WLFM-LP

WLFM-LP, VHF analog channel 6, is a low-power television station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The station's audio channel, transmitting at 87.75 MHz, lies within the FM band; as a result, WLFM-LP can and does operate as a radio station at 87.7 FM. Owned by Murray Hill Broadcasting and operated under a local marketing agreement (LMA) by La Mega Media, Inc., the station airs a Spanish-language format under the brand La Mega 87.7. WLFM-LP also serves as the Spanish-language radio home of both the Cleveland Browns and Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the Chicago area television station which identified as WLFM-LP from 2006 to 2012, see WRME-LP.
WLFM-LP
Cleveland, Ohio
United States
BrandingLa Mega 87.7
SloganTan Latina Como Tu
ChannelsAnalog: 6 VHF
87.75 MHz (audio only)
AffiliationsCleveland Browns
Cleveland Cavaliers
OwnerMurray Hill Broadcasting, LLC
OperatorLa Mega Media, Inc.
(via LMA)
First air dateNovember 30, 1989 (1989-11-30)
Former call signsW47BE (1989–1998)
W65DL (1998–2000)
WXOX-LP (2000–2012)
Former channel number(s)47 (UHF, 1989–1998)
65 (UHF, 1998–2012)
Former affiliationsHSN (2002–2009)
Transmitter power3 kW (analog)
Height242 m (794 ft)
Facility ID6699
Transmitter coordinates41°22′58.00″N 81°42′7.00″W
Licensing authorityFCC
Public license informationProfile
CDBS
Website lamega877.com
Webstream: Listen Live

History

The former allotment, channel 65, was originally for a planned station of WERE-AM back in the 1950s.[1] The station never materialized and thus WERE-TV never aired. The channel 65 allotment was eventually used in 1998 when the current station moved from channel 47 (W47BE). After the move, the call letters were changed to W65DL. In 2000, the call letters were changed to WXOX, which were originally assigned to a radio station on AM 1250 in Bay City, Michigan.

In the final years of WXOX, the station was affiliated with the Home Shopping Network. HSN had previously aired in Cleveland on WQHS-TV (channel 61), which was purchased by Univision in 2002.

WXOX submitted an application to move to channel 44 and increase power to 120 kW, but then modified the application to convert the analog transmission to digital.[2] FCC findings stated that channel 44 would cause interference with nearby WNEO.[3] So WXOX instead decided to briefly carry a digital feed on WCDN DT2.[4] WXOX was then forced off the air on October 27, 2009 when wireless carrier Verizon purchased the part of the wireless spectrum where the station had been broadcasting.[5] An attempt was made to convert WXOX to a low-power digital station on channel 31,[6] which was previously used by WJW before the June 12 analog shutoff date. However, due to potential co-channel interference issues with CITY-DT-2 across the lake in Woodstock, Ontario (which also broadcasts on UHF 31, in digital), the application was abandoned.

In May 2011, the station's owners, Venture Technologies Inc., filed a new FCC request to move the station to Channel 6 analog[7] leading to speculation that it would be used to carry the audio feed of an FM radio station since the sound of channel 6 analog can be heard at 87.7 FM on any FM radio. The station has not found a suitable channel for its digital signal at this time, though it has since filed for applications to either flash-cut to digital operations on VHF 6 (which would render it unlistenable to radios due to the different technologies used from analog FM, HD Radio, and ATSC), or to convert to digital on UHF 44 (which may be subject to adjacent-channel interference from WNEO, which broadcasts on UHF 45, in the southeastern portions of its viewing areas, such as near Akron). This would later be modified in 2018 to use UHF 20 instead, as part of being relocated during the United States spectrum auction.

Radio

WLFM-LP was scheduled to launch in July 2012, but the station did not debut until September 9, 2012 (during at least part of the month in between, the station stunted with, among other things, a loop of "My Town" by The Michael Stanley Band, as well as a cassette tape-recorded loop of snippets of each number 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 list from 1955 to 1992, with occasional station IDs in between and the TV signal showing either a loop of slides of local buildings and sights, or a screensaver for Western Digital).[8][9]

The website Radio World described WLFM-LP as a "Franken-FM... an unholy mix of radio and TV stations." The WLFM-LP studios are located at the Cleveland Agora.[10]

87.7 Cleveland's Sound

From its launch until January 1, 2014, the station – branded 87.7 Cleveland's Sound – aired a mixed format of alternative rock and AAA music, focusing more on alternative rock towards the end. As 87.7 Cleveland's Sound, the WLFM-LP local on-air staff included Archie Berwick, Kim Monroe, Rachel Steele, Lyd the Kidd (Lydia Puccini), Bull (Sean Robertson), Dan Stansbury, Rocco the Rock Dog (Ric Bennett), and Chad Zumock. WLFM-LP was named best local radio station in 2013 by readers of Cleveland Scene.[11][12][13][14][15]

