WGAR-FM
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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | |
| Frequency | 99.5 MHz (HD Radio) | 
| Branding | 99.5 WGAR | 
| Programming | |
| Language | English | 
| Format | Country music | 
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks | 
| Ownership | |
| Owner | 
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| History | |
| First air date | December 15, 1952 | 
| Former call signs | 
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| Call sign meaning | George A. Richards, founder of WGAR (1220 AM), now WHKW | 
| Technical information | |
| Licensing authority | FCC | 
| Facility ID | 47740 | 
| Class | B | 
| ERP | 50,000 watts | 
| HAAT | 152 meters (499 ft) | 
| Transmitter coordinates | 41°22′18.00″N 81°43′4.00″W / 41.3716667°N 81.7177778°W | 
| Links | |
| Public license information  | |
| Webcast | Listen live (via iHeartRadio) | 
| Website | wgar | 
WGAR-FM (99.5 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, featuring a country music format. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves Greater Cleveland and surrounding Northeast Ohio as the local affiliate for The Bobby Bones Show. WGAR-FM's studios are located at the Six Six Eight Building in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District, and the station's transmitter is in nearby Parma. Along with a standard analog transmission, WGAR-FM broadcasts over one HD Radio channel and is available online via iHeartRadio.
Signing on in 1952 as the FM extension of WGAR (1220 AM), WGAR-FM mostly operated in obscurity until 1970, when owner Nationwide Communications instituted a progressive rock format as WNCR. Airstaff turnover, conflicts with management and increased competition from other rock stations led to a format change to Top 40 in 1973, country in 1974 and again to easy listening as WKSW in 1975. Returning to country in 1980, WKSW became WGAR-FM in 1984 in tandem with WGAR, with the AM simulcasting the FM from 1986 to 1990. WGAR-FM has remained in the format ever since, even with multiple ownership, management and airstaff changes. Since 1999, iHeartMedia (known as Clear Channel Communications until 2014) has owned WGAR-FM as part of their Greater Cleveland cluster.