WCLV - The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History

WCLV began its career as Cleveland's principal fine-arts radio outlet on 1 Nov. 1962, when it first aired as WDGO-FM. Founded by partners C. K. Patrick and Robt. Conrad of Radio Seaway, Inc., it broadcast at 95.5 megacycles and acquired its permanent call letters 4 days after its debut. Originally in the Eastgate Shopping Ctr., WCLV moved studios and transmitter to the Terminal Tower in 1968. It began broadcasting CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA concerts in 1965 and picked up the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts several years later. The "CITY CLUB OF CLEVELAND Forum," previously carried by WGAR and WJW, also came to WCLV to continue its record as Cleveland's longest-running radio program. WCLV also began producing taped broadcasts for syndication to other stations. Foremost among these were the Cleveland Orchestra broadcasts, which were distributed to more than 500 radio stations. Other programs that went into syndication from WCLV included "Salzburg Festival," "The Detroit Symphony," "Adventures in Good Music," and the "City Club Forum." Another sideline emanating from the station's close relationship with the Cleveland Orchestra was the annual fundraising "marathon," which WCLV began in 1970. Its record $3.7 million raised for the orchestra from listeners by 1993 led to imitators in numerous other cities. In the spring of 1995 the marathon raised $4 million. Among the numerous awards garnered by the station were a Gabriel Award in 1990 from the Natl. Catholic Broadcasting Assn. and a gold medal for "best classical format" in 1991 from the Intl. Radio Festival of New York. In 1986 the station opened a new studio-transmitter complex in WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, where it broadcast at 37,000 watts. Translator stations in Wooster and in Erie, PA, also extended the station's range. After 30 years of operation, Patrick retired as president in 1992 to become chairman of the board, while Conrad succeeded him as president.

Finding aid for the WCLV Radio Station Scrapbooks. WRHS.

Related Article(s)

• COMMUNICATIONS
• FINE ARTS AND LITERATURE