KZJK
Encyclopedia
KZJK is a radio station
broadcasting the adult hits
"Jack FM
" format
in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region of Minnesota
. The current format took to the air on the morning of April 21, 2005, following more than four years of a 1980s
-centered playlist. The station is owned by CBS Corporation
through the radio subsidiary CBS Radio
.
Currently, the station's main transmitter
is rated at 89,000 watt
s effective radiated power
and is located on KMSP-TV
's tower in the suburb of Shoreview
, with the city of license in the suburb of St. Louis Park
. An auxiliary transmission facility is located atop the IDS Center
in downtown Minneapolis
.
frequency in the Twin Cities area signed on in 1962
. For much of its early history, the station was KRSI-FM, paired with a sister AM station
with the same call letters. The two stations simulcast with each other on and off through much of their existence, and finally separated when the AM station was sold separately in 2005
.
Until the mid-1990s, the station was hampered by a badly located tower. Although they were licensed to the west Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park
, the tower was located far east of the Twin Cities, in Somerset, Wisconsin
. The result was a spotty signal in parts of the metropolitan area, and it would be many years until this situation was rectified.
Partly due to signal limitations and impatient management, the 104.1 FM frequency went through many format changes throughout its history.
until 1973
, KRSI-FM played Top 40 hits and oldies
as "Request Radio" , simulcasting with their AM sister station. This was by far the most successful format for both stations, and in Spring 1969
, they were the #3 station in the market, behind WCCO and WDGY
.
The two stations moved away from oldies and more toward current pop music
in 1971
. In March 1973
950 AM became the first affiliate of Drake-Chenault
’s automated “Great American Country” format, as both stations moved from their location in St. Louis Park to new facilities in Eden Prairie
(which today is still home to 950 AM). The FM station broadcast in stereo
for the first time and continued with a rock
/Top 40 hybrid format, soon changing its call letters to KFMX.
Following that, the FM station went through a succession of different formats and transitions throughout the rest of the decade. For a brief time, they played freeform rock
, going up against KQRS-FM. They began playing disco
music at night in 1978
, soon adopting the format full time and becoming "Disco 104". By this time, the AM station was playing rock/Top 40 as "Musicradio I-95" (featuring a great deal of New Wave music
). KFMX gave up disco in February 1980
as the fad faded in popularity, and both stations switched to an adult standards
/"Music of Your Life
" simulcast, with KFMX becoming KRSI-FM once again.
, the FM station switched to country music
, as "K-JO Country", adopting the KJJO call letters
. They were up against much competition from market leader WDGY
, low-rated KTCR
and soon, KEEY
. KJJO was never very competitive as a country station. In September 1983, after playing "Old Time Rock and Roll
" by Bob Seger
for 48 hours straight, they launched a new format, "Twenty Years of Rock and Roll" as classic hits
"K-JO 104".
KJJO's ratings improved with their classic hits format, but the station was still was not making much of an impact in the market. In 1986
, KJJO transformed yet again and introduced a hard rock
format, to go head-to-head with the classic rock
-leaning KQRS-FM. They kept the KJJO call letters, and dubbed themselves "Hot Rockin' 104" (later "Rock 104"). At its peak, the hard rock format pushed KJJO into the top 10 in the local Arbitron
ratings. KJJO was not very consistent with the harder format, though, as they went back and forth between heavy metal
and mainstream album-oriented rock
. In 1987
they picked up the syndicated heavy metal Z-Rock radio network
affiliation for their AM sister station.
, as heavy metal
started to fade in popularity, KJJO, by now a mainstream rock
station, began adding more alternative rock
songs to the playlist. Eventually, KJJO ditched the heavy metal and mainstream rock altogether and became a full-fledged modern rock
station. At first, they called themselves "104FM", but eventually picked up the moniker "KJ104".
During the station's modern rock run, the playlist became more and more adventurous. Over time, KJ104 garnered a lot of positive word of mouth
in the Twin Cities area, though ratings were still mediocre. The station's manager complained in the local media that KJ104's listeners were not filling out the Arbitron
ratings diaries, the results of which are used to measure a radio station's success.
, KJJO publicly announced a pending switch back to country music, which was becoming very popular around the time, amid a large outcry from KJ104's dedicated fans. On the morning of September 8, after signing off the modern rock format by playing "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
" by R.E.M.
