Wikipedia

WTAM

(Redirected from WTAM-AM)
For the television station licensed to Tampa, Florida, see WTAM-LD.

WTAM (1100 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, United States, and carries a news/talk and sports radio format commonly known as "Newsradio WTAM 1100". Owned by iHeartMedia, WTAM serves Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio, and is a clear-channel station with extended nighttime range. WTAM is also Northeast Ohio's primary entry point station in the Emergency Alert System.[3]

WTAM
Broadcast area
Frequency1100 kHz
BrandingNewsradio WTAM 1100
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatNews/talk–sports radio
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
September 26, 1923
(101 years ago) (1923-09-26)
Former call signs
  • KYW (1956–1965)
  • WKYC (1965–1972)
  • WWWE (1972–1996)
Former frequencies
  • 750 kHz (1923–1926)
  • 770 kHz (1926–1927)
  • 1070 kHz (1927–1941)
Call sign meaning
AM band[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID59595
ClassA
Power50,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
41°16′50.2″N 81°37′21.44″W / 41.280611°N 81.6226222°W / 41.280611; -81.6226222
Translator(s)106.9 W295DE (Cleveland)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitewtam.iheart.com

The station first carried the WTAM call letters from 1923 to 1956; assigned sequentially by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the letters were later treated as a backronym for "Where The Artisans Meet". Founded by Willard Storage Battery and later owned by Cleveland Electric Illuminating and the Van Sweringen brothers as the 1920s ended, WTAM was purchased by RCA in 1930, becoming a core station in the NBC Radio Network. NBC sold WTAM, FM adjunct WTAM-FM (105.7) and TV adjunct WNBK (channel 3), to Westinghouse Broadcasting in 1956 in exchange for their AM and TV stations in Philadelphia, whereupon the Cleveland properties assumed the KYW calls. That sale was ultimately reversed in 1965, with NBC returning and all three Cleveland stations renamed as WKYC. Sold to Cleveland entrepreneur Nick Mileti in 1972, WKYC became "3WE" WWWE, carrying a mixture of middle of the road and sports play-by-play, in particular the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers and Pete Franklin's Sportsline talk show.

The station adopted its current talk radio format in 1985 after being purchased by a syndicate headed by Art Modell and Al Lerner; a subsequent sale took WWWE's talk programming into a controversial direction with Gary Dee and Bruce Drennan, at one point putting the station's license into question. Booth American (later Secret Communications) took over WWWE in 1990, revamping the lineup several times and hiring Mike Trivisonno as Sportsline host in 1994, later moving him to afternoon drive to much success. WWWE re-adopted the WTAM call letters in 1996 to reinforce the station's position on the AM band; station management considered the historical tie "a nice bonus, but... more incidental than anything else".[1] Purchased by Jacor in 1997, WTAM has been owned by Clear Channel since 1999, renamed iHeartMedia in 2014.

WTAM is the Cleveland affiliate for both ABC News Radio and Fox News Radio; the AM flagship for the Cavaliers AudioVerse and Cleveland Guardians Radio Network; and the market outlet for This Morning with Gordon Deal, The Glenn Beck Program, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show and Coast to Coast AM. Studios for WTAM are located in the Six Six Eight Building in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District and the transmitter is located south of Cleveland in Brecksville. Besides its main analog transmission, WTAM simulcasts over low-power analog Cleveland translator W295DE (106.9 FM), and streams online via iHeartRadio.

History

edit

WTAM (1923–1956)

edit

Early years

edit
 
Original WTAM transmitter site (1923)[4]

WTAM began broadcast operations on September 26, 1923.[5] It was one of several stations that started between 1922 and 1923 with a call sign assigned sequentially by the Commerce Department with "W" as the first letter and "A" as the third.[6] It was originally owned by S.E. Lawrence and Theodore Willard, in the name of the Willard Storage Battery Company.[7] Initially the station only offered three hours of nightly programming, but soon expanded its on-air lineup. Studios were located in the Willard factory on Taft Avenue at East 131st Street.[5] By June 30, 1924, WTAM was broadcasting with 1,000 watts and sharing the 770 kHz frequency with WJAX.[8]

WJAX had signed on earlier in 1922, owned by the Union Trust Co. In 1924 it was known as the "Wave from Lake Erie". The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company purchased WJAX in 1925 and changed to the callsign to WEAR. Finally, Willard Battery purchased WEAR to have control of shared frequency allocation.[9]

 
WTAM studios in Union Trust Building circa 1926

WTAM was the first radio station to broadcast coverage of a political convention when it covered the 1924 Republican National Convention at Cleveland's Public Auditorium from June 10–12, 1924.[5][7] The station's power increased to 2,500 watts in 1925 and to 3,500 watts in 1926, as the studios moved to the Union Trust Building (now The 925 Building). By June 30, 1927, WTAM and WEAR broadcast on 750 kHz with WTAM broadcasting with 3,500 watts.[10] The January 31, 1928, Radio Service Bulletin of the Commerce Department listed WTAM broadcasting with 3,500 watts at night and 5,000 watts during the day.[11]

Clear-channel status

edit

After Willard Battery threatened to close the station, WTAM and WEAR were purchased by the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company (now part of FirstEnergy) and the Van Sweringen brothers on May 31, 1928. In a statement announcing the purchase, the new owners declared, "Recognizing the fact that this radio station is a civic asset to the Greater Cleveland district and that the cessation of its operation would be a real loss, the Van Sweringen interests and the Illuminating Co. entered into arrangements to continue it. Every effort will be made to maintain the station on a plane which will make it of maximum value to the community."[12]

When the new Federal Radio Commission instituted General Order 40 after the passage of the Radio Act of 1927, WTAM along with sister station WEAR (at that point absorbed into WTAM entirely) claimed the clear channel frequency allocated to Cleveland, and on November 11, 1928, it began broadcasting at 1070 kHz with WTAM broadcasting at 50,000 watts.[13] In 1929 the station built two broadcast towers in Brecksville, Ohio, each 200 feet high.[5]

The NBC years

edit
 
Gene Carroll and Glenn Rowell in 1935

With its national prominence as a clear channel giant established, WTAM became a valuable radio property. NBC purchased WTAM on October 16, 1930, and the studios were moved to the Auditorium Building.[5] The station became a major link in the NBC Red Network, contributing some programming to the network. Around 1930, Gene Carroll and Glenn Rowell brought their vaudeville humor to WTAM with the Gene and Glenn show.[14][15] The duo became famous for their characters "Jake & Lena". WTAM originated the program for nationwide broadcast on the NBC Red Network, and it aired six days a week for five years. WTAM also originated the venerable Lum and Abner show on the NBC Red Network five days a week during one year of its run from May 22, 1933, to March 30, 1934, sponsored by the Ford Dealers of America.

NBC began to make substantial investments to station facilities in the 1930s. WTAM moved their studio operations to 815 Superior Avenue on February 7, 1937;[16] renamed the NBC Building, it is known today as the Superior Building. That same year, a new tower was built in Brecksville which was 480 feet tall. On March 29, 1941, with the implementation of NARBA, WTAM moved its broadcast frequency from 1070 to 1100 kHz, maintaining its clear-channel status.

During the 1940s, the station continued to contribute some programming to the NBC radio network. On March 19, 1946, Bob Hope brought his Tuesday night 10 pm Pepsodent radio show to Cleveland along with Jerry Colonna, Frances Langford and the Skinnay Ennis Orchestra for a broadcast on the NBC radio network. Guests included Ohio Governor Frank Lausche. Recordings of this program are still available from collectors of old radio programs.[17][18][19]

WTAM also broadcast the 1948 World Series games of the Cleveland Indians against the Boston Braves, with announcers Jim Britt and Mel Allen. In 1951, WTAM originated an NBC Radio Network broadcast of the Cleveland Orchestra.[5]

NBC also expanded its broadcasting interests in Cleveland beyond AM radio: on October 31, 1948, NBC launched a sister television outlet, WNBK, on channel 4; a few weeks later, on December 6, 1948, WTAM-FM (105.7 FM) began broadcasting, simulcasting WTAM's programming. All three stations shared the same transmitter tower in Brecksville until WNBK moved to a new transmitter tower erected in Parma[20] concurrent with a channel switch to channel 3 on April 25, 1954;[21][22] as KYW and KYW-FM, both radio stations would move to the same Parma tower in February 1957.[16]

WTAM also aired Cleveland Browns games during the 1952, 1953, and 1955 seasons; Jim Graner provided color commentary during the 1955 season.[23]

KYW: The Westinghouse years

edit
Not to be confused with Philadelphia radio station KYW (AM).

In late 1955, NBC persuaded Westinghouse to trade its Philadelphia stations, KYW (1060 AM) and WPTZ-TV, in return for NBC's Cleveland properties and $3 million in cash compensation.[24] NBC had long wanted to own a station in Philadelphia, the nation's third-largest market at the time. The swap went into effect on January 22, 1956.[25] Westinghouse wanted to keep the historic KYW callsign, which had been Chicago's oldest radio facility before being transferred to Philadelphia on December 3, 1934. Therefore, on February 13, 1956, the Cleveland stations became KYW, KYW-FM and KYW-TV; and the Philadelphia stations became WRCV and WRCV-TV.[26]0

In the early 1960s, under program director Ken Draper, KYW, known on-air as KY11, became a full service - Top 40 powerhouse with disc jockeys Jim Runyon (the "weeeellll" voice of the Chickenman series), Jim Stagg, Jay Lawrence, Jerry G (Jerry Ghan), and the morning duo of Harry Martin and Specs Howard.[27][28][29] Its main Top 40 rival in the Cleveland market was "Color Channel 14" WHK, at 1420 AM.

Almost immediately after the trade was finalized, Westinghouse complained to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Justice Department about NBC's coercion.[30][31] It was discovered that Westinghouse only agreed to the trade when NBC made implications that it would pull its television programming from WPTZ and Westinghouse's other NBC affiliate, WBZ-TV in Boston.[32] In 1964, after a protracted legal battle, the FCC ordered the swap of stations reversed without NBC realizing any profit on the deal.[33] NBC regained control of the Cleveland stations on June 19, 1965, and changed their call letters to WKYC, WKYC-FM and WKYC-TV, which kept the popular "KY" slogan and identity Westinghouse brought into Cleveland.[34][35]

To this day, the KYW stations insist that they "moved" to Cleveland in 1956 and "returned" to Philadelphia in 1965, but the two stations' facilities and broadcast licenses remained the same.[36]

Further information: NBC Red Network, KYW (AM), KYW-TV, WKYC, and Westinghouse Broadcasting

WKYC years

edit
Not to be confused with Cleveland television station WKYC.
 
