WWCD

For information on the Baltimore/Columbus area 102.5 MHz FCC-licensed broadcast facility prior to July 1, 2010 (i.e., before carrying the callsigns WCVZ and WWCD, and operating with a Zanesville city of license prior to October 2009), see article WHIZ-FM.
For information on the Grove City/Columbus area 101.1 MHz FCC-licensed broadcast facility since December 15, 2001 (i.e., after carrying the callsign WWCD), see article WOSA.
WWCD
City Baltimore, Ohio
Broadcast area Columbus metro area
Branding CD102.5
Slogan The Alternative Station
The Home of the Crew (for Columbus Crew broadcasts)
Frequency 102.5 MHz
First air date 1961 (102.5 MHz frequency)
Format Modern rock
ERP 15,000 watts
HAAT 130 meters
Class B1
Facility ID 61230
Transmitter coordinates 39°46′14.8″N 82°44′25.3″W / 39.770778°N 82.740361°W / 39.770778; -82.740361
Callsign meaning "W-W-Compact Disc"
"W-W-"CD 101" (heritage branding)
Former callsigns 2010: WCVZ (8 days only)
1990-2010: WWCD
Former frequencies 1990-2010: 101.1 MHz
Affiliations Columbus Crew
Columbus Blue Jackets (secondary)[1]
Owner WHIZ Media Group
(Local marketing agreement with Fun With Radio, LLC[2][3] -- soon to be WWCD Ltd.)
Webcast Listen Live
Suspended stream notice
Website CD1025.com[4]

WWCD (102.5 FM), currently branded CD102.5,[5] is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Baltimore, Ohio and serving the Columbus metro area.

The station originally operated on the 101.1 MHz facility licensed to Grove City - hence the original "CD101" branding - from August 21, 1990 until June 30, 2010. From July 1, 2010 until December 13, 2010, WWCD simulcast on both the 101.1 and 102.5 facilities while a three-way ownership transaction between WWCD's owner, "Fun With Radio, LLC," WOSU Public Media, and the WHIZ Radio Group was being completed.[2][4][6][7] Since December 13, 2010, WWCD has broadcast exclusively at the 102.5 MHz facility.[8]

Along with WLVQ and WRKZ, WWCD is one of three rock stations serving the Columbus radio market.

History

WWCD began broadcasting on August 21, 1990. The first song played on the station was "Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello, (Petrol)" by the Dublin, Ireland band Something Happens. The station is owned by Fun With Radio, LLC whose founder, Roger Vaughan, purchased the station from Video Services in 1992. WWCD has always been owned by interests in metro Columbus, and is one of the few remaining independent radio stations in the U.S. playing alternative rock.

WWCD also lays claim to being one of the first stations in the United States to be simulcast and on Internet radio. In a March 2006 Radio & Records list of the top 20 alternative rock radio stations in the United States, WWCD was ranked #4 in the country and #1 east of the Mississippi River.

WWCD's longtime program director throughout the late 1990s and 2000s was afternoon DJ Andy "Andyman" Davis. With the station almost since its inception, Davis previously served as the station's music director. Davis died of a suspected heart attack while on vacation in Michigan with his family on July 18, 2010.[9][10][11] The annual "Andyman-a-Thon" also continues in his name[12]

Personalities

WWCD's DJ lineup includes Brian Phillips in the mornings, Rachael Gordon middays, Lesley James in the afternoon and Tom Butler at night. Craig, DJ Nate, and Glenna are on weekends.

WWCD is also the home of many specialty shows, including Sunday evening shows Island Riddims, the Invisible Hits Hour and the award-winning Independent Playground hosted by Tom Butler (with an encore on Thursday evenings).

Former WWCD DJs include the aforementioned Davis, who helmed the afternoon shift from 1991 until his death, Jim Ballantine, a Columbus Chill player most notable for wearing the first three-digit jersey number in professional sports history (101, in a nod to the station's frequency), and Fritz the Nite Owl, who also once hosted one of the last late night movie television programs locally produced in the United States. Fritz's show was broadcast on WCLL-CA, television channel 19, in Columbus.

