WJAB
Encyclopedia
The Big JAB is a network of sports
radio station
s in southern Maine
, owned by Atlantic Coast Radio
. It is on 1440 AM (WRED, licensed to Westbrook
) and 96.3 FM (WJJB-FM, licensed to Gray
). It is located on 779 Warren Avenue in Portland, Maine
.
music station, giving major competition to cross-town WLOB
. WJAB immediately became the top rated station in Portland, a position it held until 1965, when a resurgent WLOB, after having obtained night power, retook the top spot. WJAB launched a similarly-formatted FM sister station, WJBQ-FM (106.3) in 1974; the WJBQ callsign was eventually implemented on the AM station as well. WJBQ-FM
relocated to 97.9 in 1980, in a frequency swap with WDCS (a predecessor to WBACH; 106.3 is now occupied by WHXR
); in the intervening years, the AM station would attempt several formats, including all-news
(as WMER), a simulcast of what had become WWGT-FM (as WWGT), and hard rock
and heavy metal
via the Z Rock
network (as WLPZ). In the mid 1990s, the station settled on its current sports format; initially retaining the WLPZ callsign, it became WJAE in 1997 in an attempt to restore the WJAB identity to the station despite that callsign's assignment to another station
. (Then-owners Bob Fuller and J. J. Jeffrey
had previously worked at WJAB during the 1960s; Jeffrey retained WJAE by way of Atlantic Coast Radio upon the sale of Fuller-Jeffrey's FM stations to Citadel Broadcasting
in 1999.)
The 96.3 frequency debuted in 1975 as WRUM-FM from its former city of license, Rumford. In 1981, the call letters were changed to WWMR, and by 1983 the format was a high-energy top 40/AOR
hybrid with live DJs and the branding "96 WMR"; additionally, the station's power was boosted significantly, giving it regional coverage. In 1987, WWMR-FM was sold to Carter Broadcasting
, and the station adopted a religious
format. Carter eventually consolidated the operations of WWMR with that of sister station WLOB, and in 1997 the callsign was changed to WLOB-FM. After WLOB and WLOB-FM were sold to Atlantic Coast Radio in 2000, the religious programming was discontinued in favor of a news-talk
format. In 2006, WLOB-FM relocated its transmitter from western Maine to South Paris
to provide a clearer signal to the Portland area. Following the transmitter move, in 2008 WLOB-FM changed its city of license from Rumford to Gray. On August 25, 2008, WLOB-FM converted from the WLOB simulcast to a simulcast of The Big JAB.
From 1999 to 2008, The Big JAB's programming was also heard on 900 AM (WJJB, licensed to Brunswick
). On April 25, 2008, that frequency (which became WWBK
on March 18, 2008; the WJJB calls subsequently moved to WJAE) was sold to Bob Bittner (owner of WJIB
and WJTO
) for $27,000. Additionally, from 2000 to September 1, 2008, The Big JAB's FM frequency was on 95.5; initially, the station continued to broadcast under its previous WCLZ call letters); on that date, it began airing programming from Boston
's WEEI
in a simulcast with WPEI under the call letters WGEI.
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
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...
s in southern Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, owned by Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio, LLC is a radio company located in the state of Maine, owned by longtime broadcaster J. J. Jeffrey. Prior to the current radio group, Jeffrey was a partner in Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with Bob Fuller. Fuller-Jeffery's portfolio included WBLM and WOKQ but the company was...
. It is on 1440 AM (WRED, licensed to Westbrook
Westbrook, Maine
Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
) and 96.3 FM (WJJB-FM, licensed to Gray
Gray, Maine
Gray is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,820 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Gray is home to regional headquarters for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and...
). It is located on 779 Warren Avenue in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
.
History
The 1440 frequency first went on the air November 8, 1959 as WJAB, a (daytime-only) top 40Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
music station, giving major competition to cross-town WLOB
WLOB
WLOB is a news/talk radio station in the Portland, Maine area. The current owner is Atlantic Coast Radio. In the 1960's McGavern/Guild Media NYC owned WLOB AM 1310/FM 98 as Atlantic States Industries Div...