, "Thunder 104.1" debuted. As a country station, ratings went up slightly, but they could not compete with the established K102
and the soon-to-sign-on WBOB (BOB 100)
.
The two other country stations trounced Thunder 104.1, soon knocking them back down to the same level as the former KJ104. To set themselves apart from the heavy competition, they evolved into a classic country
format, and ratings slightly improved. Meanwhile, several former KJ104 employees were working at bringing the much-missed modern rock format back to the local airwaves, which culminated with the debut of REV 105
in April 1994. A month prior to this, hard rocker KRXX
(93.7 FM) became KEGE ("The Edge") and soon became the highest-rated modern rock station in the country, succeeding where KJJO, as KJ104, failed.
in April 1995
, with the KJJO call letters finally retired and new calls KMJZ introduced. During this time, ownership transferred several times. Nationwide Communications
bought both the AM and FM stations from the estate of its longtime owner Roy Park
, then Nationwide was bought by Jacor
, which spun the station off to Infinity Broadcasting (which later became part of CBS Radio
).
In October 1998
, the station changed format once again, to Modern AC
as "104.1 The Point" with the WXPT call letters. They evolved into an '80s hits format by November 2000
, and the station took the "Mix 104" moniker. While never a dominant station, Mix 104.1 was a modest ratings and financial success, as the station's transmitter woes were finally resolved by the move to KMSP-TV
's antenna array in Shoreview, Minnesota
, home to the transmission facilities of most of the area's big FM stations.
CBS Radio later sold WXPT's longtime sister station at 950 AM to a local group, which turned it into KTNF
, a progressive talk station.
, three weeks after the format change to adult hits as "Jack FM" as part of a corporate branding strategy, the call letters were officially changed to KZJK.
Across the country, CBS Radio
(formerly Infinity Broadcasting) now has 4 FM stations carrying the "Jack" format, the others being in Dallas, Los Angeles
, and Seattle
.
104.1 Jack FM has a much bigger playlist than most radio stations. While many stations commonly have 200-400 songs in rotation, the Jack format is known for playlists with roughly 1,200 song
s, reducing repetition.
The "Jack FM" "Happy Ending" Event at 5 PM on January 12, 2009 was announced frequently on the station over the few days leading up to the event. The last song played before the event was "The Last Song" by Edward Bear, a nod to both the "end" of Jack and the rumored name of the new station, The Bear.
The "Happy Ending" culminated as a promotional gimmick to advertise for Jack FM's hour-long commercial-free hour to air each weekday starting at about 5 PM Central Time.
It is also noted that unlike most adult hit stations that only play recurrents and recent oldies mixed in with classic hits, this station plays at least one current hit an hour to better compete with more current based competiters KHTC & KDWB
.
format, somewhat of a revival of the old KMJZ. Smooth jazz was also on 100.3 FM for several years as KJZI, prior to the station switching to talk
as KTLK-FM
in late 2005.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting the adult hits
Adult hits
Adult hits is a radio format, popular in the early 2000s, that does not adhere to a specific music genre, but instead draws from a wider playlist...
"Jack FM
Jack FM
JACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
" format
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. The current format took to the air on the morning of April 21, 2005, following more than four years of a 1980s
1980s in music
For music from a year in the 1980s, go to 80 | 81 | 82 | 83 | 84 | 85 | 86 | 87 | 88 | 89For a history of music in all times, see Timeline of musical events....
-centered playlist. The station is owned by CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation
CBS Corporation is an American media conglomerate focused on commercial broadcasting, publishing, billboards and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. The President and CEO of the company is Leslie Moonves. Sumner Redstone, owner of National Amusements, is CBS's...
through the radio subsidiary CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
Currently, the station's main transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
is rated at 89,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
and is located on KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...
's tower in the suburb of Shoreview
Shoreview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile...
, with the city of license in the suburb of St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
. An auxiliary transmission facility is located atop the IDS Center
IDS Center
The IDS Center is the tallest building in the state of Minnesota at 792 feet . Opened in 1974 as the IDS Centre, it stood 775 feet 6 inches , though a 16-foot garage for window washing equipment was added at a later date...
in downtown Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
.
History
The 104.1 MHzHertz
The hertz is the SI unit of frequency defined as the number of cycles per second of a periodic phenomenon. One of its most common uses is the description of the sine wave, particularly those used in radio and audio applications....
frequency in the Twin Cities area signed on in 1962
1962 in radio
The year 1962 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*In Sweden Sveriges Radio launches a third national channel – P3 – as an alternative to commercial pirate radio....
