WAKS

WAKS
Broadcast area
Frequency96.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding96.5 KISS-FM
Programming
FormatContemporary hit radio
SubchannelsHD2: Urban Contemporary
AffiliationsPremiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
March 12, 1958 (1958-03-12)
Former call signs
  • WCUE-FM (1958–1977)
  • WKDD (1977–2001)
Call sign meaning
"KISS-FM"
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
49952
ClassB
ERP31,000 watts
HAAT189 meters (620 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°16′50.2″N 81°37′21.4″W / 41.280611°N 81.622611°W / 41.280611; -81.622611
TranslatorHD2: 106.1 W291BV (Solon)
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Website

WAKS (96.5 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio, United States, featuring a contemporary hit radio format as "96.5 Kiss FM". Owned by iHeartMedia, WAKS serves Greater Cleveland, Northeast Ohio and the Akron metropolitan area. Although licensed to Akron, the station is assigned by Nielsen to the Cleveland radio market. Its studios are located in the Six Six Eight Building in Downtown Cleveland, and its transmitter is located in Brecksville. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WAKS transmits over two HD Radio subchannels and is available online via iHeartRadio; the station's second subchannel carries an urban contemporary format as "Real 106.1" and is relayed over low-power translator W291BV (106.1 FM) in Solon.

WAKS serves as the local affiliate for Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest and American Top 40.

History

WCUE-FM

On March 12, 1958, WCUE (1150 AM) of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, launched an FM sister station at 96.5 MHz in Akron. The call sign was WCUE-FM. At first, both stations would simulcast their programming.

Because WCUE was a daytimer station required to go off the air at night, WCUE-FM was able to continue broadcasting into the evening. The stations were network affiliates of the Mutual Broadcasting System and had their studios at 41 South Main Street in Akron.

WKDD

Logo as WKDD

In the early 1970s, WCUE-FM separated its programming from WCUE and was broadcasting an album oriented rock (AOR) format. In 1977, it adjusted its format to mellow rock and changed its call letters 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... "

In January 1982, WKDD dropped its mellow rock format and flipped to Top 40 (CHR). At the time, it was broadcasting at 50,000 watts, providing city-grade coverage to Cleveland, Akron and Canton. In 1989, the station briefly leaned towards rock hits, minimizing dance and pop. 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 returned to its mainstream Top 40 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.

Danny Wright and Matt Patrick (Michael Ryan) were among the station's personalities. In 1987, WKDD raised Patrick's salary. He reportedly made nearly five times the average for all other personalities in the market. In 1995, Patrick attempted to leave WKDD for Cleveland station WLTF. This drew a legal fight from WKDD, which claimed Patrick's contract prevented him from leaving for any station within 40 miles (64 km) of WKDD.

2001 frequency swap

On July 3, 2001, WKDD was one of seven Northeast Ohio 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 call signs, 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 changed the WKDD format from hot adult contemporary (hot AC) to Top 40 (CHR). It also relaunched the station using the KISS-FM brand and reassigned on and off-air personnel; on July 23, 2001, the call sign was changed 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).

On June 1, 2026, parent company iHeartMedia flipped WAKS to a near-simulcast of Premium Choice's Hit Nation network, featuring identical on-air playlists, as part of a mass nationalization across many of the company's radio stations. WAKS had been a gold-based CHR station since May 2025.

Current programming

Weekday programming includes Elvis Duran and the Morning Show in morning drive and On Air with Ryan Seacrest middays, both via Premiere Networks.

All other music shifts are either voice-tracked out-of-market specifically for WAKS or programmed via Premium Choice.

On weekends, 96.5 KISS-FM airs several weekly syndicated programs: Since November 2001, WAKS carries American Top 40 on Sundays.

On Saturday evenings, two syndicated programs are heard: On The Move with Enrique Santos and Most Requested Live with Romeo.