. WJAB immediately became the top rated station in Portland, a position it held until 1965, when a resurgent WLOB, after having obtained night power, retook the top spot. WJAB launched a similarly-formatted FM sister station, WJBQ-FM (106.3) in 1974; the WJBQ callsign was eventually implemented on the AM station as well. WJBQ-FM
WJBQ
WJBQ is a radio station in Portland, Maine, United States, which airs a contemporary hit radio format.-Programming:...
relocated to 97.9 in 1980, in a frequency swap with WDCS (a predecessor to WBACH; 106.3 is now occupied by WHXR
WHXR
WXTP is an FM radio station licensed to North Windham, Maine, serving the Portland area from studios in Freeport.-History:The station signed on in 1996 as WVYH, and featured an adult standards format known as "The Jewel". The station was simulcast on sister stations WLAM in Gorham and WZOU in...
); in the intervening years, the AM station would attempt several formats, including all-news
All-news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
(as WMER), a simulcast of what had become WWGT-FM (as WWGT), and 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...
and 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...
via the Z Rock
Z Rock
Z-Rock was a nationally syndicated radio network based out of Dallas, Texas, USA, in the mid-1980s through the mid-1990s that played heavy metal and hard rock music. The format was one of ABC Radio Network's 24-hour satellite formats...
network (as WLPZ). In the mid 1990s, the station settled on its current sports format; initially retaining the WLPZ callsign, it became WJAE in 1997 in an attempt to restore the WJAB identity to the station despite that callsign's assignment to another station
WJAB
The Big JAB is a network of sports radio stations in southern Maine, owned by Atlantic Coast Radio. It is on 1440 AM and 96.3 FM...
. (Then-owners Bob Fuller and J. J. Jeffrey
J. J. Jeffrey
J.J. Jeffrey is an American radio executive and a former prominent Top 40 disc jockey whose work was heard on some of the United States' most influential rock-and-roll stations during the 1960s and 1970s....
had previously worked at WJAB during the 1960s; Jeffrey retained WJAE by way of Atlantic Coast Radio upon the sale of Fuller-Jeffrey's FM stations to Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
in 1999.)
The 96.3 frequency debuted in 1975 as WRUM-FM from its former city of license, Rumford. In 1981, the call letters were changed to WWMR, and by 1983 the format was a high-energy top 40/AOR
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...
hybrid with live DJs and the branding "96 WMR"; additionally, the station's power was boosted significantly, giving it regional coverage. In 1987, WWMR-FM was sold to Carter Broadcasting
Carter Broadcasting
Carter Broadcasting is a New England based broadcasting group owned by Ken Carberry. Its headquarters are in Braintree, Massachusetts.-Massachusetts :*WACE/730: Chicopee*WCRN/830: Worcester-References:**...
, and the station adopted a religious
Religious broadcasting
Religious broadcasting refers to broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.While this article emphasises...
format. Carter eventually consolidated the operations of WWMR with that of sister station WLOB, and in 1997 the callsign was changed to WLOB-FM. After WLOB and WLOB-FM were sold to Atlantic Coast Radio in 2000, the religious programming was discontinued in favor of a news-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...
format. In 2006, WLOB-FM relocated its transmitter from western Maine to South Paris
South Paris, Maine
South Paris is a census-designated place located within the town of Paris in Oxford County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 2,237 at the 2000 census...
to provide a clearer signal to the Portland area. Following the transmitter move, in 2008 WLOB-FM changed its city of license from Rumford to Gray. On August 25, 2008, WLOB-FM converted from the WLOB simulcast to a simulcast of The Big JAB.
From 1999 to 2008, The Big JAB's programming was also heard on 900 AM (WJJB, licensed to Brunswick
Brunswick, Maine
Brunswick is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 20,278 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland-South Portland-Biddeford metropolitan area. Brunswick is home to Bowdoin College, the Bowdoin College Museum of Art, the Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum, , and the...
). On April 25, 2008, that frequency (which became WWBK
WWBK
WCME is a radio station in Brunswick, Maine. The station is owned by veteran radio news anchor and talk host Jim Bleikamp, and is currently silent. When the station returns, it will operate with a locally-oriented, full-service format emphasizing news and local activities in the midcoast Maine...
on March 18, 2008; the WJJB calls subsequently moved to WJAE) was sold to Bob Bittner (owner of WJIB
WJIB
WJIB is a radio station based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that specializes in Adult Standards and 1950s & 1960s pop music. It is owned by Bob Bittner Broadcasting, with a sister station: WJTO at Bath, Maine...
and WJTO
WJTO
WJTO 730 AM is an Adult Standards/Oldies station licensed to Bath, Maine. WJTO is owned by Bob Bittner Broadcasting and is a sister station to Cambridge, Massachusetts' WJIB.-History:...
