WKRK-FM
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Broadcast area | |
Frequency | 92.3 MHz (HD Radio) |
Branding | Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan |
Programming | |
Format | Sports radio |
Subchannels |
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Affiliations | |
Ownership | |
Owner |
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History | |
First air date | December 19, 1947 |
Former call signs |
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Former frequencies | 95.3 MHz (1947–59) |
Call sign meaning | former "K-Rock" branding |
Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 74473 |
Class | B |
ERP |
|
HAAT | 167 meters (548 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°26′32″N 81°29′28″W / 41.44222°N 81.49111°W |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen live (via Audacy) |
Website | www |
WKRK-FM (92.3
History
1940s–50s
Founded by Sam R. Sague, the station debuted on December 19, 1947, on 95.3 MHz as WSRS-FM and simulcast sister station WSRS (1490 AM), also licensed to Cleveland Heights.[3] WSRS AM/FM billed itself as the "Community Information Voice of Cleveland".[4] On February 1, 1959, Friendly Broadcasting of Columbus assumed control of WSRS 1490 AM and 95.3 FM from Sam R. Sague, switching call letters, licenses, studios and facilities.[5][6] The AM and FM stations took on separate identities: WJMO took over the former WSRS offices at 2156 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights, and WSRS-FM became WJMO-FM, later WCUY.[3] The 1540 and 106.5 frequencies were sold off to Tuschman Broadcasting Company, with the AM station becoming WABQ while the FM station instead signed on as WABQ-FM.
1960s–70s
WCUY maintained an eclectic mix of
In 1971, WCUY changed calls to WLYT,[8][9] standing for "We Love You Truly," and chosen through a station contest. WLYT first held a gold-based oldies format, but then bounced about between AOR (as "92 Rock"), automated Top 40, and then disco (as "Disco 92") With Chris Michaels-Manning who went to WZAK and John J. Muddcliff who went to M105 known as the "MUD". WLYT was beset by a poor signal, a limited budget, constant staff turnover, and low ratings during this period.
1980s–90s
WLYT changed its call letters to WRQC in spring 1983,
United Broadcasting changed WRQC's call sign to WJMO-FM on January 22, 1990, matching the calls of WJMO, marking the second time around with these call letters.[11] The station was re-branded "Jammin 92", and in 1995, "Jammin 92.3", and kept the contemporary hits format, except this time around, they shifted towards a Dance-leaning direction, a move that would pay off ratings-wise for the station, all under the direction of its then PD, Keith Clark.[12] Slogans over the years included "Cleveland's New Dance Music Station", "The Party Pig", "Big Fun-Giant Jams", and "Cleveland's New #1 Hit Music Station."
Starting in 1993, Jammin 92's evening hours were modeled after
The sale was approved by the FCC in 1993,[13] and WJMO became the first radio station with significant African American ownership in the Cleveland area. On February 25, 1994, as a result of the legal battles, the SCLC gained significant control of WJMO, which was seen as the less desirable station.[14]
The SCLC kept the WJMO call letters for their AM station, and WJMO-FM became WZJM, a combination of WZAK and WJMO. WZJM's format evolved into
From 1998 to 2001, WZJM suffered through multiple ownership changes and different formats. This started when WZJM, WJMO and WZAK were purchased by Chancellor Media in January 1999, along with
On the air, WZJM abruptly dropped its contemporary hits format at 5:00 pm on April 19, 1999. In its place was the AMFM-branded "Jammin' Oldies" format as "92.3 The Beat".[20] While "Jammin' Oldies" was popular in the short term in other markets across the country, WZJM's attempt was not successful in comparison. As WZJM was sold to Infinity, speculation grew about a potential format change, particularly when all but two of the station's disk jockeys were let go in early 2001.
2000s
On May 25, 2001 (Memorial Day weekend), WZJM flipped to
In 2005, the "Xtreme" label was shed in favor of "923X", and former WENZ disk jockeys re-emerged on WXTM during several "Smells Like the End" reunion weekends. The playlist was slowly expanded as the station became a full-fledged
On January 1, 2006, WXTM's sister station WXRK in New York (now WINS-FM) changed its callsign to WFNY-FM to reflect its new format. CBS Radio then moved the WXRK call letters to WXTM. The new WXRK of Cleveland was suddenly set on "random play," essentially a wide-sweeping commercial modern rock playlist without any dee-jays. On-air promos hinted of "92.3: It just Rocks," before the station officially became "92.3 K-Rock" that January 17. K-Rock has been a brand utilized by CBS Radio on several of their rock stations, most notably KROQ in Los Angeles. Incidentally, KROQ was also the station that what was then WRQC tried to emulate back in the 1980s.
