WMMS-HD2
Digital subchannel of WMMS, Cleveland
99.1 refers to translator W256BT, which rebroadcasts WMMS-HD2
Broadcast area
Frequency100.7 MHz · HD2 (HD Radio)
BrandingCleveland's BIN 99.1
Programming
Language(s)English
FormatAll-news radio
AffiliationsBlack Information Network
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
c. March 2, 2007 (2007-03-02)
Technical information
Facility IDn/a (WMMS: 73273)
Classn/a (WMMS: B)
ERPn/a (WMMS: 34,000 watts)
HAATn/a (WMMS: 183 m (600 ft))
Transmitter coordinates
41°21′30.00″N 81°40′3.00″W / 41.3583333°N 81.6675000°W / 41.3583333; -81.6675000
Translator(s)99.1 W256BT (Cleveland)
Links
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitecleveland.binnews.com

WMMS-HD2 (100.7-2 FM) is a digital subchannel of WMMS, a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, and features programming from the Black Information Network. Owned by iHeartMedia, WMMS-HD2 serves Greater Cleveland and surrounding Northeast Ohio. Using the proprietary technology HD Radio for its main digital transmission, WMMS-HD2 is rebroadcast over low-power analog Cleveland translator W256BT (99.1 FM), and streams online via iHeartRadio. WMMS-HD2's studios are located at the Six Six Eight Building in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District, while the WMMS-HD2 and W256BT transmitters reside in Seven Hills and Parma, respectively.

History

Logo as "Nitro" from 2008

On April 25, 2006, iHeartMedia (then known as Clear Channel Communications) announced the launch of several new HD Radio "multicast channels" in various markets across the United States; among these was WMMS-HD2, a digital subchannel of Cleveland rock station WMMS (100.7 FM), with a planned "classic alternative" format.[1] As late as February 22, 2007, WMMS-HD2 was still not on the air, but by March 2, 2007, the new channel had gone "live".[2][3] In the beginning, WMMS-HD2 was mostly automated and commercial-free.[4] By February 2008, and lasting until at least 2010, WMMS-HD2 broadcast an active rock format under the brand "Nitro";[5][6][7] WMMS.com referred to the programming as "Today's Hard Rock".[8] As of July 2011, WMMS-HD2 had reverted to an alternative rock format, this time programmed nationally via Premium Choice;[9][10] and had also begun serving as a local affiliate for Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx, a mix of talk and alternative rock syndicated via Premiere Networks.[11] As of August 2011, WMMS-HD2 had rebranded as "The Alternative Project".[12]

Erika Lauren
Logo as Alt 99.1, 2017-2020

On May 23, 2012, WMMS-HD2 began rebroadcasting over low-power Cleveland translator W256BT (99.1 FM) under the brand "99X".[13] The move was the latest in a trend made possible by a May 3, 2010, decision by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Although low-power FM translators in the United States are generally not permitted to originate their own programming, the FCC decision affirmed that translators are free to retransmit the programming of HD Radio digital subchannels – effectively creating new analog "radio stations" on the FM band – and thereby expanding the potential audience of digital-only channels like WMMS-HD2 that require an HD Radio receiver.[14] The translator's launch marked the return of alternative rock to the Cleveland radio market for the first time – via an analog signal – since WKRK-FM had dropped the format from its main broadcast in 2011.[15] The first song to air over this new rebroadcast was "Gold on the Ceiling" by The Black Keys.[13] WMMS program director Bo Matthews (Alex Guitterez) was named the program director for 99X, having been "integral" to its launch.[16]

As 99X, WMMS-HD2 continued to air Sixx Sense with Nikki Sixx, the syndicated mix of talk and rock hosted by Mötley Crüe co-founder Nikki Sixx;[17] later, 99X would also air its weekend companion The Side Show Countdown with Nikki Sixx.[18] On January 29, 2014, "Chris Tyler" Merluzzo was announced as the new program director for both WMMS and WMMS-HD2.[19] Erika Lauren, co-host of The Alan Cox Show on WMMS, had begun hosting a local weekday morning music shift as of December 2015.[20]

On December 21, 2017, WMMS-HD2 dropped the "99X" brand and replaced it with "ALT 99.1", the latest in a series of iHeartMedia alternative rock outlets to adopt the "ALT" brand following its adoption by KYSR/Los Angeles in August 2013; the change may have been related to a branding dispute with iHeartMedia rival Entercom.[21] On February 1, 2018, Jason Carr was announced as the new assistant program director for WMMS, as well as program director for WMMS-HD2.[22]