From mid-October 2012 until its cancellation in late September 2013, the station aired Inner Sanctum, a locally produced music program featuring Cleveland area bands. Cleveland Scene observed that although it bills itself as "a local station for Clevelanders by Clevelanders", WLFM-LP "pulled the plug" on a local show. Program director Ryan Benes said the station was going "in a different direction". Host Pat Johnson said the station "was hoping for a big summer and that hasn't translated into sales yet". Previously broadcast on WENZ, WKRK-FM, and WNWV, Inner Sanctum had recently celebrated its 20-year anniversary.[16][17]

The final song to air on WLFM-LP as 87.7 Cleveland's Sound was "Hate Me" by Blue October.[18]

La Mega 87.7

On December 11, 2013, it was reported that WLFM-LP would soon enter into a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Cincinnati-based TSJ Media; the LMA began at 12:00 a.m. on January 1, 2014, and was accompanied by a format change. The "Franken-FM" radio station now airs a Spanish language format, consisting largely of Latin music. WLFM-LP is currently branded La Mega 87.7, and uses the slogan "Latino and Proud".[19][20][21]

As of the 2014–15 NBA season, WLFM-LP serves as the Spanish language radio home of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Rafael Hernandez Brito serves the team's Spanish language play-by-play announcer.[22]

Beginning in 2018, La Mega 87.7 started to also serve as the Spanish language radio outlet for the Cleveland Browns. As he does for the Cavaliers broadcasts, Rafa "El Alcalde" will serve as play-by-play announcer.[23]

On March, 2019, it was reported that WLFM-LP would soon enter into a local marketing agreement (LMA) with Columbus-based La Mega Media, Inc.; the LMA began at 12:00 a.m. on March 25, 2019, and was accompanied by a programming change.

References
  1. "Video Vault: Cleveland TV 'Right Before Your Eyes' in 1953; WEWS celebrates 65th anniversary - newsnet5.com Cleveland". Newsnet5.com. 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  2. http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=620547%5B%5D
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2010-02-11.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101182451&qnum=5120&copynum=1&exhcnum=2. Retrieved January 2, 2014. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. FCC Internet Services Staff. "Application View ... Redirecting". Licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  6. Archived March 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  7. FCC Internet Services Staff. "Application Search Details". Licensing.fcc.gov. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  8. WLFM Cleveland Franken-FM Stunting 8/17/12
  9. WLFM-LP Analog 6 Cleveland Slideshow- YouTube
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-01-02. Retrieved 2012-09-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. Cavazos, Shaina (2012-06-27). "New Cleveland Radio Station to Aim for Hyper-local Approach". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved 2012-06-29.
    • "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-02-20. Retrieved 2012-09-15.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. Bolden, Chris. "People & Places | People & Places". Clevescene.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  13. "See the Possible: New radio station with old soul". wkyc.com. 2013-08-08. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2013-10-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. "87.7 FM Cleveland's Sound Hires Dan Stansbury For PM Drive". AllAccess.com. 2013-11-06. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  16. "Inner Sanctum Playlist 10-14-12". InnerSanctumCleveland.com. Inner Sanctum. October 15, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  17. Niesel, Jeff (September 27, 2013). "87.7 pulls the plug on local music show Inner Sanctum". CleveScene.com. Cleveland Scene. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  18. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-01-05.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  19. Grzegorek, Vince (2013-12-11). "87.7 Sold, Will Switch to Latin Music Programming on January 1, 2014 | Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog | Cleveland Scene". Clevescene.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  20. "Subscription Center". CrainsCleveland.com. Retrieved 2015-12-16.
  21. Smith, Robert L. (January 9, 2014). "Wepa! La Mega brings Spanish music, news and excitement to Cleveland airwaves". Cleveland.com. Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC. Retrieved January 10, 2014. ... a staff of seven DJs that includes names familiar to area Latinos, including DJ Flaco Flash, Liliani Gonzalez and Edgar Betancourt.
  22. Kleps, Kevin (October 16, 2014). "Cleveland Cavs games will be broadcast in Spanish on 87.7 FM La Mega". CrainsCleveland.com. Crain Communications. Retrieved October 16, 2014. The Cavs and Murray Hill Broadcasting's 87.7 FM La Mega are partnering to broadcast all of the team's games in Spanish, the Cavs announced on Thursday, Oct. 16. ... Rafael Hernandez Brito, the Spanish play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn Nets the previous two seasons, will call the Cavs' games for La Mega.
  23. http://www.clevelandbrowns.com/media/radio
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