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WTAW Interview
Bill Hicks | WTAW Owner
Tom Turbiville | WTAW Radio Host
Laura Quezada | Transcriber
00:00:00 Dick Bolin (DB)
College Station, Texas, April 24, 1947, Dick Bolin talking. Here's the latest news from the
Associated Press…
00:00:07 Associated Press (AP)
He got a touchdown! Oh, doctor!
00:00:10 Speaker 3
…News and Talk, WTAW.
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00:00:12 Tom Turbiville (TT)
This is WTAW, the First 100 Years, I'm Tom Turbiville. Innovation is a word I kept hearing when
producing this series about WTAW. And since 1989, when Ben Downs was hired to return to the
station as general manager, he has been the driving force. And that's not just me saying it, that's
the top boss. Here's WTAW owner Bill Hicks.
00:00:37 Bill Hicks (BH)
I mean, the things he's done for radio and in pushing forward concepts and ideas that would
mean nothing to the average listener here today, but I look at it in awe of what he and us backing
him have been able to accomplish. It's—it's-- it's utterly amazing. I mean, today we have FM
translators for WTOW and KZNE and KGC because of sitting down in the office talking about
what we can do for AM broadcasters. And Ben was the critical component to getting that pushed
and pushed through. The NAB supported it and so did the FCC, but, you know, it takes
somebody to, to k-- kick off. It takes somebody to kick the ball and get the game started. And
he's been that guy, he's been a real driving force in that-- in that area, and I'm very proud of him,
very proud of what he's done for this industry and for this market and for these radio stations.
Um, he's exceptional.
00:01:43 (TT)
So, the next time you hear this guy…
00:01:45 Ben Downs (BD)
We've been heard in 34 countries and we're working on Marlin. 1620 WTAW.
00:01:51 (TT)
Well, it's more than just a pretty voice on WTAW, the First 100 Years.