WDKF

Infobox Radio Station


name = WDKF
airdate = 1993
frequency = 94.5 MHZ
city = Englewood, Ohio
area = Dayton | format = Rhythmic-leaning Top 40
owner = Clear Channel Communications
erp = 6,000 watts
branding = "Channel Nine-Four-Five"
slogan =
class = B
website = [http://www.channel945.com Channel 94.5's website]
callsign_meaning = We're Dayton's KISS FM (A reference to its former slogan "94.5 KISS-FM")

WDKF ("Channel 9-4-5"), formerly known as "94-5 KISS FM" is a rhythmic-leaning Mainstream Top 40 radio station serving the Dayton area. WDKF, whose COL is Englewood, Ohio, broadcasts on 94.5 MHz with an ERP of 6,000 Watts, and is owned by Clear Channel Communications. Clear Channel Communitcations recently put it up for sale to fullfill the FCC requirement to privatize. No buyer has been announced.

History

WDKF began their history in 1993 as WZJX founded by Jim Bennett...which briefly "stunted" in the beginning as "Louie 95" in an effort to entice listeners by playing different versions of the mid 1960s hit "Louie, Louie" a Richard Berry-penned college ditty popularized by The Kingsmen, a garage-rock band (not to be confused with the southern gospel group of the same name) and by Paul Revere and The Raiders among many other cover versions. It became WDOL, an oldies outlet until 1996 when it switched formats to Rhythmic as WBTT, "94.5 The Beat." By 1999 they shifted to Top 40 Mainstream and began a serious challenge to take on the area's longtime rival WGTZ. They would also drop "The Beat" (No pun intended) to become WDKF, "94.5 KISS-FM," in 2000, after Clear Channel expanded the brand to other markets. Despite the move, they maintained a Rhythmic lean during that tenure.

In 2004 WDKF stunned listeners by holding a "funeral" for "KISS-FM", only to see the station replacing the slogan with the all-new "Channel 94.5." Despite the changes however, the station continues to lean Rhythmic as they battle Main Line Broadcasting of Dayton's Rhythmic-leaning Urban WDHT for listeners. Main Line's other station, WGTZ, dropped their Top 40 format in November 2007 and flipped to "Fly 92.9," a "We Play Everything"-type Adult Hits format, playing the 60's, 70's,80's, 90's and now, making WDKF the only CHR Station in Dayton. The "Channel" branding was used previously in the late 1960s by sister station WONE (AM) "Channel 98" for its then-Top 40 format when it competed with WGTZ's AM sister WING

In late 2007, Clayton left WDKF's local morning show, The Morning Mess with Clayton, Quinn, & Gina to host mornings for WSWD in Cincinnati. This prompted the station's programming consultant, Mark Anderson, to drop the local show concept for Dave And Jimmy, a sydicated morning show, out of Columbus, Ohio. During that time period, WDKF dropped many of their on-air jocks and imaging to focus on listener interaction with heavy voicetracking, more music with less talksets, and listener-created imaging. They now hold a message board at their website for listeners to comment on the station.

On-Air DJ's (Monday through Friday)

6:00 A.M. - 9:00 A.M. - Dave And Jimmy Morning Show

9:00 A.M. - 6:00 A.M. - Drake & E (Varies)

ource

* [http://home.cinci.rr.com/cincyradio/history.html Greater Cincinnati Radio Guide]

External links

* [http://www.channel945.com/main.html Channel 94.5's website]
*fmq|WDKF
*fml|WDKF
* [http://www.radio-info.com/content/arbitron.php?market=059# Arbitron Ratings for Dayton, OH]