WCCD signs off at sunset to protect WMVPinChicago and a number of other clear-channel stations on adjacent frequencies. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WCCD is available online.
WCCD began as WSUM on May 31, 1973.[3] The initial lineup included longtime television fixtures Jim Doney, Linn Sheldon and Gib Shanley (sports director), plus Ted Alexander and Joey James. In addition, a full news staff included Michael Hissam (news director), Pat Longworth and Nancy Watson. Just a few months after signon, WSUM's operators went bankrupt and the station leaves the air.[4]
The Christian Broadcasting Association of Canton purchased WSUM in October 1976 and resumed programming under new management. It airs religious programs on a pre-taped basis from local and national sources. The rest of the day is talk programming with hosts including Merle Pollis.
Mortenson Broadcasting put both WSUM and WTOF up for sale in August 1986 after purchasing Akron station WHLO.[5] Jack Mortenson, co-founder of the chain, purchased WHLO because it had a stronger signal than both WSUM and WTOF combined, and common ownership of more than one AM station with overlapping signals was prohibited at the time.[6] When the sale to Jack Boyd's American Sunrise Communications[7] was completed on January 1, 1987, WSUM was renamed WCCD on February 1, retaining the religious format.[8] American Sunrise sold WCCD, along with four other stations, to Guardian Communications for $5.6 million in 1990.[7]
Under Guardian ownership, WCCD marketed itself as a "family-friendly" station that de-emphasized preaching of the "fire and brimstone" archetype, but still featured conservative personalities like Phyllis Schlafly and Dr. James Dobson.[9] Despite the marketing, WCCD's most popular program was the reactionary populism-themed What's Right, What's Left, hosted by the Rev. Ernie Sanders, a Berea pastor that became a visible leader in anti-abortion movements[10] and was described by station management as "even more to the right than Rush Limbaugh".[9]
Guardian put up the nine-station chain for auction in September 1996 after Carl Linder (who through Great American Insurance held a 50 percent ownership stake in the company and recently divested its stake in Citicasters)[11] announced his intention to sell his stake in Guardian, inducing the company's other co-owners to follow along.[12] While the stations were originally intended to be sold separately, with a $700,000 minimum asking price for WCCD,[11]Salem Communications purchased it, along with Guardian's Baltimore and Cincinnati stations, for $3 million.[13] Salem retained the religion format as a complement to WHK (1420AM),[14] which had been purchased by the chain the previous year.[15]
WCCD was then put up for sale, airing a mix of Christian contemporary music and leased-time gospel music paid for by the New Spirit Revival Center Church, who ultimately bought the station in April 2005 and over time turned it into a more preacher focused religious format, featuring a mix of local and national hosts. Dr. Darrell C. Scott - co-founder of the New Spirit Revival Center - hosts a daily program on WCCD, as does his wife Belinda.[21]
The station filed for an STA request for a power reduction with the FCC on June 16, 2022, after their North Royalton transmitter site was to be redeveloped by the land owner.[22] The station was taken silent on September 22, 2022, with an application to move to WHK's transmitter site in Seven Hills.[23] The station returned to the air on June 13, 2023.
^Dyer, Bob (August 7, 1986). "Deals set for WHLO and WCUE". Akron Beacon Journal. Akron, Ohio. p. C5. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^Dyer, Bob (November 29, 1987). "DJs and Disciples Who Mix Music with a Message". Akron Beacon Journal Beacon Magazine. Akron, Ohio. pp. 6, 7, 8, 10, 11. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ abSantiago, Roberto (October 13, 1994). "Christian radio with a family bent". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 14E. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via NewsBank.
^Sangiacomo, Michael (April 23, 1992). "Clinic endures seven years of protest". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 14A. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via NewsBank.
^ abGleisser, Marcus (September 29, 1996). "Cincinnati company wants to sell WCCD". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 3H. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via NewsBank.
^"Transactions"(PDF). Radio & Records. March 28, 1997. p. 6. Archived(PDF) from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
^Brown, Roger (March 17, 1997). "WHK parent shopping for more stations". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. 7D. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via NewsBank.
^O'Connor, Clint (February 14, 2003). "WCCD lineup offers conservative Voice". The Plain Dealer. Cleveland, Ohio. p. E5. Archived from the original on September 2, 2022. Retrieved September 1, 2022 – via NewsBank.