On June 29, 2020, fifteen stations owned by iHeartMedia in markets with large African-American populations, including WMMS-HD2, began stunting with a series of African-American speeches, interspersed with messages such as "Our Voices Will Be Heard" and "Our side of the story is about to be told," with a new format slated to launch the following day at 12:00 p.m.[23][24] On June 30, it was made official that WMMS-HD2 would be a charter affiliate of iHeart's new Black Information Network, which is an all-news format specifically geared toward African-American listeners; WMMS-HD2's analog translator simulcast over W256BT was unaffected.[23]

FM translator

WMJI radio tower

W256BT began on November 2, 2004, as W262BN, a mostly silent radio translator licensed to Lorain, Ohio, free to transmit at 100.3 MHz. On April 22, 2011, W262BN adopted the callsign W259BI; changed its frequency to 99.7 MHz; and moved its transmitter to a cell phone tower in North Ridgeville. On May 23, 2012, W259BI adopted the callsign W256BT; changed its frequency to 99.1 MHz; changed its city of license to Cleveland; and began airing an alternative rock format as a separate analog radio station. The WMJI radio tower currently serves as the site of the W256BT transmitter.[13]

Broadcast translator for WMMS-HD2
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)HAATClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
W256BT 99.1 FMCleveland154527250253.9 m (833 ft)D41°23′1.80″N 81°41′43.50″W / 41.3838333°N 81.6954167°W / 41.3838333; -81.6954167LMS

Current programming

WMMS-HD2 primarily airs all-news radio via the Black Information Network; local traffic and weather updates are provided via the Total Traffic and Weather Network. WMMS-HD2 also satisfies FCC-mandated public affairs programming on Sunday mornings with the City Club of Cleveland's Friday Forum. WMMS-HD2 transmits text and images to HD Radio receivers, such as station IDs and artist and song information, known as Program Service Data (PSD); similarly, W256BT transmits text to compatible analog receivers via the Radio Data System (RDS). Both WMMS-HD2 and W256BT broadcast in stereo.

