WMRK
Encyclopedia
WJAM is a radio station
licensed
to serve Selma, Alabama
, USA. Originally launched in 1946, the station is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting, LLC, and the WJAM broadcast license
is held by Scott Communications, Inc.
music format. Notable syndicated weeknight talk programming includes Larry King Live
and The Jim Bohannon Show.
WJAM has broadcast Sunday morning services of the First Presbyterian Church
of Selma for more than 40 years.
station licensed to serve Selma, Alabama
. Original owner G.W. Covington Jr. had the station assigned the call letters WGWC after his own initials. Covington died in 1949 and his estate transferred the license for WGWC to Dallas Broadcasters Inc., owned by Oscar Covington.
Judge W.E. Farrar acquired Dallas Broadcasters Inc. on October 10, 1958. This ownership change would prove short-lived as on August 1, 1961, WGWC was acquired by Robert J. Martin.
In 1964 the station increased the strength of its daytime signal to 1,000 watts while maintaining a 250 watt nighttime signal. The station took on a new call sign
in 1968 with a change to WAMA. The newly-renamed WAMA changed hands again on February 1, 1969, when it was acquired by the Vogel-Hendrix Corporation.
In 1975, WAMA was acquired by Thomas E. Alexander's Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc. Now a sister station
to WALX
, the station was assigned new call letters WMRK by the Federal Communications Commission
.
After the death of Thomas E. Alexander in April 1989, control of Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc., was passed by his estate to his widow, Betty Hunt Alexander. The transfer was approved by the FCC on June 9, 1989, and the transaction was completed on June 20, 1989.
Betty Alexander hosted the morning show on WMRK from the time her husband acquired the station in 1975 until her death in November 2004. In March 2005, the estate of Betty Alexander filed with the FCC to take control of Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc. The transfer of control was approved by the FCC on April 20, 2005, and completed on April 26, 2005. In November 2005, the estate applied to transfer control of the company to Paul Scott Alexander, a son of Betty Alexander. The transfer was approved by the FCC on December 30, 2005, and completed on January 3, 2006.
In January 2006, Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc., agreed to transfer the broadcast license for WMRK to Scott Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 27, 2006, and the transaction was consummated on January 28, 2006.
On March 23, 2009, WMRK swapped callsigns with FM sister station
WJAM-FM to become WJAM and WMRK-FM, respectively.
On March 27, 2009 WJAM changed their format from talk to urban adult contemporary.
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 Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, USA. Originally launched in 1946, the station is currently owned by Bluewater Broadcasting, LLC, and the WJAM 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...
is held by Scott Communications, Inc.
Programming
WJAM broadcasts an urban adult contemporaryUrban Adult Contemporary
Urban adult contemporary is the name for a format of radio music, similar to an urban contemporary format. Radio stations using this format usually would not have rap music on their playlists. The format was designed by Barry Mayo when he, Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson organized Broadcast...
music format. Notable syndicated weeknight talk programming includes Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
and The Jim Bohannon Show.
WJAM has broadcast Sunday morning services of the First Presbyterian Church
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
of Selma for more than 40 years.
History
This station first began regular broadcast operations on December 19, 1946, as a full-time 250 wattWatt
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:...
station licensed to serve Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
. Original owner G.W. Covington Jr. had the station assigned the call letters WGWC after his own initials. Covington died in 1949 and his estate transferred the license for WGWC to Dallas Broadcasters Inc., owned by Oscar Covington.
Judge W.E. Farrar acquired Dallas Broadcasters Inc. on October 10, 1958. This ownership change would prove short-lived as on August 1, 1961, WGWC was acquired by Robert J. Martin.
In 1964 the station increased the strength of its daytime signal to 1,000 watts while maintaining a 250 watt nighttime signal. The station took on a new call sign
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...
in 1968 with a change to WAMA. The newly-renamed WAMA changed hands again on February 1, 1969, when it was acquired by the Vogel-Hendrix Corporation.
In 1975, WAMA was acquired by Thomas E. Alexander's Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc. Now a sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
to WALX
WALX
WALX is a classic hits music formatted radio station licensed to Orrville, Alabama, and serving the Selma, Alabama, market. The station is owned by Scott Communications, Inc.-Programming:...
, the station was assigned new call letters WMRK by 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...
.
After the death of Thomas E. Alexander in April 1989, control of Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc., was passed by his estate to his widow, Betty Hunt Alexander. The transfer was approved by the FCC on June 9, 1989, and the transaction was completed on June 20, 1989.
Betty Alexander hosted the morning show on WMRK from the time her husband acquired the station in 1975 until her death in November 2004. In March 2005, the estate of Betty Alexander filed with the FCC to take control of Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc. The transfer of control was approved by the FCC on April 20, 2005, and completed on April 26, 2005. In November 2005, the estate applied to transfer control of the company to Paul Scott Alexander, a son of Betty Alexander. The transfer was approved by the FCC on December 30, 2005, and completed on January 3, 2006.
In January 2006, Alexander Broadcasting Co., Inc., agreed to transfer the broadcast license for WMRK to Scott Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 27, 2006, and the transaction was consummated on January 28, 2006.
On March 23, 2009, WMRK swapped callsigns with FM sister station
Sister station
In broadcasting, sister stations or sister channels are radio and/or television stations operated by the same ownership....
WJAM-FM to become WJAM and WMRK-FM, respectively.
On March 27, 2009 WJAM changed their format from talk to urban adult contemporary.