WRAT
Encyclopedia
WRAT is a rock music radio station
licensed to Point Pleasant, New Jersey
. Its studios and transmitter are located in the Borough of Lake Como, New Jersey
. The station is owned by Greater Media
.
WRAT took over the frequency 95.9 from WADB, a station named for the founder, Adamant Brown and his wife Dorothy. Brown, after determining that there was no one on frequency within the required 70 miles, and co-channel 35 miles. petitioned the FCC
for the rights to the frequency. A tower was subsequently erected at the studio site in South Belmar (now known as Lake Como
). Taking to the air in October 1968, it was one of the first automated broadcast stations with large carousels located with eight track tapes for the majority of advertising. Large reels of taped music with interspersed commercials made the station run with minimal human intervention. A computer controlled the operation. The station's "easy listening" format quickly proved popular in its coverage area of southern Monmouth and northern Ocean counties but over time, the nationwide audience for that program format began to decrease. Once Brown decided to sell the station, its days as a "beautiful music" outlet were numbered.
After a Labor Day Weekend stunt during which the song "Rat in the Kitchen" by reggae artist UB40 was aired continuously, WRAT flipped to rock and roll on Labor Day Monday, 1996. The first song that day was AC/DC's
"For Those About To Rock." The station quickly gained a loyal following, filling a void in the Monmouth/Ocean (N.J.) radio market, by providing a local station with a rock format and approach which listeners could previously only hear via stations broadcasting from New York City
and Philadelphia
.
WRAT's programming, sales, marketing, and internet operations are all controlled by local employees.
WRAT's marketing efforts have tended towards the "edgy". The station gained some notoriety in the late 1990s with a roadside billboard advertising campaign to promote its playing of nine songs in a row. The billboard photograph was captioned "WRAT 9 in a row", and featured 5 large-breasted women in bikinis standing next to each other, cropped so that only their chests were visible, and also cropped on the side so that only half of the last women was visible: thus, nine breasts in a row. As recently as early 2010, a billboard campaign was turned down by the managing authorities of a local outdoor advertising company.
In September 2006, WRAT celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Some of the station's success over this time has been contributed to the longevity of the air staff. Almost all of the air talent that began on the station in 1996 is still on air in some capacity, a rarity in today's radio landscape. Similarly rare is the presence of a staff member on the air around the clock while many stations switch to an automated format for the overnight hours. The "family atmosphere" amongst its airstaff is genuine.
Throughout the station's history, its biggest problem has been a very weak signal. Though the station added new transmitters in the summer of 2005 that allow the signal to reach as far as the urban areas of New York City
and Philadelphia, the station still suffers significant interference in southern and central Ocean County
due to co-channel interference from WBEN-FM
at 95.7 and WTTH
at 96.1. WRAT was amongst the first radio stations in the market to simulcast its radio broadcast over its internet website, and continues to do so to this day.
All other shifts are filled with a rotating cast of part time on-air personalities.
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 to Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant, New Jersey
Point Pleasant is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,392...
. Its studios and transmitter are located in the Borough of Lake Como, New Jersey
Lake Como, New Jersey
Lake Como is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,759.Lake Como was originally formed as the borough of South Belmar by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1924, from portions of Wall Township, based...
. The station is owned by Greater Media
Greater Media
Greater Media, Inc., known as Greater Media, is an American media company that specializes in radio stations. The markets where they own radio stations include Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, Charlotte, and the state of New Jersey...
.
WRAT took over the frequency 95.9 from WADB, a station named for the founder, Adamant Brown and his wife Dorothy. Brown, after determining that there was no one on frequency within the required 70 miles, and co-channel 35 miles. petitioned the FCC
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...
for the rights to the frequency. A tower was subsequently erected at the studio site in South Belmar (now known as Lake Como
Lake Como, New Jersey
Lake Como is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 1,759.Lake Como was originally formed as the borough of South Belmar by an act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 12, 1924, from portions of Wall Township, based...
). Taking to the air in October 1968, it was one of the first automated broadcast stations with large carousels located with eight track tapes for the majority of advertising. Large reels of taped music with interspersed commercials made the station run with minimal human intervention. A computer controlled the operation. The station's "easy listening" format quickly proved popular in its coverage area of southern Monmouth and northern Ocean counties but over time, the nationwide audience for that program format began to decrease. Once Brown decided to sell the station, its days as a "beautiful music" outlet were numbered.
After a Labor Day Weekend stunt during which the song "Rat in the Kitchen" by reggae artist UB40 was aired continuously, WRAT flipped to rock and roll on Labor Day Monday, 1996. The first song that day was AC/DC's
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
"For Those About To Rock." The station quickly gained a loyal following, filling a void in the Monmouth/Ocean (N.J.) radio market, by providing a local station with a rock format and approach which listeners could previously only hear via stations broadcasting from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
WRAT's programming, sales, marketing, and internet operations are all controlled by local employees.
WRAT's marketing efforts have tended towards the "edgy". The station gained some notoriety in the late 1990s with a roadside billboard advertising campaign to promote its playing of nine songs in a row. The billboard photograph was captioned "WRAT 9 in a row", and featured 5 large-breasted women in bikinis standing next to each other, cropped so that only their chests were visible, and also cropped on the side so that only half of the last women was visible: thus, nine breasts in a row. As recently as early 2010, a billboard campaign was turned down by the managing authorities of a local outdoor advertising company.
In September 2006, WRAT celebrated its 10-year anniversary. Some of the station's success over this time has been contributed to the longevity of the air staff. Almost all of the air talent that began on the station in 1996 is still on air in some capacity, a rarity in today's radio landscape. Similarly rare is the presence of a staff member on the air around the clock while many stations switch to an automated format for the overnight hours. The "family atmosphere" amongst its airstaff is genuine.
Throughout the station's history, its biggest problem has been a very weak signal. Though the station added new transmitters in the summer of 2005 that allow the signal to reach as far as the urban areas of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Philadelphia, the station still suffers significant interference in southern and central Ocean County
Ocean County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 510,916 people, 200,402 households, and 137,876 families residing in the county. The population density was 803 people per square mile . There were 248,711 housing units at an average density of 151/km²...
due to co-channel interference from WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM, known as "95.7 Ben FM," is an adult hits station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station plays a mix of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits, with some current hot adult contemporary rock singles. Named after Benjamin Franklin, the station pioneered a "Playing Anything We Feel Like" radio...
at 95.7 and WTTH
WTTH
WTTH is an urban adult contemporary music formatted radio station based in Margate City, New Jersey. It serves the general Atlantic City, NJ, metro area.-History:...
at 96.1. WRAT was amongst the first radio stations in the market to simulcast its radio broadcast over its internet website, and continues to do so to this day.
DJ information
- Carl and Marty: Mornings
- Rockyn Robyn Lane: Mid-days
- Jimmy Steal Afternoon to Evening
- Steve Hook: Nights
- Uncle Leo: Overnights
- Gotts: Saturday Nights 8 pm - 12 am
All other shifts are filled with a rotating cast of part time on-air personalities.
Management
- Station Manager: Daniel Finn
- Operations Manager/Program Director: Carl Craft
- Sales Manager: Marge Guglielmo
- Promotion Director: Doug Sjonvall
- Assistant Promotion Director/Promotions Coordinator: Maria Ciezak
- Assistant Program Director: Robyn Lane
- Music Director: Robyn Lane
- Production Director: Dan Schade
- Assistant Production Director: Jimmy Steal