1960s logo as WKYC

WKYC continued as a Top 40 outlet—the only such-formatted station under NBC ownership—with personalities Harry Martin, Specs Howard, Jay Lawrence and Jerry G holding over from KYW/Westinghouse. When program director Ken Draper left for WCFL in Chicago in early 1965, prior to the ownership change, both Jim Stagg[37][38][39] and Jim Runyon wasted no time following him.[40] Bill Winters came in about this time. Jim LaBarbara was wooed away from a three-day stint at WIXY to do evening prime time. Chuck Dann signed on, as did Charlie and Harrigan (Jack Woods and Paul Menard), the morning duo at KLIF (1190 AM) in Dallas. Jim Gallant was doing overnights.[41]

In late 1966, popular afternoon host Jerry G also decided to follow Draper to WCFL;[42] upon his departure, he added the last name "Bishop", and later created the TV horror host persona Svengoolie.[43] He was replaced by WIXY's evening man Jack Armstrong, who then decided to call himself "Big Jack, Your Leader"; LaBarbara was moved to overnight to accommodate Armstrong's installation as the evening jock. In early 1967, the on air staff consisted of: LaBarbara, overnight; Charlie and Harrigan, morning drive; Bob Cole, late morning; Jay Lawrence, mid afternoons; Chuck Dann, afternoon drive; and Big Jack in the prime time slot.

WKYC "Radio 11" was a large record-selling influence as far away as New York City and Miami. However, its main local competition in those days was WIXY (1260 AM; "Super Radio"). Unlike WIXY, WKYC – being an NBC owned-and-operated station in a situation not unlike WRC (980 AM) in Washington – was obligated to carry all NBC Radio programming such as the weekend Monitor, as well as all top-of-the-hour NBC Radio newscasts. The NBC Radio afternoon daily network news feed was also based from WKYC's studios and anchored by Virgil Dominic,[44] who also served as WKYC-TV's lead news anchor.[45]

On February 1, 1968, at 3:05 pm, following an NBC Radio newscast, the station altered its presentation to Power Radio, a derivative of the Drake-Chenault-created "Boss Radio" Top-40 format, programmed for WKYC by Hal Moore. The new sound emphasized "more music" with less chatter between songs and a tighter playlist. Personalities at that time included Charlie and Harrigan, Bob Shannon, Chuck Dunaway, Lee 'Baby' Sims, Fred Winston, and Buddy Harrison. It remained a Top 40 station until February 1, 1969, when WKYC switched to an easy listening/middle of the road (MOR) format.[46] Specs Howard left WKYC shortly thereafter, with Jim Runyon returning to succeed him in morning drive.[47]

Following rumors that NBC was interested in divesting some or all of their radio stations,[48] NBC sold both WKYC and WKYC-FM to Ohio Communications, headed by sports franchiser Nick Mileti and investment firm C. F. Kettering, for approximately $5.5 million in a deal announced January 12, 1972.[49] Broadcast executives Tom and Jim Embrescia joined the ownership group as vice-president/general manager and sales manager, respectively.[50]

WWWE years

edit

Full service and country years

edit

The AM radio station's call letters were changed to WWWE (purportedly for Embrescia or Entertainment) and adopted the 3WE brand; WKYC-FM became WWWM (purportedly for Mileti or Music);[51] both changes took place on November 16, 1972.[16] WWWE retained WKYC's easy listening/MOR format,[52] but also added radio broadcasts for both the Cleveland Indians and Cleveland Cavaliers as Mileti owned both teams;[53] WERE (1300 AM) had previously served as the flagship for both. Pete Franklin also joined the station from WERE and hosted Sportsline, a five-hour long weeknight sports call-in show that also followed Indians and Cavaliers games,[54] quickly becoming a legend with his acerbic personality, boasting that the station's nighttime signal could be heard in "over 38 states and half of Canada".[55]

Following Jim Runyon's sudden departure and death from cancer in April 1973,[56] the morning drive shift was taken over by Larry Morrow, formerly of WIXY;[57][50] Morrow would be joined by Joe Tait as morning sportscaster, Tait also served as the lead play-by-play voice for both the Indians and Cavaliers.[55][58] In addition to Franklin, Morrow and Tait, the daytime lineup included at one time or another, Phil McLean, Al James, Jim Davis, Jack Reynolds, Tony Matthews, Jeff Elliot, Johnny Andrews, Lanny Wheeler, Lee Andrews, Ted Alexander and Bill King.

Both WWWE and WWWM slowly severed the last remaining ties to WKYC-TV and its prior NBC ownership throughout the 1970s. The transmitter for WWWE was moved back to their previous tower in Brecksville on September 5, 1974,[16] that tower is still in use today by WWWE's successor WTAM, along with FM stations WAKS (co-owned with WTAM) and WZAK.[59] In addition, the studios for both WWWE and WWWM were moved to Park Centre—known today as Reserve Square—that November 14.[16] WWWE would then drop its NBC Radio affiliation altogether by 1977.[7]

WWWE was sold to Combined Communications, Inc. in December 1976 for $7.5 million,[60] consummated the following September;[61] Ohio Communications retained WWWM. Combined Communications subsequently merged into Globe Broadcasting Corp., owner of WMGC (1260 AM) and WDOK;[62] WMGC was spun off to comply with then-existing ownership rules.[63] Gannett then merged into Combined Communications in June 1979 in a $370 million deal; at the time, it was one of the largest mergers and acquisitions in the broadcasting industry.[64]

In December 1981, WWWE switched formats to country branded as Country 11, going in direct competition with WHK (1420 AM) and WKSW (99.5 FM).[65] With the switch, the duo of Rick McGuire and Ron Marron were installed in morning drive, displacing Larry Morrow to afternoons;[65][66] Morrow eventually left the station.[57] Citing disappointing ratings and a waning audience in the market overall for country music, WWWE quietly switched back to an easy listening/MOR format in August 1983, again using the 3WE brand.[67][68]

"A Modell Miracle"

edit
Further information: WKNR § "Moving" WJW to WWWE
 
Art Modell, majority owner of the Cleveland Browns from 1961 to 1996, also controlled WWWE parent Lake Erie Broadcasting from 1985 to 1987.

Gannett sold off both WWWE and WDOK to Lake Erie Broadcasting, controlled by then-Cleveland Browns majority owner Art Modell and minority owner Al Lerner, for $9.5 million in February 1985.[69] The purchase was seen by some as a surprise: Lake Erie consistently lost money operating WJW since purchasing it from Storer Communications in 1977,[70] and was under financial pressure to sell WJW[71] when that station's format changed from MOR to talk radio in July 1982.[72] WJW made a winning bid for the Browns radio broadcast rights that included the team taking an ownership stake in the station,[73] but minority owner Robert Gries sued Modell on charges of anti-competitive practices[74][75] and existing flagship WHK matched WJW's bid for the 1984 season.[73] Lake Erie's purchase of WWWE and WDOK came days after Lake Erie—not WJW specifically—managed to secure a long-term contract for the Browns effective with the 1985 season.[76] Despite Modell's history of questionable investments[70] and concerns he was heavily in debt,[77] he dismissed speculation that Lake Erie did not have the money to complete the deal, claiming "our collective net worth far exceeds the price of these stations".[78]

Concurrent with the purchase and to meet regulatory approval, Lake Erie divested WJW to Booth American for $2.1 million.[79] Not included in the sale was WJW's talk format, which Lake Erie opted to "move" outright to WWWE.[80] Nearly all of WJW's air talent and management were reassigned to WWWE, with Pete Franklin's Sportsline as the lone program retained.[81] While neither WJW or WWWE had strong ratings, WJW's talk format had been drawing more younger listeners than competitor WERE,[82] while WWWE was now one of the lowest-rated stations[83] outside of sports programming.[84] Dismissed with the move were Ray Marshall,[81] David "Fig" Newton, Jack Reynolds and morning sportscaster Bruce Drennan[85] along with eight other staffers.[86] Franklin repeatedly threatened to leave WWWE during the latter days of Gannett ownership, and Drennan was seen in some circles as a potential replacement to host Sportsline.[87]

WJW general manager Art Caruso and news director John O'Day assumed like duties at WWWE, and were tasked with hiring Jim Muller's broadcast partner for the Browns broadcasts[88] which were also transferred to WWWE.[87] Along with the Indians and Cavs rights,[80] Lake Erie's takeover of WWWE resulted in the station now holding the broadcast rights to all three professional sports teams for the first time.[86] Newspaper reports recognized the transactions and format changes as "WWWE... became, in (essence), WJW",[80] or that WJW had "a new location on the radio dial".[89] The final week of programming over WJW had promos for both the talk format's "new home" on WWWE and Booth American's replacement format on WJW, rechristened as WRMR.[90] Indeed, the switchover at 11:00 a.m. on June 11, 1985,[81] had a "final sign-off" for WJW[91] followed by Cleveland mayor George Voinovich pressing a ceremonial switch on WWWE that completed the "move" of WJW's prior talk format.[85]

Along with Franklin, the "new" WWWE's lineup boasted an all-news block in morning drive, followed by hosts John McCullough, Michael Freedman, Merle Pollis and Joel Rose,[83] with NBC Talknet in the overnight hours.[92] The summer 1985 Arbitron book showed substantial ratings increases for WWWE after the switch to talk, surprising even the station's management and resulting in one paper calling their fifth-place showing "almost a Modell Miracle".[83] Ratings for WWWE remained higher than with the MOR format, but slowly stagnated against WERE despite a substantial promotional campaign centered around Pollis, Rose and Franklin.[93] Larry Elder, who was involved with local television productions in Cleveland, was inspired to enter talk radio after sitting in as a guest on Pollis' WWWE show.[94] The station bid aggressively against WHK and WERE to retain the Cleveland Indians rights during the summer of 1986, while Franklin—who now additionally did weekend work for St. Louis's KMOX[95]—again threatened to leave WWWE if it lost the Indians games.[96] McCullough and Freedman were both fired as part of an October 1986 lineup shakeup,[97] but Freedman returned less than two months later following Joel Rose's resignation after a contract dispute,[98] while Pollis subsequently left to reunite with Rose over at WERE.[99]

Losing Pete Franklin, sale to Independent Group

edit

Most people didn't think he'd go (to New York) because there have been stories of Pete (Franklin) leaving before, and he always stayed. Pete has dominated the market for 21 years. He always held the trump card, and he usually played it to get a raise and stay here. But I think he got such a lucrative deal from New York, and the money, combined with the idea of climbing that one last big mountain, was too much for him to resist.

