▁to ▁firm ly ▁establish ▁a ▁separate ▁identity , ▁and ▁to ▁reflect ▁the ▁station ' s ▁ownership , ▁the ▁WH K - FM ▁call sign ▁was ▁changed ▁to ▁WM MS ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁ ▁Progress ive ▁rock ▁( 1 9 6 8 – 7 3 ) ▁ ▁Metro Media ▁found ▁major ▁success ▁with ▁progress ive ▁rock ▁at ▁K ME T / Los ▁Angeles , ▁K S AN / San ▁Francisco , ▁W MM R / Ph il adel phia ▁and ▁W NEW - FM / New ▁York , ▁but ▁low ▁ratings ▁and ▁re venue ▁in ▁Cleveland ▁led ▁the ▁company ▁to ▁drop ▁the ▁format ▁at ▁WM MS ▁by ▁May ▁ 1 9 6 9 . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁first ▁turned ▁to ▁adult ▁contemporary , ▁then ▁Top ▁ 4 0 , ▁big ▁band ▁and ▁finally ▁the ▁Dra ke - Ch en ault ▁autom ated ▁Hit ▁Par ade ▁' 6 9 . ▁ ▁WM MS ▁revert ed ▁to ▁progress ive ▁rock ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁ ▁Following ▁a ▁legal ▁dispute ▁with ▁a ▁compet ing ▁station ▁owner ▁over ▁non - comp ete ▁cla uses ▁in ▁their ▁contract s , ▁former ▁W IX Y ▁personal ities ▁Dick ▁ ▁K emp ▁and ▁Lou ▁" K ing " ▁Kir by ▁were ▁signed ▁by ▁Metro Media . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁briefly ▁batt led ▁with ▁W N CR ▁of ▁Nation wide ▁Communic ations , ▁itself ▁filling ▁the ▁void ▁created ▁by ▁the ▁brief ▁absence ▁of ▁WM MS