In the month of May, WWCD has a feature called "Guest DJ Everyday" where anyone has the chance of being a guest DJ for an hour on air. A compilation of 12-15 songs is put together by the guest DJ, and they can play them during this hour. The feature proved to be so successful that it has since been expanded to every Friday afternoon, all year long.[13]

Philanthropy

A program called "CD101 for the Kids" was established as a way to contribute to local charities around Columbus. Its most successful event is the annual "Andyman-a-Thon." Created by Andy "Andyman" Davis in 1992, Davis would host the 48-hour-long marathon by himself on the weekend before Christmas. (It also provided the rest of the staff a holiday break to spend time with family.) The event raises money to go toward charities including the Children's Hospital, Family and Child Advocacy, Homeless Families Foundation and the Childhood League. Listeners can call in a song request with a donation, and a live auction also occurs with donated items from advertisers and record companies. All proceeds go to these charities.[11]

After Davis' death in July 2010, WWCD announced that the "Andyman-a-Thon" would continue with various staffers in his honor.[12]

Sports

WWCD was the original FM flagship station of the Columbus Blue Jackets NHL hockey team in tandem with WBNS. Starting with the 2010 NHL season, the team's primary radio rights were moved with WBNS-FM, which now operates as a direct simulcast of WBNS. WWCD still broadcasts selected games in the event of any scheduling conflicts on WBNS and WBNS-FM due to overlapping Ohio State Buckeyes football or basketball play-by-play.[1]

History of the 102.5 frequency

The 102.5 MHz frequency was originally licensed to Zanesville, Ohio and signed on as the original home to WHIZ-FM in 1961. Under the ownership of the Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting System, Inc.'s WHIZ Media Group, WHIZ-FM programmed an adult contemporary format long identified as "Z102".

The WHIZ Media Group was granted authority to change WHIZ-FM's city of license from Zanesville to Baltimore, Ohio in the fall of 2005, and a construction permit to build a new transmitter site was granted in October 2008. On October 17, 2008, the WHIZ Media Group purchased WCVZ FM 92.7 (from which those call letters stood for the Christian Voice of Zanesville) as the new frequency for WHIZ-FM.[14] Both WCVZ and WHIZ-FM simulcast programming as "Z102 and 92.7" until December 7, 2008, when WCVZ assumed WHIZ-FM's identity as "Z92.7," and WHIZ-FM became "Highway 102," featuring an automated country music format.

The "Highway 102" format continued on the 102.5 MHz frequency even after the station completed their relocation to Baltimore on October 1, 2008, and assumed the WCVZ call letters, while the 92.7 MHz frequency became WHIZ-FM.[15] What was now WCVZ effectively ended any connection to the Zanesville region and consequently entered the Columbus market. As a result of this move-in as "Highway 102," the station became one of four Country music radio outlets in Columbus - WHOK-FM, WCOL-FM and WNKK being the other stations.

2010 Frequency shift

CD101 logo

The Ohio State University announced their $4.8 million purchase of the 101.1 MHz frequency from Fun With Radio, LLC - WWCD's ownership - on June 30, 2010. At the same time, Fun With Radio entered into an local marketing agreement with the WHIZ Media Group[3] to take over programming on the 102.5 MHz frequency immediately,[2][16][17] with a future option for purchase.

Ohio State's plans for the 101.1 MHz frequency were to switch format to a full-time classical music format as an extension of WOSU-FM, while WOSU-FM would drop all music-related programming and become an NPR news/talk station in a simulcast of sister station WOSU-AM 820.[4] Consequently, WCVZ would become the new home for "CD101," and while the sale of the 101.1 MHz facility awaited approval from the FCC, WWCD broadcast over both the 101.1 and 102.5 MHz facilities,[2][18] with the "CD101" name being slightly modified to "CD101 @ 102.5".