As May 1987 began, Lake Erie entered into negotiations to sell WWWE to Jacor for $14 million;[101] Jacor already owned WBBG and WMJI—the former WWWM—while concurrently putting WBBG up for sale.[102] Had the deal closed, WWWE would have been added to a growing portfolio that included Cincinnati's WLW and Denver's KOA.[103] The WWWE sale, however, was jeopardized after Franklin announced intentions to leave WWWE for a lucrative two-year contract with New York City's WHN to headline a new all-sports format to be named "WFAN".[104] Days after the announcement, Franklin underwent emergency quadruple bypass surgery at the Cleveland Clinic following a massive heart attack,[105][106] which some attributed to stress over the New York move[100] while Franklin attributed it to a poor diet.[107] Calls to Sportsline in the wake of Franklin's heart attack were filled with well-wishers, particularly from females;[108] WHN's station manager John Chanin recognized Franklin as "a very sincere, warm person" unlike his radio persona, and that the possibility of leaving Cleveland affected him deeply.[100] WWWE was forced to use a variety of guest hosts for Sportsline that included Nev Chandler[109] and Gib Shanley,[110] along with nationally known figures Bob Costas, Paul McGuire and Dick Vitale.[92] Franklin ultimately chose to leave Cleveland for WFAN by that September.[111]

Jacor withdrew their purchase offer of WWWE due to Franklin's departure,[112] having considered him an "important asset".[101] Lake Erie ended up selling both WDOK and WWWE to Independent Group, Inc. on August 3, 1987, for a combined $13.5 million, a $4 million net profit for Modell's syndicate.[112] Independent Group marked a return to WWWE for both Tom Embrescia and Tom Wilson, while co-investor Larry Pollock had experience with Larry Robinson's broadcasting interests.[112] Real estate magnate and Cleveland Force owner Bert Wolstein also was an investor, reportedly owning almost 50 percent of the station,[113] but promised the Force would honor their existing radio contract with WGAR.[114] Coincidentally, WWWE morning sportscaster Mike Snyder, who called the Force games over WGAR, was himself dismissed.[114] Bruce Drennan returned to WWWE in November 1987 as guest host of Sportsline, asserting that "the show needs me"; Drennan was contacted directly by Tom Wilson and had worked previously for Embresica at WBBG.[115] Meanwhile, Michael Freedman was fired from WWWE for the second time in one year, this time owing to a disagreement over paid vacations.[116] Former WSLR executive Harvey Simms was hired by the outgoing management to be the station's marketing director, then was promoted to general manager by the new ownership less than three months later.[117] David George, a station veteran of eight years, was also promoted from production director to program director.[118]

Enter Gary Dee and Bruce Drennan

edit

I'm amazed at his instinct for entertainment. I don't even know whether he actually knows how he does it, but knowing what's going to make people respond—for better, for worse, or whatever—is totally natural for him. A lot of people say, 'I hate what Gary did yesterday, I hate what he did today, and I'm gonna hate what he does tomorrow, too.'

David George, WWWE program director, on Gary Dee[118]

Despite Bruce Drennan's open lobbying for the Sportsline slot, he was generally seen as a long shot to take over the program.[110] Terry Pluto of the Akron Beacon Journal regarded Drennan as having "a voice that sounds as if he gargled with Drano"[115] and in ranking probable Sportsline hosts, said of Drennan, "if nothing else, he's available".[109] WWWE general manager Harvey Simms promised a permanent host by the end of 1987,[117] to which Pete Franklin commented, "When Jack Kennedy was shot, they had a guy lined up in a few minutes, but it has taken them seven months to replace (me)... what that tells me is the new owners don't have the money to pay anybody."[113] WWWE also conducted a newspaper poll to help choose Franklin's successor; Dan Coughlin, who also was a Sportsline fill-in host,[109] retrospectively called the polling process less honest than the "fan vote" for the 1988 MLB All-Star Game and the Rolling Stone "Radio Station of the Year" poll that WMMS infamously rigged.[119] Drennan was chosen to host Sportsline on December 28, 1987, beating out WERE's Greg Brinda, setting off a war of words between the two—and between Franklin and Drennan—while Franklin committed to an interview on Brinda's competing show.[113]

 
Bruce Drennan

Drennan's addition was one of many changes ushered in at WWWE that sought to reorient the audience towards the 25–54 demographic typically accustomed to rock music and the FM dial.[118] While Simms merely suggested at first of "fine-tuning and polishing" the format,[117] program director David George intended to make WWWE the top-rated station in Cleveland overall, "...and we were not going to do it with conventional news/talk".[118] The station hired shock jock Gary Dee (Gilbert) for the midday slot on January 7, 1988, replacing John Dayle, who would rejoin Merle Pollis and Joel Rose at WERE.[120] Dee's hiring came after management and all six Independent Group stakeholders agreed by consensus.[121] Dee's conservative-leaning populist persona was often compared to onetime WERE host Morton Downey Jr.,[118] while the Beacon Journal's Bob Dyer said, "he makes Jerry Falwell sound like a flaming liberal".[121] After the acquittal of a Lorain man on charges of molesting his daughter, Dee publicly attacked both the judge and county prosecutor,[122] insinuating that their children should be raped while going into graphic detail on the case and giving out their phone numbers; the station later apologized.[118] Dee's often-inflammatory remarks, coupled with several off-color statements by Drennan on Sportsline,[123] soon prompted Dyer to ask, "is WWWE trying to corner the market on racism?"[124] A fishing boat owned by Dee was intentionally burned while he was on vacation, prompting WWWE to offer a cash reward in exchange for information.[118]

It was David "Fig" Newton, who returned to WWWE as afternoon host on April 11, 1988,[125] that netted the most negative attention. 38 days after his show debuted, a WJW-TV report filed by Carl Monday revealed Newton was previously convicted on charges of purchasing a videotape that contained child pornography.[126] After winding up on a mailing list after purchasing an art film containing nudity, government agents attempted to bait him with porn mail catalogs, and he purchased a tape after the eighth attempt.[127] Monday confronted Newton about the allegations while Newton conducted his show in the WWWE studios, while the U.S. attorney that handled Newton's case revealed he was fired from his prior job in Denver over the conviction.[126] Dee began his show the following morning pillorying Newton, declaring he would refuse to work at a station that employed "a child molester",[127] and Newton resigned later that day.[126] Danny Wright and humorist Tom Bush took Newton's time slot in what was termed "rock radio without the music".[118] Even with all the controversy, WWWE ascended to fourth place in the spring 1988 Arbitron book, helped largely by Dee and the Indians.[128][129] However, the station's Indians commitments caused the majority of the Cavaliers' 1988 playoff run to air on WRMR and WDOK instead.[130] In response, Joe Tait—who had taken over as head of Cavaliers broadcasting operations[131]—ended the contract with WWWE and moved the flagship to WRMR.[132]

Indecency fallout

edit

Danny Wright was fired from WWWE at the end of 1988, with Wright expressing disappointment over the station's lack of promotional support and being "stuck in the middle" between Dee and Drennan.[133] Tom Bush was subsequently paired with Bob Becker until a further lineup revamp on April 10, 1989, had Becker moved to mornings, incumbent morning host Bob Fuller moved to middays, and Dee moved to afternoons.[134] Veteran executive Nick Anthony joined WWWE as program director, replacing programming consultant Eric Stevens; Anthony was hired after Harvey Simms learned about his availability through reading a Beacon Journal story about his departure from WKDD days earlier.[135] Anthony promptly cut down the volume of commercials WWWE was obligated to run via radio network commitments to 14 minutes per hour; at one point, the station aired as much as 20 to 22 minutes of commercials per hour.[136] Rumors emerged of Anthony replacing Drennan with XETRA-AM announcer Lee Hamilton, as both previously worked together in Akron, while Greg Brinda's WERE show started to outdraw Drennan in the ratings.[137] NBC Talknet was dropped in favor of ABC Radio's Tom Snyder and Sally Jessy Raphael, with Snyder marking the WWWE addition by interviewing the station's overnight board operator, coincidentally named Tom Snyder.[138] Anthony only lasted for five months before resigning in mid-June 1989, one week after weekender Geoff Sindelar took over as Sportsline host;[139] Sindelar had gained notoriety as a regular caller to Pete Franklin.[140] Drennan subsequently assumed Sindelar's prior weekend duties.[141]

I just didn't follow directions. I'm my own worst enemy. Gary Dee drives Gary Gilbert crazy.

Gary Dee (Gilbert), explaining his August 1989 firing from WWWE[142]

The controversy surrounding Gary Dee reached a breaking point on August 25, 1989,[143] when WWWE confirmed Dee had been suspended indefinitely[144] 9 days earlier after a formal indecency complaint against him was filed with the FCC,[142] the second complaint against him in one year. Three months of Dee airchecks were included in the complaint, some of which contained profanity broadcast over the air, which Dee attributed to faulty equipment.[143] As the FCC was launching an anti-indecency campaign focused on both radio and television,[145][146] WWWE executives were worried that the station's license, which was up for renewal, could be revoked.[143] Dee was fired on August 31, 1989, with the station merely explaining the move as "a decision... to pursue a different direction" and denied it had anything to do with the complaint,[142] while Dee claimed, "they had every reason to fire me because I didn't follow directions".[147] Dee's ratings overall had been a disappointment for WWWE management, as he was previously a perennially top-rated host at WERE and WHK.[142] The FCC's anti-indecency campaign specifically cited Dee's June 15, 1989, show for multiple discussions on-air regarding sexual fantasies and behavior; WWWE was one of eight stations given a 30-day notice by the agency to address the allegations.[148]

The station filled the vacancy left by Dee with Bob Becker paired with friend and radio novice Luther Heggs, while Bob Fuller returned to mornings, and Beth Albright was brought in from Birmingham, Alabama, to host Fuller's former midday slot.[149] Pete Franklin also "returned" to WWWE with daily sports commentaries during the morning and afternoon shows.[150] The biggest change, however, occurred on December 23, 1989, when Booth American purchased WWWE from Independent Group in exchange for $10 million in cash and WRMR, effectively making the deal an asset swap[151][152] and the station's fifth overall ownership change since 1972.[153] The cash considerations were a motivating factor for Independent to sell off WWWE[153] while the company's principals were happy to retain an AM property.[151] Without Dee, WWWE fell to ninth place in the Arbitron book, while WRMR ranked at tenth place.[153] Booth retained the Cavaliers radio network flagship rights, transferring it back to WWWE,[154] while also purchasing the production rights to the Browns and Indians networks from Sports Marketing, controlled by Tom Wilson.[155] The transaction was delayed for several months due to the FCC investigation against Dee[156] with WWWE later paying an $8,000 fine.[157] The outgoing Independent Group management retained the ability[158] to hire Tom Hamilton as Herb Score's Indians broadcast partner prior to the start of the 1990 season with Booth's blessing.[159]

The "Monster on the Lake"

edit
 
WWWE logo from 1990 to 1996.