. For much of its early history, the station was KRSI-FM, paired with a sister AM station
KTNF
KTNF is a radio station licensed to St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The station brands itself as "The Voice of Minnesota," and offers a combination of locally produced and nationally syndicated progressive talk programming.In the summer of 2004,...
with the same call letters. The two stations simulcast with each other on and off through much of their existence, and finally separated when the AM station was sold separately in 2005
2005 in radio
The year 2005 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*April 29 - KFRC 610 AM in San Francisco, switches formats as a result of ownership change. KFRC becomes KEAR, the "Sound of the New Life", a listener-supported, gospel/religious only station. It had been previously KFRC from...
.
Until the mid-1990s, the station was hampered by a badly located tower. Although they were licensed to the west Minneapolis suburb of St. Louis Park
St. Louis Park, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,126 people, 20,782 households, and 10,557 families residing in the city. The population density was 4,122.5 persons per square mile . There were 21,140 housing units at an average density of 1,975.0 per square mile...
, the tower was located far east of the Twin Cities, in Somerset, Wisconsin
Somerset, Wisconsin
Somerset is a village in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, along the Apple River. The population was 1,556 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Somerset.-Geography:Somerset is located at ....
. The result was a spotty signal in parts of the metropolitan area, and it would be many years until this situation was rectified.
Partly due to signal limitations and impatient management, the 104.1 FM frequency went through many format changes throughout its history.
KRSI-FM to KFMX and back
From February 19681968 in radio
The year 1968 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* 1 February: WABX Detroit drops classical music to air progressive rock/freeform full-time....
until 1973
1973 in radio
The year 1973 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*15 October – Dutch public-broadcasting station Hilversum 3 begins round-the-clock transmission....
, KRSI-FM played Top 40 hits and oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
as "Request Radio" , simulcasting with their AM sister station. This was by far the most successful format for both stations, and in Spring 1969
1969 in radio
Significant events in radio broadcasting in the year 1969 included the debuts of two documentaries on rock and roll.-Events:*21–23 February: The History of Rock and Roll, a comprehensive 48-part documentary, debuts on KHJ in Los Angeles...
, they were the #3 station in the market, behind WCCO and WDGY
WDGY
WREY is a Spanish-language radio station with studios located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is licensed to Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it was licensed to Hudson, Wisconsin from 1997 to 2005. It is a full market coverage radio station of Minneapolis/St.Paul...
.
The two stations moved away from oldies and more toward current pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
in 1971
1971 in radio
The year 1971 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*2 January: A ban on radio and television cigarette advertisements goes into effect in the United States.*14 February: All of ABC Radio's FM stations change call letters, all on the same day:...
. In March 1973
1973 in radio
The year 1973 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*15 October – Dutch public-broadcasting station Hilversum 3 begins round-the-clock transmission....
950 AM became the first affiliate of Drake-Chenault
Drake-Chenault
Drake-Chenault Enterprises was a radio syndication company that specialized in automation on FM radio stations. The company was founded in the late-1960s by radio programmer and deejay Bill Drake , and his business partner, Lester Eugene Chenault...
’s automated “Great American Country” format, as both stations moved from their location in St. Louis Park to new facilities in Eden Prairie
Eden Prairie, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,579 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile...
(which today is still home to 950 AM). The FM station broadcast in stereo
STEREO
STEREO is a solar observation mission. Two nearly identical spacecraft were launched into orbits that cause them to respectively pull farther ahead of and fall gradually behind the Earth...
for the first time and continued with a rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
/Top 40 hybrid format, soon changing its call letters to KFMX.
Following that, the FM station went through a succession of different formats and transitions throughout the rest of the decade. For a brief time, they played freeform rock
Freeform (radio format)
Freeform, or freeform radio, is a radio station programming format in which the disc jockey is given total control over what music to play, regardless of music genre or commercial interests. Freeform radio stands in contrast to most commercial radio stations, in which DJs have little or no...
, going up against KQRS-FM. They began playing disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
music at night in 1978
1978 in radio
The year 1978 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:* May 6 – Bob Kingsley, producer of the syndicated "American Country Countdown," takes over as host. He replaces Don Bowman, who had hosted for the first 4½ years...
