By Jennifer Tanner— VALDOSTA — After a seven-year battle with the IRS, grandchildren of the late Gov. E.D. Rivers of Lakeland have regained full control over the operations of a local group of radio stations.
Rivers Radio Group owns FM station WAAC, AM station WGOV and (since June 2005) FM station WYZK, now known as WGOV FM. The former governor started with only AM WGOV in 1939 and established a method of operations that focused on catering to listeners and promoting seasoned employees from within.
His son, E.D. Rivers Jr., purchased the station in 1945 when all radio was still on the AM frequency. As soon as FM became available, he applied for a station and was granted it, named WAAC, in 1965. Rivers Jr. went on to build a chain of 11 stations in the Southeast. His children were an integral part of operations, and so he left the company to them in a trust with his wife as an income beneficiary.
He passed first. When she passed away in 1999, there were discrepancies about who actually would inherit his assets and clear title ownership of the company. The court took control over Rivers Radio Group, affecting the hiring/firing of employees. Several people with impressive resumes were brought in from other areas to manage WAAC and WGOV.
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