Booth's takeover of WWWE was regarded in the local press as a "purge" with much of the airstaff going on-air to discuss their fates.[156] Dismissed were Bob Fuller, Beth Albright, Bob Becker, Luther Heggs, Steve Church and Bruce Drennan,[160] with Geoff Sindelar retained as Sportsline host on an interim basis.[156] Lee Hamilton again expressed interest in joining WWWE, having been friends with much of the new Booth management,[161] but could not agree to a contract after expressing a desire to also do play-by-play announcing.[156] When the deal closed on June 25, 1990,[162] WWWE filled the majority of their daytime lineup with syndicated fare: Dr. Joy Browne in late mornings and The Rush Limbaugh Show and Dr. Dean Edell in afternoons, Rush's program having moved over from WERE.[160] Browne's show was added after Fuller declined an offer to host middays and was only temporary as syndicator ABC Radio planned on cancelling it by that September.[163] Lee Kirk from Toledo's WSPD was ultimately brought in for the timeslot.[164]

The station went aggressive on news with rolling all-news blocks launched in morning and afternoon drive[156] along with an hourlong noon block.[160] A 12-person 24-hour news department was instituted with ABC-Information newscasts replacing CBS; Booth executive Roger Turner cited ABC's "tighter writing and a faster delivery" as the reason for the switch.[160] Turner himself became a on-air presence with daily editorials also implemented by Booth.[163] By virtue of common ownership with WLTF, WWWE also became involved with WLTF's Coats for Kids charity campaign, which was launched by Booth American in 1981.[165] New studios were constructed for WWWE and WLTF at the Western Reserve Building in the Warehouse District[166] with an additional studio at the Nautica Entertainment Complex for sports talk shows.[167] Newsman Ed Coury, who rejoined WWWE upon the Booth takeover as co-host of the morning news block,[156] was eventually promoted to news director at the end of 1991.[168] The afternoon news block co-anchored by Bob Henderson[160] soon evolved into a talk show in its own right, with Henderson eschewing confrontational arguments in favor of a polite demeanor.[169]

 
Craig Carton

Sindelar departed the station on October 3, 1990,[170] after a series of changes by management limiting the number of phone calls to his show when listener surveys revealed multiple complaints that the same people were always calling in constantly.[171] Sportscaster Mike Snyder, who joined the station the previous month, took over as Sportsline host,[172] while Sindelar resurfaced at WKNR.[173] Despite simulcasting all games throughout the 1990 season with WLTF,[174] WWWE lost the Cleveland Browns rights after the season ended, with WHK prevailing in a bidding war against WKNR.[175] Following the 1991 season, WWWE ended its radio contract with the Cleveland Indians, with the flagship rights going to WKNR.[176] WWWE hired Craig Carton as Sportsline host in April 1992, replacing Snyder, who was promoted to sports director, a position he holds to this day;[177] Carton left the station in May 1993.[178] WWWE picked up Imus in the Morning for morning drive in September 1993 after Westwood One offered up the show for national syndication.[179]

 
WTAM's transmitter tower in Brecksville, with a backup tower in the foreground. The original transmitter building is to the far right.[180]

In April 1994, Booth American merged with Broadcast Alchemy to form Secret Communications in a $160 million deal.[181] Gary Bruce was hired from WIOD in Miami as program director that May,[182] and re-oriented WWWE back to a "shock radio" style of talk the station offered in the late 1980s, acknowledging that WWWE was the poorest-performing station in Secret's 14-station chain.[183] General manager Dennis Best cited the low ratings of Lee Kirk and Bob Henderson, coupled with ratings successes for "deejays who talk and act like the common man" as the impetus for WWWE's changes.[184] Bruce hired two hosts from WIOD: Chuck Meyer for mornings, replacing Imus in the Morning,[185] and Jaz McKay for late mornings, replacing Kirk.[184] The duo of Jeff Kinzbach and Ed "Flash" Ferenc were installed in afternoon drive hosting a show not dissimilar to their former morning show on WMMS.[183] Mike Trivisonno took over as Sportsline host on July 11, 1994, with former host Mike Snyder becoming the program's update anchor.[186] Like Sindelar, Trivisonno was a regular caller to Pete Franklin's iteration of the show and was derisively dubbed "Mr. Know It All" by Franklin.[104]

McKay's show was a notable ratings failure,[187] and was moved to overnights in late March 1995,[188] with Rich Michaels taking over the late-morning timeslot.[189] Aside from Limbaugh, WWWE struggled in the ratings and was even outranked substantially by WRMR, prompting the dismissals of Bruce and McKay.[188] The Bob & Tom Show was added in evenings via tape-delay in October 1995[190] amid speculation that the station could go all-news outside of Limbaugh and Trivisonno.[191] WWWE itself would make news on January 23, 1996, when its traffic plane hit a cellular phone tower and crashed in Highland Hills, killing both MetroTraffic reporter James Endsley (who was known on-air as Fred Wesley) and pilot James McVeigh.[192]

WTAM (1996–present)

edit

New name and an emerging "Triv"

edit

All I'll say right now is that we're re-evaluating how we identify ourselves. But let's put it this way - we can't change being on the AM band or our frequency, can we?

Bobby Hatfield, WTAM program director[193]

WWWE phased out the "3WE" branding entirely in June 1996 and started to simply identify as "AM 1100", with the only mention of the call letters during the top-of-hour station identification.[194] Program director Bobby Hatfield (Joe Reilly)[195] confirmed to The Plain Dealer on July 1, 1996, that a call sign change was imminent, management perceived the WWWE letters and "3WE" name as "stodgy and antiquated" that inhibited efforts to recast the station's identity as newer and aggressive.[193] The WTAM calls were reclaimed after looking over available call signs with an "AM" in them and having rejected "WZAM" and "WUAM" because of similarities to WZAK and WUAB.[1] That WTAM had been the station's original identifier did hold some historical significance but merely served as incidental;[1] Hatfield said of the process to rename the station, "we can't change being on the AM band or our frequency, can we?"[193][a]

 
WTAM logo from 1996 to 2018, introduced after the callsign change.

With the call sign change to WTAM on July 29, 1996,[196] the lineup was revamped again. Jeff Kinzbach and Ed Ferenc were moved to morning drive but with Kinzbach as the main host and Ferenc providing special features and commentaries; Hatfield said of the rearrangement, "we're going to make Ed the Paul Harvey of Cleveland".[197] An hour-long news block at noon was reinstated, Mike Trivisonno's Sportsline was moved to afternoon drive, and Dr. Laura Schlessinger—which WWWE picked up for weekends in late May along with the nightly Coast to Coast AM[198]—was added in early evenings.[197] The station also signed up as a charter affiliate of the Baltimore Ravens radio network for the 1996 season for any Browns fans wanting to follow the team out of curiosity, and filled all local advertising breaks with public service announcements.[199] WTAM's ratings experienced a resurgence in the Fall 1996 Arbitron book, moving to ninth place overall, sixth place in afternoon drive, and third place in afternoons among the 25–54 male demographic.[200]

I think Mike (Trivisonno) is a very nice man, for a very socially retarded ignoramus. The fact that he has a platform on a 50,000-watt radio station makes me want to vomit. He says what people want to say but can't... The danger is that he doesn't offer any analysis with that; he can't be bothered with the facts. Mike just hasn't grown up.

Merle Pollis[201]

While still formally called Sportsline, the show soon evolved into an "anything goes" format after Mike Trivisonno's move to afternoons with executive producer Marty Allen, call screener Jerry Jaye, producer Paul Rado, and update anchor Mike Snyder among the on-air cast.[201] A mail-in listener poll conducted by Plain Dealer radio critic Roger Brown in the summer of 1996 named Trivisonno the "Voice of Cleveland", beating WRMR's Bill Randle.[202] Brown's criticism of Trivisonno, at one point comparing him to "the obnoxious race-baiting of your average bigot rally leader... (but) has his own teeth",[203] attracted negative attention when a fan-made inflammatory billboard was erected in Cleveland's West Side with numerous racial epithets against Brown.[204] An Italian-American, Trivisonno freely used the pejorative "dago" in self-deprecating nature, parodying the "megadittos" catchphrase used by callers to Rush Limbaugh's show with "megadagos" among his callers, explaining, "words like that don't bother me... they are only words... if everyone thought that way, those words would go away".[201] Indeed, Trivisonno often referred to himself as a "dumb dago from the East Side of Cleveland with a 10th grade education"[205] but took it as a compliment whenever people likened him to Pete Franklin, Howard Stern and Gary Dee, all three he held in high regard.[201]

Reclaiming the Indians

edit
 
Mike Trivisonno

Secret divested their entire nine-station group to SFX Broadcasting on October 8, 1996,[206] in a $300 million deal.[207] Conventional wisdom had SFX promptly reselling WTAM and WLTF to a third party,[208] given their track record of buying and selling stations quickly.[209] Secret withdrew the Cleveland stations—valued at $45 million—from the deal in mid-January 1997; executive Frank Wood stated the company never wanted to sell them and considered purchasing additional stations in the market.[207] However, Jacor bought WTAM and WLTF on April 25, 1997, for $23.9 million in cash[210] and $21 million in company stock,[211] ten years after having called off their prior purchase of WWWE.[112] General manager Dennis Best said after the deal was struck, "short of Secret keeping us, Jacor buying us is the best thing that could have happened".[212] Jacor's purchase occurred six weeks after Secret was rumored to purchase WKNR, which was running an annual deficit of $1 million due to their recently renewed Indians contract being a loss leader.[213] Talks soon began between Jacor and WKNR owner Cablevision,[214] which sold that station for $8.7 million on August 19, 1997.[215][216] Speculation soon centered on Jacor programming WTAM far more aggressively to attract additional male listeners, and that WTAM's prior moves gave them a head start.[211]

Rich Michaels was fired on June 16, 1997, with Dr. Laura taking his late-morning spot on the lineup under the belief her program would draw higher ratings.[217] One month later, WTAM recruited Morton Downey Jr. to host a local evening show,[218] but Downey abruptly resigned after six weeks.[219] Former WERE host Rick Gilmour took his place, but was not named a permanent host as Jacor disclosed plans to move the Indians rights to WTAM once their purchase of WKNR was complete.[220] Kinzbach and Ferenc were dismissed on October 5, 1997, with an all-news block taking their place in mornings.[221] When Jacor assumed operations of WKNR on January 4, 1998, Trivisonno hosted a day-long marathon on that station, the last four hours simulcast on WTAM.[222] The Indians flagship formally was transferred to WTAM with the 1998 home opener on April 10, 1998.[223] Pete Franklin also returned to host Sportsline once a week via a home studio at his San Diego residence,[140] but quit several weeks later in protest over Trivisonno's aforementioned on-air use of ethnic pejoratives, which reportedly hurt Trivisonno.[224] On August 10, 1998, Jacor traded WKNR to Capstar Broadcasting in exchange for Pittsburgh's WTAE[225] to clear regulatory approval for their $620 million purchase of Nationwide Communications.[226] Clear Channel then purchased Jacor in a $6.5 billion deal announced on October 8, 1998;[227][228] by then, Jacor had already acquired Premiere Networks—the syndicators for Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Dean Edell, Dr. Laura and Coast to Coast AM[229]—all of which WTAM now aired via vertical integration.[230]

