WNCR-FM

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WNCR-FM was one of the original, highly artistically and financially successful progressive rock radio stations in the nation. It was owned by the National Cash Register company.

When WNCR-FM began broadcasting, US market penetration of FM Radio receivers per household was only 7%. By its third year of broadcasting, the WNCR Progressive Rock Format was being employed by FM broadcasters throughout North America. Consequently, the penetration ratio per household of FM radios grew to 73% nationally, and WNCR FM was the number one FM per capita radio station in the USA an early , unknowing contributor to making Cleveland, Ohio , the Rock and Roll Capital of the World. This was a syergistic effort which by nature of its formation, along with Lee Abrams to develop the FM Progressive Rock format into a revolutionary power in radio. These defining, cornerstone accomplishments led to the erection of the $120 million Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

The WNCR Management team also worked, "To free the world of government broadcasting monopolies and their stranglehold on AM broadcasters,” according one of the founding management teammenbers, Jack Craciun III. "By marketing consumer use of FM Radio and applying the unique FM Progressive Rock Format offshore, European “pirate” broadcasters were able to break Federal Government broadcast monopolies in major “Democratic” European markets, like the BBC in the UK, and subsequently in markets throughout Asia."

[edit] Quadraphonic Radio

To enhance listenership ratings, and establish FM Radio as the new rudder steering consumer spending trends and consequently manufacture investments in new technologies and new consumer products, the WNCR team decided to create and market a Quadraphonic Broadcasting system to replace stereo, promoting manufactures to bring new products to the marketplace. WNCR engineers created the black box that synthesized stereo into quadraphonic. If FM stereo’s two speakers were better than AM’s one, which wiped out AM radio’s national economic base, they reasoned, the new technology application of quad’s four speakers certainly would promote even greater ratings for FM, and the consumer manufacturing and distribution of new audio products. Radio stations around the country followed suit, and soon many were broadcasting in quadraphonic. Audio equipment manufactures from around the world ran to design and market new “Quad” receivers and audio playback equipment. Today, Quad lives on as “Surround Sound.”