WQAL
Encyclopedia
WQAL — branded Q104 — is a commercial Adult Top 40 radio station
licensed to Cleveland
, Ohio
. Studios are located at One Radio Lane (at St. Clair Avenue, between 26th and 30th Streets) along with CBS Radio
sister station WDOK
.
http://members.aol.com/jeff560/1948fm.html.
The new FM station went on the air just as the Cleveland Indians
began their world championship season. WJW was the flagship of a six-station Ohio network that carried the games in 1947 and 1948. However, the full games were often carried on WJW-FM, since the AM outlet did not have available air time due to its ABC network commitments. As a result, Cleveland became an FM hot bed, and more FM radio sets sold in Cleveland than in any other market in the country in 1948
http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=R.
Sold off by WJW radio
/TV owner Storer Broadcasting
in the mid-1960s, the station became WCJW. It finally changed to WQAL around 1971 when the call sign
became available after a station
in Philadelphia
gave it up. The meaning for the calls - "Quality Music" or "Quality Listening" - spanned both stations.
(The WQAL calls also had an unrelated history on an early AM radio station in Mattoon, Illinois
, which signed on in 1921 and shut down one year later.)
WQAL's format throughout the '70s and '80s was beautiful music
as "Easy 104 WQAL" with some of Cleveland radio's best-known personalities, including "Tall" Ted Hallaman, Ed Fisher, Al James, Frank Micale, and David Mark. This was until the decline of the format lead to a shift toward an adult contemporary approach similar to WDOK
in 1990 as "Soft Hits 104." After that brief approach failed, the station then moved to a Hot AC approach as "The New Q104" in early 1991. The name soon changed to "Cleveland's Q104" before eventually becoming just "Q104." Although the music playlist has evolved over the years, WQAL has maintained their Hot AC format to this day.
Through most of the 1990s, after the switch to "Q104," the station had a solid line-up with Larry Morrow and Sally Spitz on morning drive, Johnny Williams on middays, Dan Deely on afternoon drive, Jon Russell on evenings, and Jay Lynn and "The Midnight Express" on overnights. Weekends have included Rick Allen (now at WONE-FM
), Bill Ryan, Kelly Cannon, and Chuck Costanzo among other on-air hosts. Popular shows back then have included "Friday Night 80's," "Saturday Night Fever" featuring disco songs from the 70's and early 80's, and syndicated countdown shows hosted by Casey Kasem
and Rick Dees
. The shows and personalities would eventually leave WQAL, but the station has managed to maintain a roster of local personalities and syndicated programming to continue serving the Greater Cleveland listening area.
Long locally owned by Win Communications Inc., WQAL was sold off to Chancellor Media in January 1999, joining WDOK
, WJMO
, WRMR, WZAK
and WZJM under the Chancellor Media umbrella via simultaneous buyouts for $275 million
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E5D9123AF930A2575BC0A96E958260.
It was, at the time, the largest radio station sale in Cleveland broadcasting history. On July 13, 1999, Chancellor Media merged with Capstar Broadcasting - who owned WKNR
1220-AM - to form AMFM Inc., at that time the nation's largest radio station owner with 465 stations. When AMFM, Inc. merged with Clear Channel Communications
in August 2000, Clear Channel was forced to sell off WQAL along with the other Cleveland AMFM properties to comply with market ownership restrictions. WZJM, WDOK
and WQAL were sold to Infinity Broadcasting, which is today CBS Radio
.
WQAL moved to new studios at One Radio Lane, paired with WDOK
, in December 2001. Ironically, current WQAL program director Dave Popovich held like duties at WDOK
from 1999 to 2000 - and also worked at then-"Lite Rock 106½" WLTF
, whose studios were at One Radio Lane in the late 1980s. In recent years, WQAL has been playing more Top-40 music in order to attract some of the younger 18 to 25 year old audience.
Veteran WQAL voice Tim Richards is heard middays, Heather B. is heard during afternoon drive, and Kory hosts the evening program.
Syndicated programming includes FOX All Access with Chris Leary, and Hit List with Randy Jackson
.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. Studios are located at One Radio Lane (at St. Clair Avenue, between 26th and 30th Streets) along with CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
sister station WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
.
History
The first station to occupy 104.1 FM frequency in Cleveland was started by WJW (AM) radio. The station signed on in 1948 as WJW-FMhttp://members.aol.com/jeff560/1948fm.html.
The new FM station went on the air just as the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
began their world championship season. WJW was the flagship of a six-station Ohio network that carried the games in 1947 and 1948. However, the full games were often carried on WJW-FM, since the AM outlet did not have available air time due to its ABC network commitments. As a result, Cleveland became an FM hot bed, and more FM radio sets sold in Cleveland than in any other market in the country in 1948
http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=R.
Sold off by WJW radio
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
/TV owner Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting
Storer Broadcasting, Inc. was an American company which owned several television and radio stations in the northeast United States. It was incorporated in Ohio in 1927, and sold its broadcasting properties in 1983.-1920s—1940s:...
in the mid-1960s, the station became WCJW. It finally changed to WQAL around 1971 when the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
became available after a station
WISX
WISX is a Hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are owned by Clear Channel Communications.-Beautiful Music Era: WQAL/WWSH:...
in Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
gave it up. The meaning for the calls - "Quality Music" or "Quality Listening" - spanned both stations.