HD Radio

Logo for WAKS-HD2

WAKS has broadcast in HD Radio since April 25, 2006. By October 5, 2006, the station launched a second digital subchannel, initially carrying an underground dance format, then switched to tweener-oriented music and by 2008 had a dance format. Since December 11, 2018, WAKS-HD2 has carried a mainstream urban format as "Real 106.1"; The Breakfast Club, nationally syndicated via Premiere Networks, airs weekday mornings. WAKS-HD2 is also the FM flagship of the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League.

WAKS-HD2 is additionally relayed over the following low-power translator:

Broadcast translator for WAKS-HD2
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)HAATClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
W291BV 106.1 FMSolon, Ohio141400200261 m (856 ft)D41°22′45″N 81°43′11″W / 41.37917°N 81.71972°W / 41.37917; -81.71972 (W291BV)LMS

Notes

  1. ↑ Clear Channel became iHeartMedia on September 16, 2014.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WAKS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "Cleveland - RadioInsight". radioinsight.com. March 17, 2019. Retrieved January 31, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the U.S.". 1961-1962 Broadcasting Yearbook (PDF). Washington, DC: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1961. p. B-126. Retrieved January 7, 2011.[permanent dead link]
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-1962 page B-126. Retrieved October 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ 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. ISBN 978-1-886228-47-4.
  6. ↑ Dyer, Bob (October 4, 1987). "WMMS Buzzard Fights for WKDD's Area Roost". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. F2 - Entertainment.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ 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.
  9. ↑ Dennis, Debra (May 19, 1995). "DJ Settles Dispute; Will Stay With WKDD". The Plain Dealer. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. p. 1B - Metro.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ Sisario, Ben (September 16, 2014). "Clear Channel Renames Itself iHeartMedia in Nod to Digital". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 21, 2020.
  12. ↑ "Kiss 107.9 Slides To Hot AC As Part Of Playlist Nationalization Moves". RadioInsight. June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  13. ↑ Venta, Lance (May 20, 2022). "Jeremiah Widmer Joins 96.5 Kiss-FM Cleveland As Afternoon Host". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  14. ↑ 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.
  15. ↑ "AT40 with Ryan Seacrest - All The Hits - Cleveland, OH". Kisscleveland.com. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  16. ↑ "TheHopeLine Community Radio Stations". Thehopeline.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2013. Retrieved April 10, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Station Guide: Cleveland, OH". HDRadio.com. HD Radio. 2011. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
  18. ↑ "On-Air Schedule". Kiss Cleveland.com. WAKS. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
  19. ↑ KissCleveland.com/schedule/saturday
  20. ↑ Coyle, Sandra; et al. (April 25, 2006). "Clear Channel Radio Adds HD Digital Multicasts to 20 More Markets; Brings Total to 48 markets and 196 Stations". ClearChannel.com (Press release). Clear Channel Communications. Archived from the original on April 30, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2006.
  21. ↑ "Listen to HD Digital Radio". ClearChannelMusic.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2006. Archived from the original on October 5, 2006. Retrieved October 5, 2006. Cleveland, OH: WAKS-FM - Trancid - Underground Dance; WGAR-FM - Classic Country; WMVX-FM - The Lake - AAA.
  22. ↑ Feran, Tom (October 25, 2007). "Will HD Radio be the wave of the future?". The Plain Dealer. pp. E1, E3. Retrieved July 28, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "96-5 KISS FM: Club Phusion HD Radio". KissCleveland.com. Clear Channel Communications, Inc. 2008. Archived from the original on June 16, 2008. Retrieved June 16, 2008. Your HD2 and HD3 Multicast Channels: WAKS-FM - 96.5 - Club Phusion; ...
  24. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 11, 2018). "iHeartMedia Launches Real 106.1 Cleveland". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  25. ↑ "iHeartMedia Debuts New Urban WAKS-HD2-W291BV (Real 106.1)/Cleveland". AllAccess.com. December 11, 2018. Archived from the original on January 28, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  26. ↑ Niesel, Jeff (January 10, 2019). "iHeartMedia Cleveland Launches 106.1 FM, a New Urban Radio Station". Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on January 11, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  27. ↑ Charge 2021-22 broadcast schedule - Cleveland Charge.com
  28. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for W291BV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.