WHKW
Encyclopedia
WHKW is an AM radio
station in Cleveland, Ohio
, USA, operating on 1220 kHz. The station is owned by Salem Communications
and carries religious programming from the company's radio network
. The bulk of WHKW's programming is simulcast on WHKZ
(1440 kHz) in Warren, Ohio
.
The 1220 frequency in Cleveland was the home to AM radio station WGAR for 50 years. It then served as the home of WKNR
prior to a massive local frequency swap in 2001.
Today's WHKW signed on the air as WDBK on May 15, 1924 with 250 watts of power. The station was owned by Stanley Broz, in the name of the M.F. Broz Furniture, Hardware and Radio Co., and was located at 13918 Union Avenue in Cleveland. The station moved to Boltan Square Hotel on Carnegie Avenue in 1925, and was using the slogan, "Broadcasting from Cleveland." In September 1927, Broz sold the station to William F. Jones, and WDBK was taken off the air. The station relocated to the Akron Beacon Journal building in Akron
, and resumed broadcast operations in November 1927 as WFJC, the new call letters being derived from the owner's initials. Sam Townshend was listed as co-owner, and the first two announcers were Cyril Jones and Jerry McKiernam.
Jones sold the station to George A. Richards of Detroit
in September 1930, and Richards moved the station back to Cleveland. He obtained a new callsign based on his initials, and WGAR signed on the air on December 15, 1930. WGAR was part of the Goodwill Station group that included WJR
and KMPC
, both also owned by Richards.
In 1937 WGAR became Cleveland's CBS
affiliate. On October 30, 1938 it broadcast Mercury Theatre
's "War of the Worlds
," and it was left to a young staff announcer named Jack Paar
to go on the air and calm Cleveland listeners by telling them that the program was only a dramatization. WGAR produced some programs for the CBS network, one of the notable ones being Wings Over Jordan, a popular Sunday morning CBS show that had the widest audience of any African-American broadcast.
Originally at 1450 kHz, the switched to 1480 kHz on March 29, 1941 during the NARBA
frequency shift, and then to 1220 kHz on June 4, 1944. On July 4, 1947, WGAR increased its power from 5,000 to 50,000 watts during daytime hours. WGAR was the flagship station for Cleveland Browns
broadcasts 1946–1949, 1954 and 1956–1961; during the Browns' last run at the station (as WGAR), Bill McColgan provided the play-by-play commentary, while Jim Graner
served as color commentator
. Richards died in May 1951, and WGAR was purchased in 1953 by People's Broadcasting Corp., a company that had been founded seven years earlier by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation to serve rural communities. People's Broadcasting became Nationwide Broadcasting
, a subsidiary of Nationwide Insurance in 1954. (WJR
was sold to Capital Cities Communications
and KMPC
was purchased by Gene Autry
.)
With the demise of network radio, the rise of television, and the emergence of Top 40 powerhouses like KYW
, WERE
and WHK
in the 1950s, WGAR had to try various music formats as a result. The station settled into an adult contemporary format throughout this whole time, with literary professor Tom Armstrong in the morning slot for much of this period. FM installations at 99.5 MHz were launched in 1948, but WGAR-FM never saw more than a few hours of operation per week.
In 1970, new management was brought in to WGAR, and both the AM and FM stations made several dramatic moves. Long only on the air for pure technical purposes, WGAR-FM then went to a 24-hour operation as WNCR, and adopted a progressive rock format that was tapped two years earlier by WMMS
. The AM side saw a format shift to adult contemporary and several new personalities, including "Emperor Joe" Meyer, Bob Vernon, Chuck Collier (who remained with WGAR until his passing in September 2011), Norm N. Nite
, and Ron Parks. The station's most noteworthy hire was morning host Don Imus
. Imus left a little more than a year later to go to WNBC
in New York
(though he returned briefly to do afternoons on WHK
after being fired from WNBC in 1977 ), he was replaced by John Lanigan. Lanigan, who himself was nearly as controversial as Imus, had a very successful run in mornings until he left for a radio station in Tampa
prior to resurfacing at WMJI
in 1985.
