A SEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN MUSIC (CCM) AS HEARD ON 95.5 WFHM-FM CLEVELAND, OHIO "THE FISH" RADIO STATION (JULY 2001 TO JULY 2006) A dissertation submitted to the College of the Arts of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Alexandra A. Vago May 2011 Dissertation written by Alexandra A. Vago B.S., Temple University, 1994 M.M., Kent State University, 1998 M.A., Kent State University, 2001 Ph.D., Kent State University, 2011 Approved by ___________________________, Chair, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Denise Seachrist ___________________________, Co-Chair, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Ralph Lorenz ___________________________, Members, Doctoral Dissertation Committee Thomas Janson ___________________________, David Odell-Scott Accepted by ___________________________, Director, School of Music Denise Seachrist ___________________________, Dean, College of the Arts John R. Crawford ii TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS...................................................................................................iii! LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... iv! ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. v! CHAPTER ! I. 95.5 FM: FROM WCLV TO WFHM "THE FISH"! A Brief History ............................................................................................ 6! Why Radio?............................................................................................... 12! "The Fish" Format .................................................................................... 14! What is CCM?........................................................................................... 23! Why Analyze CCM? .................................................................................. 32! Academic Perspectives.............................................................................. 36! II. GENDER ANALYSIS.................................................................................... 50! III. THE DYADIC RELATIONSHIP OF GOD AND MAN............................... 66! IV. SANCTIFICATION: A LIFELONG PROCESS ......................................... 139! V. TAKE ME TO YOUR LEADER: WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE! Social Interaction.................................................................................... 217! Intention and Perception: Industry and Consumer ................................ 221! What's in a Song...................................................................................... 225! APPENDIX..................................................................................................................... 233! BIBLIOGRAPHY........................................................................................................... 239! iii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. 95.5 WFHM-FM "The Fish" Logo without the branded slogan ...................... 16! Figure 2. CCM Artists Chart comparing TOP 20, WOW, and the Intersection.............. 53! Figure 3. CCM Songs Chart comparing the TOP 20, WOW, and the Intersection......... 54! Figure 4. Intersection Chart Gender Distribution of 34 Artists ....................................... 55! Figure 5. Intersection Chart Gender Distribution of 56 Songs ........................................ 56! Figure 6. Intersection Chart Gender Distribution of Listening Time .............................. 57! iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many people have helped me bring this dissertation to fruition, and, at this time, I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to those who have offered their assistance with this project. I am fortunate to have experienced wonderful mentoring from the members of my dissertation committee: Dr. Denise Seachrist, Dr. Ralph Lorenz, Dr. Thomas Janson, and Dr. David Odell-Scott; they deserve many thanks for their time, support, and guidance. I owe many thanks to Reverend Douglas Gunkelman and the Divinity Lutheran Church in Parma Heights, Ohio; their love and support has encouraged me to "go the extra mile." Thank you to my family: Dr. Richard and Susan Vago, Chester, Dorothea, Sandra, Ian, Shari, Brian, and Abigail. My husband, Mell Csicsila, also deserves a special thank you - may he now know a post-dissertation Alexandra. Finally, thank you to Zoe, Nigel, Zacharias, and Harry. v CHAPTER I 95.5 FM: FROM WCLV TO WFHM "THE FISH" A Brief History On July 3, 2001 a new-to-Cleveland radio format broadcast its first morning show program, which denoted a shift in the musical landscape of Northeast Ohio: Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) eclipsed the popularity of classical music, and subsequently christened the 95.5 FM station call letters from