WJRD
Encyclopedia
WJRD is a radio station
licensed
to serve Tuscaloosa, Alabama
, USA. The station is owned by JRD, Inc. WJRD simulcasts on FM translators W271AM (102.1 FM
) and W292DU (106.3 FM
) in Tuscaloosa.
It broadcasts an oldies
music format to the Tuscaloosa metropolitan area
as an affiliate of Scott Shannon
's True Oldies Channel, a satellite-fed radio format
from ABC Radio.
as a "local" station at 1230 kHz with 250 watt
s of power. The station was originally owned by James R. Doss, Jr., and he used his own initials when choosing call letters. (His brother, James Lyndon Doss, would do the same in 1942 when they jointly put WJLD
on the air in Birmingham, Alabama
.)
By 1952, the station would relocate to its current 1150 kHz frequency and increase its signal power to 5,000 watts during the day and a 1,000 watt signal at night. Also by 1952, the station would be headquartered at the First National Bank Building and Mrs. Wilhelmina Doss would be listed as the station's owner and general manager. Through the 1950s and early 1960s, the station aired a full-service mix of news and easy listening
music.
In 1959, WJRD general manager John C. Cooper Jr. was elected president of the Alabama Broadcasters Association.
In December 1969, James W. Harris reached an agreement to transfer control of WJRD's license holder, Cooper Radio Inc., to Druid City Broadcasters Inc. in exchange for stock in Druid City Broadcasters and an employment agreement with Cooper Radio.
In December 1983, Dr. Charles B. Crow and Maureen Crow made a deal to transfer control of GMC Broadcasting, Inc., the licensee of this station, to William A. Grant, Jr. The transfer was approved by the FCC on January 9, 1984, and the transaction was consummated on March 9, 1984.
format.
In June 1992, the station switched callsigns again, this time to WSPZ to match its new sports talk format. WSPZ aired a mix of sports talk programs, call-in shows, and sporting events including Atlanta Falcons
football games.
In July 1997, GMC Broadcasting, Inc., agreed to sell this station to Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 16, 1997, and the transaction was consummated on December 31, 1997. The new owners flipped the format to black gospel.
In January 2002, Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Radio South, Inc., (Houston L. Pearce, sole shareholder) for a reported sale price of $150,000. After several amendments to the application and the station falling silent for almost a year, the deal was finally approved by the FCC on April 11, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on April 24, 2003.
music format branded as "Timeless Classics". By the time Pearce filed for the renewal of WJRD's broadcast license
in March 2004, the name of the company had been changed to Apex Broadcasting, Inc. On October 15, 2004, the station dropped the WSPZ callsign for its heritage WJRD call letters.
In February 2005, Apex Broadcasting Inc. (Houston L. Pearce, chairman) reached an agreement to be acquired by Citadel Broadcasting (Farid Suleman, chairman/CEO). In the deal Citadel acquired WJRD and five other radio stations in Alabama for a reported sale price of $29 million. Citadel, already operating WJRD under a local marketing agreement
, continued the adult standards music format under the "Timeless Favorites 1150" branding. In June 2005, the station became a simulcast of country music
sister station WFFN
("95.3 The Bear").
On February 6, 2006, music programming was dropped as WJRD became "1150, The People's Station" with a mix of talk radio
programming aimed at an African American
audience. Part of Citadel's then-new "Black Talk Network", WJRD aired shows hosted by "Fly Jock" Tom Joyner
, activist Reverend Al Sharpton, Michael Eric Dyson, plus sports talk from the "Two Live Stews".
The change to talk would prove short lived as it was dropped in September 2007 when Citadel Broadcasting
(Farid Suleman, chairman/CEO) reached an agreement to transfer the license for WJRD to JRD, Inc. (James Shaw, president) for a reported sale price of $200,000. The station moved back to adult standards music and the "Timeless Classics" branding at the end of September 2007. The FCC finally approved the deal on November 2, 2007, and the transaction was consummated on November 19, 2007.
Just like original owner James R. Doss, the station's current owners (JRD, Inc., shareholders James E. Shaw, Ronald B. Price, and David M. Baughn) share initials with this station's callsign.
music format in favor of "The True Oldies Channel" branding and a satellite-fed oldies
music format. Until the shift, this programming was aired on WDGM
(99.1 FM) which now airs a sports talk format branded as "The Deuce".
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 Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, USA. The station is owned by JRD, Inc. WJRD simulcasts on FM translators W271AM (102.1 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"...
) and W292DU (106.3 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"...
) in Tuscaloosa.
It broadcasts an 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....
music format to the Tuscaloosa metropolitan area
Tuscaloosa metropolitan area
The Tuscaloosa metropolitan area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau, is an area consisting of three counties in west central Alabama, anchored by the city of Tuscaloosa...
as an affiliate of Scott Shannon
Scott Shannon
Michael Scott Shannon is a radio disc jockey, current co-host of the "Scott and Todd in the Morning" show on WPLJ, host of The True Oldies Channel, and the official voice of The Sean Hannity Show.-Early Radio Career:...
's True Oldies Channel, a satellite-fed radio 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...
from ABC Radio.
