Current Programming
At this point, WMMS has not regained the number one total listener audience which it held, more or less continuously, from 1975 to 1991. Additionally, the station now carries more than nine hours of talk programming every weekday (moreover, during drive time). The station's problems are further compounded by lesser emphasis on local personalities (in particular, voice-tracking nights and weekends); ever shrinking and homogenized playlists; over-commercialization; greater censorship; and increasingly limited creative control. Much of this is attributed to the station's current ownership of Clear Channel Communications. Regardless, WMMS remains one of the most important rock stations in the history of FM radio. Radio & Records twice named WMMS "Rock Station of the Year: Markets 1-25" (2005–06) as part of the now defunct publication's annual Industry Achievement Awards. More recently, readers of Cleveland Scene named WMMS the best Cleveland radio station in 2010 and 2012.
"...This radio station is known for breaking the rules, changing the game, and being successful. We all have such respect for what this station did back in the day. That will never be done again. All we can do is hope to create something cool so that in 20 years people will say, 'Man, remember what WMMS used to be like? It really was an awesome time.' "
— Program Director Bo Matthews (Alex Gutierrez)
Hot talk accounts for all programming during weekday morning and afternoon drive times, and the station currently serves as the FM flagship for the Cleveland Browns. However, WMMS continues to air rock music during weekday middays, evenings, and overnights; weekends; and on the HD2 digital subchannel. WMMS airs regular traffic updates via the Total Traffic Network, while regular weather updates are provided by former TV sister station WOIO. The station also satisfies FCC-mandated public affairs programming on Sunday mornings with the City Club of Cleveland's nationally syndicated Friday Forum. The majority of station imaging is produced out-of-state by national voice talents David Lee (David Olejniczak), Malcolm Ryker, and RenaMarie Villano; additional voice-over audio is produced on-site by WMMS Creative Services Director Miles Hlivko. WMMS also transmits text to compatible digital tuners via the Radio Broadcast Data System (RBDS).
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