WCLV (Cleveland) to WFHM (For Him – as in Jesus). CCM became accessible to a wider audience in Northeastern Ohio through the appropriation of the 95.5 FM frequency, the locally owned and operated all-classical music radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2001, Robert Conrad, president and founder of WCLV since 1962, sold the 95.5 FM station frequency and its subsequent audience share to Salem Communications headquartered in Camarillo, California. At that time, Salem owned and operated eighty radio stations. Of those stations, fifty-five were in the top 25 markets; Salem also owns Salem Radio Network,1 OnePlace.com,2 and CCM Communications.3 When Salem purchased the rights to 95.5 WCLV-FM4 from Conrad, its radio format and call letters were changed, thus converting the station from all- classical music programming to the prevalent Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). 1 Salem Radio Network syndicates talk programming, news, and music to over 1600 affiliated radio stations. 2 OnePlace.com is the leading Internet streamer of Christian radio content. 3 CCM Communications is the leading publisher of contemporary Christian music trade and consumer publications. 4 WCLV moved from a 31,000-watt transmitter in Cleveland, Ohio to a 6,000- watt tower in Avon, Ohio. 7 WCLV repositioned itself and now transmits from 104.9 FM, which, ironically, was the former Christian music radio station; however, it did not broadcast CCM. Although some have argued (mostly Robert Conrad and his associates) that the transmission was smooth, others, primarily from the WCLV audience, have a different perspective. For instance, Jeff Sikorovsky, a reporter from the local Sun Newspapers wrote on July 19, 2001, "The classical music radio station WCLV-FM is getting mixed signals from longtime East Side listeners after its recent jump on the dial from 95.5 FM to 104.9 FM."5 Those "longtime East Side listeners" that Sikorovsky referred to were the loyal classical music supporters and audience for WCLV. Since 1962, Northeast Ohioans have enjoyed listening to classical music on WCLV; according to Robert Conrad, it was the last locally owned and operated radio station in Cleveland, Ohio. Sikorovsky interviewed devoted audience members and classical music supporters regarding the radio station. A resident from Mayfield Heights who listened to WCLV for nearly 30 years was hoping to hear classical music forever. She expressed her understanding of the station frequency change to Sikorovsky, "we changed our buttons . but when the switch came, we didn't hear it . we're having a silent summer [2001]."6 This radio frequency switch affected local congregational programming, too. Reverend Donald Crellin conveyed to Sikorovsky, "some parishioners who enjoy the Sunday broadcasts are feeling 'disappointed' . There are those kind of folks who live with their ear to the radio . maybe the newspaper article can help people find their 5 Jeff Sikorovsky, "Bad Air Days: WCLV's New Signal is Tangled," Sun Newspapers, July 19, 2001. 6 Ibid. 8 way." Crellin's wife also appreciated classical music and listened to WCLV; however, the frequency shift diminished the quality of reception and it became more difficult to listen. The solution was to locate another radio station that also broadcast classical music. The WKSU-FM (Kent State University) station provided an alternative for some people; according to one of the parishioners, the only problem was that "WKSU does not play the breadth and variety of music that WCLV does. I don't mean to trash the (KSU) station, but it is not satisfactory at all."7 Conrad described the circumstances to Sikorovsky, "Classical music radio stations around the country were dropping like flies . we could have sold out and gone to Florida . instead, we chose to take considerably less money and preserve the radio station."8 Sikorovsky relays some of the details, "Conrad agreed to a three-way deal with Salem Communications and Clear Channel in November [2000] to trade 95.5 FM for 104.9 FM involving WHK-AM and $18.5 million in cash."9 One of the main reasons for poor reception on the East Side of Cleveland is that WCLV continues to operate 104.9 FM from its studios in Warrensville Heights, Ohio, but the transmitter is in Avon, Ohio. Directly behind WCLV in Warrensville Heights is the transmitter for 95.5 FM "The Fish," which operates from Independence, Ohio. Although Conrad sold the station frequency for $18.5 million in cash, overall it was to be "in the neighborhood of $40 million."10 He further justified the transaction to Sikorovsky by explaining, "Similar 7 Jeff Sikorovsky, "Bad Air Days: WCLV's New Signal is Tangled." 8 Ibid. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 9 music stations in Detroit, Philadelphia and Chicago sold for . $28 million