MILT THOMAS

What is it about the radio business that makes it so addictive? When Wayne Dillon (Lucente) made his first splash in radio he was a 12 year old in Pittsburgh. It was the original “Wayne’s World,” operating from his basement on a signal not necessarily approved by the FCC. He didn’t have a Garth working with him as made famous in the Saturday Night Live sketch, but he did operate on a frequency that happened to be shared by a well-known station in faraway New York and that resulted in a rather unexpected end to the venture. “The irony was that ten years later I would be actually working for that station I was interfering with, and thus my first big introduction to the world of radio.”

From there he went to WAXY in Miami and VUM, the voice of the University of Miami. It was at VUM  where he was a disc jockey that one night he asked listeners for someone to give him a ride to a disco concert. One person responded, who happened to be a daughter of the Hertz Rental Car president. She just happened to be the only person who responded to Wayne’s appeal for a ride and they eventually married. Sally and Wayne have been married now for 40 years.

When the opportunity for a real radio broadcast license came up, they decided to jump on it, even though it was up in the ‘wilds’ of Indian River County. The Federal Communications Commission regulates all radio, television, satellite, wire and cable in the U.S., which are applied for by individuals, groups and companies. Sally says, “I applied since preference is often given to women and minorities on these licenses.”

She was successful. That was in 1985, and the station they created was WQOL, Crystal Radio, which operated out of a strip center across from the entrance to Vero Highlands. Now they needed a salesperson and hired only the second female in all of South Florida in that capacity, Donna Roberts. “I was working for WOVV in Fort Pierce at the time and I hit it off immediately with Sally and Wayne.”

Donna was a native New Yorker who had moved to Vero Beach in 1973 and graduated from Vero Beach High School in 1978. Radio had become her passion and a perfect fit for the passionate Dillons.

Wayne says, “We operated WQOL for ten years until it was purchased by the national firm, Clear Channel Communications. But we weren’t interested in simply retiring from the radio business.”

Another signal became available, this time in Indian River Shores. If that sounds like an unusual location, keep in mind that these signals do not necessarily require the station to be located where it is assigned. So Sally applied for it. “We were one of five different groups applying, so we got together with the others and formed a partnership with us as managing partners.”

That resulted in the creation of WOSN, Ocean Radio. With its focus on adult contemporary music and an older audience, Ocean quickly became the number one station in this market. However, Donna Roberts was still employed by WQOL. “I was suddenly a competitor to the people I wanted to be with, so after a few months, I joined them and we’ve been together ever since.”

They sold Ocean in 1999 to Treasure and Space Coast Radio as both are still known. So what next?

According to Sally, “We had accumulated all these video and audio skills over the years along with the equipment and expertise to use it, plus the ability to take on clients with Donna’s reputation in the community, so we formed an agency in 2000.”

They also created one of the first internet programming stations, Planetvero.com, offering video and music streaming before it was the major force it is today. Wayne says, “Clear Channel began offering 107.9 as an AM/FM simulcast and selling blocks of time, so we felt we could offer clients everything from television and audio production to complete advertising services. By far the most complete menu of services in the market.”

So they created Idea Garden, with Donna as their sales manager. Planet Vero went from two hours a week of programming to 40 hours a week, all original local shows that have captured the interest and imagination of listeners and advertisers. “We also still do television streaming as before,” says Donna, “produce the Indian River County Chamber of Commerce guide and Who’s Who publications, do public relations for the Navy Seals museum among other clients and blanket the community with our full services.”

There aren’t many independent operators in today’s radio market, just like television and books. the Indian River County market represents that consolidation where the players are Treasure and Space Coast Radio, (which still offers Ocean with its original logo and programming thrust), Clear Channel, which is now known as iHeart Radio, and independents Rhett Palmer, Christian Broadcasting, NPR and Planet Vero. “Our programming features all local talk shows on local topics and simulcast on iHeart Radio through WAXE AM 1370 and 107.9 FM,” says Wayne Dillon.

Co-owner Donna Roberts Mitchell is quick to add that Idea Garden Advertising and Production House is a one stop location for marketing and original advertising as well as top flight production. Planet Vero produces local content including Ralph Oko’s Treasure Finders, Community Cornerstones with Neda Heeter, Yak about Tech with David Yakir, all broadcast right beside popular shows like Rush Limbaugh and Rhett Palmer.

It’s a dream come true for the three long-time partners, Wayne and Sally Dillon and Donna Roberts Mitchell. Once radio gets into your blood there’s no transfusion to get it out. Wayne knew that when he began his rudimentary basement broadcasting efforts at age 12 and it is still true today.