WAKR

This article is about the radio station in Akron, Ohio. For the television station formerly known as WAKR from 1953 to 1986, see WVPX-TV.

WAKR
Broadcast areaAkron metro area
Frequency1590 kHz
BrandingSoft Hits WAKR
Programming
Language(s) English
Format
AffiliationsCBS News Radio
Ownership
OwnerRubber City Radio Group, Inc.
History
First air date
October 16, 1940
(84 years ago) (1940-10-16)
Former frequencies
1530 kHz (1940–41)
Call sign meaning
 Akron
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID43871
ClassB
Power5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
41°01′14″N 81°30′20″W / 41.02056°N 81.50556°W / 41.02056; -81.50556
Translator(s)93.5 W228EL (Akron)
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Websitewakr.net

WAKR (1590 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Akron, Ohio, and known as "Soft Hits 93.5 FM". Locally owned and operated by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc., the station primarily services the Akron metropolitan area, including both Summit County and Portage County.

The station's current format, launched on January 24, 2020 (2020-01-24),[2] features classic hits music and program features that are characteristic of full-service radio. In addition to carrying local news reports and top-of-the-hour newscasts from CBS News Radio, WAKR is the Akron radio market affiliate for the Cleveland Browns, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cleveland Guardians radio networks, as well as the Ohio State Sports Network. Prior formats on WAKR have included talk radio (in three distinct iterations), oldies and adult standards.

Signed on by S. Bernard Berk on October 16, 1940 (1940-10-16), WAKR was neither the first radio station to have been built in Akron, nor the oldest surviving station,[a] but has had the most measured historical impact of any broadcast outlet in the city, especially during its first 50 years of operation.[4] During its creative and ratings pinnacle in the 1940s and 1950s, WAKR employed a succession of announcers who would find greater success elsewhere, with Alan Freed, Scott Muni and Art Fleming being the most famous of alumni.[5][6][7] WAKR's sustained success yielded both FM adjunct WAKR-FM (97.5) in 1947 and TV outlet WAKR-TV (channel 49, later 23) in 1953, and culminated as the flagship of "Group One Broadcasting", a nine-station chain with broadcast outlets in Akron, Dayton, Dallas and Denver.[8] The station remained in the hands of the Berk family until a series of ownership transfers starting in 1986 resulted in the Rubber City Radio Group purchasing it and WONE-FM (the former WAKR-FM) in 1993;[9] Rubber City has operated both stations in tandem with WQMX into the present day.

WAKR's studios are located in Akron's Wallhaven neighborhood, while the station transmitter is located in the city's southeast side.[10] In addition to a standard analog transmission, WAKR's programming is relayed over low-power Akron translator W228EL (93.5 FM) and is available online.

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WAKR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Venta, Lance (January 24, 2020). "WAKR Flips to Soft AC". RadioInsight.com. RadioInsight. Archived from the original on January 26, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2020 – via RadioBB.
  3. ^ Cullison, Art (March 11, 1956). "WOE Was Akron In Early Radio Days". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. 219. Retrieved May 23, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference WAKR 50th Anniversary was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference Freed Fame was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Pareles was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Fleming Fazzin star was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference Roger Berk Profile was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference Akro931218 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference WAKR Fybush was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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