jock J.W. Wagner at the helm during morning drive. The station regained some popularity, and when ownership did some improvements (including adding AM Stereo), the station stayed relatively successful. However, competition from FM rival WGNA led WPTR to leave the format in 1988, subsequently trying different talk, sports, and news formats with meager results each time. In 1995, Albany Broadcasting sold WPTR to Crawford Broadcasting, with the sale closing that September. Upon taking over, Crawford changed the call sign to WDCD, in honor of founder Don Crawford. (Albany Broadcasting reclaimed the WPTR calls the following March, on the former WCDA.) The format was changed to contemporary Christian music and related Christian programming. In 2000, the company brought its secular "Legends" adult standards music format to the station, along with the classic WPTR call letters and Boom Boom Brannigan as morning host; WDCD's religious programming was continued at 96.7 FM, which had simulcast AM 1540 since May 1996. The "Legends" format was a ratings success (putting WPTR back in the top 10 for the first time in 15 years), but a financial pitfall. The situation was greatly complicated when WKLI-FM entered the nostalgia format in November 2001. In 2004, WPTR and WDCD swapped formats and call letters, returning AM 1540 to Christian programming. Several months later, WPTR at the 96.7 FM frequency dropped "Legends" for contemporary Christian music, but flipped to oldies in 2011 due to increased competition from K-LOVE and Air 1, and later began simulcasting WDCD again the same year. WDCD began broadcasting in HD digital radio in 2006, the second AM station in the area to do so. Later, the station ended HD Radio transmissions, and began signing off between 9-10 every night. WDCD temporarily left the air on April 1, 2012 to make plans for a new format. WDCD was shut down on October 16, 2017. On September 28, 2018, DJRA Broadcasting, LLC surrendered the station license to the FCC for cancellation. References External links FCC Station Search Details: DWDCD (Facility ID: 833) FCC History Cards for WDCD (covering 1946-1981 as WPTR) DCD Radio stations established in 1948 1948 establishments in New York (state) Radio stations disestablished in 2017 2017 disestablishments in New York (state) Defunct radio stations in the United States Defunct religious radio stations in the United States DCD