WGAR abandoned adult contemporary for country music
on July 15, 1984. The station soon donated its entire collection of jazz recordings to WCPN
, the new public radio outlet that was going on the air the following September. WGAR soon simulcast with its FM sister station, which again became WGAR-FM, starting in 1986. In 1990, the AM station was sold to Douglas Broadcasting and Cablevision Systems Corp. The FM station carried on as WGAR, while the call sign for the AM facility was changed to WKNR
. A five-minute sendoff produced by several WGAR-FM staffers, including tributes by Don Imus
and Jack Paar
, aired on 1220 AM just before the changeover took place on July 13, 1990. After it aired, WKNR picked up a satellite-based oldies
feed.
While WGAR
continued its format at 99.5 MHz, WKNR slowly assembled several blocks of locally-based sports talk shows, starting in January 1991. Eventually, the station evolved into an all-sports
format, and in 1992, lured the Cleveland Indians
broadcasts away from long-time flagship WWWE
. For several years in the mid 1990s, WKNR was home to Cleveland Indians
, Cleveland Browns
, and Ohio State
football and basketball broadcasts.
The fortunes of WKNR, however, started to sour when the Cleveland Browns
relocated after the 1995 NFL season. Despite a successful outcry by the community and competing sports stations WKNR, WHK
and WWWE
, the intellectual property of the team was to lay dormant for three years, leaving a void in WKNR's play-by-play lineup. WKNR was left to carry Cincinnati Bengals
football from 1996 to 1998. The station was then forced to overbid to beat WTAM
(the former WWWE) into a renewal of its Cleveland Indians contract, effective with the 1997 season.
While this allowed WKNR to air the World Series
run of the 1997 Indians
, the deal put financial strain on WKNR—Cablevision's lone radio property. (Ironically, the current owner of the Cleveland Indians, Larry Dolan
, is the brother of the president of Cablevision, Charles Dolan
.)
On August 19, 1997, Jacor
announced the purchase of WKNR from Cablevision Systems Corp.
Jacor
, which also owned WTAM, moved the Cleveland Indians
broadcasts back to WTAM beginning with the 1998 season and the Cleveland Browns
rights transferred to WMJI
and WTAM for the 1999 season, leaving significant holes in WKNR's programming.
Jacor
swapped WKNR with Capstar Broadcasting’s WTAE
in Pittsburgh in 1998 as part of a Justice Department
settlement involving Jacor
's purchase of Nationwide Communications, who had sold WGAR (AM) in 1990 and still owned WGAR-FM. On July 13, 1999, Chancellor Media merged with Capstar Broadcasting to form AMFM Inc., at that time the nation's largest radio station owner with 465 stations. AMFM sold WKNR to Salem Communications
on July 20, 2000 as part of a required divestiture when AMFM merged with Clear Channel Communications
.
On July 3, 2001, a seven-way frequency swap occurred involving four stations in Cleveland. Salem Communications
moved the WHK
calls and religious format from 1420 AM to 1220 AM, the WKNR
calls and sports talk format were moved from 1220 AM to 850 AM
(where it remains to this day), and Radio Seaway took over the 1420 AM frequency from Salem and rebranded it WCLV
, with the adult standards
format from the 850 AM frequency.
Seaway's WCLV-FM
moved from 95.5 FM to 104.9 FM, Clear Channel's WAKS
moved from 104.9 FM to 96.5 FM, Clear Channel's WKDD
moved from 96.5 FM to 98.1 FM in Akron, and Salem's WHK-FM moved from 98.1 FM in Akron to 95.5 FM in Cleveland, becoming WFHM
.
calls on its original frequency. Accordingly, the call letters of co-owned 1440 AM in Warren changed to WHKZ
.
WHKZ simulcasts WHKW throughout much of the broadcast day, but does break away in the late evenings to air Warren native Hugh Hewitt
's talk show, which is syndicated by Salem Communications
. Some other infomercials and religious programming air separately between the two stations.
