WMJJ

Last updated
WMJJ
WMJJ MAGIC96.5 logo.png
Broadcast area Birmingham, Alabama
Frequency 96.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingMagic 96.5
Programming
Format Adult contemporary
Subchannels HD2: 104.1 The Beat (Mainstream urban)
HD3: K-Love
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WDXB, WERC, WERC-FM, WQEN
History
First air date
June 1, 1961 (as WCRT-FM)
Former call signs
WCRT-FM (1961–1973)
WQEZ (1973–1982)
Call sign meaning
Sounds like 'magic" (station branding)
Technical information
Facility ID 2111
Class C0
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 313 meters (1,027 ft)
Translator(s) HD2: 104.1 W281AB (Mountain Brook)
HD3: 96.1 W241AI (Gorgas)
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Listen Live (HD2)
Website magic96.iheart.com
1041thebeat.iheart.com (HD2)
Transmitter towers, including one for WMJJ, November 2019 Homewood, Alabama transmitter towers.jpg
Transmitter towers, including one for WMJJ, November 2019

WMJJ (96.5 FM, "Magic 96.5") is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. Owned by San Antonio-based iHeartMedia, it broadcasts an adult contemporary format. This format temporarily switches to Christmas music for the months of November and December. Its studios are located at Beacon Ridge Tower in Birmingham, and its transmitter is on the west end of the Red Mountain range.

Contents

The station carries a mainstream urban format, 104.1 The Beat, as well as K-Love, on HD Radio subchannels. They are simulcast in analog by 104.1 W281AB and 96.1 W241AI respectively.

History

This station began licensed broadcasting with 49,000 watts of effective radiated power on the 96.5 MHz frequency on June 1, 1961, as WCRT-FM. [1] Under the joint ownership of Chapman Radio & Television Company, WCRT-FM was the sister station of WCRT (1260 AM, now known as WYDE). [1]

In 1973, the station was sold to Magic City Broadcasting, moved to a taller antenna, increased power to an even 50,000 watts, and changed callsigns to WQEZ to reflect the station's shift to beautiful music. [2] In the late 1970s, the station increased its broadcast power to the present 100,000 watts. [3] Throughout the 1970s, there was very little choice in FM programming in Birmingham; most stations were either easy listening or album rock stations. 96.5 FM was the home of WQEZ "your 'Q' to E-Z listening". The format consisted of instrumental music and soft vocals.[ citation needed ]

The station was sold in 1982 to Capitol Broadcasting, a company owned primarily by radio group owner Ken Johnson. Ray Quinn, who had been Johnson's General Manager at his property in Louisville. Kentucky (WRKA) moved to Birmingham and built a new management team and changed its format to adult contemporary on December 27 of that year. [4] Until this time there were no FM stations in the market with this format. The stations that came closest to filling this niche were WSGN, WAPI and Top-40 station WKXX. The new name of the station was Magic 96, and it has retained that name and format since then.[ citation needed ]

Quinn's original team included program director Bill Thomas and original sales manager Chris Gallu. Later, the sales team leadership included Steve Streiker who was General Sales Manager from 1983 until 1985. Burt and Kurt hosted the morning show during the station's early years, Charlie Walker did middays, and Jeff Tyson handled evenings, both crossing the street from top-ranked (at the time) WKXX to join the station. When Bill Thomas left the programming chair to become VP/Programming for Capitol Broadcasting in the mid-80's, John Jenkins was promoted to Program Director, remaining in that position until he left the station to program WMAG-FM (also a Magic station) in Greensboro, N.C., which he took from a 3.8 to an 8.7 in ratings share. He was succeeded by Smokey Rivers, who broadened WMJJ's playlist to even dabble in classic rock and oldies at night for several years.[ citation needed ]

John Jenkins returned as Vice President of programming at Ameron Broadcasting in the early 1990s and returned the station's focus to mainstream adult contemporary music. Under Ameron's ownership, the station remained consistently number one in women until it was sold to Capstar Broadcasting, which later merged with Clear Channel Communications, which owns the station today. The station began a promotion in the early 1980s that remained a fixture on the station for nearly a decade, the "Magic Alabama Lottery". The promotion involved the mailing of numbered tickets to hundreds of thousands of Birmingham residents each Spring and Fall. One listener won $96,000, one of the largest cash prizes ever given away by a Birmingham radio station. The station also gave away a $175,000 home in that promotion in the mid 1990s.[ citation needed ]

Magic 96 was one of the seminal adult contemporary radio stations of the 1980s. Innovations in programming, audience promotion, advertising sales management, advertising inventory management and pricing, were pioneered at WMJJ and were widely emulated by stations in other radio markets.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

WBPT is a classic rock music-formatted radio station licensed to Homewood, Alabama, that serves the Birmingham and central Alabama area. The station was assigned the WBPT call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on October 17, 2001. From October 2005 to December 20, 2022, it used the branding "106.9 the Eagle". The station is owned by SummitMedia, along with six other stations in the cluster, and all share studios in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeast Birmingham. Its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJOX-FM</span> Radio station in Birmingham, Alabama

WJOX-FM is a radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. The station airs a sports format. WJOX-FM is owned by Cumulus Media. The station was assigned the WJOX-FM call sign by the Federal Communications Commission on February 8, 2010. The station has studios in Homewood and its transmitter is in West Birmingham along the west ridge of Red Mountain.

WTAR is a commercial radio station licensed to Norfolk, Virginia, and serving the Hampton Roads radio market. WTAR is owned and operated by Sinclair Telecable, Inc. It broadcasts an adult album alternative format as "96.5 The Coast". WTAR's studios and offices are on Waterside Drive in Norfolk.