On December 13, 2010, the simulcast ended between WWCD and WCVZ, with the 101.1 MHz facility airing a recorded loop instructing listeners to tune to the 102.5 MHz facility. The sale of the 101.1 MHz facility to Ohio State was completed that December 14, and the classical music format—under the WOSA calls—was launched the next morning at 6:00 a.m.[8]

As had been planned with the initial deal,[2][6] the WWCD call letters were relocated to the 102.5 facility,[19] meaning that "CD101 @ 102.5" was able to retain their original calls. It remains unclear, however, whether the station will update the anachronistic "CD101" brand to "CD102.5" to reflect the new frequency. Although the station continues to use "CD101" over the air, online and in print,[20] terms of the sale with Ohio State University clearly dictated that WWCD must cease any and all on-air mentions of "101" or "101.1" when the deal closed on December 14.[3][21]

Several days before the initial sale with WOSU-FM was announced,[4] Fun With Radio, LLC registered the domain names CD101at1025.com and CD1025.com, which have since acted as redirectors to the current CD101.com website.

In November 2011, amid weeks of speculation that Salem Communications was negotiating to either purchase or lease the 102.5 FM frequency as a new location for the programming of WRFD,[22] WWCD general manager Randy Malloy formed a new company, WWCD Ltd., to purchase the intellectual property of CD101 from Roger Vaughn’s Fun With Radio, LLC. Vaughn will retain a minority share of the new company, though all references to Fun With Radio would be removed from any station documents and promotion. The new ownership group immediately began negotiating a new lease agreement with Southeastern Ohio Broadcasting, owner of the frequency.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 Blue Jackets Staff (September 16, 2010). "Columbus Blue Jackets, Dispatch Printing Company Announce Agreement Making Sports Radio 97.1 The Fan the NHL Club's New Radio Home". Retrieved December 20, 2010. CD101 at 102.5 FM (WWCD-FM) will carry Blue Jackets games which will not be broadcast by WBNS due to conflicts with Ohio State University football and men's basketball game broadcasts.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Feran, Tim (June 30, 2010). "WOSU stations in deal with WWCD". The Columbus Dispatch. Dispatch Printing Co. Retrieved December 17, 2010. WOSU will pay WWCD a total of $4.8 million for the 101.1 FM signal. WWCD has entered into a partnership with WCVZ's owners -- WHIZ Media Group -- to operate the station using the same format and staff that are currently on WWCD. WWCD intends to retain its familiar call letters after the move, and will continue to air Columbus Blue Jackets games.
  3. 1 2 3 Eaton, Dan (August 2, 2010). "WOSU deal for CD101's frequency gives public radio station options". Columbus Business First. American City Business Journals, Inc. Retrieved December 20, 2010. WWCD, in a partnership with Zanesville-based WHIZ Media Group, will migrate to 102.5 FM... WHIZ President Hank Littick said he thinks WWCD’s format is a better fit for the 102.5 signal, formerly occupied by country music station WCVZ. He declined to characterize his group’s partnership with Fun With Radio and Vaughan did not respond to the question... it (WWCD) gives up 20 years of the familiar CD101 brand and its ubiquitous promotional bumper stickers. The station is using the tag line “CD 101 at 102.5” for now and is broadcasting on both frequencies. But the WOSU agreement prohibits it from using the 101 or 101.1 name after the deal closes.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Columbus, Ohio to get a fulltime classical station, and a relocated 'CD101' ". RadioInsight.com. RadioInsight.com. June 30, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010. WOSU Public Media, the broadcasting arm of The Ohio State University, has acquired the 101.1 signal from Fun With Radio, LLC for $4.8 Million. Following the closing of the sale in September or October (it was delayed until December), 101.1 will flip to non-commercial Classical while 89.7 WOSU-FM will flip to all NPR News/Talk in a simulcast with 820 WOSU... Original Post 6/26/10: A move of Columbus, OH’s Alternative “CD101” WWCD appears to be on the horizon. A pair of domain registrations hint at a new frequency for the longtime independently owned station. CD101at1025.com and CD1025.com were both registered anonymously but pointing to the servers of the Columbus area ISP that host WWCD’s online operations.
  5. ↑ http://www.columbusalive.com/content/stories/2011/11/24/feature-cd101-after-andyman.html