Cleveland affiliate for:
(*) - shared with sister station WHK
(**) - shared with WKNR
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, USA, operating on 1220 kHz. The station is owned by Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
and carries religious programming from the company's radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
. The bulk of WHKW's programming is simulcast on WHKZ
WHKZ
WHKZ is a radio station in Warren, Ohio, USA. The station carries religious programming from the Salem Network. The bulk of WHKZ's programming is simulcast from WHKW on 1220 kHz in Cleveland, Ohio....
(1440 kHz) in Warren, Ohio
Warren, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...
.
The 1220 frequency in Cleveland was the home to AM radio station WGAR for 50 years. It then served as the home of WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
prior to a massive local frequency swap in 2001.
WGAR
- See also WGAR
Today's WHKW signed on the air as WDBK on May 15, 1924 with 250 watts of power. The station was owned by Stanley Broz, in the name of the M.F. Broz Furniture, Hardware and Radio Co., and was located at 13918 Union Avenue in Cleveland. The station moved to Boltan Square Hotel on Carnegie Avenue in 1925, and was using the slogan, "Broadcasting from Cleveland." In September 1927, Broz sold the station to William F. Jones, and WDBK was taken off the air. The station relocated to the Akron Beacon Journal building in Akron
Akron, Ohio
Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
, and resumed broadcast operations in November 1927 as WFJC, the new call letters being derived from the owner's initials. Sam Townshend was listed as co-owner, and the first two announcers were Cyril Jones and Jerry McKiernam.
Jones sold the station to George A. Richards of Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
in September 1930, and Richards moved the station back to Cleveland. He obtained a new callsign based on his initials, and WGAR signed on the air on December 15, 1930. WGAR was part of the Goodwill Station group that included WJR
WJR
WJR is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It broadcasts a news/talk format. It is a class A clear channel station whose broadcasts can be heard throughout most of the Midwest, eastern United States and Canada at night, making it one of the most powerful radio stations in the...
and KMPC
KMPC
KMPC is a radio station based in Los Angeles, California and is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Licensee, LLC. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean-language programming...
, both also owned by Richards.
In 1937 WGAR became Cleveland's CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate. On October 30, 1938 it broadcast Mercury Theatre
Mercury Theatre
The Mercury Theatre was a theatre company founded in New York City in 1937 by Orson Welles and John Houseman. After a string of live theatrical productions, in 1938 the Mercury Theatre progressed into their best-known period as The Mercury Theatre on the Air, a radio series that included one of the...
's "War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds (radio)
The War of the Worlds was an episode of the American radio drama anthology series Mercury Theatre on the Air. It was performed as a Halloween episode of the series on October 30, 1938, and aired over the Columbia Broadcasting System radio network. Directed and narrated by actor and future filmmaker...
," and it was left to a young staff announcer named Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
to go on the air and calm Cleveland listeners by telling them that the program was only a dramatization. WGAR produced some programs for the CBS network, one of the notable ones being Wings Over Jordan, a popular Sunday morning CBS show that had the widest audience of any African-American broadcast.
Originally at 1450 kHz, the switched to 1480 kHz on March 29, 1941 during the NARBA
North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
frequency shift, and then to 1220 kHz on June 4, 1944. On July 4, 1947, WGAR increased its power from 5,000 to 50,000 watts during daytime hours. WGAR was the flagship station for Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
broadcasts 1946–1949, 1954 and 1956–1961; during the Browns' last run at the station (as WGAR), Bill McColgan provided the play-by-play commentary, while Jim Graner
Jim Graner
James R. "Jim" Graner was the weeknight sports anchor for Cleveland NBC affiliate WKYC TV-3 beginning in 1957, and also the color commentator for the Cleveland Browns radio network — twice — most notably alongside Cleveland sportscaster Gib Shanley...
served as color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
. Richards died in May 1951, and WGAR was purchased in 1953 by People's Broadcasting Corp., a company that had been founded seven years earlier by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation to serve rural communities. People's Broadcasting became Nationwide Broadcasting
Nationwide Communications
Nationwide Communications Inc. was a media subsidiary of the Nationwide Insurance Company, which operated from 1946 until 1997. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Communications owned and operated a variety of radio and television stations across the United States until it sold off all its radio...