WERC is a commercial radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it simulcasts a talk radio format with sister station WERC-FM. The studios and offices are in Beacon Ridge Tower on First Avenue South in Birmingham, off Interstate 65.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQEN</span> Radio station in Trussville, Alabama

WQEN is a radio station licensed to serve Trussville, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by San Antonio–based iHeartMedia. Other stations in the Birmingham market owned by iHeartMedia include WDXB, WERC-FM, WERC, and WMJJ. The station has studios at Beacon Ridge Tower in Birmingham and its transmitter is on the west end of the Red Mountain range.

WYDE is a commercial AM radio station. The station is owned by the Crawford Broadcasting Company and airs a Southern Gospel radio format with some Christian talk and teaching programs. It is simulcast with WYDE-FM 92.5 MHz in Cordova.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WATV (AM)</span> Radio station in Birmingham, Alabama

WATV is an AM radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama. It transmits on 900 AM as well as FM translator W235BS 94.9 FM. The daytime power of WATV is 845 watts, and during nighttime, it transmits with 158 watts. WATV is an urban contemporary music station, specializing in soul, R&B, disco, and early hip-hop from the 1970s through today. Community issues are also often discussed on the air that pertain to the African American community. It is owned by Courtney French.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KJFK (AM)</span> Radio station in Austin, Texas

KJFK and KJFK-FM are a pair of terrestrial radio stations, which serve Austin, Texas, and Llano, Texas, United States respectively. Both facilities are owned by Township Media and broadcast an adult hits format as "96.3 Jack FM", utilizing the nationally syndicated Jack FM licensing. KJFK can also be heard in Austin proper on translator K242DE and in Giddings, Texas on KGID, both of which also operate on 96.3 FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KSRV-FM</span> Radio station in Ontario, Oregon

KSRV-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Ontario, Oregon, and broadcasting to the Boise metropolitan area. KSRV-FM is owned by the Iliad Media Group Holdings Employee Stock Ownership Trust, through licensee Iliad Media Group Holdings Inc., and airs an adult hits radio format known as "Bob FM 96.1." The studios and offices are on East Franklin Road in Nampa, Idaho.

WIKE is a commercial radio station located in Newport, Vermont. It is owned by Vermont Broadcast Associates, Inc. and it broadcasts a classic rock format, simulcast from 106.3 WMTK in Littleton, New Hampshire. Both stations call themselves "The Notch." WIKE's programming is also heard on translator station W276DK in Derby Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPEK</span> Radio station in Fairview, North Carolina

WPEK is a commercial AM daytimer radio station, known as "ESPN Asheville." It is licensed to Fairview, North Carolina and serves the Asheville metropolitan area. The station airs an all-sports radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Most programming comes from ESPN Radio. WPEK is largely simulcast on WMXF in Waynesville, North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJRD</span> Radio station in Tuscaloosa, Alabama

WJRD is a radio station licensed to serve Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. The station is owned by JRD, Inc. WJRD simulcasts on FM translators W271AM and W276DP in Tuscaloosa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KFH (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Wichita, Kansas

KFH is a commercial AM radio station in Wichita, Kansas. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. It airs a sports radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on East Douglas Avenue.

WMMA is a radio station licensed to the community of Irondale, Alabama, United States, and serving the greater Birmingham, Alabama, area. The station, which began broadcasting in 1960, is currently owned by La Promesa Foundation. It airs a Catholic radio format including some programming provided by EWTN.

WCZZ is a daytimer AM radio station licensed to Greenwood, South Carolina, and serving the Lakelands area. It airs an urban adult contemporary format and is owned by Broomfield Broadcasting, Inc. The studios are on Montague Avenue in Greenwood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXJC (AM)</span> Radio station in Birmingham, Alabama

WXJC is an AM radio station licensed to serve Birmingham, Alabama. The station is licensed to Kimtron, Inc., and is owned by Crawford Broadcasting Company. It airs a Southern Gospel music and Talk radio format.

WRSA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to the City of St. Albans, Vermont. It is owned by Steven Silberberg's Northeast Broadcasting Company, through licensee Radio Broadcasting Services, Incorporated. It airs a hot adult contemporary format, simulcasting sister station WIXM. There is an unrelated WRSA-FM/96.9 in Huntsville, Alabama.

WINI is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to Murphysboro, Illinois, the station is owned by Southern Illinois Radio Group, and carries Westwood One's Good Time Oldies network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXKB</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Cape Coral, Florida

WXKB is a commercial radio station licensed to Cape Coral, Florida, and serving the Fort Myers-Naples radio market and Southwest Florida. WXKB is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a Top 40/CHR radio format branded as "B-103.9 All the Hits", sometimes called "The Killer B." In afternoon drive time it carries On Air with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated by Premiere Networks.

WERC-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Hoover, Alabama, and serving Greater Birmingham. It is owned by iHeartMedia and it simulcasts a talk radio format with sister station WERC 960 AM. The studios and offices are in Beacon Ridge Tower on First Avenue South in Birmingham, off Interstate 65.

References

  1. 1 2 "Directory of AM and FM Radio stations in the U.S.". 1963 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1963. p. B-4.
  2. ↑ "Directory of AM and FM Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". 1974 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1974. p. C-4.
  3. ↑ "Directory of Radio Stations in the United States and Canada". Broadcasting Yearbook 1979. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-6.
  4. ↑ Carlton, Bob (2007-12-05). "Ray Quinn returning to Birmingham to manage Clear Channel radio stations". The Birmingham News . Birmingham, Alabama. Retrieved 2008-01-03. Ray Quinn came to Birmingham in 1982 to help launch radio station Magic 96.5 (WMJJ-FM). Now, Quinn is back in town to run Clear Channel Radio's cluster of five stations, including his old station. He started here Tuesday.

33°26′38″N86°52′48″W / 33.444°N 86.880°W / 33.444; -86.880

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.