Veteran radio executive Kevin Metheny was named WTAM's operations director in June 1998, eventually overseeing the entire Jacor-Clear Channel Cleveland cluster.[231] Bill Wills was transferred from co-owned WLW in July 1998[232] to host the all-news morning drive block,[233] and was paired with newscaster John Webster and sports anchor Casey Coleman for Wills, Webster and Coleman in the Morning.[234] Bruce Drennan, who had made another return to the station in 1995 for weekend/fill-in work,[235] was once again named Sportsline host.[236] WTAM enjoyed substantial ratings success thanks to the Indians' 1998 playoff run and the impeachment trial of President Clinton, reaching fifth place overall and Trivisonno at first place overall in the Fall 1998 Arbitron book.[234] Jacor won a bidding war for the expansion Cleveland Browns' broadcast rights, with WMJI as the flagship and WTAM simulcasting games;[237] Coleman was also named as sideline reporter for the Browns broadcasts. Drennan left the station again on July 26, 2000, after failing to agree on a new contract; by then, WTAM had become the top-ranked overall station in the Spring 2000 Arbitron book.[236]

Consolidation and changes

edit
 
Bill Wills

Dr. Laura was replaced on the weekday schedule with Glenn Beck following the September 11 attacks; Kevin Metheny said of Glenn after the switch, "he has a greater inclination to entertain and relate, rather than evangelize", and felt Dr. Laura's ratings were "disappointing".[238] John Webster's presence on Wills, Webster and Coleman ended on November 2, 2001, after a downsizing effort that also saw seven other staffers in the cluster fired.[239] WTAM's studios, along with the studios for all other Clear Channel Cleveland stations, were consolidated into a new facility in Independence in 2002, with one newspaper story calling the arrangement "a food court of radio, with McDonald's, Burger King and Taco Bell".[231] Beck was replaced in March 2005 with Jerry Springer's mid-morning show, which WTAM dropped the following March in favor of a local program hosted by Bob Frantz, formerly with WSPD in Toledo. Beck's show was then brought back on November 3, 2008, bumping Frantz to evenings.[240] Casey Coleman died at the age of 55 on November 27, 2006, following a 15-month bout with pancreatic cancer;[241] Mike Snyder succeeded Casey on the morning show, renamed Wills and Snyder. The station was one of 10 stations awarded the 2007 Crystal Radio Award for public service awarded by the National Association of Broadcasters at the Radio Luncheon on April 17, 2007.[242]

WTAM added a mid-morning debate program titled The Spew on March 11, 2013, with Trivisonno and Bob Frantz as debate partners and Dave Ramos as moderator.[243] Frantz was fired from WTAM on July 8, 2014, due to "corporate restructuring" but alluded heavily to financial issues surrounding Clear Channel[244] which itself was renamed iHeartMedia one month later.[245] Nick Camino replaced Frantz in evenings,[244] while John Lanigan replaced Frantz as Trivisonno's debate partner on The Spew, with Mike Snyder now as moderator.[246]: 154  Lanigan, who had retired from WMJI earlier in the year, was reluctant to take the job and had barely if ever interacted with Trivisonno, but the two became friendly when Trivisonno offered to interview Lanigan for one program and Lanigan returned the favor the next day.[246]: 152–153  While Lanigan initially viewed the show as a way to "get up in the morning and read the newspapers... (keeping) me alert, alive and involved",[247] he abruptly quit during the middle of the August 8, 2018, episode,[248] citing a lack of enjoyment, disinterest in the topics discussed and feeling unqualified to express his opinion.[249] Following a brief period with Jensen Lewis as a fill-in co-host, The Spew was retired on September 24, 2018, for an hour-long local program hosted by Geraldo Rivera,[250] with Lewis and Trivisonno joining Camino in early evenings for Sports Feed 2.0.[251] Camino left the station in 2019 to join WKYC as a sports reporter and weekend sports anchor.[252]

Losing Rush and Triv

edit

If there's a Mount Rushmore of Cleveland radio, Mike Trivisonno is right there on the forefront... Mike Trivisonno is on that.

Mike Snyder[253]

Rush Limbaugh remained on the lineup until his February 2021 death; following four months of "best of" tribute shows,[254] WTAM—by virtue of iHeartMedia ownership—became a charter affiliate of The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show on June 18, 2021.[255] An even larger shock to the station, however, happened when Mike Trivisonno died suddenly on October 28, 2021, hours before his afternoon drive show was to have started.[256] Co-hosts Carmen Angelo[257] and Seth Williams, along with WTAM program director Ray Davis, hosted a memorial program that day in Trivisonno's time slot, the start of which was delayed by an hour with various taped press conferences airing as filler.[258] Industry blogger Lance Venta commented that Trivisonno's show on the night Art Modell revealed plans to relocate the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore "may have been one of the best one-night ... talk radio shows in history".[259]

After a period of rotating guest hosts that included Angelo and Williams,[260] WTAM appointed David "Bloomdaddy" Blomquist, morning host at sister station WWVA in Wheeling, West Virginia, as Trivisonno's replacement[261] with Angelo retained as a co-host. Blomquist's WWVA show, which he had hosted since 2005,[262] was regionally syndicated to other talk stations in the region including Akron's WHLO.[263][264] Geraldo Rivera left at the end of March 2022 owing to an increased role with Fox News;[265] his replacement in the mid-morning time slot was comedian Jimmy Malone, John Lanigan's former co-host at WMJI,[266] a post he held until August 2024.[267]

Programming

edit

Regular schedule

edit

Local personalities on WTAM include Bill Wills and Mike Snyder in morning drive,[266] David "Bloomdaddy" Blomquist in afternoon drive[263] and Dennis Manoloff evenings. The station also carries This Morning with Gordon Deal (early mornings), The Glenn Beck Program (late mornings), The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show[255] (midday) and Coast to Coast AM (overnight).[268]

Saturdays feature syndicated host Gary Sullivan,[269] while Ben Ferguson and Bill Cunningham are heard Sundays, along with The Lutheran Hour and Fox Sports Radio in lieu of any sports play-by-play.[270]

WTAM airs national news updates from ABC News Radio and Fox News Radio, and local news and weather updates from WKYC.[271]

Play-by-play

edit
 
Tom Hamilton

WTAM is the AM flagship of a 28-station network for the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA) with play-by-play announcer Tim Alcorn, color analyst Jim Chones, Mike Snyder as pregame/postgame studio host, and Brad Sellers as postgame analyst.[272]

WTAM is also the AM flagship for a 29-station network for the Cleveland Guardians (MLB) with Tom Hamilton and Jim Rosenhaus as announcers. The flagship statuses for both networks are shared with WMMS, since 2013 for the Guardians[b] and 2014 for the Cavaliers; all games for both teams are broadcast live and limited solely to terrestrial broadcasts.[273][274]

WTAM additionally airs Cleveland State Vikings men's basketball games in the event of conflicts with sister station/CSU flagship WARF.[275]

FM translator

edit

As of September 6, 2018, WTAM simulcasts over low-power Cleveland FM translator W295DE (106.9 FM).[276]

Broadcast translator for WTAM
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W295DE 106.9 FM Cleveland 147802 146 −264 m (−866 ft) D 41°22′45″N 81°43′11.1″W / 41.37917°N 81.719750°W / 41.37917; -81.719750 (W295DE) LMS