Rover's Morning Glory would be abruptly canceled from WKRK-FM on February 15, 2008, after a new contract between Rover and CBS Radio could not be reached. Rover ended up signing a deal with WMMS;[23] as a result, WKRK-FM moved Opie and Anthony to morning drive and started to lean the active rock route by adding artists such as Mötley Crüe, Ozzy Osbourne, and Guns N' Roses onto the rotation to better compete with WMMS. WKRK-FM ultimately suffered a significant decline in ratings.
On December 1, 2008, WKRK-FM dropped the K-Rock branding and switched to "Radio 92.3", while retaining the modern rock format.[24] All DJs were dropped or reassigned to off-air roles, and Opie and Anthony were dropped from morning drive.[25] As "Radio 92.3", WKRK-FM continued to serve as the home of Inner Sanctum, a weekly showcase featuring Cleveland's local music talent. Inner Sanctum aired its final show on WKRK-FM on August 28, 2011.[26][27]
92.3 The Fan
WKRK-FM dropped both the "Radio 92.3" brand and alternative rock format from its primary broadcast feed (analog/HD1) on August 29, 2011, at 6 am; the final song to air before the format flip was "
Morning co-host Chuck Booms, who had been with the station since the sports format launch in August 2011, was let go in May 2015. Regarding the future of the WKRK-FM morning show, program director Andy Roth stated his intent to hire a replacement "soon" - and eventually moved evening host Ken Carman full-time to mornings.[33]
In January 2016, Kevin Kiley made headlines after publicly criticizing the Buffalo Bills for hiring a female assistant coach. In an interview during the February 11 evening sportscast on Cleveland TV station WUAB, Kiley had said he was being censored by CBS Radio over his comments, and announced he would be resigning from WKRK.[34] On April 6, 2016, WOIO reported that former morning show producer J.G. Spooner had been arrested and charged with money laundering via the website GoFundMe; Cleveland Scene speculated that Spooner exited the station due to the arrest.[35][36] On February 2, 2017, Spooner was sentenced to thirty months in prison.[37]
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with
Current programming
Regular schedule
The bulk of the weekday lineup features local hosts, including Ken Carman and Anthony Lima in morning drive; Andy Baskin and
Infinity Sports Network programming airs overnights weekdays, and the bulk of the day on weekends.[43][44][45][46][47]
Play-by-play
WKRK-FM is a co-
During Browns season, WKRK-FM is the exclusive flagship home of the Browns Radio Network postgame show and Cleveland Browns Weekly with Nathan Zegura on Saturday mornings. Along with WKNR, 92.3 The Fan also airs a Wednesday night preview show and a Thursday night coach's show from the Browns Radio Network.[44][56]
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WKRK-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "not found". Archived from the original on September 27, 2015. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ^ a b "1961-61 Broadcasting Yearbook (page 279)" (PDF). AmericanRadioHistory.com. David Gleason on the Web. 2010. Retrieved January 7, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Station Guide: WSRS-FM". Cleveland Broadcast Radio Archives. Mike Olszewski & SofTrends, Inc. 2002. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ "1959 Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). AmericanRadioHistory.com. David Gleason on the Web. 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "1960 Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). AmericanRadioHistory.com. David Gleason on the Web. 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- TV Radio Mirror. Retrieved December 24, 2019.
- ^ "1971 Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). AmericanRadioHistory.com. David Gleason on the Web. 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "1972 Broadcasting Yearbook" (PDF). AmericanRadioHistory.com. David Gleason on the Web. 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Gorman, John (March 16, 2009). "St. Patrick's Day, Buzzard-style, 1983". The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock. Retrieved July 25, 2012.
- ^ WebMasters, Mike Olszewski (March 4, 2002). "Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project". Cleve-radio.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "PD of the Week". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. June 12, 1993. p. 73. Retrieved April 6, 2018 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "WJMO sale approved by FCC, but SCLC appeal is likely (in CLENIX)". Catalog.cpl.org. May 22, 1993. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "SCLC gains control of WJMO-AM (in CLENIX)". Catalog.cpl.org. December 10, 1993. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ Kriak, Charlie (March 27, 2018). "LeeAnn Sommers – A Storied Career Behind the Mic – Cleveland Country Magazine". Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ "WZJM (Jammin' 92.3) - Cleveland - 8/9/97 - Howard Perl". FM Airchecks. August 24, 2014. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ Petkovic, John; Dealer, The Plain (June 25, 2014). "Gay Cleveland through the decades: The clubs, queens and music that brought gay culture into the mainstream". cleveland. Retrieved January 23, 2020.
- ^ "Company News; Chancellor Media to Buy Six Cleveland Radio Stations". The New York Times. Associated Press. August 13, 1998. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ WebMasters, Mike Olszewski (March 4, 2002). "Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project". Cleve-radio.com. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "RR-1999-04-23" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "RR-2001-06-01" (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ FMQB (2007). "K-Rock Returns To 92.3 FM In NYC". FMQBs. Archived from the original on May 26, 2007. Retrieved May 24, 2007.
