Don Markwell’s Viewpoint: 1956 to 2008

Don’s story begins with his birth in Island, Kentucky on January 29th, 1936.

From his hometown, Don and his twin brother Ron form a gospel ‘quartet’ and performed on Sunday afternoons for 15 minutes at a time on local station WNES-AM while in college at Western Kentucky.

While in the studio with his quartet, Don noticed the DJ had set his feet up on the radio board reading the newspaper and drinking a soft drink as they were singing. Don decided “that was the job for him!”

Don left Kentucky in 1959 and went to work at WCOV-AM as the evening DJ. Don decided to start Montgomery’s first local call-in talk show, which he called “Viewpoint.” The program began in 1967, under Don’s direction, with two of his disc jockey’s hosting the show. The following spring of 1968, Don agreed to do the show and the rest is history.

After a year, “Viewpoint” was getting 30+ shares in the Arbitron ratings (which meant 30% of the market was listening!). It was the highest rated adult listening audience. Don then began “Don Markwell’s Viewpoint” on stations WQTY-AM and WFMI-FM in October 1972.

Don left WQTY and WFMI in 1977 to start Montgomery’s Country giant – WLWI-FM.

In 1988, Don found his way back to Talk Radio on 1170 AM which now went by the call letters WACV (Stroh Broadcasting) in Montgomery.

From 1988 to 2008, “Don Markwell’s Viewpoint” covered many diverse subjects. Political subjects were the bread and butter of the program being that the program originated from the capital city. Don took delight in holding politicians, public education, taxes, state employees, and government in general -accountable.

Back in March 1969, famous Montgomery Independent journalist Joe Azbell asked Don in a feature he was doing on him on the first anniversary of Viewpoint, “What is the future of Viewpoint?” Don answered, “We go on each day thinking it is the last or it might happen that we will get one wrong call and I’ll be driving a milk wagon.”

In that same 1969 article, Don said, “People want to talk about what they’re interested in. If you put somebody on the show that doesn’t interest them nobody calls.” And in the end, the people called.

Don ended his last day on the radio, August 29th, 2008, to the tune of the Son’s of the Pioneer’s “Last Roundup.” Don’s voice was finally silenced in March 2011 upon his death.

According to Montgomery Advertiser files, when he retired, Markwell said he wanted to be remembered “as an old radio bum”.