, a subsidiary of Nationwide Insurance in 1954. (WJR
WJR
WJR is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It broadcasts a news/talk format. It is a class A clear channel station whose broadcasts can be heard throughout most of the Midwest, eastern United States and Canada at night, making it one of the most powerful radio stations in the...
was sold to Capital Cities Communications
Capital Cities Communications
Capital Cities redirects here. For the article about the seat of a government, see Capital .Capital Cities Communications was an American media company best known for its surprise purchase of the much larger American Broadcasting Company in 1985...
and KMPC
KMPC
KMPC is a radio station based in Los Angeles, California and is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Licensee, LLC. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean-language programming...
was purchased by Gene Autry
Gene Autry
Orvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
.)
With the demise of network radio, the rise of television, and the emergence of Top 40 powerhouses like KYW
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
, WERE
WERE
WERE — branded News/Talk 1490 WERE-AM — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland Heights, Ohio broadcasting a news/talk format. The station is owned by Radio One, and has studios at 2510 St. Clair Avenue, while the transmitter is along Euclid Avenue near East 118th Street, adjacent to...
and WHK
WHK (AM)
WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
in the 1950s, WGAR had to try various music formats as a result. The station settled into an adult contemporary format throughout this whole time, with literary professor Tom Armstrong in the morning slot for much of this period. FM installations at 99.5 MHz were launched in 1948, but WGAR-FM never saw more than a few hours of operation per week.
In 1970, new management was brought in to WGAR, and both the AM and FM stations made several dramatic moves. Long only on the air for pure technical purposes, WGAR-FM then went to a 24-hour operation as WNCR, and adopted a progressive rock format that was tapped two years earlier by WMMS
WMMS
WMMS — branded 100.7 WMMS: The Buzzard — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, widely recognized as one of the most influential rock stations in America throughout much of the history of FM broadcasting...
. The AM side saw a format shift to adult contemporary and several new personalities, including "Emperor Joe" Meyer, Bob Vernon, Chuck Collier (who remained with WGAR until his passing in September 2011), Norm N. Nite
Norm N. Nite
Norm N. Nite , was born Norman Durma and is the author of the Rock On! series of books. Rock On is coined as the official encyclopaedia of rock and roll music. He has spent many years on radio stations such as WGAR-AM and WMJI-FM in Cleveland and WCBS-FM in New York City...
, and Ron Parks. The station's most noteworthy hire was morning host Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
. Imus left a little more than a year later to go to WNBC
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(though he returned briefly to do afternoons on WHK
WHK (AM)
WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
after being fired from WNBC in 1977 ), he was replaced by John Lanigan. Lanigan, who himself was nearly as controversial as Imus, had a very successful run in mornings until he left for a radio station in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
prior to resurfacing at WMJI
WMJI
WMJI — branded Majic 105.7 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio broadcasting a classic hits format. The station serves Cleveland, Akron and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio....
in 1985.
WGAR abandoned adult contemporary for country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
on July 15, 1984. The station soon donated its entire collection of jazz recordings to WCPN
WCPN
WCPN — branded 90.3 WCPN — is a public radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, and serving the serving Greater Cleveland area....
, the new public radio outlet that was going on the air the following September. WGAR soon simulcast with its FM sister station, which again became WGAR-FM, starting in 1986. In 1990, the AM station was sold to Douglas Broadcasting and Cablevision Systems Corp. The FM station carried on as WGAR, while the call sign for the AM facility was changed to WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
. A five-minute sendoff produced by several WGAR-FM staffers, including tributes by Don Imus
Don Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
and Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
, aired on 1220 AM just before the changeover took place on July 13, 1990. After it aired, WKNR picked up a satellite-based oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
feed.