, soon adopting the format full time and becoming "Disco 104". By this time, the AM station was playing rock/Top 40 as "Musicradio I-95" (featuring a great deal of New Wave music
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
). KFMX gave up disco in February 1980
1980 in radio
The year 1980 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* 20 March - The pirate radio station Radio Caroline sinks.* 29 October - President Carter on a visit to Pittsburgh gives a nationally broadcast campaign interview to KDKA-AM of that city....
as the fad faded in popularity, and both stations switched to an adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
/"Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life
Music of Your Life is a satellite-delivered radio network featuring the Adult Standards music format. Created by record executive and jingle writer Al Ham, and now under the direction of Marc Angell, Music of Your Life has more than 50 AM, FM and HD-2 radio station affiliates, and has been in...
" simulcast, with KFMX becoming KRSI-FM once again.
KJJO
In 19811981 in radio
The year 1981 in radio involved some significant events.-Debuts:* September 22 - WCAU-FM in Philadelphia debuts a new Hot Hits format called "98 Now!" which sweeps the local ratings and inspires parent company CBS to look at converting its other FM stations to similar formats.* October — "The...
, the FM station switched to country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, as "K-JO Country", adopting the KJJO call letters
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
. They were up against much competition from market leader WDGY
WDGY
WREY is a Spanish-language radio station with studios located in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is licensed to Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it was licensed to Hudson, Wisconsin from 1997 to 2005. It is a full market coverage radio station of Minneapolis/St.Paul...
, low-rated KTCR
KTCZ
KTCZ-FM is a AAA radio station broadcasting to the Twin Cities market of Minnesota and neighboring Wisconsin.Cities 97 is owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota.-History:...
and soon, KEEY
KEEY
KEEY-FM is a country music formatted radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul market of Minnesota. It is the most popular country station in the area, and often comes in just below area powerhouses KQRS-FM and WCCO in overall ratings. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
. KJJO was never very competitive as a country station. In September 1983, after playing "Old Time Rock and Roll
Old Time Rock and Roll
"Old Time Rock and Roll" is the title of a song by Bob Seger featured on his 1978 album Stranger in Town and released as a single in 1979. It is a nostalgic look at the music of a previous generation. The song was featured in the Tom Cruise film Risky Business and gained widespread fame because of...
" by Bob Seger
Bob Seger
Robert Clark "Bob" Seger is an American rock and roll singer-songwriter, guitarist and pianist.As a locally successful Detroit-area artist, he performed and recorded as Bob Seger and the Last Heard and Bob Seger System throughout the 1960s...
for 48 hours straight, they launched a new format, "Twenty Years of Rock and Roll" as classic hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
"K-JO 104".
KJJO's ratings improved with their classic hits format, but the station was still was not making much of an impact in the market. In 1986
1986 in radio
The year 1986 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*January 18 – The syndicated "American Country Countdown" expands from three to four hours. Much like "American Top 40" had more than seven years earlier, several new features are added, including a weekly recap of three...
, KJJO transformed yet again and introduced a hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
format, to go head-to-head with the classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
-leaning KQRS-FM. They kept the KJJO call letters, and dubbed themselves "Hot Rockin' 104" (later "Rock 104"). At its peak, the hard rock format pushed KJJO into the top 10 in the local Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings. KJJO was not very consistent with the harder format, though, as they went back and forth between heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
and mainstream album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
. In 1987
1987 in radio
The year 1987 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 1 — WBEA-FM in Elyria, Ohio drops their "B107" top 40 format to become the second affiliate for the Satellite Music Network's "Z Rock" service, with new WCZR calls....
they picked up the syndicated heavy metal Z-Rock radio network
Radio network
There are two types of radio networks currently in use around the world: the one-to-many broadcast type commonly used for public information and mass media entertainment; and the two-way type used more commonly for public safety and public services such as police, fire, taxicabs, and delivery...
affiliation for their AM sister station.
Modern Rock KJ104
By 19901990 in radio
The year 1990 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*KJJO in Minneapolis, Minnesota transitions from active rock to alternative rock.*KBLN in Dallas, Texas becomes KXEB.*Daytimer KKDA in Dallas, Texas begins nighttime broadcasting....