  6. 1 2 "OSU Buys WWCD Signal, CD101 Format To Move To 102.5". AllAccess.com. All Access Music Group. June 30, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010. WOSU will flip the 101.1 frequency to noncommercial Classical and will air all News-Talk on its WOSU-F/COLUMBUS, in a simulcast with WOSU-A. WWCD will retain its calls and format... and will move to the 102.5 frequency in a deal with WHIZ Media Group, which moved the signal from the Zanesville market to Columbus last year.
  7. ↑ "Columbus, Ohio to get a fulltime classical station, and a relocated 'CD101' ". Radio-Info.com. June 30, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010. Ohio State University’s WOSU Public Media is buying the Grove City-licensed WWCD (101.1) and will install a full-time non-commercial classical format there when it closes the deal this Fall. That allows OSU to turn its classical/news WOSU (89.7) into a 24/7 public radio news/talker.
  8. 1 2 "WOSU Launches Classical 101 – Classical Music All Day, Every Day". WOSU.org. WOSU Public Media. December 15, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  9. ↑ "John Andrew "Andyman" Davis Obituary". Dispatch.com (hosted by Legacy.com).
  10. ↑ "KM" (July 18, 2010). "CD101 reports death of Andy "Andyman" Davis". The Other Paper. American Community Newspapers. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  11. 1 2 Feran, Tim & Saunders, Amy (July 20, 2010). "'Andyman' remembered for support of music, charity". The Columbus Dispatch. Dispatch Printing Co. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  12. 1 2 "CD101 For The Kids". Retrieved December 17, 2010. This year, no one specific DJ will be on-air for the entire time period, but the goal is still the same: to raise money and awareness for families and children’s charities in Central Ohio.
  13. ↑ "Guest DJ Every Friday". Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  14. ↑ Hiotis, George (October 17, 2008). "WHIZ Buys WCVZ 92.7 F-M Radio". WHIZ-TV. Retrieved December 22, 2010. Today The WHIZ Media Group and Christian Voice of Central Ohio are announcing an agreement for WHIZ to acquire WCVZ 92.7-FM. WHIZ will take over 92.7 and WCVZ is inviting its listeners to listen at 89.3 - The Promise. WHIZ President Hank Littick says its a win-win for both radio groups.
  15. ↑ Jeffries, Katie (September 30, 2009). "Changes at the WHIZ radio stations". WHIZ-TV. Retrieved December 22, 2010. Some of your Favorite WHIZ Radio Stations are making a change. 102.5 FM, known as Highway 102, is moving to Baltimore, Ohio and will become WCVZ. The current WCVZ signal, known as 92.7, will revert to WHIZ FM here in Zanesville... It will open up access to hundreds of thousands of listeners west of Zanesville and all around the Columbus market. Littick says where a lot of impact will be felt is the northwest and west side of Columbus. He says starting today (Wednesday) that area will have a new radio station. Littick says the move will also be a big win for advertisers who will have access to over 1.4 million potential listeners in the new signal area in an affordable, economical way.
  16. ↑ "WWCD to move to frequency 102.5". Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Media Morsels: CD1-0-what?". The Other Paper. American Community Newspapers. July 1, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  18. ↑ Feran, Tim (December 10, 2010). "WOSU expects to start classical programming on 101.1 FM on Wednesday". The Columbus Dispatch. Dispatch Printing Co. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  19. ↑ "FM Query Results - WWCD: Call Sign History". Retrieved January 4, 2011.
  20. ↑ "The 18th Annual Andyman-a-thon kicks off today". "possibly, i like the thrill". Tumblr.com. December 15, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010. Please tune in to CD101 @ 102.5FM or listen live at www.cd101.com and support the Andyman-a-thon!
  21. ↑ Eaton, Dan (December 10, 2010). "CD101 ready to complete move to 102.5 as WOSU takes over frequency". Columbus Business First. American City Business Journals, Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2010. The move gives WWCD a stronger signal than it had for the previous 20 years, though it does give up its 101 branding per the agreement.
  22. ↑ "Are CD101 Columbus' Days Numbered?". Radioinsight.com. November 17, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  23. ↑ "CD101 'not going anywhere'". "Station will remain at 102.5 under new ownership". The Other Paper. November 17, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
Preceded by
First		 FM 101.1 MHz in Grove City, Ohio
August 21, 1990-December 13, 2010 		Succeeded by
WOSA
Preceded by
WCVZ		 FM 102.5 MHz in Baltimore, Ohio
December 13, 2010-Present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent
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