Broadcasting

RonCrider
Ron Crider

Global American Enterprises has been active in the broadcasting and communications business since the early 60’s. As an engineer I started as Chief Engineer  in Palm Beach at an AM FM station (WQXT), then to WAEZ 94.9 Miami Beach, the first full time FM stereo station in Miami located in the lower lobby of the Deauville Hotel .  Then came WMJR-FM 100.7 Fort Lauderdale-Miami (now Y100). 100.7 was the first station our family actually owned. We purchased the station from Anderson-Brandel for $150,000, sold it to Cecil Heftel for 1,500,000. Then on to Fort Pierce 1330 AM and Fm 98.7 (now the Gator).

We also launched into the tower business in 60’s by purchasing the Candelabra Tower located at I-95 and Pembroke Road. I purchase this tower with my friend and then competitor Joe Amaturo. This was one of the early tower investment companies in the US.  We leased tower space to TV stations Channel 45, 51 and 33, Fm stations WSHE FM, WWOG-FM 99.9, WFTL-FM 106.7, Y-100 100.7, MCI.

In the 80’s we launched Mobile Telephone of Florida  (MTF) with Joe Amaturo. MTF was the forerunner to Cellular phones. We were selling Mobile phone service from Homestead to Palm Beach and into the Bahamas. The phones sold for $4,500.00 and the service  cost the user $.45 minute. The interface was designed by Gary Flynn to use a standard off the shelf touch tone phone. This was my concept, but we give all the credit to Gary for making it happen.