WKNR
- See also WKNRWKNRWKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
While WGAR
WGAR-FM
WGAR-FM — branded 99.5 WGAR — is a commercial radio station in Cleveland, Ohio with a country music format. Studios are located at 6200 Oak Tree Boulevard off of Rockside Road in Independence, Ohio along with other local Clear Channel stations, and its transmitter is located in Parma.- WGAR:The...
continued its format at 99.5 MHz, WKNR slowly assembled several blocks of locally-based sports talk shows, starting in January 1991. Eventually, the station evolved into an all-sports
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format, and in 1992, lured the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
broadcasts away from long-time flagship WWWE
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
. For several years in the mid 1990s, WKNR was home to Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Ohio State
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
football and basketball broadcasts.
The fortunes of WKNR, however, started to sour when the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
relocated after the 1995 NFL season. Despite a successful outcry by the community and competing sports stations WKNR, WHK
WHK (AM)
WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
and WWWE
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
, the intellectual property of the team was to lay dormant for three years, leaving a void in WKNR's play-by-play lineup. WKNR was left to carry Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
football from 1996 to 1998. The station was then forced to overbid to beat WTAM
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
(the former WWWE) into a renewal of its Cleveland Indians contract, effective with the 1997 season.
While this allowed WKNR to air the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
run of the 1997 Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, the deal put financial strain on WKNR—Cablevision's lone radio property. (Ironically, the current owner of the Cleveland Indians, Larry Dolan
Larry Dolan
Lawrence J. Dolan is an attorney and the owner of the Cleveland Indians.-Education:Dolan attended St. Ignatius High School and got his law degree from University of Notre Dame in 1956...
, is the brother of the president of Cablevision, Charles Dolan
Charles Dolan
Charles F. Dolan is an American billionaire and founder of Cablevision and HBO.-Biography:A John Carroll University drop out, Dolan is married and has six children, including Cablevision Systems Corporation and Madison Square Garden, Inc. chairman James L. Dolan.The Charles F...
.)
On August 19, 1997, Jacor
Jacor
Jacor Communications was a media corporation which owned a large number of radio stations in the United States. Inside the radio industry, Jacor was seen as one of the most competitive broadcast companies in history. Jacor's re-image in 1996 created the slogan "The Noise You Can't Ignore".Jacor was...
announced the purchase of WKNR from Cablevision Systems Corp.
Jacor
Jacor
Jacor Communications was a media corporation which owned a large number of radio stations in the United States. Inside the radio industry, Jacor was seen as one of the most competitive broadcast companies in history. Jacor's re-image in 1996 created the slogan "The Noise You Can't Ignore".Jacor was...
, which also owned WTAM, moved the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
broadcasts back to WTAM beginning with the 1998 season and the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
rights transferred to WMJI
WMJI
WMJI — branded Majic 105.7 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio broadcasting a classic hits format. The station serves Cleveland, Akron and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio....
and WTAM for the 1999 season, leaving significant holes in WKNR's programming.
Jacor
Jacor
Jacor Communications was a media corporation which owned a large number of radio stations in the United States. Inside the radio industry, Jacor was seen as one of the most competitive broadcast companies in history. Jacor's re-image in 1996 created the slogan "The Noise You Can't Ignore".Jacor was...
swapped WKNR with Capstar Broadcasting’s WTAE
WEAE
WDDZ is an AM radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, broadcasting at 1250 kHz with a power level of 5,000 watts. The station is an ABC owned and operated station and serves as the Pittsburgh affiliate of Radio Disney...
in Pittsburgh in 1998 as part of a Justice Department
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
settlement involving Jacor
Jacor
Jacor Communications was a media corporation which owned a large number of radio stations in the United States. Inside the radio industry, Jacor was seen as one of the most competitive broadcast companies in history. Jacor's re-image in 1996 created the slogan "The Noise You Can't Ignore".Jacor was...