, as heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
started to fade in popularity, KJJO, by now a mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
station, began adding more alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
songs to the playlist. Eventually, KJJO ditched the heavy metal and mainstream rock altogether and became a full-fledged modern rock
Modern rock
Modern rock is a rock format commonly found on commercial radio; the format consists primarily of the alternative rock genre...
station. At first, they called themselves "104FM", but eventually picked up the moniker "KJ104".
During the station's modern rock run, the playlist became more and more adventurous. Over time, KJ104 garnered a lot of positive word of mouth
Word of mouth
Word of mouth, or viva voce, is the passing of information from person to person by oral communication. Storytelling is the oldest form of word-of-mouth communication where one person tells others of something, whether a real event or something made up. Oral tradition is cultural material and...
in the Twin Cities area, though ratings were still mediocre. The station's manager complained in the local media that KJ104's listeners were not filling out the Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
ratings diaries, the results of which are used to measure a radio station's success.
Back to country as "Thunder 104.1"
In the summer of 19921992 in radio
The year 1992 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:* January 22 - Rebel forces occupy Zaire's national radio station in Kinshasa and broadcast a demand for the government's resignation.* February 12 - Washington, D.C...
, KJJO publicly announced a pending switch back to country music, which was becoming very popular around the time, amid a large outcry from KJ104's dedicated fans. On the morning of September 8, after signing off the modern rock format by playing "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
"It's the End of the World as We Know It " is a song by the rock band R.E.M., which appeared on their 1987 album Document, the 1988 compilation Eponymous, and the 2006 compilation And I Feel Fine... The Best of the I.R.S Years 1982–1987...
" by R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, "Thunder 104.1" debuted. As a country station, ratings went up slightly, but they could not compete with the established K102
KEEY
KEEY-FM is a country music formatted radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul market of Minnesota. It is the most popular country station in the area, and often comes in just below area powerhouses KQRS-FM and WCCO in overall ratings. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
and the soon-to-sign-on WBOB (BOB 100)
KTLK-FM
KFXN-FM 100.3 —branded 100.3 FM KFAN: The Fan—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a sports talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KFXN-FM's transmitter is located in the suburb of Shoreview on...
.
The two other country stations trounced Thunder 104.1, soon knocking them back down to the same level as the former KJ104. To set themselves apart from the heavy competition, they evolved into a classic country
Classic country
Classic country is a music radio format that specializes in playing mainstream country hits from past decades.This genre generally follows one of two formats: those specializing in hits from the 1920s through the early 1970s, and focus primarily on innovators and artists from country music's Golden...
format, and ratings slightly improved. Meanwhile, several former KJ104 employees were working at bringing the much-missed modern rock format back to the local airwaves, which culminated with the debut of REV 105
WGVX
WGVX, WGVY and WGVZ is a trimulcast serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, and an area of central Minnesota to the north. The three stations are now owned by Cumulus Media, along with sister stations KQRS-FM and KXXR....
in April 1994. A month prior to this, hard rocker KRXX
KXXR
KXXR is an active rock radio station broadcasting to the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media, which also owns KQRS-FM and the three station trimulcast known as "Love 105"...
(93.7 FM) became KEGE ("The Edge") and soon became the highest-rated modern rock station in the country, succeeding where KJJO, as KJ104, failed.
Station sold, more format changes
The country fad died down by the mid-1990s, and with K102 and BOB 100 firmly establishing themselves, KJJO bowed out of the format and flipped to smooth jazzSmooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
in April 1995
1995 in radio
The year 1995 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:* January 1- KAEV in Lake Arrowhead, California changes to KCXX with an alternative rock format.* April - KJJO in Minneapolis, Minnesota flips to smooth jazz as KMJZ....
, with the KJJO call letters finally retired and new calls KMJZ introduced. During this time, ownership transferred several times. Nationwide Communications
Nationwide Communications
Nationwide Communications Inc. was a media subsidiary of the Nationwide Insurance Company, which operated from 1946 until 1997. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Nationwide Communications owned and operated a variety of radio and television stations across the United States until it sold off all its radio...
bought both the AM and FM stations from the estate of its longtime owner Roy Park
Roy H. Park
Roy Hampton Park was an American media executive and entrepreneur. -Biography:Park was born in Dobson, North Carolina, the son of a tenant farmer...
