WJBE
Encyclopedia
WJBE are the call letters presently assigned by the Federal Communications Commission
to a non-commercial FM
radio station
licensed
to serve Five Points, Alabama
, United States. The station is owned by Big South Community Broadcasting, Inc. In January 1968, the call letters were assigned to an AM radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee, owned by entertainer James Brown
. The callsign conveyed his James Brown Enterprises (JBE) mark. On December 27, 2007, the FCC assigned WJBE for an FM broadcast station branded as "Country Legends 88.5" and serving Walker and Winston Counties, Alabama. This station went dark
on December 31, 2010.
format that served Walker
and Winston
Counties. Notable local programs included The Wal-Win Wake-up Show with Brett Elmore & Barry Patilla on weekday mornings and The Woody Wilson Show on weekday mid-days. In addition to its music programming, the station broadcast local news and weather, regional sports, plus CNN News at the top of every hour. Each weekday morning, WJBE aired a tradio
program called "Swap Shop".
WJBE also aired select local high school football
games and the college basketball
games of both Bevill State Community College and Walker College. The station was also the home of the 2009 Alabama Broadcasters Association
's Small Market Sportscaster of the Year, Brett Elmore.
from the Federal Communications Commission
on December 20, 2007
. The new station was assigned the call letters WJBE by the FCC on December 27, 2007. WJBE received its license to cover
from the FCC on June 5, 2008.
. That station, known at the time as WGYW was purchased by entertainer James Brown
in November 1967 for a reported $75,000. Brown had the callsign changed to WJBE (for James Brown Enterprises) in January 1968. The station broadcast a rhythm & blues and soul music
format branded as "WJBE 1430, Raw Soul, Another James Brown Station".
Brown sold the station in 1979 and in November 1979 the call letters were changed to WBMK. In May 1987 the station changed callsigns again, this time to WEMG. Under the ownership of Chicago-based Word of Faith Fellowship, Inc., the station went off the air in the mid-1990s and its license was cancelled by the FCC on August 27, 1996.
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
to a non-commercial FM
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"...
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...
licensed
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....
to serve Five Points, Alabama
Five Points, Alabama
Five Points is a town in Chambers County, Alabama, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 146.-History:Five Points was incorporated in 1915.Five Points is home to the first consolidated high school in the State of Alabama...
, United States. The station is owned by Big South Community Broadcasting, Inc. In January 1968, the call letters were assigned to an AM radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee, owned by entertainer James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
. The callsign conveyed his James Brown Enterprises (JBE) mark. On December 27, 2007, the FCC assigned WJBE for an FM broadcast station branded as "Country Legends 88.5" and serving Walker and Winston Counties, Alabama. This station went dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
on December 31, 2010.
Programming
WJBE broadcast a country musicCountry 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...
format that served Walker
Walker County, Alabama
Walker County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama.Its name is in honor of John Williams Walker, a member of the United States Senate. As of 2010 the population was 67,023...
and Winston
Winston County, Alabama
Winston County is a county of the U.S. state of Alabama, formerly known as Hancock County before 1858.Its name is in honor of John A. Winston, the 15th Governor of Alabama. As of 2010, the population was 24,484. Its county seat is Double Springs....
Counties. Notable local programs included The Wal-Win Wake-up Show with Brett Elmore & Barry Patilla on weekday mornings and The Woody Wilson Show on weekday mid-days. In addition to its music programming, the station broadcast local news and weather, regional sports, plus CNN News at the top of every hour. Each weekday morning, WJBE aired a tradio
Tradio
Tradio is the name given to a type of talk radio show format where listeners call in to buy or sell items. The concept of is analogous to classified ads in local newspapers....
program called "Swap Shop".
WJBE also aired select local high school football
High school football
High school football, in North America, refers to the game of football as it is played in the United States and Canada. It ranks among the most popular interscholastic sports in both of these nations....
games and the college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
games of both Bevill State Community College and Walker College. The station was also the home of the 2009 Alabama Broadcasters Association
Alabama Broadcasters Association
The Alabama Broadcasters Association, commonly referred to as ABA, represents radio and television broadcasters across the U.S. state of Alabama. It is affiliated with the National Association of Broadcasters. Every year the organization presents the ABBY Awards. The organization also has a...
's Small Market Sportscaster of the Year, Brett Elmore.
History
This station received its original construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
from the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
on December 20, 2007
2007 in radio
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports Babe" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida....
. The new station was assigned the call letters WJBE by the FCC on December 27, 2007. WJBE received its license to cover
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
from the FCC on June 5, 2008.
James Brown's WJBE
This station is unrelated to an earlier WJBE, a now-defunct AM radio station once based in the Five Points area of Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. That station, known at the time as WGYW was purchased by entertainer James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
in November 1967 for a reported $75,000. Brown had the callsign changed to WJBE (for James Brown Enterprises) in January 1968. The station broadcast a rhythm & blues and soul music
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
format branded as "WJBE 1430, Raw Soul, Another James Brown Station".
Brown sold the station in 1979 and in November 1979 the call letters were changed to WBMK. In May 1987 the station changed callsigns again, this time to WEMG. Under the ownership of Chicago-based Word of Faith Fellowship, Inc., the station went off the air in the mid-1990s and its license was cancelled by the FCC on August 27, 1996.