WDOK
Encyclopedia
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 (at St. Clair Avenue, between 26th and 30th Streets) 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. On-air personalities include longtime Cleveland radio personality "Trapper" Jack Elliot in morning drive and the syndicated Delilah in the evenings.
The FM frequency was originally occupied by WEWS-FM, a sister station to WEWS-TV
, which now provides weather updates to the CBS Radio Cleveland cluster (including WDOK).
Wayne Mack left WGAR Radio to help start the station with fellow WGAR staffers Frederick C. Wolf and chief engineer Morris Pierce (who became station president). Mack presented his imaginary "Hometown Band Concerts," a weeknight "Candlelight Concert" and a program called "Waltz Palace".
WDOK-FM was established as an adjunct to the AM outlet in the 1950s, simulcasting the AM programming. Eventually, WDOK-FM originated its own programming and featured a beautiful music
format.
On December 12, 1965 WDOK became WIXY
, adopting a Top 40 format. WDOK-FM continued as simply WDOK. The station was branded as "Stereo Cleveland: Beautiful Music for the Land of the Western Reserve," with personalities like Wayne Mack (the founder of WDOK-AM, who stayed at WDOK-FM until 1980), Tom Armstrong (previously the morning host at WGAR
in the '40s and '50s.), and David Mark (who had the unique distinction of enjoying #1 ratings at all beautiful music stations in the Cleveland market...WDOK, WQAL, WKSW, WJW, and WDBN...and later becoming one of the top commercial announcers in the country and the promotional voice of many television and radio stations around the world). During this period, the station was programmed by Peter Irmiter and Neil Hershberger.
By the 1980s, WDOK had come under common ownership with WWWE
, and both stations were sold on November 30, 1987 by Lake Erie Radio Company (owned by Art Modell
and Al Lerner
) to the Independent Group Limited partnership (owned by Tom Embrescia, Larry Pollock, and Tom Wilson).
By that time, WDOK's beautiful music format had brightened to a more contemporary flavor, with more vocals being played and the vocals being by "soft rock" artists such as James Taylor
and Elton John
. Ratings remained high, but the format attracted mostly older listeners in advertiser-unfriendly demographics and not the younger audiences courted by advertisers, and so WDOK made the final and complete switch to an adult contemporary format in 1987 with Sue Wilson as program director. The station promoted its new AC format with TV commercials announcing that it was "coming out of the elevator" (as in "elevator music"). WDOK initially positioned itself as a soft AC, midway between beautiful music (which continued for a few more years on WQAL
) and the mainstream AC format played on WLTF
and WMJI
, but eventually the format evolved into the current "soft rock" approach.
Traditionally, the station goes to an all Christmas
music format from Thanksgiving
week until right after Christmas.
under the adult contemporary section of the radio tuner.
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 WQAL
WQAL
WQAL — branded Q104 — is a commercial Adult Top 40 radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WDOK.-History:...
, and its transmitter is located in Parma
Parma, Ohio
Parma is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. It is the largest suburb of Cleveland and the seventh largest city in the state of Ohio...
on a tower that it shares with WQHS-TV
WQHS-TV
WQHS-DT is a Spanish-language television station owned and operated by Univision. It is licensed to serve the Cleveland, Ohio television market, and broadcasts on UHF channel 61 with studios and offices in Parma...
channel 61. On-air personalities include longtime Cleveland radio personality "Trapper" Jack Elliot in morning drive and the syndicated Delilah in the evenings.
The FM frequency was originally occupied by WEWS-FM, a sister station to WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV
WEWS-TV, virtual channel 5 , is a television station in Cleveland, Ohio. WEWS has been owned by the E. W. Scripps Company since its inception, and is an affiliate of the ABC television network...
, which now provides weather updates to the CBS Radio Cleveland cluster (including WDOK).
History
WDOK began on April 30, 1950 as an AM radio station at 1260 kHz. The station functioned as a middle of the road radio station playing adult standards, with blocks of ethnic programming on Sundays and classical music in the evenings.Wayne Mack left WGAR Radio to help start the station with fellow WGAR staffers Frederick C. Wolf and chief engineer Morris Pierce (who became station president). Mack presented his imaginary "Hometown Band Concerts," a weeknight "Candlelight Concert" and a program called "Waltz Palace".
WDOK-FM was established as an adjunct to the AM outlet in the 1950s, simulcasting the AM programming. Eventually, WDOK-FM originated its own programming and featured a beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format.
On December 12, 1965 WDOK became WIXY
WWMK
WWMK — branded Radio Disney AM 1260 — is the Cleveland, Ohio affiliate of Radio Disney. Owned by ABC Radio, the station's studios are located at 175 Ken Mar Industrial Parkway in Broadview Heights, and its five-tower transmitter is located about 2.2 miles away on Snowville Road in front of I-77...
, adopting a Top 40 format. WDOK-FM continued as simply WDOK. The station was branded as "Stereo Cleveland: Beautiful Music for the Land of the Western Reserve," with personalities like Wayne Mack (the founder of WDOK-AM, who stayed at WDOK-FM until 1980), Tom Armstrong (previously the morning host at WGAR
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...
in the '40s and '50s.), and David Mark (who had the unique distinction of enjoying #1 ratings at all beautiful music stations in the Cleveland market...WDOK, WQAL, WKSW, WJW, and WDBN...and later becoming one of the top commercial announcers in the country and the promotional voice of many television and radio stations around the world). During this period, the station was programmed by Peter Irmiter and Neil Hershberger.
By the 1980s, WDOK had come under common ownership with WWWE
WTAM
WTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
, and both stations were sold on November 30, 1987 by Lake Erie Radio Company (owned by Art Modell
Art Modell
Arthur B. Modell is an American businessman, entrepreneur and former National Football League team owner. He owned the Cleveland Browns franchise from 1961–1995 and the Baltimore Ravens franchise from 1996–2004. Modell is the grandson of the late Morris Modell who founded the northeast...
and Al Lerner
Al Lerner
Alfred "Al" Lerner was an American businessman and philanthropist. He was best known as the Chairman of the Board of credit card giant MBNA and the owner of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League...
) to the Independent Group Limited partnership (owned by Tom Embrescia, Larry Pollock, and Tom Wilson).
By that time, WDOK's beautiful music format had brightened to a more contemporary flavor, with more vocals being played and the vocals being by "soft rock" artists such as James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
. Ratings remained high, but the format attracted mostly older listeners in advertiser-unfriendly demographics and not the younger audiences courted by advertisers, and so WDOK made the final and complete switch to an adult contemporary format in 1987 with Sue Wilson as program director. The station promoted its new AC format with TV commercials announcing that it was "coming out of the elevator" (as in "elevator music"). WDOK initially positioned itself as a soft AC, midway between beautiful music (which continued for a few more years on WQAL
WQAL
WQAL — branded Q104 — is a commercial Adult Top 40 radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Studios are located at One Radio Lane along with CBS Radio sister station WDOK.-History:...
) and the mainstream AC format played on 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....
and WMJI
WMJI
WMJI — branded Majic 105.7 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio broadcasting a classic hits format. The station serves Cleveland, Akron and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio....
, but eventually the format evolved into the current "soft rock" approach.
Traditionally, the station goes to an all Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
music format from Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
week until right after Christmas.
Online Listening
WDOK can be heard online on the CBS Radio website and on iTunesITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
under the adult contemporary section of the radio tuner.