's purchase of Nationwide Communications, who had sold WGAR (AM) in 1990 and still owned WGAR-FM. On July 13, 1999, Chancellor Media merged with Capstar Broadcasting to form AMFM Inc., at that time the nation's largest radio station owner with 465 stations. AMFM sold WKNR to Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
on July 20, 2000 as part of a required divestiture when AMFM merged with Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
.
WHK
- See also WHK (AM)WHK (AM)WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
On July 3, 2001, a seven-way frequency swap occurred involving four stations in Cleveland. Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
moved the WHK
WHK (AM)
WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
calls and religious format from 1420 AM to 1220 AM, the WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
calls and sports talk format were moved from 1220 AM to 850 AM
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
(where it remains to this day), and Radio Seaway took over the 1420 AM frequency from Salem and rebranded it WCLV
WCLV
WCLV — branded WCLV 104.9 — is the classical radio station licensed to Lorain, Ohio serving Greater Cleveland and western parts of surrounding Northeast Ohio; WCLV is one of the few remaining classical music stations in the United States....
, with the adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
format from the 850 AM frequency.
Seaway's WCLV-FM
WCLV
WCLV — branded WCLV 104.9 — is the classical radio station licensed to Lorain, Ohio serving Greater Cleveland and western parts of surrounding Northeast Ohio; WCLV is one of the few remaining classical music stations in the United States....
moved from 95.5 FM to 104.9 FM, Clear Channel's WAKS
WAKS
WAKS — branded 96.5 KISS-FM — is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio broadcasting a pop/contemporary hit radio format. The station serves Cleveland, Akron and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio....
moved from 104.9 FM to 96.5 FM, Clear Channel's WKDD
WKDD
WKDD — branded The New 98.1 'KDD — is a commercial hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Munroe Falls, Ohio serving the Akron and Canton metro areas. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
moved from 96.5 FM to 98.1 FM in Akron, and Salem's WHK-FM moved from 98.1 FM in Akron to 95.5 FM in Cleveland, becoming WFHM
WFHM-FM
WFHM-FM — branded 95.5 The Fish — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio serving much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. The station is owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts a Christian contemporary format...
.
WHKW
The calls on 1220 AM changed again on April 13, 2005 to WHKW after Salem reacquired the 1420 AM facility and placed the WHKWHK (AM)
WHK is the oldest radio station in Ohio, and 15th oldest in the country still broadcasting. WHK is currently owned by Salem Communications and broadcasts on 1420 kHz with a news/talk format with programming provided by the Salem Radio Network, as well as being the Cleveland affiliate for The...
calls on its original frequency. Accordingly, the call letters of co-owned 1440 AM in Warren changed to WHKZ
WHKZ
WHKZ is a radio station in Warren, Ohio, USA. The station carries religious programming from the Salem Network. The bulk of WHKZ's programming is simulcast from WHKW on 1220 kHz in Cleveland, Ohio....
.
WHKZ simulcasts WHKW throughout much of the broadcast day, but does break away in the late evenings to air Warren native Hugh Hewitt
Hugh Hewitt
Hugh Hewitt is an American radio talk show host with the Salem Radio Network, lawyer, academic, and author. An outspoken Republican, evangelical Christian, he comments on society, politics, and media bias in the United States. Hewitt is also a law professor at Chapman University School of Law.-...
's talk show, which is syndicated by Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
. Some other infomercials and religious programming air separately between the two stations.
Sports play by play
Flagship station for:- Lake Erie MonstersLake Erie MonstersThe Lake Erie Monsters are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They began play in the 2007–08 AHL season at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio...
hockey** - Cleveland State UniversityCleveland State UniversityCleveland State University is a public university located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It was established in 1964 when the state of Ohio assumed control of Fenn College, and it absorbed the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1969...
basketball* - St. Ignatius football*
Cleveland affiliate for:
- Bowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State UniversityBowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
football
(*) - shared with sister station WHK
(**) - shared with WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...