WBBO

Last updated
WBBO
B985newlogo2010.png
Broadcast area Ocean, Burlington County, New Jersey
Frequency 98.5 MHz
BrandingB98-5
Programming
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Ownership
Owner Press Communications, LLC
WHTG, WKMK/WTHJ, WWZY/WBHX
History
First air date
March 10, 1993
Former call signs
WQNJ (1990–1997)
WBBO (1997–July 5, 2006)
WKOE ( July 5,-24 2006)
WKMK ( July 24, 2006– September 15, 2010)
WHTG-FM (September 15,–December 8, 2010) [1]
Technical information
Facility ID 59495
Class A
ERP 3,400 watts
HAAT 136 meters
Transmitter coordinates
 39°42′56″N74°17′32″W / 39.71556°N 74.29222°W / 39.71556; -74.29222
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website b985radio.com

WBBO (98.5 FM, "B98-5") is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Hit Radio format. Licensed to Ocean Acres, New Jersey, it serves Ocean & Burlington counties in New Jersey. It first Sign-on On March 10, 1993. 1993 under the call sign WQNJ, but more recently operated under WKMK. The station is currently owned by Press Communications. [2]

Contents

Coverage Area

98.5's signal blankets Ocean and Burlington in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia. The station can be heard from Atlantic City to the South, Belmar to the North, and Philadelphia to the West.

The WBBO antenna is co-located with WVBH and W265CS on a tower located near the intersection of Route 72 and the Garden State Parkway in Manahawkin.

Early history

98.5 was granted the WQNJ calls on February 7, 1990. Even before this station hit the air, it had extensive coverage in the local newspapers, because it was to be the first commercial station to hit the air in Ocean County since WJRZ signed on in 1976. FM 98.5 was originally owned by Seaira, Inc., a local company that was headed by Pat Parson, a former WCBS/880 news anchor from 1970 to 1990 and a former alumnus of WERA in Planfield.

Parson originally planned 98.5 to be a live and local Smooth Jazz station, using the slogan "Cloud Nine," with an original sign-on date of Spring 1991. However, that sign-on date changed many times, due mostly because of antenna clearances that had to be taken care of prior to signing on. In late 1992, with Seaira not having enough financial backing to sign on themselves with a local format, 98.5 entered into an agreement with D&K Broadcasting (the owners of WJLK at the time.)

On February 11, 1993, WQNJ began on-air testing and on March 10, 1993, officially signed on with a simulcast of 94.3 WJLK. It was pretty much a 100% simulcast, with the exception of local commercial cut-ins and on weekday mornings at 6, 7, 8 and 9 o’clock, Pat Parson would do a 5-minute newscast. This basic format lasted until 1996 when it was announced that Nassau Broadcasting had purchased the station (and others in the Jersey Shore area.)

B98.5

The original B98.5 logo Wbbologo.jpg
The original B98.5 logo

Pat Parson's newscasts were soon discontinued. The simulcast continued with WJLK until Memorial Day weekend in 1997 when Nassau launched "B-98.5 – The Jersey Shore's Hit Music Station." The first song played on "B-98.5" was the Spice Girls "Wannabe". On July 11, 1997, the calls were changed to WBBO.

In 2001, Nassau sold WBBO (along with WOBM-FM and WJLK) to Millennium Radio Group. in march of 2002 WCHR 105.7 simulcast was on the air but on April 15, 2002 105.7 WCHR ends it Simulcast and WCHR changes it format to Classic Rock. In April 2003, it was announced that Millennium was selling WBBO to Press Communications, who ironically enough, was the original applicant for 98.5 in the late 1980s. In August 2004, Press officially took over WBBO.

Alumni

Original Staff * Neil Sullivan, Program Director 1997–1999 * Fox Feltman (aka. Alan Fox), Assistant Program Director/Music Director, Afternoons 1997–1999 * Jessica Taylor, Midday host, 1999 * Andy Chase, Promotions and Swing jock 1997–2003, morning host 2003–2004 * Mike and Diane, Mornings 1998–1999 * JC, then Scotty Valentino Nights 1997–1999 * Ed Bishop, Imaging Director * General Manager Don Dalesio 1997–2002; 2016–2019

G Rock Radio

On February 18, 2005, 98.5 started simulcasting sister station WHTG-FM "G-106.3" from Eatontown and became GRock Radio. On July 5, 2006, 98.5 changed calls to WKOE as part of a switch with new move-in 106.5 in Bass River Township. WKOE was formerly located at 106.3 in Ocean City On July 24, 2006 at midnight, the simulcast on 98.5 ceased.

