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WKDD
Munroe Falls, Ohio; United States;
Broadcast area	Akron metro area; Canton metro area; Greater Cleveland;
Frequency	98.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	98.1 KDD
Programming
Language(s)	English
Format	Hot adult contemporary
Subchannels	HD2: Air1
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc.; (iHM Licenses, LLC);
Sister stations	WHLO; WHOF; WRQK-FM;
History
First air date	November 19, 1961; (63 years ago)
Former call signs	WTOF (1961–85); WTOF-FM (1985–97); WHK-FM (1997–2001); WAKS (2001);
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	43863
Class	B
ERP	50,000 watts
HAAT	138 meters (453 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	41°12′0.2″N 81°31′22.4″W / 41.200056°N 81.522889°W
Translator(s)	See § Translators
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live (via iHeartRadio)
Website	wkdd.iheart.com

WKDD (98.1 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Munroe Falls, Ohio, United States, featuring a hot adult contemporary format known as "98.1 KDD". Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station serves both the Akron-Canton metro area, with additional coverage in Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. WKDD's studios are located in North Canton, while the transmitter is located in Cuyahoga Falls. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WKDD broadcasts over two HD Radio channels,^[2] and streams online via iHeartRadio.

History

WTOF / WTOF-FM

In 1960, Edwin Mortenson moved to Canton, Ohio and began construction on a new 50,000-watt FM radio station: WTOF at 98.1 megahertz (MHz). Mortenson had tired of losing his radio ministry whenever a new station owner would come along and flip his affiliate's format; he resolved to build his own radio station to keep his religious shows on the air – WTOF-FM was that station. Broadcasting a Christian format under the name "Tower of Faith" (the origin of the "WTOF" call letters), the station served the Canton area for decades, and was just the first of several stations to come under Mortenson's ownership – the start of Mortenson Broadcasting. In 1985, the station changed its callsign to WTOF-FM after briefly owning WTOF (900 AM).^[3]^[4]

WHK-FM (98.1)

In 1997, Mortenson opted to sell off WTOF-FM, and Akron-licensed station WHLO (640 AM), to California-based Salem Communications; soon the West Coast firm would change the station's callsign to WHK-FM. Salem had already purchased WHK (1420 AM) the previous year and flipped its format from news/talk to religious programming; the new WHK-FM would simulcast its sister station's content for the next few years.^[5]

During this time, nationally syndicated area pastor Alistair Begg aired daily on both WHK and WHK-FM. In October 1997, both stations broadcast live from the "Stand in the Gap" rally held by Promise Keepers.^[6] In September 2000, WHK-FM joined Rock Contemporary Christian Radio Inc., a radio network airing contemporary Christian music.^[7]^[8]

2001 "frequency swap"

On July 3, 2001, WHK-FM 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, Salem Communications sold WHK-FM to Clear Channel Communications; both companies retained their respective on- and off-air staff. Clear Channel then changed the WHK-FM callsign to WAKS; and changed the station's format to hot adult contemporary (hot AC). Less than one month later, on July 23, 2001, Clear Channel changed the station's callsign to WKDD. In effect, this new WKDD (98.1 FM) licensed to Canton became the successor to the previous WKDD (96.5 FM) licensed to Akron.^[9]

98.1 WKDD

On October 29, 2008, the station became licensed to the Akron suburb of Munroe Falls, Ohio. WKDD had a construction permit to return to the Akron area broadcast facility once occupied by its 96.5 FM predecessor, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. On December 18, 2009, 30-year morning host Matt Patrick hosted his last show on WKDD. Longtime co-host Barbara "B.A." Adams returned to join Matt for his last show (Matt soon became the morning show host at WTRC and WTRC-FM in South Bend, Indiana and later worked at KTRH in Houston, Texas). After playing "Home" by Michael Bublé, the new morning show "Keith & Krissy" was announced, hosted by WKDD Programming Operations Director Keith Kennedy, and Patrick's former co-host, Krissy Taylor. The station also changed their on-air branding at this time to "Akron's 98-1 The New WKDD" with the slogan "Akron's Hit Music Station."

Each February since 2000, WKDD teams up with Akron Children's Hospital for the "Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon" to benefit the hospital. Radiothon airs live on WKDD all weekend long. The event was hosted for many years by Matt Patrick and Barbara Adams, and later by Angela, Keith and Krissy.^{[citation needed]}

On September 7, 2010, WKDD moved its signal back to its Cuyahoga Falls broadcast location, formerly used by the station in their 96.5 days, to improve the quality of its signal in the Akron area, especially northern Summit County. The station also adopted a slightly new format playing music from "the '90s, 2k and Today", however some 1980's songs are also in the playlist. In early 2012, WKDD gradually moved to a pop/contemporary hit radio (CHR) format.

Programming

Local personalities on WKDD include the morning drive team of Keith Kennedy and "Captain" Tony McGinty; the majority of other programming is devoted to music, much of which is provided by iHeartMedia's internal Premium Choice network. American Top 40, syndicated via Premiere Networks, airs Sunday mornings.^[10]

Translators

WKDD's second HD Radio subchannel, which simulcasts the Air1 network,^[11] is relayed over two low-power translators in both the Akron and Cleveland markets:^[12]

Broadcast translators for WKDD-HD2
Call sign	Frequency	City of license	FID	ERP (W)	HAAT	Class	Transmitter coordinates	FCC info
W224CD	92.7 FM	Parma, Ohio	142417	99	278.9 m (915 ft)	D	41°22′58.2″N 81°42′6.5″W / 41.382833°N 81.701806°W / 41.382833; -81.701806 (W224CD)	LMS
W273BL	102.5 FM	Akron, Ohio	141395	74	279 m (915 ft)	D	41°3′53.2″N 81°34′58.4″W / 41.064778°N 81.582889°W / 41.064778; -81.582889 (W273BL)	LMS

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WKDD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=73 HD Radio Guide for Akron
^ "Biography: Dr. Edwin M. Mortenson". BroadcastersHallofFame.com. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
^ Dyer, Bob (August 7, 1986). "Two radio stations in Akron area sold". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. C1 - Metro.
^ Rosenberg, Arnie (March 13, 1998). "Defamation lawsuit filed against 14 radio stations: Suit says broadcasts wrongly identified couples as suspects in Prade case". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. A10 - Metro.
^ Carney, Jim (September 29, 1997). "Area Radio Stations to Broadcast Rally". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. A10 - Metro.
^ Long, Karen R. (October 11, 1997). "Pastor Won't Tread Lightly". The Plain Dealer. Plain Dealer Publishing Co. p. 4E - Religion.
^ Jenkins, Colette M. (September 2, 2000). "Project Sets Up Five Libraries in West Africa". Akron Beacon Journal. A14 - Metro.
^ Quinn, Jim (June 29, 2001). "It's time to reset your radio dial: Seven stations will get new frequencies Tuesday". Akron Beacon Journal. Beacon Journal Publishing Co. p. B1 - Entertainment.
^ "Radio Stations - Ohio". AT40.com. Premiere Radio Networks. 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^ "HD Radio Stations in Akron, OH". HDRadio.com. HD Radio Alliance. 2012. Retrieved December 16, 2012.
^ "WKDD Munroe Falls OH: Full-Service FM, Channel 251 (98.1 MHz)". FCCdata.org - powered by REC. Retrieved April 19, 2022.