(The WQAL calls also had an unrelated history on an early AM radio station in Mattoon, Illinois
Mattoon, Illinois
Mattoon is a city in Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 18,555 as of the 2010 census. It is a principal city of the Charleston–Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area.Mattoon was the site of the "Mad Gasser" attacks of the 1940s....
, which signed on in 1921 and shut down one year later.)
WQAL's format throughout the '70s and '80s was beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
as "Easy 104 WQAL" with some of Cleveland radio's best-known personalities, including "Tall" Ted Hallaman, Ed Fisher, Al James, Frank Micale, and David Mark. This was until the decline of the format lead to a shift toward an adult contemporary approach similar to WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
in 1990 as "Soft Hits 104." After that brief approach failed, the station then moved to a Hot AC approach as "The New Q104" in early 1991. The name soon changed to "Cleveland's Q104" before eventually becoming just "Q104." Although the music playlist has evolved over the years, WQAL has maintained their Hot AC format to this day.
Through most of the 1990s, after the switch to "Q104," the station had a solid line-up with Larry Morrow and Sally Spitz on morning drive, Johnny Williams on middays, Dan Deely on afternoon drive, Jon Russell on evenings, and Jay Lynn and "The Midnight Express" on overnights. Weekends have included Rick Allen (now at WONE-FM
WONE-FM
WONE-FM — branded 97.5 WONE — is a commercial album-oriented rock radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio that primarily serves the Akron radio market. Owned by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc. which also owns Akron's WAKR and WQMX...
), Bill Ryan, Kelly Cannon, and Chuck Costanzo among other on-air hosts. Popular shows back then have included "Friday Night 80's," "Saturday Night Fever" featuring disco songs from the 70's and early 80's, and syndicated countdown shows hosted by Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
and Rick Dees
Rick Dees
Rigdon Osmond "Rick" Dees III is an American comedic performer, entertainer, and radio personality, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Countdown and for the novelty song "Disco Duck." He is a People's Choice Award recipient, a Grammy-nominated...
. The shows and personalities would eventually leave WQAL, but the station has managed to maintain a roster of local personalities and syndicated programming to continue serving the Greater Cleveland listening area.
Long locally owned by Win Communications Inc., WQAL was sold off to Chancellor Media in January 1999, joining WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
, WJMO
WJMO
WJMO — branded Praise 1300 WJMO — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio broadcasting a mix of gospel music and urban talk. The station is owned by Radio One, and has studios at 2510 St. Clair Avenue and a transmitter located along Ridge Road in Parma...
, WRMR, WZAK
WZAK
WZAK is a commercial FM radio station in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, broadcasting at 93.1 MHz with an Urban Adult Contemporary format. WZAK is Cleveland FM affiliate for Tom Joyner's syndicated morning show and Michael Baisden's Love Lust and Lies afternoon show.WZAK began as an ethnic radio station,...
and WZJM under the Chancellor Media umbrella via simultaneous buyouts for $275 million
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9907E5D9123AF930A2575BC0A96E958260.
It was, at the time, the largest radio station sale in Cleveland broadcasting history. On July 13, 1999, Chancellor Media merged with Capstar Broadcasting - who owned WKNR
WKNR
WKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
1220-AM - to form AMFM Inc., at that time the nation's largest radio station owner with 465 stations. When AMFM, Inc. merged with Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
in August 2000, Clear Channel was forced to sell off WQAL along with the other Cleveland AMFM properties to comply with market ownership restrictions. WZJM, WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
and WQAL were sold to Infinity Broadcasting, which is today CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
WQAL moved to new studios at One Radio Lane, paired with WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
, in December 2001. Ironically, current WQAL program director Dave Popovich held like duties at WDOK
WDOK
WDOK — branded Soft Rock 102.1 WDOK — is a commercial adult contemporary radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WQAL, and its transmitter is located in Parma on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV channel 61...
from 1999 to 2000 - and also worked at then-"Lite Rock 106½" WLTF
WHLK
WJQM is a radio station serving Madison, Wisconsin and surrounding areas. The station is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting and launched a Rhythmic Contemporary format as "106.7 Jamz" in January 2007 before the move to 93.1 FM in October 2008....
, whose studios were at One Radio Lane in the late 1980s. In recent years, WQAL has been playing more Top-40 music in order to attract some of the younger 18 to 25 year old audience.
Current on-air personalities
WQAL's current on-air line-up is highlighted by the morning drive show Toohey and Fee starring Jen Toohey and Allan Fee, with Glenn "The Funny Song Man" Anderson. (5:30 a.m. - 10 a.m. mornings).Veteran WQAL voice Tim Richards is heard middays, Heather B. is heard during afternoon drive, and Kory hosts the evening program.
Syndicated programming includes FOX All Access with Chris Leary, and Hit List with Randy Jackson
Randy Jackson
Randall Darius "Randy" Jackson is an American bassist, singer, record producer, music manager, A&R executive, entrepreneur, and television personality. He is best known as a judge on American Idol and executive producer for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew...
.
Further reading
- Morrow, Larry (2010). This is Larry Morrow. Cleveland, OH: Gray & Company, Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59851-069-0