Notes

edit
  1. ^ The WWWE calls were later assigned to a 5,000-watt daytime station in the Atlanta market, also at 1100 AM.
  2. ^ The franchise was renamed from the Cleveland Indians at the start of the 2022 season.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d Brown, Roger (July 19, 1996). "WWWE to change call letters to WTAM". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 4E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved January 1, 2007 – via NewsBank.
  2. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WTAM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ^ "Chagrin Falls Emergency Preparedness - City of Chagrin Falls". Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "A Storage Battery Broadcasting Station", Radio Broadcast, December 1923, page 97.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Olszewski, Mike (March 4, 2002). "WTAM-AM". Cleve-radio.com. Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  6. ^ White, Thomas H. (January 1, 2006). "Dawn of the Four Letter Calls" Archived April 21, 2021, at the Wayback Machine, from Mystique of the Three-Letter Callsigns. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  7. ^ a b c Van Tassel, David D.; Grabowski, John J., eds. (1996). The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History (2nd ed.). Bloomington: Indiana University Press. pp. 1060–61. ISBN 0-253-33056-4. Archived from the original on September 7, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  8. ^ U.S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1924 Archived January 12, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, from U.S. Department of Commerce publication. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  9. ^ Olszewski, Mike (March 4, 2002). "WJAX-AM". Cleve-radio.com. Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  10. ^ U.S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1927 Archived December 22, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, from U.S. Department of Commerce publication. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  11. ^ U.S. Department of Commerce (January 31, 1928). Radio Service Bulletin No. 130 Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, p. 25. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  12. ^ Cormack, George, ed. (1999). Memories of a Lifetime–Volume 1. Berea, Ohio: Instant Concepts, Inc. p. F51. ISBN 1-882171-19-5.
  13. ^ Durenberger, Mark (2000). Behind the Clear-Channel Matter Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  14. ^ "Gene Carroll". Cleveland Association of Broadcasters. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  15. ^ "Gene Carroll Dies; Host of TV's Longest Show". Youngstown Vindicator. March 6, 1972. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2013.
  16. ^ a b c d e FCC History Cards for WTAM
  17. ^ "Heritage Radio Catalog, p. 5, No. 215". Archived from the original on June 15, 2006. Retrieved December 27, 2006.
  18. ^ "Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs (August 10, 2003)". Archived from the original on December 5, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2006.
  19. ^ "The Leading Radio Crazy Site on the Net". radiocrazy.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2006. Retrieved November 8, 2012.
  20. ^ "WNBK (TV) constructing $1 million transmitter" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 15, 1953. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  21. ^ "WNBK (TV) goes to ch. 3; using new Parma plant" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 19, 1954. pp. 84, 86. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  22. ^ "WNBK advertisement" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 26, 1954. p. 45. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  23. ^ "The voices of Browns games past". The Plain Dealer. The Plain Dealer Publishing Co. November 10, 2002. p. J6 – Sunday Arts.
  24. ^ "NBC, WBC trade properties in Cleveland, Philadelphia", Broadcasting, May 23, 1955, pages 65, 66, 68.
  25. ^ "NBC, Westinghouse complete exchange", Broadcasting, January 30, 1956, page 59.
  26. ^ "NBC, WBC outlets change calls today", Broadcasting, February 13, 1956, page 98.
  27. ^ Harry Martin (May 21, 2011). "How KYW's "Martin and Howard" Saved the Beatles concert in Cleveland". HappyHareOnline.com. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011.
  28. ^ Harry Martin relates what KYW was like in the mid 1960s
  29. ^ Adams, Deanna R., ed. (2002), Rock 'N' Roll and the Cleveland Connection, Kent State University Press, p. 624, ISBN 0-87338-691-4, archived from the original on February 3, 2022, retrieved August 1, 2010
  30. ^ "NBC-Westinghouse swap approved; FCC stirs Justice Dept. interest", Broadcasting, January 2, 1956, page 58.
  31. ^ "Justice Dept. hauls NBC into court", Broadcasting - Telecasting, December 10, 1956, pages 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32.
  32. ^ Olszewski, Mike (March 4, 2002). "KYW-AM". Cleve-radio.com. Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  33. ^ "Philadelphia circle is complete," and "Nine-year history of that trade in Philadelphia", Broadcasting, August 3, 1964, pages 23, 24, 25.
  34. ^ "The great swap takes place June 19; Westinghouse, NBC return to original properties", Broadcasting, June 14, 1965, page 83.
  35. ^ Lones, Tim (August 19, 2007). "KYW-1100/Final Hours..Saturday AM June 19, 1965 (including a transcript of the Cleveland Press' Bill Barrett's column from June 18, 1965 regarding the call letter switch)". Cleveland Classic Media. Archived from the original on October 14, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  36. ^ KYW Newsradio Station History Archived January 7, 2007, at the Wayback Machine, which details the evolution of the station from Chicago, to Philadelphia, to Cleveland and back to Philadelphia.
  37. ^ "Billboard March 13, 1965-Vox Jox-Jim Stagg, KYW radio top-rated afternoon DJ, exits station suddenly-page 73". March 13, 1965. Archived from the original on January 12, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  38. ^ "WCFL Takes First Step Toward Format Change". Billboard. April 15, 1965. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
  39. ^ "WCFL Is Looking to Be No. 1" (PDF). Billboard. September 30, 1967. pp. 34, 56. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  40. ^ Smith, Ron, ed. (2007), WCFL Chicago Top 40 Charts 1965–1976, iUniverse, pp. Front Matter Introduction, ISBN 978-0-595-43180-9, archived from the original on February 3, 2022, retrieved April 2, 2010
  41. ^ Olszewski, Mike (March 4, 2002). "WKYC-AM". Cleve-radio.com. Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved August 17, 2014.
  42. ^ "Talkin' With Jerry G." chicagotelevision.com. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  43. ^ Feran, Tom (September 18, 2013). "'Jerry G,' popular on Cleveland radio and TV in the 1960s, dies at 77". Cleveland Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  44. ^ "Action Line Bonus". Akron Beacon Journal. Knight Newspapers. October 4, 1970. p. F-16. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  45. ^ "Club to hear TV newsman". Mansfield News Journal. March 7, 1978. p. 8. Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  46. ^ "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. February 15, 1969. p. 44. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  47. ^ "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. October 11, 1969. p. 39. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  48. ^ "Closed Circuit: On the block?" (PDF). Broadcasting. November 30, 1970. p. 5. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  49. ^ "First NBC radio properties go" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 17, 1972. p. 38. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  50. ^ a b Morrow, Larry, ed. (2010). This is Larry Morrow: My Life on and Off the Air. Cleveland: Gray & Company. pp. 132–133. ISBN 9781598510690. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  51. ^ "Call Letters". cleve-radio.com. Cleveland, Ohio Broadcast Radio Archives Project. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  52. ^ "Fresh Air: Cleveland" (PDF). Bob Hamilton and Friends Radio Report. December 11, 1972. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  53. ^ "Major leagues to divide $42.3-million melon in '73" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 26, 1973. pp. 37–43, 46. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 21, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  54. ^ Dolgan, Bob (December 10, 2004). "Pete Franklin, the ultimate Cleveland sports talker: Life Stories Revisited". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  55. ^ a b Tait, Joe; Pluto, Terry (2012). Joe Tait: It's Been a Real Ball: Stories from a Hall-of-Fame Sports Broadcasting Career. Cleveland: Gray & Company. ISBN 9781598510942. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  56. ^ "Jim Runyon Obit" (PDF). Billboard. May 5, 1973. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  57. ^ a b Washington, Julie (January 15, 2011). "Larry Morrow reflects on his radio career as Mr. Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on December 22, 2019. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  58. ^ "All-Time Broadcasters". Cleveland Indians. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  59. ^ Fybush, Scott (February 12, 2004). Cleveland's Parma/Brecksville/Seven Hills Tower Farm Archived March 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, Tower Site of the Week. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  60. ^ "Changing Hands: Announced" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 13, 1976. pp. 64–65. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  61. ^ "Changing Hands: Approved" (PDF). Broadcasting. September 5, 1977. pp. 36–37. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  62. ^ "CCC's portfolio gets even bigger with Globe merger" (PDF). Broadcasting. May 2, 1977. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  63. ^ "Changing Hands: Announced" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 5, 1977. pp. 34–35. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  64. ^ "FCC clears biggest deal ever: Gannett-Combined Communications merger is approved on same day that Shamrock purchase of Starr and Mutual buy of WCFL are OK's" (PDF). Broadcasting. June 11, 1979. pp. 19–20. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  65. ^ a b Mehno, John (February 13, 1982). "WWWE-AM Keys On Country Competition" (PDF). Billboard. p. 27. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  66. ^ DiMauro, Phil (December 5, 1981). "Radio Replay: Moves" (PDF). Record World. p. 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  67. ^ "WWWE Converts From Country To MOR" (PDF). Radio & Records. August 26, 1983. pp. 3, 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  68. ^ "WWWE Switches To AC" (PDF). Billboard. August 27, 1983. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  69. ^ "Changing Hands: Proposed" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 108, no. 9. March 4, 1985. p. 85. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  70. ^ a b Phipps, Peter (January 18, 1983). "Some of Modell's ventures have fallen on hard times". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. A10. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  71. ^ Cook, Daniel (July 19, 1982). "Cleveland stations battle for listeners". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. B1–B2. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  72. ^ Mehno, John (June 26, 1982). "Format Turntable: Jocks Out In Cleveland" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 94, no. 25. p. 28. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  73. ^ a b Phelps, Peter (February 11, 1984). "WHK keeps Browns' games". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B2. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  74. ^ "Gries renews legal battle with Modell". The News-Messenger. Fremont, Ohio. Associated Press. December 16, 1983. p. 15. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  75. ^ Schudel, Jeff (December 24, 1983). "Modell wins court battle". News Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. 17. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  76. ^ Gottlieb, Ken (February 23, 1985). "Follow the bouncing Browns' broadcast ball". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. B4. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  77. ^ Phipps, Peter (June 23, 1984). "Modell's bank debts date to 1961". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. B1, B3. Archived from the original on October 29, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  78. ^ Gottlieb, Ken (March 2, 1985). "When Ron Bilek talks, WKYC-TV Channel 3 listens". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. B4. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  79. ^ "Detroit firm buys WJW-AM". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. Associated Press. March 1, 1985. p. B8. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  80. ^ a b c Dyer, Bob (June 12, 1985). "Changes on the radio dial". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C7. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  81. ^ a b c "Popovich OM At New WLTF & WRMR Combo" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 587. June 7, 1985. pp. 3–4. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 19, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  82. ^ Gottlieb, Ken (July 21, 1984). "Mellow rock, news and talk gain radio listeners". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. B4. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  83. ^ a b c Gottlieb, Ken (October 19, 1985). "It's almost a Modell Miracle as WWWE rises in ratings". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. A8. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  84. ^ "The Last Word: With Pete Franklin here, you'll never have it again". Newsday. Nassau Edition (Hempstead, New York. September 20, 1987. p. 328. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  85. ^ a b Gottlieb, Ken (June 15, 1985). "Channel 3's 60 minutes not discouraged by ratings". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. B4. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  86. ^ a b Frolik, Joe (June 12, 1985). "All sports eggs in one basket". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E.
  87. ^ a b Gottlieb, Ken (May 25, 1985). "Modell group about to take over WWWE and WDOK". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. A8. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  88. ^ Shippy, Dick (May 31, 1985). "Dieken wants to move his line to the radio". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B5. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  89. ^ "WJW changes its name, place on dial". The News Reporter. Dover, Ohio. Associated Press. June 12, 1985. p. C2. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  90. ^ "Radio stations to switch next week". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. June 5, 1985. p. 8E.
  91. ^ Segall, Grant (June 1, 2010). "R. Marvin Cade broadcast news on WJW-AM". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on July 19, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2018.
