Frank Sharp

Frank O. Sharp was one of the founders of WFBM Radio in Indianapolis in 1924, first working as an engineer and in 1930 becoming the station’s program director. In that role he hired and mentored many who later became big name national broadcast stars. He was one of the broadcasters involved in coverage of the Indianapolis 500 in 1929 and 1930. He was also active in the 1949 launch of WFBM-TV, Indiana’s first television station.

Sharp was a native of Anderson, IN and began working at the Indianapolis Electric Company, which had later obtained WFBM. Sharp was the station’s remote engineer, and broadcast from a variety of places, including the Indy 500.

In 1930, Sharp became the program director of WFBM and quickly stepped in as acting general manager during the second World War.

In 1949, Sharp collaborated with chief engineer Harold Holland to create WFBM-TV, the first Indianapolis television station.

In March of 1949, the Indianapolis Electric League partnered with local distributors in the sponsoring of a television expo in anticipation of WFBM’s first ever telecast.

On May 30, 1949, Indianapolis viewers tuned in to the station’s groundbreaking telecast of the 500-Mile Race, which was a big success. That summer, WFBM-TV telecasted the Indianapolis Indians baseball games from Victory Field, and in 1951, they began filming concerts for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra.

While working for WFBM, Sharp worked alongside many who later became broadcast stars. In 1930, Marthabel Geisler served as Sharp’s secretary and as WFBM’s traffic manager for over twenty years. In 1943, Sharp hired Harry Martin to work at the station and later, Martin and his wife founded the Rural Radio Network in New Palestine.

Sharp retired as station manager and administrative assistant of WFBM Radio in 1967. He passed away February 28, 1987, in Indianapolis, leaving behind an honorable legacy as one of the most revered broadcasters in Indiana.

February 2025

By Lily Saylor