The beginning
WJRD first signed on in 19361936 in radio
The year 1936 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.-Events:*2 January: Bing Crosby becomes full-time host of the Kraft Music Hall, following Paul Whiteman, after having been a guest host on December 5, 1935....
as a "local" station at 1230 kHz with 250 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 of power. The station was originally owned by James R. Doss, Jr., and he used his own initials when choosing call letters. (His brother, James Lyndon Doss, would do the same in 1942 when they jointly put WJLD
WJLD
WJLD is a radio station licensed to Fairfield, Alabama, that serves most of the Birmingham metropolitan area. The station offers talk and music programming targeted towards African-American listeners, including a mixture of locally originated talk programming and urban oldies music. The station...
on the air in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
.)
By 1952, the station would relocate to its current 1150 kHz frequency and increase its signal power to 5,000 watts during the day and a 1,000 watt signal at night. Also by 1952, the station would be headquartered at the First National Bank Building and Mrs. Wilhelmina Doss would be listed as the station's owner and general manager. Through the 1950s and early 1960s, the station aired a full-service mix of news and easy listening
Easy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
music.
In 1959, WJRD general manager John C. Cooper Jr. was elected president of the Alabama Broadcasters Association.
In December 1969, James W. Harris reached an agreement to transfer control of WJRD's license holder, Cooper Radio Inc., to Druid City Broadcasters Inc. in exchange for stock in Druid City Broadcasters and an employment agreement with Cooper Radio.
In December 1983, Dr. Charles B. Crow and Maureen Crow made a deal to transfer control of GMC Broadcasting, Inc., the licensee of this station, to William A. Grant, Jr. The transfer was approved by the FCC on January 9, 1984, and the transaction was consummated on March 9, 1984.
End of an era
On February 27, 1987, the station abandoned its heritage callsign of more than 50 years to become WZBQ. The switch was made to help brand the station's new 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.
In June 1992, the station switched callsigns again, this time to WSPZ to match its new sports talk format. WSPZ aired a mix of sports talk programs, call-in shows, and sporting events including Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football games.
In July 1997, GMC Broadcasting, Inc., agreed to sell this station to Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on October 16, 1997, and the transaction was consummated on December 31, 1997. The new owners flipped the format to black gospel.
In January 2002, Birmingham Christian Radio, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Radio South, Inc., (Houston L. Pearce, sole shareholder) for a reported sale price of $150,000. After several amendments to the application and the station falling silent for almost a year, the deal was finally approved by the FCC on April 11, 2003, and the transaction was consummated on April 24, 2003.
WJRD reborn
In mid-June 2003, the station came back on the air with an adult standardsAdult 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 format branded as "Timeless Classics". By the time Pearce filed for the renewal of WJRD's broadcast license
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...
in March 2004, the name of the company had been changed to Apex Broadcasting, Inc. On October 15, 2004, the station dropped the WSPZ callsign for its heritage WJRD call letters.
In February 2005, Apex Broadcasting Inc. (Houston L. Pearce, chairman) reached an agreement to be acquired by Citadel Broadcasting (Farid Suleman, chairman/CEO). In the deal Citadel acquired WJRD and five other radio stations in Alabama for a reported sale price of $29 million. Citadel, already operating WJRD under a local marketing agreement
Local marketing agreement
In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting, a local marketing agreement is an agreement in which one company agrees to operate a radio or television station owned by another licensee...
, continued the adult standards music format under the "Timeless Favorites 1150" branding. In June 2005, the station became a simulcast of 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...
sister station WFFN
WFFN
WFFN is a radio station licensed to serve Coaling, Alabama, USA, and broadcasting to the Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. It broadcasts a country music format....
("95.3 The Bear").
On February 6, 2006, music programming was dropped as WJRD became "1150, The People's Station" with a mix of talk radio
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...
programming aimed at an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
audience. Part of Citadel's then-new "Black Talk Network", WJRD aired shows hosted by "Fly Jock" Tom Joyner
Tom Joyner
Thomas "Tom" Joyner is an American radio host, host of the nationally syndicated The Tom Joyner Morning Show, and also founder of REACH Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.-Early life:...
, activist Reverend Al Sharpton, Michael Eric Dyson, plus sports talk from the "Two Live Stews".
The change to talk would prove short lived as it was dropped in September 2007 when 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...
(Farid Suleman, chairman/CEO) reached an agreement to transfer the license for WJRD to JRD, Inc. (James Shaw, president) for a reported sale price of $200,000. The station moved back to adult standards music and the "Timeless Classics" branding at the end of September 2007. The FCC finally approved the deal on November 2, 2007, and the transaction was consummated on November 19, 2007.
Just like original owner James R. Doss, the station's current owners (JRD, Inc., shareholders James E. Shaw, Ronald B. Price, and David M. Baughn) share initials with this station's callsign.
Programming
In December 2008, the station dropped its "Timeless Classics" branding and adult standardsAdult 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 format in favor of "The True Oldies Channel" branding and a satellite-fed 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....
music format. Until the shift, this programming was aired on WDGM
WDGM
WDGM is a radio station licensed to serve Greensboro, Alabama, USA. The station is owned by Cumulus Media.It broadcasts a sports talk format branded as "The Deuce" with the slogan "Tuscaloosa's Home for Jox!" to the greater Tuscaloosa, Alabama, area...
(99.1 FM) which now airs a sports talk format branded as "The Deuce".