  92. ^ a b Dyer, Bob (June 7, 1987). "Old announcers never die; they just read away". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  93. ^ Dyer, Bob (April 27, 1986). "There's only one rock station in WMMS zone". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  94. ^ Feran, Tom (October 2, 2000). "Larry Elder's new show puts morality on trial". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  95. ^ Lebovitz, Hal (February 23, 1986). "Danielson to become 'Clevelander', McDonald fuming". News-Journal. Mansfield, Ohio. p. 11D. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  96. ^ Ocker, Sheldon (August 17, 1986). "Indians' radio sweepstakes may bring surprise". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 39. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  97. ^ Dyer, Bob (October 26, 1986). "Television is breaking up that old WONE gang". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. F2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  98. ^ Dyer, Bob (December 21, 1986). "Checkbooks cool off as ratings period closes". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. H2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  99. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 25, 1987). "WCLV saga: Hear today, unheard tomorrow". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  100. ^ a b c Pluto, Terry (May 14, 1987). "Franklin cohorts wish him a quick recovery". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C1. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  101. ^ a b Pluto, Terry (May 10, 1987). "Tait or Chandler might be answer to WWWE's needs". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. E3. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  102. ^ "Jacor selling AM outlet back to a previous owner". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio. July 23, 1987. p. B-12. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  103. ^ Pluto, Terry (May 6, 1987). "New York station makes a fancy bid for Pete Franklin". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. A1, A6. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  104. ^ a b Dolgan, Bob (December 10, 2004). "Pete Franklin, the ultimate Cleveland sports talker: Life Stories Revisited". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  105. ^ Meyer, Ed (May 21, 1987). "Franklin continues to improve". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C1. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
  106. ^ "Riding Gain on Radio: Station Breaks" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 112, no. 21. May 25, 1987. p. 69. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  107. ^ Pluto, Terry (June 18, 1987). "Franklin has changed ways, but not style". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. B1–B2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  108. ^ "Sports Talk Show Host Fights For Life". Marysville Journal-Tribune. Marysville, Ohio. Associated Press. May 14, 1987. p. 8. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  109. ^ a b c Pluto, Terry (May 10, 1987). "Tait or Chandler might be answer to WWWE's needs". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 55. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  110. ^ a b Ocker, Sheldon (May 21, 1987). "Shanley is leading Sportsline candidate". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C1. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  111. ^ "The Last Word: With Pete Franklin here, you'll never have it again". Newsday. Hempstead, New York. September 20, 1987. p. 328. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  112. ^ a b c d Dyer, Bob (August 5, 1987). "Modell Reaps Tidy Profit on Radio Stations". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C8, C12. Archived from the original on November 13, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  113. ^ a b c Pluto, Terry (December 29, 1987). "Air Wars: Drennan's hiring sets off talk-show hosts". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. D1, D4. Archived from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  114. ^ a b Shippy, Dick (December 1, 1987). "Wolsteins' radio purchases won't affect Force, for now". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. D3. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  115. ^ a b Pluto, Terry (December 6, 1987). "Drennan says 'Sportsline' needs him". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. E9. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  116. ^ "WWWE psychologist out – again". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. November 15, 1987. p. 18. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  117. ^ a b c Dyer, Bob (December 9, 1987). "Ex-Akron radio exec at helm of WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. D8. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  118. ^ a b c d e f g h Koltek, William T. (September 3, 1988). "Billboard's PD of the week: David George, WWWE Cleveland" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 100, no. 36. p. 19. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 21, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  119. ^ Coughlin, Dan (July 10, 1988). "They rigged the vote—big deal!". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. pp. D1, D2. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  120. ^ Dyer, Bob (July 3, 1988). "One area station stands out amid blur of turnovers". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. F1, F6. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  121. ^ a b Dyer, Bob (January 7, 1988). "Gary Dee back on Cleveland radio". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B5. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  122. ^ Stephens, Scott; Fogarty, Steve (June 20, 1988). "She wants sex-abuse watchdogs". Elyria Chronicle-Telegram. Elyria, Ohio. p. A-1. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via NewspaperArchive.
  123. ^ Dyer, Bob (May 15, 1988). "Drive-time news gets edge on Moscow summit". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. G2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  124. ^ Dyer, Bob (October 2, 1988). "Listeners want DJs to identify songs". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. D2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  125. ^ "Radio personality Fig Newton returns Monday to WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. April 8, 1988. p. C12. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  126. ^ a b c Dyer, Bob (May 21, 1988). "WWWE's Fig Newton quits job after report of child porn charges". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. A8. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  127. ^ a b Dyer, Bob (May 29, 1988). "Tale of two disc jockeys has a curious ending". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  128. ^ Dyer, Bob (July 31, 1988). "Reading Arbitron's fine print: Overlapping markets add to the confusion". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  129. ^ Pluto, Terry (April 28, 1988). "Area fans are being cavalier no longer". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. A1, A5. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  130. ^ Pluto, Terry (October 1, 1988). "Tait has made changes in Cavs' radio and TV setup". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  131. ^ Pluto, Terry (December 16, 1987). "Tait to tackle Cavs' radio". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B5. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  132. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 30, 1988). "Cavs end contract with WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B8. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  133. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 1, 1989). "Raunchy radio entry spells trouble in Kentucky". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. F2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  134. ^ Dyer, Bob (April 2, 1989). "WKDD tinkers with three important time slots". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. H2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  135. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 18, 1989). "Anthony does radio two-step, joins WKDD competitor WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C8. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  136. ^ Dyer, Bob (March 12, 1989). "WKSU to get 'Morning Edition' boost". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. H2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  137. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 26, 1989). "Former Akron announcer to return?". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C7. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  138. ^ Dyer, Bob (January 22, 1989). "Snyder-to-Snyder chat probably didn't thrill WNIR". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C2. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  139. ^ Dyer, Bob (June 25, 1989). "WKDD wins at least a moral victory". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B2. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  140. ^ a b Pluto, Terry (April 5, 1998). "A Franklin in mint condition is one thing, but after 11 years..." Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C1, C10. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved August 17, 2021.
  141. ^ "Sindelar new 'Sportsline' host". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. June 18, 1989. p. D14. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  142. ^ a b c d Dyer, Bob (September 1, 1989). "Gary Dee fired by WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. D12. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  143. ^ a b c Dyer, Bob (August 26, 1989). "Gary Dee suspended over complaint to FCC". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. A6-A7. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  144. ^ "Street Talk" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 804. September 1, 1989. pp. 28–30. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  145. ^ "FCC Cracks Down On 'Shock Jock' Indecency" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 804. September 1, 1989. pp. 1, 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 1, 2021. Retrieved November 17, 2021 – via World Radio History.
  146. ^ "Passing grades: surveying the FCC's sense of decency" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 117, no. 19. November 6, 1989. p. 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  147. ^ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 117, no. 10. September 4, 1989. p. 80. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  148. ^ "FCC Indecency Campaign Reaches New Climax" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 813. November 3, 1989. pp. 1, 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  149. ^ Dyer, Bob (December 24, 1989). "Buyer snaps up stations, but Akron sale drags on". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  150. ^ "Franklin will rejoin WWWE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. September 8, 1989. p. B5. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved February 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  151. ^ a b Yerak, Rebecca (December 23, 1989). "Owners of WWWE, WRMR trade chairs in $10 million deal". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  152. ^ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 118, no. 1. January 1, 1990. p. 115. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  153. ^ a b c Dyer, Bob (December 23, 1989). "Detroit group buys WWWE Radio". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. A10. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  154. ^ Dolgan, Bob (October 11, 1990). "Cavs games returning to powerful WWWE". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  155. ^ Pluto, Terry (December 23, 1989). "Cavaliers throw one away in loss to Bucks". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C1, C4. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved September 22, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  156. ^ a b c d e f Dyer, Bob (June 24, 1990). "Upcoming WWWE purge not a well-kept secret". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. G2. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  157. ^ "In Brief" (PDF). Broadcasting. Vol. 118, no. 19. May 7, 1990. p. 80. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  158. ^ "Embrescia group will pick voice". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. January 3, 1990. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved September 21, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  159. ^ Dolgan, Bob (January 17, 1990). "Hamilton named Tribe announcer". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  160. ^ a b c d e Sowd, David (June 25, 1990). "New WWWE owner puts emphasis on news". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  161. ^ Ross, David (November 9, 1990). "Bieler's replacement is up in the air". Long Beach Press-Telegram. p. F2. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  162. ^ "Cleveland Upheavals Reshape Market: Booth-Independent Swap Spurs Changes At WWWE, WRMR; WQAL Names PD; New Management At WGAR (AM)" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 846. June 29, 1990. pp. 1, 30. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  163. ^ a b Sowd, David (August 3, 1990). "Local talk lacking on airwaves". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  164. ^ Sowd, David (September 28, 1990). "WKNR moves to new format". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  165. ^ Sowd, David (December 14, 1990). "WLTF charity in 10th year". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  166. ^ "WWWE, WLTF plan move". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. July 16, 1990. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  167. ^ Lubinger, Bill (August 24, 1990). "Sports restaurant in lineup for Nautica's Powerhouse". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  168. ^ Ross, Sean (November 16, 1991). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 46. p. 14. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2019 – via World Radio History.
  169. ^ Santiago, Robert (September 3, 1992). "Sensible approach to bashing liberals". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 14E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  170. ^ Dolgan, Bob (October 4, 1990). "Sindelar out, Snyder in as host of 'Sportsline'". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  171. ^ Dolgan, Bob (September 6, 1990). "Limit on phone calls has Sindelar fans upset". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  172. ^ Dolgan, Bob (October 25, 1990). "Brinda and Snyder a study in contrasts". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  173. ^ "Sindelar back as radio host". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. November 14, 1990. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  174. ^ Chancellor, Carl; Dyer, Bob (December 18, 1990). "Browns sportswear is thrown for a loss". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. pp. C5, C9. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  175. ^ Lebovitz, Hal (February 24, 1991). "Tribe skipper asks: Is it live or Memorex?". Mansfield News Journal. p. 3E. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 15, 2021.
  176. ^ Ross, Sean (December 21, 1991). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 87. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  177. ^ Ross, Sean (April 18, 1992). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 66. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  178. ^ Stark, Phyllis (May 22, 1993). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 111. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  179. ^ Stark, Phyllis (September 11, 1993). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 77. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  180. ^ "WWWE signal: the facts". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. August 12, 1990. pp. G1-G2. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  181. ^ "Station and Cable Trading" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. March 7, 1994. p. 47. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  182. ^ Stark, Phyllis (May 28, 1994). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 71. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  183. ^ a b Simmons, Sheila (August 27, 1994). "WWWE reunites Kinzbach and Ferenc". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 6F. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  184. ^ a b Santiago, Roberto (September 13, 1994). "WWWE deejay, he's a Shocker". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 1B. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2007 – via NewsBank.
