He’s the man who is the son of the individual who once owned “the lunatic fringe of American FM radio,” a Cincinnati Rocker that was so successful his company, The Other Corporation, decided to buy a Louisville FM and emulate — but not clone — the accolades and dollars achieved at WEBN-FM.
Later in life, he would become an honorary Cincinnati “Commissioner of Fun,” years after his father sold the station to the Randy Michaels-led Jacor. Now, many across Southern Ohio are pausing to pay respects to Frank “Bo” Wood, who went from hosting “The Jelly Pudding Show” to becoming a regional icon and nationally respected Rock and Roll Radio renegade.
In the height of the psychedelic progressive rock era of the late 1960s, the younger Frank Wood would take to the WEBN airwaves on Saturday and Sunday evenings as “Dr. Michael Bo Xanadu.” The show was a success, something the elder Frank Wood didn’t necessary like, but appreciated what the audience desired. This provided the foundation for what is today one of America’s longest-running FM rock stations — one that saw Frank Wood Sr. retain his Sunday morning classical music and overnight jazz well into the 1980s.
In the middle of it all was Bo Wood, who died Tuesday (7/29) at the age of 83. He had been suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease for several years, veteran Cincinnati local media reporter John Kiesewetter reported for WVXU-FM.
Bo Wood made WEBN a Rock and Roll radio station with attitude, which exuded fun. A longtime frog mascot is Wood’s creation. So was the idea to synchronize music to fireworks for an end-of-summer festival event. These actions and more led then-Mayor John Cranley in 2014 to appoint Bo Wood as “Commissioner of Fun.” The unpaid role chiefly involved the organization of pumpkin-smashing affairs.
Wood’s time as WEBN’s owner, in addition to WQMF-FM in Louisville, acquired for roughly $2 million in 1981, came to a conclusion in early 1986. For $12.3 million in cash and stock, the elder Wood’s company agreed to sell WQMF to Jacor; WQMF was sold to its GM. Upon closing, Terry Jacobs as Jacor’s then-Chairman/CEO, would assume control of WEBN. It would remain a core Jacor property through the transition in command to Michaels, and in 1998 became a Clear Channel Communications asset. Today, WEBN is a part of the iHeartMedia family, competing vigorously against Cumulus Media’s WFTK “96 Rock.”
Michaels was a competitor in the Cincinnati market before Jacor’s purchase of WEBN. Speaking to Kiesewetter, Michaels recalled that Bo Wood “dared to do things the Crosleys (WLW radio and TV) and Tafts (WKRC radio and TV) wouldn’t have dreamed of … He attracted quirky, gifted people and not only encouraged but demanded that they take the intelligent risk … He wanted to build brands that were more than just music utilities. The industry misses him and so do I. He was a formidable competitor, a great partner, and a good friend.”
WEBN and WQMF are not the only legacies of Bo Wood — From 1991, he was the man behind the 22-station Secret Communications.
Speaking to former Radio & Records Publisher Erica Farber in July 1998, was asked to share a career highlight. He responded, “Professional? There were a lot of them. WEBN was an amazing experience, because we didn’t know better. It was the best-written radio station that I ever saw, because we had a bunch of good writers. It was so content-rich, it was dazzling. Alice was fun. Pick a stick, give it a name, and do anti-marketing aimed at women. Getting involved with WJLB and a big urban cluster in Detroit — a fascinating experience. I have been overloaded with wonderful things.”