, then Nationwide was bought by Jacor
Jacor
Jacor Communications was a media corporation which owned a large number of radio stations in the United States. Inside the radio industry, Jacor was seen as one of the most competitive broadcast companies in history. Jacor's re-image in 1996 created the slogan "The Noise You Can't Ignore".Jacor was...
, which spun the station off to Infinity Broadcasting (which later became part of CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
).
In October 1998
1998 in radio
The year 1998 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 2 — A gunman shoots Antario Teodoro Filho, Brazilian politician and radio presenter, during a broadcast.*January 21 - Big 105 debuts playing its AC format...
, the station changed format once again, to Modern AC
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
as "104.1 The Point" with the WXPT call letters. They evolved into an '80s hits format by November 2000
2000 in radio
The year 2000 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*The Real Radio & Century Radio networks become active on - air, through the United Kingdom....
, and the station took the "Mix 104" moniker. While never a dominant station, Mix 104.1 was a modest ratings and financial success, as the station's transmitter woes were finally resolved by the move to KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV
KMSP-TV, channel 9, is the Fox-owned-and-operated television station serving the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota designated market area, owned in a duopoly with MyNetworkTV affiliate WFTC...
's antenna array in Shoreview, Minnesota
Shoreview, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there are 25,377 people, Males: 12,303 , Females: 13,074 , 9,965 households, and 7,021 families residing in the city. The population density is 2,315.9 people per square mile . There are 10,127 housing units at an average density of 919.2 per square mile...
, home to the transmission facilities of most of the area's big FM stations.
CBS Radio later sold WXPT's longtime sister station at 950 AM to a local group, which turned it into KTNF
KTNF
KTNF is a radio station licensed to St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The station brands itself as "The Voice of Minnesota," and offers a combination of locally produced and nationally syndicated progressive talk programming.In the summer of 2004,...
, a progressive talk station.
Jack FM
On May 10, 20052005 in radio
The year 2005 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*April 29 - KFRC 610 AM in San Francisco, switches formats as a result of ownership change. KFRC becomes KEAR, the "Sound of the New Life", a listener-supported, gospel/religious only station. It had been previously KFRC from...
, three weeks after the format change to adult hits as "Jack FM" as part of a corporate branding strategy, the call letters were officially changed to KZJK.
Across the country, CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
(formerly Infinity Broadcasting) now has 4 FM stations carrying the "Jack" format, the others being in Dallas, Los Angeles
KCBS-FM
KCBS-FM is a radio station in Los Angeles, California broadcasting to the Greater Los Angeles area on 93.1 FM. KCBS-FM airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack-FM"....
, and Seattle
KJAQ
KJAQ is a commercial radio station located in Seattle, Washington. KJAQ airs an adult hits music format branded as "Jack FM".-History:...
.
104.1 Jack FM has a much bigger playlist than most radio stations. While many stations commonly have 200-400 songs in rotation, the Jack format is known for playlists with roughly 1,200 song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
s, reducing repetition.
The "Jack FM" "Happy Ending" Event at 5 PM on January 12, 2009 was announced frequently on the station over the few days leading up to the event. The last song played before the event was "The Last Song" by Edward Bear, a nod to both the "end" of Jack and the rumored name of the new station, The Bear.
The "Happy Ending" culminated as a promotional gimmick to advertise for Jack FM's hour-long commercial-free hour to air each weekday starting at about 5 PM Central Time.
It is also noted that unlike most adult hit stations that only play recurrents and recent oldies mixed in with classic hits, this station plays at least one current hit an hour to better compete with more current based competiters KHTC & KDWB
KDWB
KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
.
HD2 Station
KJZK offers an HD2 subchannel that airs a smooth jazzSmooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format, somewhat of a revival of the old KMJZ. Smooth jazz was also on 100.3 FM for several years as KJZI, prior to the station switching to talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
as KTLK-FM
KTLK-FM
KFXN-FM 100.3 —branded 100.3 FM KFAN: The Fan—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a sports talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KFXN-FM's transmitter is located in the suburb of Shoreview on...
in late 2005.
External links
- Radiotapes.com Featuring historic airchecks of various formats heard in the past on 104.1 FM including KFMX-FM Disco, KJJO-FM, KRSI-FM along with other Twin Cities radio station airchecks dating back to 1924
- Rick Burnett's TwinCitiesRadioAirchecks.com More historical recording of 104.1 FM including KRSI and KFMX, and other Twin Cities radio stations.