WHMJ
Encyclopedia
WHMJ and WXMJ (104.5 FM
) are a Variety Hits music formatted radio station
combo broadcasting in northwest Pennsylvania
, United States. The station is owned by Forever Broadcasting, and broadcasts from the Downtown Mall in Meadville.
, with occasional break-aways for its own original programming (usually during periods of the broadcast day where WFRA offered talk and more news-intensive programming), which closely mirrored WFRA. As more and more cars became equipped with FM radios, the two radio stations broke away from each other and became completely separate programming operations, though WVEN would recapture the call letters of its sister AM station in 1989.
For many years, WVEN was known as "Mix 99.3", boasting an Adult CHR format with full-service local elements.
WXXO 104.5 made its debut on November 21, 1996 as WAQM. This station was sold in July 2000 from owner MacBeth Communications to Forever Broadcasting. Macbeth Communications was a company owned by Thom Sauber, the son of Robert H. Sauber, WFRA's founder.
Also in July 2000, Bob Sauber, whose son Tom managed WFRA-AM/FM in addition to his own WAQM, wanted to retire and put his stations up for sale. All three (Sauber also owned WTIV
in Titusville, the first of the group) were purchased by Altoona-based Forever Broadcasting, LLC for an undisclosed sum. Sauber died in October 2004 at the age of 72.
The call letters used were WOXX for the 99.3 signal and WXXO for the 104.5 signal.
Throughout its run as Kiss FM, the station was known in the community for the Kiss FM Sunday Night Dance Parties held in Conneaut Lake held during the summer months.
Special programming features during the Kiss FM tenure included the Top 9 at 9, Goodnight Kisses, the Kiss Cafe, Kiss Cartunes, Kiss It Or Diss It, and more recently the 5:00 Traffic Jam, 4 Play at 4, The Jammin' Saturday Night Kiss Party, and the Back In The Day Buffet.
Throughout its run as Kiss FM (and even dating back to the Mix 99.3 days) legendary countdown host Casey Kasem
's shows were always carried on the station. Other syndication throughout Kiss FM's reign included Backtrax USA
with Kid Kelly and Saturday Night 80's.
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
) are a Variety Hits music formatted radio station
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...
combo broadcasting in northwest Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States. The station is owned by Forever Broadcasting, and broadcasts from the Downtown Mall in Meadville.
Beginnings as WVEN-FM
This station debuted on 99.3 as WVEN-FM on March 5, 1971, as a partial simulcast of AM affiliate WFRAWFRA
WFRA is an American radio station, licensed to Franklin, Pennsylvania; the seat of government for Venango County, Pennsylvania.WFRA broadcasts at the assigned frequency of 1450 at a fulltime power of a thousand watts...
, with occasional break-aways for its own original programming (usually during periods of the broadcast day where WFRA offered talk and more news-intensive programming), which closely mirrored WFRA. As more and more cars became equipped with FM radios, the two radio stations broke away from each other and became completely separate programming operations, though WVEN would recapture the call letters of its sister AM station in 1989.
For many years, WVEN was known as "Mix 99.3", boasting an Adult CHR format with full-service local elements.
WXXO 104.5 made its debut on November 21, 1996 as WAQM. This station was sold in July 2000 from owner MacBeth Communications to Forever Broadcasting. Macbeth Communications was a company owned by Thom Sauber, the son of Robert H. Sauber, WFRA's founder.
Also in July 2000, Bob Sauber, whose son Tom managed WFRA-AM/FM in addition to his own WAQM, wanted to retire and put his stations up for sale. All three (Sauber also owned WTIV
WTIV
WTIV is an American radio station, licensed to the community of Titusville, Pennsylvania. WTIV operates at the federally-assigned frequency of 1230 at a fulltime power of 1,000 Watts...
in Titusville, the first of the group) were purchased by Altoona-based Forever Broadcasting, LLC for an undisclosed sum. Sauber died in October 2004 at the age of 72.
Time as Kiss FM
The stations became Kiss FM in November 2000. Kiss FM aired a Hot Adult Contemporary format from 5am-6pm, and a cross between CHR and Hot AC in the evening hours.The call letters used were WOXX for the 99.3 signal and WXXO for the 104.5 signal.
Throughout its run as Kiss FM, the station was known in the community for the Kiss FM Sunday Night Dance Parties held in Conneaut Lake held during the summer months.
Special programming features during the Kiss FM tenure included the Top 9 at 9, Goodnight Kisses, the Kiss Cafe, Kiss Cartunes, Kiss It Or Diss It, and more recently the 5:00 Traffic Jam, 4 Play at 4, The Jammin' Saturday Night Kiss Party, and the Back In The Day Buffet.
Throughout its run as Kiss FM (and even dating back to the Mix 99.3 days) legendary countdown host Casey Kasem
Casey Kasem
Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
's shows were always carried on the station. Other syndication throughout Kiss FM's reign included Backtrax USA
Backtrax USA
Backtrax USA is a two hour radio program hosted by former WHTZ DJ Kid Kelly that premiered in 1993.The show originally highlighted hit music from the 1980s. Since 2003, however, Backtrax USA has offered a 1990s version of the show featuring hit music from this decade alongside that of the '80s...
with Kid Kelly and Saturday Night 80's.