- ^ Washington, Julie (February 21, 2008). "DJ Rover Leaving WKRK for WMMS". Cleveland.com. Cleveland Live, Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Radio 92.3 FM Cleveland: WKRK". Radio 92.3 official website. CBS Radio, Inc. 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ Washington, Julie (December 4, 2008). "WKRK FM 92.3 Switches to Automated Format". Cleveland.com. Cleveland Live, Inc. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Shows: Inner Sanctum". Radio 92.3 official website: Inner Sanctum. CBS Radio, Inc. 2010. Archived from the original on April 2, 2010. Retrieved March 26, 2010.
- ^ "About – Inner Sanctum". Inner Sanctum – Cleveland's Music Showcase. WordPress.com. 2010. Archived from the original on December 6, 2008. Retrieved January 16, 2010.
- ^ "92.3 The Fan Debuts - Format Change Archive". formatchange.com. August 29, 2011. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ "CBS Flipping Modern Rock WKRK/Cleveland To FM Sports". FMQB.com. Friday Morning Quarterback Album Report, Inc. and Mediaspan Online Services. August 4, 2011. Archived from the original on May 27, 2012. Retrieved August 4, 2011.
- ^ Yarborough, Chuck (September 2, 2011). "WKRK FM/92.3 The Fan Replaces Rock with Sports Talk". Cleveland.com. Cleveland Live LLC. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved March 10, 2012.
- ^ "Radio 923".[dead link]
- ^ Venta, Lance (March 28, 2013). "Cleveland Browns Move To CBS/Good Karma Trio". RadioInsight.com. RadioBB Networks. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
- Cleveland.com. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
- ^ Zarrella, Tony (February 12, 2016). "Video: Kevin Kiley resigns from 92.3". cleveland19.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ Team, Cleveland 19 Digital (April 6, 2016). "Cleveland media personality charged with money laundering". cleveland19.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Grzegorek, Vince. "Former 92.3 The Fan Producer J.G. Spooner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Theft Charges. Spooner was replaced with long time Ken Carman Show Evening Producer & Fill in Rock Jock of 98.5 WNCX Kenny Kidd in Late May of 2016". clevescene.com. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ Shaffer, Cory (February 2, 2017). "'Heartless con man' J.G. Spooner sentenced to prison for GoFundMe, rent, bad check scams". cleveland.com. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- ^ "CBS Radio To Merge With Entercom - RadioInsight". radioinsight.com. February 2, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
- ^ "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ^ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- ^ "Radio Giant Entercom Rebrands as Audacy Amid Streaming Push". The Hollywood Reporter. March 30, 2021.
- ^ "Shows: 92.3 The Fan". Audacy.com. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
- ^ "92.3 The Fan Schedule". cleveland.cbslocal.com. CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. 2011. Retrieved December 1, 2011.
- ^ a b "92.3 The Fan « CBS Cleveland". Cleveland.cbslocal.com. Archived from the original on May 14, 2012. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "2014 TALKERS Heavy Hundred of Sports Talk". Talkers.Com. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "Fox Sports Ohio". foxsportsohio.com. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- "Aeros Split Series with Thunder, 6-3". OurSportsCentral.com. OurSports Central. May 6, 2010. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
- ^ "CBS Sports Radio Finalizes Lineup As Launch of Nationwide Network Approaches". CBS Radio. December 6, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "92.3 The Fan Named Flagship Station of the Gladiators in 2012". ClevelandGladiators.com. Cleveland Gladiators. March 7, 2012. Retrieved March 9, 2012.
- ^ "CBS Radio to flip WKRK-FM to The Fan". rbr.com. August 4, 2011. Retrieved September 8, 2011.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "92.3 The Fan Schedule « CBS Cleveland". Cleveland.cbslocal.com. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "CBS Creates the Largest Major Market Sports Radio Network in the Nation". CBSRadio.com (Press release). CBS Radio, Inc. June 21, 2012. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved July 30, 2012.
- ^ "Damon Amendolara To Host Weekday Overnight Show On CBS Sports Radio". CBS Radio. November 16, 2012. Archived from the original on March 8, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "Browns Enter Into Groundbreaking Radio Partnership With ESPN 850 WKNR And CBS Radio's 92.3 The Fan And 98.5 WNCX". CBS Cleveland. March 28, 2013. Archived from the original on April 2, 2013.
- ^ "The Haslam Era: The Cleveland Browns Will Have a New Broadcasting Home in 2013". Buckeye State Sports. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "Dial Global Changes Name To Westwoodone; Revives Iconic Audio Brand - Westwood One Radio Networks". Westwoodone.com. September 4, 2013. Archived from the original on September 10, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- ^ "Jeff Phelps To Call Browns Preseason Games; Team Announces Radio Network Programming". cbslocal.com. August 6, 2014. Retrieved April 6, 2018.
External links
- Official website
- WKRK in the FCC FM station database
- WKRK in Nielsen Audio's FM station database