WLFM-LP

WLFM-LP

Cleveland, Ohio
Branding	La Mega 87.7
Slogan	Latino and Proud
Channels	Analog: 6 VHF Analog: 87.75 MHz (audio only)
Affiliations	Cleveland Cavaliers
Owner	Murray Hill Broadcasting, LLC (LMA through TSJ Media)
First air date	November 30, 1989
Former callsigns	W47BE (1989–98) W65DL (1998–2000) WXOX-LP (2000–12)
Former channel number(s)	47 UHF (1989–98) 65 UHF (1998–2012)
Former affiliations	HSN (2002–09)
Transmitter power	3 kW (analog)
Height	242 meters
Facility ID	6699
Transmitter coordinates	41°22′58.00″N 81°42′7.00″W / 41.3827778°N 81.7019444°W / 41.3827778; -81.7019444
Website	lamega877.com Webstream: Listen Live

WLFM-LP (analog channel 6) is a low-power television station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. 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) through TSJ Media, 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 the Cleveland Cavaliers.^[1]

History

The former allotment, channel 65, was originally for a planned station of WERE-AM back in the 1950s.^[2] 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 became a Univision affiliate 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.^[3] FCC findings stated that channel 44 would cause interference with nearby WNEO.^[4] So WXOX instead decided to briefly carry a digital feed on WCDN DT2.^[5] 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.^[6] An attempt was made to convert WXOX to a low-power digital station on channel 31,^[7] 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^[8] 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 analog signal on channel 6 has since gone on the air in testing mode. 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).

Radio

WLFM-LP was scheduled to launch in July 2012, but the station did not debut until September 9, 2012. 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.^[9]

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.^{[10][11][12][13][14]}

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.^[15][16]

The final song to air on WLFM-LP as 87.7 Cleveland's Sound was "Hate Me" by Blue October.^[17]

La Mega 87.7

On December 11, 2013, it was reported that WLFM-LP would soon enter into an 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".^[18][19]

Current programming

As La Mega 87.7, the WLFM-LP on-air lineup includes: Liliani Gonzalez middays; and Daniel Melendez afternoons.^[20] Other on-air hosts include DJ Flaco Flash and Edgar Betancourt.^[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.^[1]

References

External links

• Official website
• Query the FCC's TV station database for WLFM
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WLFM
• 877Cleveland.com at the Wayback Machine