WONE-FM

WONE-FM (97.5 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio, featuring an AOR-leaning classic rock format known as "97.5 WONE". Owned by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc., the station primarily serves the Akron metro area. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WONE-FM broadcasts over one HD Radio channel (as of April 2020) and is available online. Both the studios and transmitter for WONE-FM are located in Akron.[2]

WONE-FM
Broadcast areaAkron metro area
Frequency97.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding97.5 WONE
Programming
FormatClassic rock
AffiliationsCleveland Browns Radio Network
Ownership
OwnerRubber City Radio Group, Inc.
History
First air date
October 12, 1947 (1947-10-12)
Former call signs
  • WAKR-FM (1947–74)
  • WAEZ (1974–85)
Call sign meaning
"Group One Broadcasting"
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID43873
ClassB
ERP12,000 watts
HAAT271 meters (889 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
41°03′51.00″N 81°34′59.00″W
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitewone.net

History

The station signed on the air in October 1947 as WAKR-FM.[3] It was co-owned with WAKR. In 1974, the station adopted the callsign WAEZ, playing easy listening and beautiful music. The station adopted its current rock format as WONE-FM on January 1, 1985, when then owner Group One Broadcasting obtained permission to share the WONE base callsign of its sister station WONE in Dayton.

Prior to the transition from WAEZ "Easy 97" to WONE, general manager Fred Anthony hired the first group of on-air personalities with the assistance of national PD Art Wonderlich (Art Wonder). This would included Deeya McKay, Mike Michelli, Tim Daugherty, Jim Chenot, and Dan Slentz. Their program director would be Ward Holmes. For weeks leading up to the transition, the new on-air staff would go through real-time shifts that were only "skimmed" on air checks (announcing portion) and reviewed by Holmes with the staff. Slentz finished his last "fake" broadcast shift as overnight person on January 1, 1985, at 5a.m. Engineers would cut over from the WAEZ reel-to-reel automation system at 5:30a.m., and GM Fred Anthony made the announcement of the format change. A few minutes after that, McKay would open the mic and play WONE's first rock song, "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band.

Current programming

In addition to its music format, the station is the full-power FM Akron affiliate of the Cleveland Browns Radio Network.[4] On February 1, 2013, WONE-FM announced that local radio veteran Jeff Kinzbach, best known from his years at WMMS in Cleveland, would take over the station's morning shift.[5] Jeff retired from WONE on September 30, 2020. Current personalities includes Matt Spatz, Amanda Casey, Kathy Vogel, Ben McKee and Ryan Lang.[6]

References
  1. "Facility Technical Data for WONE-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "Contact Us". Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved December 2, 2012.
  3. "BROADCASTING YEARBOOK - Station and industry directory 1935-2010". worldradiohistory.com. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  4. "Cleveland Browns | on the Air". Archived from the original on August 4, 2010. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  5. "Jeff Kinzbach". Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved February 2, 2013.
  6. "Home". wone.net.
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