Not to be confused with Akron market radio station WKDD.
Logo as WKDD
By 1977, WCUE-FM – which at that time was broadcasting an album oriented rock (AOR) format – switched its format to "mellow rock" and callsign to WKDD. John Gorman, then Program Director at Cleveland rock station WMMS, recalls competing with WKDD in the Akron and Canton radio markets in its earlier days: "... the station attempted to create a 'Mellow Rock' mascot... "[4] In January 1982, WKDD dropped its "mellow rock" format and flipped to CHR. The station at the time originally broadcast 50,000 watts, providing city-grade coverage to Greater Cleveland (including Cleveland and the surroundings of Lake Huron), Akron, and Canton. In 1989, the station briefly went towards a rock-lean format, and with that short move, WKDD unseated WMMS as the highest rated station in the Akron market, including both Summit and Portage counties, that same year. The station would then restore its mainstream format the following year. The two stations continued to struggle for ratings dominance well into the 1990s. Often, one of the two claimed the number one position in the Birch ratings service, while the other won Arbitron's top spot.[5][6]
Danny Wright and Matt Patrick (Michael Ryan) were among the station's personalities. In 1987, WKDD raised Patrick's salary; his was already the highest in the Akron market, nearly five times the average for all other personalities in the market.[7] In 1995, Patrick attempted to leave for Cleveland station WLTF (now WHLK). This drew a legal fight from WKDD, which claimed Patrick's contract prevented him from leaving for any station within 40 miles of WKDD.[8]
2001 "frequency swap"
For more information on the July 3, 2001, exchange involving seven Northeast Ohio radio stations, see 2001 in radio.
On July 3, 2001, WKDD was one of seven Northeast Ohio radio stations involved in a complex exchange between three radio companies. Although generally reported as a "frequency swap", in reality these seven radio stations mostly traded callsigns along with their respective formats and staffs – all to facilitate the transfers of ownership of four of the seven stations. As part of this complex exchange, Clear Channel Communications (which would become iHeartMedia on September 16, 2014) changed the WKDD format from hot adult contemporary (hot AC) to contemporary hit radio (CHR); rebranded the station using the KISS-FM brand; reassigned on and off-air personnel; and on July 23, 2001, changed the station callsign to WAKS. In effect, this new WAKS licensed to Akron (96.5 FM) became the successor to the previous WAKS licensed to Lorain (104.9 FM).[9]
96.5 KISS-FM
Since November 2001, WAKS has been an affiliate of the syndicated program American Top 40.[10]
^Gorman, John; Feran, Tom (2007). The Buzzard: Inside the Glory Days of WMMS and Cleveland Rock Radio — A Memoir. Cleveland, Ohio: Gray & Co. pp. 155–156. ISBN978-1-886228-47-4.
^Dyer, Bob (October 4, 1987). "WMMS Buzzard Fights for WKDD's Area Roost". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. F2 - Entertainment.
^Dyer, Bob (July 16, 1991). "WKDD Again No. 1 in Ratings Book After a Disastrous Four-Song-in-a-Row Promotion; Station Decides to Go Back to Its Rock 'N' Roll Roots". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. B1 - Entertainment.
^Dyer, Bob (April 5, 1987). "WKDD's Big Matt Looking Just Like a Fat Cat". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. D2 - Entertainment.
^Dennis, Debra (May 19, 1995). "DJ Settles Dispute; Will Stay With WKDD". The Plain Dealer. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. p. 1B - Metro.
^Quinn, Jim (June 29, 2001). "It's Time to Reset Your Radio Dial: Seven Stations Will Get New Frequencies Tuesday, You'll Need a Score Card to Keep Track of Formats". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. B1 - Entertainment.
^"On-Air Schedule". Kiss Cleveland.com. WAKS. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
^Washington, Julie E. (May 16, 2009). "Broadcast blues: Clear Channel does some clear-cutting of on-air radio talent". The Plain Dealer. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. p. E1 - Arts & Life. Clear Channel... is rolling out Premium Choice, a menu of national formats chosen by headquarters. There is no local programming on Premium Choice stations except for commercials...
"Corrections and Clarifications". The Plain Dealer. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. August 1, 2009. The Cleveland Clear Channel stations using the Premium Choice programming package are WAKS, WGAR, WMJI and WMMS. Each station uses it overnight on weekdays, and for selected hours on weekends.
