Oklahoma Radio Legend ‘J. Doug’ Williams Dies

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J. Douglas Williams, whose legendary career in broadcasting, law, real estate, education and civic involvement spanned more than five decades, passed away on Friday (8/7) in his hometown of Woodward, Okla. He was 78 years old.


For 40 years, Williams served as President and CEO of Omni Communications, and was known to radio listeners simply as “J. Doug” —  the voice of the morning show on KWOX-FM “K101,” a Class C0 80kw facility serving a largely rural area of Oklahoma.

“Doug Williams held a radio station that has become as much a part of the Tri-State area as the land and the people that call it home,” Woodward Chamber of Commerce President C.J. Montgomery said. “Quite honestly, Doug has added to the notoriety, fame, fortune and bottom line of this community and region more than anyone else for four decades.”

As a corporation, Omni Communications owns three radio stations and one television station.

In addition to that venture, Williams was President/GM of Omni Media Group, a concert/special events production and promotion company.

Before Williams got into broadcast media, he was set on a career in law; he was in the first class of legal interns to be licensed by the Supreme Court of Oklahoma. And, before
officially beginning his legal career, he served for four years as a Special Agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at the FBI’s Field Offices in Washington, D.C.; Birmingham; and at the Bureau’s Los Angeles Division Headquarters.

Further, while launching careers as a broadcaster and lawyer in Woodward, Williams also established himself as a local real estate developer and, later, served as VP/General Counsel of the G.O. Williams Oil Company.

Williams is a past Chairman of the NAB’s Radio Board and former President of the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.

Younger generations of radio industry professionals may be familiar with Doug Williams’ daughter, Brooke Williams. She serves as SVP/Membership for the Radio Advertising Bureau (RAB) and is a Radio & Records back-office alumnus.

In addition to Brooke, Doug Williams is survived by his new granddaughter, Drew, and his son-in-law, Ryan Hamby.


Funeral services will take place on Wednesday (8/12) at 2pm Central in Woodward, Okla. Services will be streamed via Billings Funeral Home’s Facebook page.