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WTAM's history - an old 3WE bumper sticker

T

thebigfan

Yesterday while driving around I saw something I haven't seen in years! On the back of a truck was a bumper sticker that said "Catch Indians Feaver - 3WE RADIO 1100." Wow!

Does anyone remember when they changed the calls on WWWE back to WTAM? I want to say it's been about 10 years now since they've done that... maybe (and probably) longer than that.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by thebigfan on 03/10/06 02:15 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Yesterday while driving around I saw something I haven't
> seen in years! On the back of a truck was a bumper sticker
> that said "Catch Indians Feaver - 3WE RADIO 1100." Wow!
>
> Does anyone remember when they changed the calls on WWWE
> back to WTAM? I want to say it's been about 10 years now
> since they've done that... maybe (and probably) longer than
> that.
>

3WE changed back to WTAM in the summer of 1996.

It was around then, that 1100 actually started to stabilize after several years of floundering (outside of Rush Limbaugh).

It was then (or very shortly thereafter) that they moved Triv to PMD, brought in Wills for the morning, and got the Tribe back from WKNR.
 
I'll see a "3WE" bumper sticker while driving around every now and then.
 
Re: old bumper stickers

> I'll see a "3WE" bumper sticker while driving around every
> now and then.
>

I just saw an old beat up pick-up truck sporting an old WMMS bumper sticker in the back window featuring the "Alternative Buzzard" with the spikey hair.
When was the Buzzard logo changed? 1994-ish?<P ID="signature">______________
Igor
www.IgorRadio.com</P>
 
> > Yesterday while driving around I saw something I haven't
> > seen in years! On the back of a truck was a bumper
> sticker
> > that said "Catch Indians Feaver - 3WE RADIO 1100." Wow!
> >
> > Does anyone remember when they changed the calls on WWWE
> > back to WTAM? I want to say it's been about 10 years now
> > since they've done that... maybe (and probably) longer
> than
> > that.
> >
>
> 3WE changed back to WTAM in the summer of 1996.
>
> It was around then, that 1100 actually started to stabilize
> after several years of floundering (outside of Rush
> Limbaugh).
>
> It was then (or very shortly thereafter) that they moved
> Triv to PMD, brought in Wills for the morning, and got the
> Tribe back from WKNR.
>


The call letters WWWE (3WE) were always associated with a lukewarm station with middle of the pack ratings at best. They had to change the calls....no choice. It was nice that they went back to the original WTAM calls (1920s to the 1950s) when it was owned by NBC (much of that time) and was one of the most important stations in America.
 
Re: old bumper stickers

> > I'll see a "3WE" bumper sticker while driving around every
> > now and then.

I have never seen one. But I did see a G98 bumper sticker a couple of weeks ago.


> When was the Buzzard logo changed? 1994-ish?

Probably sometime around then. Wasn't that when they were flirting with "alternative" music?
 
Some speculation of meaning of WWWE

A columnist with the plain dealer in about 1988 was taking issue with some of Gary Dee's stunts and said that WWWE stood for What a Waste if Watts and Energy.
 
> 3WE changed back to WTAM in the summer of 1996.

It changed on 7/26/96 to be precise.


>
> It was around then, that 1100 actually started to stabilize
> after several years of floundering (outside of Rush
> Limbaugh).
>
> It was then (or very shortly thereafter) that they moved
> Triv to PMD, brought in Wills for the morning, and got the
> Tribe back from WKNR.
>
 
> 3WE changed back to WTAM in the summer of 1996.

It changed on 7/26/96 to be precise.


>
> It was around then, that 1100 actually started to stabilize
> after several years of floundering (outside of Rush
> Limbaugh).
>
> It was then (or very shortly thereafter) that they moved
> Triv to PMD, brought in Wills for the morning, and got the
> Tribe back from WKNR.
>
 
The real explanation for WWWE and WWWM

Nick Mileti and Tom Embrescia both bought the former WKYC AM/FM from NBC as the Ohio Communications group in 1972. They individually held a majority role over each station.

WWWE stood for Embrescia, though Mileti was the 51% lead owner.
WWWM stood for Mileti, though Emberescia was the 51% lead owner.

Ironically, Tom Embrescia would eventually own WWWE in a different ownership group by the 1980's.

As an aside, while growing up I thought that whoever came up with "3WE" was getting their eyes examined once, saw the letter eye chart, and thought, "BINGO!" 3WE!

:D

- Nathan Obral<P ID="signature">______________
WTAM/1100: An Abuse of Radio Power!</P>
 
I recall Tom Snyder of Tomorrow Show fame, recalling his radio days in Cleveland at WTAM. Apparently it didn't show up that well in the book.

"We called it Watt'em at the bottom."




> Yesterday while driving around I saw something I haven't
> seen in years! On the back of a truck was a bumper sticker
> that said "Catch Indians Feaver - 3WE RADIO 1100." Wow!
>
> Does anyone remember when they changed the calls on WWWE
> back to WTAM? I want to say it's been about 10 years now
> since they've done that... maybe (and probably) longer than
> that.
>
 
I have in my possession a bumper sticker that advertises the Indians on "Country 11" That was 1982 when 3WE was Country 11. The "Indian Fever" has to be prior to 1985.
 
Re: Some speculation of meaning of WWWE

We used to joke it was Worlds Worst Waste of Energy.

> A columnist with the plain dealer in about 1988 was taking
> issue with some of Gary Dee's stunts and said that WWWE
> stood for What a Waste if Watts and Energy.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
ReGARds
Bill</P>
 
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