledo, Ohio.

In 1967 Progressive Rock, then known as " Underground Radio ", was first appearing throughout the country and Bob designed and delivered the first Progressive Rock format in the Toledo market over WAWR FM. He hosted the show as "The Wizzard" until leaving for Cleveland radio in 1970.

In Cleveland he hosted mornings on top forty station WLRO AM and later appeared on WGAR AM during it's oldies music period.

In 1973 he was awarded a license and built WNRR FM which served the Bellevue/Sandusky Summer tourist area of Ohio. Throughout most of the next 28 years at WNRR Bob was the morning voice doing music, news and talk.

During his tenure at WNRR Bob developed and hosted one of the first personal advice call in shows on radio. Entitled " Talkback ", the show dealt with issues effecting the lives and relationships of his callers. Listeners were invited to call and describe how their relationships were going and ask questions of Bob and his many guests. During that same time Bob built several radio stations for other owners in Ohio and assisted their operations through his company, "Ladd Consulting". Those stations included WGGN FM Sandusky, Ohio, WHVT FM Clyde, Ohio, WSMS FM Columbus, Ohio, WSWR FM Mansfield, Ohio and WUCO AM, Marysville, Ohio.
In 2001 Bob placed his broadcast holdings up for sale and semi-retired to Naples, Forida. That didn't last long as he became the program manager of WCNZ-AM and WODX-AM creating a news/talk format for the former while appearing as morning personality on the latter. Bob used the Talkback program he originated in Ohio as a template for a similar relationship program he hosted on WCNZ .

In 2003 Bob moved to AM Talkers WINK/WNOG, Naples/Fort Myers where he did an afternoon call-in talk show.

In May of 2005 Starboard media purchased WCNZ-AM, WVOI AM and WMYR-AM in the Naples/Fort Myers market and Bob became station manager there again.

In 2004 Bob and fellow broadcaster Paul Lethbridge purchased WBGY FM at Naples which is programmed separately as a Country formatted station.


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