Toledo Radio: Cumulus Shutsdown WTOD-AM, Moves Talk Format

As of midnight Saturday, WTOD 1470 AM has gone silent. But the station’s format will carry on the FM dial in a new home later next week: WQQO 105.5 FM HD2 and translator W264AK 100.7 FM.

Also, WTOD’s live broadcasts of Bowling Green State University football and basketball games are moving to HotAC 100.7 FM , while broadcasts of University of Michigan’s football and basketball games will relocate to NashIcon WMIM 98.3 FM 98.3.

That’s the good news, at least for the audience of 1470’s syndicated programming: Don Imus, Chris Plante, Jonathon Brandmeir, Dave Ramsey, Mark Levin, and Michael Savage.

According to The Toledo Blade, the bad news is for those who tune in to the alternative rock format of 100.7-FM (The Zone). The Zone is essentially dead, said Andy Stuart, regional vice president and market manager for Cumulus Media Toledo, which owns WTOD and WQQO-HD2, though he stressed: “Nobody is losing their job out of this. There is plenty of work to be done.”

W264AK 100.7 FM (82 watts)

The reason for the switch dates back at least a decade ago, when the FCC informed Cumulus that its AM station was out of compliance with its prescribed license limits.

WTOD has been operating via Special Temporary Authority since August 2003. Its ground system has required repair or replacement and the station has had multiple CP’s to build a new four tower array on the west side of Toledo. Stuart stated, “The cost to fix it and what the expected return is not a good investment. We decided the best thing is to turn [the license] back and maybe someone else will want to operate it.”