  185. ^ Rauzi, Robin (August 23, 1994). "Imus Show Out, Meyer Show in at WWWE". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 10E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2007 – via NewsBank.
  186. ^ Dolgan, Bob (July 7, 1994). "Trivisonno to replace Snyder". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  187. ^ Santiago, Robert (January 14, 1995). "Country conquers radio shock talk". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 12E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  188. ^ a b Brown, Roger (September 6, 1995). "Staff changes are afoot at WWWE AM". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021.
  189. ^ Santiago, Robert (March 23, 1995). "WWWE trolling for ratings: Station still looking for morning hit". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 12E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  190. ^ Taylor, Chuck (October 14, 1995). "Vox Jox" (PDF). Billboard. p. 79. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  191. ^ Brown, Roger (September 20, 1995). "Scuttlebutt is all news at WWWE". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 4E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  192. ^ "Riding Gain: MetroTraffic reporter, pilot killed" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. February 26, 1996. p. 36. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved December 22, 2019.
  193. ^ a b c Brown, Roger (July 1, 1996). "E in WWWE may stand for Extinct". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  194. ^ Brown, Roger (July 15, 1996). "Honoring broadcasters: Tolliver, Elliot, Ware-Abrams to be honored for work". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  195. ^ Fybush, Scott (August 21, 2003). "August 21-28, 2003: Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania". Fybush.com: Tower Site of the Week. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via RadioBB.
  196. ^ Call Sign History for WTAM Archived January 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, from FCC's AM station database. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  197. ^ a b Brown, Roger (July 22, 1996). "New call letters only half the story at WTAM". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  198. ^ Brown, Roger (May 27, 1996). "WWWE shakes up its programming: AM station signs on two shows, axes one". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  199. ^ Brown, Roger (August 29, 1996). "WTAM will carry all Ravens games". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 4F. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  200. ^ Brown, Roger (January 15, 1997). "Tuning in to fallout from ratings". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  201. ^ a b c d O'Connor, Clint (February 1, 1998). "Mighty Mouth: Why Mike Trivisonno rules Cleveland sports radio". The Plain Dealer Sunday Magazine. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 8. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  202. ^ Brown, Roger (June 26, 1996). "Trivisonno our voice? Go figure". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 6E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  203. ^ Brown, Roger (October 8, 1997). "Cleveland stations for $1,000, Alex". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 6F. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  204. ^ Brown, Roger (November 25, 1996). "Wake up to ugly racism". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  205. ^ Moore, Tom (October 28, 2021). "WTAM's Mike Trivisonno Has Passed Away". Newsradio WTAM 1100. iHeartMedia. Archived from the original on October 31, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  206. ^ Brown, Roger (October 9, 1996). "2 local radio stations reportedly to be sold". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 2C. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  207. ^ a b Brown, Roger (January 20, 1997). "Deal to sell WTAM, WLTF is called off". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  208. ^ Brown, Roger (November 18, 1996). "Vindication for Trapper: WDOK personality, co-workers are making their mark". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  209. ^ Brown, Roger (October 16, 1996). "WTAM, WLTF likely to be on the move again". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  210. ^ "Jacor buys four more". Cincinnati Business Courier. American City Business Journals. April 25, 1997. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  211. ^ a b Brown, Roger (April 30, 1997). "What does Jacor plan at new stations?". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  212. ^ Brown, Roger (April 26, 1997). "Kentucky group purchases WTAM and WLTF". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7B. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  213. ^ Brown, Roger (March 12, 1997). "WKNR looks vulnerable to purchase". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 4E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  214. ^ Brown, Roger (March 24, 1997). "Jacor officials interested in WTAM, WLTF". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved August 22, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  215. ^ "Jacor: Acquires Sports Leader WKNR, Cleveland" (Press release). Jacor Communications, Inc. August 19, 1997. Archived from the original on May 11, 2008. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  216. ^ Adams, David (October 31, 1997). "Fate of WKNR still hangs in balance". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. D10. Archived from the original on August 16, 2021. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  217. ^ Brown, Roger (June 20, 1997). "WTAM fires Michaels, now airs Dr. Laura". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  218. ^ Brown, Roger (July 14, 1997). "Downey back with WTAM talk show". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  219. ^ Brown, Roger (August 30, 1997). "Downey leaves WTAM; Stern blamed". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5B. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  220. ^ Brown, Roger (September 15, 1997). "Listen to the words, not just the voice". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  221. ^ Brown, Roger (October 6, 1997). "WTAM drops personalities Jeff and Flash". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  222. ^ Brown, Roger (December 29, 1997). "Owner set to pump up WKNR". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 5E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved August 14, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  223. ^ "On the radio". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. April 7, 1998. p. C1. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  224. ^ Brown, Roger (June 1, 1998). "Franklin's loud exit should be no surprise". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  225. ^ Souhrada, Paul (August 11, 1998). "Cleveland's WKNR traded for Pittsburgh station". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C7. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  226. ^ "Justice Department Requires Jacor to Sell Eight Radio Stations as Part of Nationwide Communications Inc. Acquisition" (Press release). U.S. Department of Justice. August 10, 1998. Archived from the original on September 30, 2006. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  227. ^ "How Clear Channel became the biggest". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati, Ohio. March 19, 2000. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved January 1, 2007.
  228. ^ Bodipo-Memba, Alejandro (October 9, 1998). "Clear Channel Wins Bidding Contest, Agrees to Buy Jacor Communications". The Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Archived from the original on February 15, 2017. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  229. ^ Nolan, John. "Clear Channel Buys Jacor". AP NEWS. Archived from the original on November 26, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  230. ^ Morgan, Richard (October 9, 1998). "Clear Channel buys Jacor". Variety. Archived from the original on November 3, 2021. Retrieved August 1, 2019.
  231. ^ a b O'Connor, Clint (September 22, 2002). "At the controls: Clear Channel programmer rules radio in Cleveland". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. J1. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  232. ^ Brown, Roger (July 27, 1998). "A look at the ratings up and down the dial". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  233. ^ Brown, Roger (August 17, 1998). "New owner at WMMS fires three personalities". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  234. ^ a b Brown, Roger (January 18, 1999). "Buzzard scam gets WMMS what it wanted: more listeners". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  235. ^ Brown, Roger (July 19, 1995). "Short takes on Cleveland's radio scene". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 4E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  236. ^ a b Feran, Tom (August 10, 2000). "Sports-talker Bruce Drennan off air at WTAM". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 11E. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  237. ^ Pluto, Terry (January 26, 1999). "Browns Notes". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. B5. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021.
  238. ^ O'Connor, Clint (September 25, 2001). "Dr. Laura is dumped from WTAM lineup". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. E7. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  239. ^ O'Connor, Clint (November 3, 2001). "Webster, Wright, 6 others lose jobs". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. E1. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  240. ^ Washington, Julie E. (October 22, 2008). "Glenn Beck heading back to WTAM". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on October 26, 2008. Retrieved October 28, 2008.
  241. ^ "Longtime Cleveland broadcaster Casey Coleman dies at 55". Associated Press Sports. November 27, 2006. Retrieved November 28, 2006.[dead link‍]
  242. ^ "NAB Announces Crystal Radio Awards Winners". National Association of Broadcasters. April 17, 2007. Archived from the original on November 7, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  243. ^ "WTAM Adds 'The Spew'". All Access. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  244. ^ a b Kleps, Kevin (July 9, 2014). "WTAM fires veteran broadcaster Bob Frantz". Crain's Cleveland Business. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  245. ^ Sisario, Ben (September 16, 2014). "Clear Channel Renames Itself iHeartMedia in Nod to Digital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  246. ^ a b Lanigan, John; Jedick, Peter; Olszewski, Mike (2017). Lanigan in the Morning: My Life in Radio. Cleveland, Ohio: Gray & Company. ISBN 978-1-938441-93-6.
  247. ^ Goodrich, Barry (December 18, 2017). "John Lanigan Isn't Shy About Sharing His Opinions". Cleveland Magazine. Archived from the original on August 27, 2021. Retrieved August 27, 2021.
  248. ^ Morona, Joey (August 10, 2018). "Cleveland radio legend John Lanigan ups and quits in the middle of his show on WTAM". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on August 10, 2018. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
  249. ^ Donatelli, Joe; Cross, Ian (August 9, 2018). "Why Lanigan retired in middle of his show". WEWS. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  250. ^ "Geraldo Rivera Joins WTAM". WTAM.com (Press release). iHeartMedia, Inc. September 22, 2018. Archived from the original on September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  251. ^ Venta, Lance (September 23, 2018). "Geraldo Rivera Joins WTAM Cleveland". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  252. ^ Morona, Joey (March 15, 2019). "WTAM's Nick Camino moving to WKYC Ch. 3 as weekend sports anchor". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 26, 2021 – via NewsBank.
  253. ^ DeNatale, Dave (October 28, 2021). "'A trailblazer in radio': Tributes pour in for late WTAM 1100 talk show host Mike Trivisonno". WKYC. Archived from the original on February 3, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  254. ^ Venta, Lance (May 27, 2021). "Clay Travis & Buck Sexton To Take Over Rush Limbaugh Show". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021 – via RadioBB.
  255. ^ a b Venta, Lance (June 20, 2021). "Number Of Rush Limbaugh Affiliates Decide On Replacement Shows". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2021 – via RadioBB.
  256. ^ Bona, Marc (October 28, 2021). "'He won't be forgotten' - Mike Trivisonno remembered as influential Cleveland radio talk-show host". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  257. ^ Anderson, Chris; Kennedy, Kelly (October 28, 2021). "Mike Trivisonno, of WTAM 1100 Cleveland's Newsradio, dies at the age of 74". WOIO. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  258. ^ Grzegorek, Vince (October 28, 2021). "Longtime Cleveland Radio Personality Mike Trivisonno Has Died". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  259. ^ Venta, Lance (October 28, 2021). "WTAM Cleveland Afternoon Host Mike Trivisonno Dies At 74". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on November 6, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021 – via RadioBB.
  260. ^ "Glenn Beck Joins Carmen And Seth Today At 5:10". Newsradio WTAM 1100. iHeartMedia. November 9, 2021. Archived from the original on November 10, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021.
  261. ^ O'Brien, Eric (February 4, 2022). "Bloomdaddy leaving WWVA and WJAS". PBRTV.com. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  262. ^ "'Bloomdaddy' To Succeed The Late Mike Trivisonno On Cleveland's WTAM". Insideradio.com. February 4, 2022. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  263. ^ a b Venta, Lance (February 4, 2022). "Bloomdaddy Departs WWVA Mornings For WTAM Afternoons". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on February 4, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022 – via RadioBB.
  264. ^ DeNatalie, Dave (February 4, 2022). "WTAM names David 'Bloomdaddy' Blomquist as new afternoon show host following passing of Mike Trivisonno". wkyc.com. Archived from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  265. ^ Venta, Lance (March 29, 2022). "Geraldo Rivera To Depart WTAM Cleveland". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022 – via RadioBB.
  266. ^ a b Venta, Lance (April 7, 2022). "Jimmy Malone To Host Daily Show On WTAM". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022 – via RadioBB.
  267. ^ Venta, Lance (August 9, 2024). "The iHeartMedia Cuts Continue". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 11, 2024 – via RadioBB.
  268. ^ Venta, Lance (June 29, 2021). "George Noory Extends Deal With Premiere Networks To Remain Host Of Coast To Coast AM". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved November 14, 2021 – via RadioBB.
  269. ^ "200 Affiliates For 'At Home With Gary Sullivan'". All Access. June 28, 2012. Archived from the original on February 5, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  270. ^ "WTAM schedule". WTAM.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013.
  271. ^ "Wills & Snyder page". Archived from the original on May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  272. ^
  273. ^ Inside Radio (March 5, 2018). "Play-By-Play Streaming Rights: 'The Goal Posts Are Moving.'". InsideRadio.com. Inside Radio. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  274. ^
  275. ^ "Vikings Partner With iHeartMedia For Men's Basketball Radio". Cleveland State University. October 26, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2021. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
  276. ^ "Newsradio WTAM 1100 Now Also on FM 106.9". WTAM.com (Press release). iHeartMedia, Inc. September 6, 2018. Archived from the original on September 8, 2018. Retrieved September 15, 2018.
edit
 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to WTAM.
FM translator
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=WTAM&oldid=1250350155"