) for $27,000. Additionally, from 2000 to September 1, 2008, The Big JAB's FM frequency was on 95.5; initially, the station continued to broadcast under its previous WCLZ call letters); on that date, it began airing programming from Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
's WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
in a simulcast with WPEI under the call letters WGEI.
Stations
| Callsign 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... |
Frequency Frequency Frequency is the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit time. It is also referred to as temporal frequency.The period is the duration of one cycle in a repeating event, so the period is the reciprocal of the frequency... |
City of license City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... |
Power Electric power Electric power is the rate at which electric energy is transferred by an electric circuit. The SI unit of power is the watt.-Circuits:Electric power, like mechanical power, is represented by the letter P in electrical equations... /ERP 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... |
Class | HAAT Height above average terrain Height above average terrain is used extensively in FM radio and television, as it is actually much more important than effective radiated power in determining the range of broadcasts... |
Facility ID Facility ID The facility ID number or FIN is a unique positive integer assigned by the United States Federal Communications Commission to each domestic and international broadcast station in its Common Database System . Licensees are required to provide the relevant station's FIN when filing reports and... |
Former Callsign 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... s |
Transmitter Coordinates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WRED | 1440 kHz | Westbrook, Maine Westbrook, Maine Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:... |
5,000 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 |
B | 3140 | WJJB (2008) WJAE (1997-2008) WLPZ (1990-1997) WWGT (1986-1990) WMER (1980-1986) WJBQ (1974-1980) WJAB (1959-1974) |
43°40′50.0"N 70°22′47.0"W | |
| WJJB-FM | 96.3 MHz | Gray, Maine Gray, Maine Gray is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,820 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Gray is home to regional headquarters for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and... |
40,000 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 |
C1 | 430 meters | 9180 | WLOB-FM (1997-2008) WWMR-FM (1983-1997) WWMR (1981-1983) WRUM-FM (1975-1981) |
44°15′3.0"N 70°25′16.0"W |
Programming
- The Morning JAB with David "Shoe" Schumacher and Joe Palmieri
- The PM JAB with Chris SedenkaChris SedenkaChristopher Louis Sedenka is an American sports broadcaster in Portland, Maine. He currently hosts "The PM JAB with Chris Sedenka and Javier Gorriti" on The Big JAB 96.3 FM in Portland...
and Javier Gorriti - The Saturday Morning Jab with Mike Antonellis'
- Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
baseball, from the Red Sox Radio Network - Jim RomeJim RomeJim Rome is an American sports radio talk show host syndicated by Premiere Radio Networks, a subsidiary of Clear Channel Communications....
- Fox Sports RadioFox Sports RadioFox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
(however Yahoo Sports is still carried for sports updates during local programming)
Former hosts/shows
- *Bill Bodwell (original host of The Morning JAB along with Shoe.)
- Frank FixarisFrank FixarisFrank Fixaris was an American sportscaster, anchor, and reporter, spending the majority of his career at WGME-TV in Portland, Maine. He also co-hosted a morning radio show on WJAB after his television run.Fixaris attended college in Boston, Massachusetts and graduated from Emerson College in 1956...
- Kyle Violette (Co-host of "The Weekend JAB")
- DJ Abisalih (Co-host of "The Weekend JAB")
- The Big Jab Weekend Warm-Up with Matt Boutwell and Jeff Schools.
- Maine Red Claws basketball
- High School football and basketball.
Co-owned stations
- WLOBWLOBWLOB is a news/talk radio station in the Portland, Maine area. The current owner is Atlantic Coast Radio. In the 1960's McGavern/Guild Media NYC owned WLOB AM 1310/FM 98 as Atlantic States Industries Div...
1310AM, Licensed to Portland, MainePortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, currently a talk radioTalk radioTalk 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...
formatRadio formatA 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...
. - WPEI 95.9 FM, Licensed to Saco, MaineSaco, MaineSaco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
, part of the WEEI Radio NetworkWEEIWEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts... - WPPIWPPIWXYG is an American radio station intended to serve Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, USA. The station is part of the Tri-County Broadcasting group and the construction permit is held by Herbert M. Hoppe. WXYG recently signed on the air with a classic rock format.-History:This station received its original...
95.5 FM, Licensed to Topsham, Maine, part of the WEEI Radio NetworkWEEIWEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...