By Paul Tenkotte
Special to NKyTribune
Historically, the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky metropolitan region has been a national leader in the radio and television industry. From Powel Crosley, Jr. and WLW, to Ruth Lyons, to Scripps Howard and its successful cable television networks, Cincinnati has figured prominently in communications innovations.
LB Wilson (1891-1954) played a vital role in early radio in our region. Born Lyda Beall Wilson in Covington, he preferred the initials “LB.” Graduating from Covington High School in 1910, he toured Europe with his brother Hansford as part of a vaudeville dance act. Returning to Covington in 1912, LB became manager of the vaudeville Colonial Theater (Madison Avenue).
Opening a cigar store in Covington, LB Wilson became active in the local Chamber of Commerce. Along with businessman George Hill, and politician Richard P. Ernst, he formed an investment group that purchased a number of movie theaters in Covington. They included the Liberty Theater (Madison Avenue), the Hippodrome (southeast corner of 7th and Washington Sts., later renamed the Broadway). the Lyric (730-32 Madison Avenue, later renamed the LB Wilson, and then, the Madison Theater), and the Strand (132 Pike Street).
Also with Richard P. Ernst, LB Wilson gained controlling interest in the People’s Savings Bank and Trust Company of Covington. When it merged with the Liberty National Bank in Covington in 1928 to form the People’s-Liberty Bank and Trust Company, Ernst and Wilson assumed leadership as president and vice president of the bank respectively.
The year 1929 proved significant for LB Wilson. In that year, he married movie star Jean Oliver of San Francisco, California. He also founded WCKY Radio in Covington. The “CKY” in the call letters stood for “Covington, Kentucky.”
WCKY’s signal increased over the years to become one of the nation’s strongest, from a mere 1,000 watts initially to 5,000 in 1932, and to 50,000 watts in 1939.
WCKY’s studios were located in Covington, in the People’s-Liberty Bank building on the southeast corner of 6th and Madison (now the US Bank). The transmitter was built, and remains, in present-day Villa Hills. In 1939, WCKY moved its studios to the Gibson Hotel in downtown Cincinnati.
Wilson and his wife lived at 318 Summit Lane in Fort Mitchell, for a number of years. In 1954, he died of a heart attack. He was buried in Miami, Florida, where he had a residence.
We want to learn more about the history of your business, church, school, or organization in our region (Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky). If you would like to share your rich history with others, please contact the editor of “Our Rich History,” Paul A. Tenkotte, at tenkottep@nku.edu. Paul A. Tenkotte is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Public History at NKU.