References

  1. ↑ Coyle, Sandra; et al. (April 25, 2006). "Clear Channel Radio Adds HD Digital Multicasts to 20 More Markets; Brings Total to 48 markets and 196 Stations". ClearChannel.com (Press release). Clear Channel Communications. Archived from the original on April 30, 2006. Retrieved April 30, 2006. The new channels will also be made available at the company's HD2 streaming site: www.clearchannelmusic.com/hdradio/ as they go live.
  2. ↑ "Listen to HD Digital Radio". ClearChannelMusic.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2007. Archived from the original on February 22, 2007. Retrieved February 22, 2007. Cleveland, OH: WAKS-FM - Trancid - Underground Dance; WGAR-FM - Classic Country; WMVX-FM - The Lake - AAA.
  3. ↑ "Listen to HD Digital Radio". ClearChannelMusic.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2007. Archived from the original on March 2, 2007. Retrieved March 2, 2007. Cleveland, OH: WAKS-FM - KiWi Radio; WMMS-FM - Classic Alternative; WMVX-FM - The Lake - AAA; WMJI-FM - Oldies; WGAR-FM - Classic Country.
  4. ↑ Feran, Tom (October 24, 2007). "Will HD Radio be the wave of the future?". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland.com. Archived from the original on October 27, 2007. Retrieved October 4, 2018. Nine have additional 'HD2' channels, all of them automated and designed as alternatives or complements. ... WMMS-HD2 plays classic alternative rock...
  5. ↑ "Listen to HD Digital Radio". ClearChannelMusic.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2008. Archived from the original on February 11, 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2008. Cleveland, OH: WMMS-FM - Nitro; ...
  6. ↑ Benson, John (February 16, 2008). "Hybrid Digital Radio: Digital frequency offers more stations, but..." Medina Gazette. Lorain County Printing and Publishing Co. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018. ... WMMS-FM HD2 offers active rock...
  7. ↑ "HD Radio 2010 Station Guide" (PDF). HDRadio.com. HD Radio. 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018. ... Cleveland; 100.7-2; WMMS-HD2; FM; Nitro...
  8. ↑ "WMMS official website (main page)". WMMS.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2008. Archived from the original on March 17, 2008. Retrieved March 17, 2008. Listen to today's Hard Rock Music. Discover 100.7 HD-2...
  9. ↑ "HD Radio station guide for Cleveland". HDRadioAlliance.com. HD Digital Radio Alliance. 2011. Archived from the original on July 11, 2011. Retrieved July 11, 2011. WMMS-HD2; 100.7-2 FM; Alternative Rock...
  10. ↑ Pantsios, Anastasia (May 30, 2012). "So How's That New Radio 'Alternative' Doing?". CleveScene.com. Cleveland Scene. Archived from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2018. The station is one of a number of prepackaged formats, dubbed 'Premium Choice', that issue straight from Clear Channel's San Antonio headquarters. It's already been airing for a couple of years on the HD2 channel of WMMS-FM...
  11. ↑ "Radio Affiliates". SixxSense.com. Clear Channel Communications. 2011. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved July 16, 2011. Hear Sixx Sense on the air in Ohio here: ... Cleveland; WMMS-HD2; 100.7; M-F 7p-12a...
  12. ↑ 100.7 WMMS [@WMMS] (August 30, 2011). "If u are looking for Alternative music, The MMS HD-2 channel is the ALT Project. listen here: http://bit.ly/nJXSXI" (Tweet). Archived from the original on September 3, 2018 – via Twitter.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
    • WMMS (August 30, 2011). "Listen to the Alt Project". Facebook.com/WMMSCleveland. Facebook. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018. If you happen to be looking for Alternative music this week to listen to... our HD-2 channel is the Alternative Project. You can also listen at this link...
  13. 1 2 3 Venta, Lance (May 23, 2012). "99X Debuts in Cleveland". RadioInsight.com. RadioBB Networks. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 4, 2018. The first hour consisted of: Black Keys – Gold On The Ceiling, ... The station is already streaming on iHeartRadio.com, although all imaging is still as 100.7 WMMS-HD2 and the Premium Choice fed 'Alt Project'. ... Its signal will originate from the 105.7 WMJI tower in Parma...
  14. ↑ Oxenford, David (May 3, 2010). "FM Analog Translator Can Rebroadcast FM Digital Multicast Programming – Opportunities for New Signals in Local Markets". BroadcastLawBlog.com. David Oxenford. Archived from the original on August 22, 2014. Retrieved October 4, 2018. In a recent decision, the FCC made clear that analog FM translators can rebroadcast the signal of a HD digital multicast channel from a commonly owned FM station.
  15. ↑ Marcucci, Carl (May 23, 2012). "Clear Channel Launches 99X in Cleveland". Radio and Television Business Report. Streamline RBR, Inc. Archived from the original on May 1, 2014. Retrieved October 5, 2018. Once CBS Radio's WKRK-FM Cleveland flipped from Alternative to Sports Talk, Clevelanders were without a true Modern Rock station...
  16. ↑ "Bo Matthews to Program Cleveland's New 99X". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. May 24, 2012. Archived from the original on June 30, 2012. Retrieved October 2, 2018. Today, OM Keith Abrams names Bo Matthews as PD of the new 99X. Said Abrams, 'He was an integral part of the station's creation and launch...' 
  17. ↑ "Radio Affiliates". SixxSense.com. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. 2013. Archived from the original on September 25, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013. Cleveland; WMMS-HD2; 100.7; M-F 7p-12a
  18. ↑ "On Air: Side Show". SixxSense.com. iHeartMedia, Inc. 2015. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2015. Cleveland; WMMS-HD2; 99.1; Su 10p-12a
  19. ↑ "CCM+E/Cleveland Names Chris Tyler PD of WMMS, WAKS, 99X". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. January 29, 2014. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved October 2, 2018. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment/Cleveland has named Chris Tyler PD of Rock WMMS... and Alternative WMMS-HD2 (99X)...
  20. ↑ "About Erika Lauren". 99XCleveland.com. iHeartMedia, Inc. 2015. Archived from the original on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Cleveland's 99X Now 'ALT 99.1'". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. December 21, 2017. Archived from the original on August 24, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018. iHeartMedia, which began using the ALT brand at KYSR (ALT 98.7)/Los Angeles in August 2013, has been putting the brand on many of its Alternative-format stations and translators in recent months as rival Entercom has placed the same brand on some of its own format converts...
  22. ↑ "Jason Carr Named PD ALT 99.1 FM and APD for WMMS/Cleveland". AllAccess.com. All Access Media Group. February 1, 2018. Archived from the original on April 9, 2018. Retrieved October 2, 2018. Jason Carr has been named PD for iHeartMedia Alternative WMMS-HD2-W256BT/Cleveland and APD for Rocker WMMS/Cleveland... His career includes a seven year stint in Dallas–Fort Worth as part of the Lex & Terry Radio Network.
  23. 1 2 Venta, Lance (June 30, 2020). "iHeartMedia Launches Black Information Network". RadioInsight.com. RadioInsight. Archived from the original on June 30, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020 – via RadioBB.
  24. ↑ "Several iHeartMedia Stations Stunting With Speeches, New Format To Be Announced Tomorrow". All Access. June 29, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
FM translator
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