Real Jersey Kountry K98.5

WKMK logo from 2006 to 2009 K985logo.jpg
WKMK logo from 2006 to 2009

Later on July 24, 2006, after "stunting" with playing The Eagles "New Kid In Town" over and over for 12 hours, 98.5 debuted as "K-98.5: Real Jersey Kountry" and new call letters of WKOE, were assigned at 10 a.m. that day (switching from WBBO which had been re-instated). The WKOE call letters were quickly replaced with WKMK to avoid a legal situation after it was noted that using WKOE on a country formatted station violated a usage agreement that Press Broadcasting signed regarding the WKOE calls. The first song played was Alan Jackson's "Gone Country." Past staffers of K98.5 include Jim Radler, Leeann Taylor and Brian Moore.

Ocean County's Country Thunder 98.5

WKMK logo from February 16, 2009 until September 12, 2010 WKMK logo.png
WKMK logo from February 16, 2009 until September 12, 2010

On February 16, 2009, "K98.5" under the direction of longtime Country Music PD Captain Jack Aponte, switched its name to "Thunder 98.5". Along with the name change, Captain Jack changed the station's format to an edgier "Rockin Country" sound, playing some classic southern rock along with country music; similar southern rock/country "hybrid" formats were used unsuccessfully on various U.S. country outlets in the 1990s, most even used the same "Thunder Country" moniker also.

B 98.5 returns

The station swapped its "Thunder" country format with co-owned WHTG and WBBO on September 15, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. [3] At that time, the station resumed its former identity of "B 98.5", and at that time also swapped call signals, assuming the WHTG-FM identity long associated with 106.3 FM in Eatontown, which became WKMK at that time. some of the staff were a carry-over from Hit 106. In the weeks leading up to the station change, commercials continuously announced "Hit 106 is moving down the dial". On December 8, 2010, 98.5 Went back to The WBBO Calls.


Airstaff

The current lineup (as of January 3, 2022) is as follows

B98.5 Morning Show (6–10 am): TJ Mateo & Lenore (Lenny) Luca

Middays (10 am – 2pm): Danny Rios

Afternoon (2–6 pm): Rashaud Thomas

Nights (6 pm-midnight): E

Program Director/Music Director: Rashaud Thomas

Related Research Articles

WHTG may refer to:

WPST is a commercial radio station licensed to Trenton, New Jersey, airing a CHR format known as "94-5 PST". Owned by Townsquare Media, the station serves Central Jersey, the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia and its northern and eastern suburbs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJLK</span> Radio station in Asbury Park, New Jersey

WJLK is a commercial radio station licensed to Asbury Park, New Jersey, and serving Monmouth County, Northern Ocean County and Middlesex County. It broadcasts a Top 40 radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media, along with sister stations WCHR-FM, WADB-AM, WOBM-FM, and WOBM-AM

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNNJ</span> Radio station in Newton, New Jersey

WNNJ is a Class B1 FM radio station licensed to Newton, New Jersey, broadcasting on 103.7 FM. They serve the Sussex County, New Jersey radio market while also reaching northeastern Pennsylvania and Orange County, New York. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WNNJ offers a classic rock format focusing on 1970s, '80s and '90s rock. They also mix in some 1960s and current rock as well. The station is known as "103-7 WNNJ The Tri States' Rock Station". The station achieves high ratings as well. The legal call letters of this station were WNNJ-FM from the Summer of 1988 until June 30, 2008. The FM was dropped that day because their AM sister station on 1360 changed its call letters from WNNJ to WTOC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKMK</span> Radio station in WTHJ: Bass River Township, New Jersey

WKMK and WTHJ are two radio stations simulcasting a country music format. The stations are licensed to Eatontown and Bass River Township, New Jersey, respectively. The station is owned by Press Communications. WKMK's transmitter is located at exit 105 of the Garden State Parkway in Tinton Falls. WTHJ's transmitter is located on the tower of Philadelphia television station WWSI/62 located in Tuckerton in extreme southern Ocean County. The studios are located in Neptune, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWEG</span> Radio station in Myersville, Maryland

WWEG is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Myersville, Maryland. The station is owned by Manning Broadcasting, Inc. and broadcasts a classic hits format.

WCHR is a religious radio station in Flemington, New Jersey serving Trenton, New Jersey which is owned and operated by Townsquare Media.

WSJO is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Egg Harbor City, New Jersey. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, through licensee Townsquare License, LLC, and broadcasts a Top 40 (CHR) format.

WWYY is a United States class A radio station broadcasting on 107.1 FM. The station is located in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania and licensed to Belvidere, New Jersey. It serves the Poconos and the Lehigh Valley regions. The station is currently owned by Cumulus Media, through licensee Radio License Holding CBC, LLC. The station now airs a country music format and is known as "Cat Country 96", simulcasting WCTO 96.1 FM Easton, Pennsylvania.

WCHR-FM, known as "105.7 The Hawk", "Classic Rock for the Jersey Shore, 105.7 The Hawk" or in reverse "105.7 The Hawk, Classic Rock for the Jersey Shore", is a radio station in Manahawkin, New Jersey, with a classic rock format. It is owned by Townsquare Media.

Nassau Broadcasting Partners LP was a company based in Princeton, New Jersey that owned radio stations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic United States. Nassau's stations, which included both AM and FM frequencies, were located in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The company was owned and headed by Louis F. Mercatanti. Nassau was predominantly an operator of radio stations in medium and small markets. Nassau formerly owned radio station WCRB in Waltham, a Boston suburb, and located in the Boston market, the 11th largest radio market in the US, according to BIA Financial Network. However that station was sold to WGBH in 2009. Nassau operated radio stations in substantially all of the major formats. The company's most common format was classic rock/classic hits. On October 13, 2011 Nassau Broadcasting entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after their senior lenders petitioned for an involuntary Chapter 7 liquidation in September. The stations were auctioned to various bidders in May 2012 subject to bankruptcy judge and FCC approval. Nassau's last station, WPLY in Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania, lost its license in 2014 after having shut down in 2011.

KJOZ is a radio station, paired with 3 FM relay translators. Licensed to Conroe, Texas, KJOZ primarily serves the northern Houston, Texas metropolitan area. The station broadcasts a Tropical music format.

WWZY is a classic rock music formatted radio station licensed to Long Branch, New Jersey. The station is simulcast on 99.7 WBHX Tuckerton, New Jersey.

WNJE is a sports talk radio station in Trenton, New Jersey. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEEX</span> Radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania

WEEX is a radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States, owned by Cumulus Media, through licensee Radio License Holding CBC, LLC. The station airs a sports radio format branded as "Fox Sports Lehigh Valley", carrying the Fox Sports Radio network. It is also the flagship radio station for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs minor league baseball team and Lehigh University Athletics.

WADB is a country music radio station serving the southern Monmouth and northern Ocean county area of New Jersey. Licensed to Asbury Park, its studios are located in Toms River and its transmitter is in Tinton Falls. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.

WNYH is a radio station licensed to Huntington, New York, it serves the Long Island area and broadcasts brokered programming from The Overcomer Ministry. The station is owned by Win Radio Broadcasting Corporation.

WVBH is a radio station licensed to Beach Haven West, New Jersey serving the Monmouth/Ocean radio market. The station is owned by Priority Radio, Inc. It airs an urban gospel format rebroadcasting WXHL-FM from Newark, Delaware.

WBYN was a news/talk radio station licensed to serve Lehighton, Pennsylvania. The station was owned by Connoisseur Media through licensee Connoisseur Media Licenses, LLC. It was simulcasting WEEU in Reading, Pennsylvania, which was owned by Twilight Broadcasting. The station carried a mix of locally-produced and syndicated programming, with specialty music shows on weekends, plus live sports including the Philadelphia Phillies and 76ers.

Hit 106, HIT-106 or Hits 106 can refer to one of the following radio stations:

References

  1. ↑ http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=59495&Callsign=WBBO FCC Call Sign History
  2. ↑ http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WKMK FCC FM Query
  3. ↑ "Monmouth radio station 106.3 FM changes to country music," Asbury Park Press, September 8, 2010". app.com. Retrieved 2017-03-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.