WRBJ-FM
Encyclopedia
WRBJ-FM is an Urban Contemporary
radio station
in Jackson, Mississippi
. The station is owned and operated by Roberts Broadcasting
, owners of The CW television affiliate WRBJ (TV). Roberts mainly owns TV stations, so WRBJ-FM is the only radio station under its ownership.
, with the call letters WRJH (initially standing for Roy and June Harris, who were the original owners). Both stations were promoted as "Gospel 97" for many decades. The callsign also came to mean other things as well (We're Raising Jesus Higher). After Mr. Harris died, Mrs. Harris sold the station to On Top Communications. On Top Communications bought the station in 2000 for the price of $1,600,000.00.
After that time, the WRJH callsign took on a different meaning ("We aRe Jackson's Hot 97.7). At approximately the same time, On Top Communications, was in the process of acquiring several other stations, including Urban/Hip Hop stations in New Orleans
, Albany, Georgia and Norfolk
. When On Top went bankrupt in 2005, most of its stations either switched formats or went silent (as the case with New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina
).
A short time later, WRJH was sold at a bankruptcy auction. That was when Roberts Broadcasting bought WRJH for $1,950,000.00, eventually moved its studios into TV station WRBJ's and changed the callsign to WRBJ.
WRBJ's playlist mainly consists of Hip Hop
and R&B. Unlike most stations, this one plays smoother music during the workday timeframe while it plays newer music later afternoons into the early evening, thus positioning WRBJ well with its competitors WJMI
, WRTM and WKXI-FM
.
The WRBJ call letters were previously assigned to AM 1580 and FM 92.1 in Saint Johns, Michigan, from the mid 1960's until August 1981. The original WRBJ-AM/FM was owned by Ditmer Broadcasting, which was headed by Robert D. Ditmer.
controversy, WRBJ's owner, Roberts Broadcasting, took a stand on excessively violent and derogatory hip hop
lyrical content. Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton have long taken a stand against, and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons
began to stand up against it as well, calling on people to accept "social responsibility." Inspired by the move, Roberts Broadcasting, after much reviewing of playlists for content, decided to create a policy to ban the station from playing music that glorifies violence and degrades women as of April 2007. The purpose was to take a stand against racism, self-racism (in the case of Blacks using the N-word
against each other), and promote pride in the African American
community by fighting against the oppressive media. While the revamping of the playlist may not be noticeable to listeners, the owner said that any songs on WRBJ-FM containing content considered offensive (other than censor
ed language) will be removed. And it may go on to drop syndication rights to the Russ Parr Morning Show
as well, claiming that the morning jock is a borderline shock jock
. This is the first time a radio station owner has done this since Clear Channel
banned certain songs from airplay in response to 9/11.
's morning show has been replaced by that of Rickey Smiley
. Upcoming changes for WRBJ-FM include several hours' worth of urban gospel every Sunday, a public affairs
program and neo-soul. Since September 2008, WRBJ became Jackson's affiliate of Michael Baisden
in the afternoons.
Urban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
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...
in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. The station is owned and operated by Roberts Broadcasting
Roberts Broadcasting
Roberts Broadcasting Company is a media company based in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a subsidiary of the parent company, the Roberts Companies, one of the largest African American owned conglomerates and is co-owned by brothers Steven and Michael Roberts. The company owns four network affiliates,...
, owners of The CW television affiliate WRBJ (TV). Roberts mainly owns TV stations, so WRBJ-FM is the only radio station under its ownership.
Station History
The station was originally paired with WRKN 970 AM in Brandon, MississippiBrandon, Mississippi
Brandon is a city in Rankin County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 16,436 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Rankin CountyBrandon is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, with the call letters WRJH (initially standing for Roy and June Harris, who were the original owners). Both stations were promoted as "Gospel 97" for many decades. The callsign also came to mean other things as well (We're Raising Jesus Higher). After Mr. Harris died, Mrs. Harris sold the station to On Top Communications. On Top Communications bought the station in 2000 for the price of $1,600,000.00.
After that time, the WRJH callsign took on a different meaning ("We aRe Jackson's Hot 97.7). At approximately the same time, On Top Communications, was in the process of acquiring several other stations, including Urban/Hip Hop stations in New Orleans
KNOU
KNOU is a radio station licensed to serve Empire, Louisiana. The station is owned by Power Broadcasting, LLC which purchased the station in December 2008 from the bankruptcy trustee operating on behalf of On Top Communications of Louisiana, LLC....
, Albany, Georgia and Norfolk
WWHV
WWHV is a radio station licensed to Lynn Haven, Florida, USA. The station serves the Panama City area. The station is owned by Horton Broadcasting Company, Inc.....
. When On Top went bankrupt in 2005, most of its stations either switched formats or went silent (as the case with New Orleans due to Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
).
A short time later, WRJH was sold at a bankruptcy auction. That was when Roberts Broadcasting bought WRJH for $1,950,000.00, eventually moved its studios into TV station WRBJ's and changed the callsign to WRBJ.
WRBJ's playlist mainly consists of Hip Hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
and R&B. Unlike most stations, this one plays smoother music during the workday timeframe while it plays newer music later afternoons into the early evening, thus positioning WRBJ well with its competitors WJMI
WJMI
WJMI is a radio station licensed to Jackson, Mississippi, USA with a Mainstream Urban musical format. The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation.-Station history:...
, WRTM and WKXI-FM
WKXI-FM
WKXI-FM is an Urban Adult Contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to Magee, Mississippi, but its studio is located in Ridgeland. The station is owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation, and is an affiliate of the Tom Joyner Morning Show....
.
The WRBJ call letters were previously assigned to AM 1580 and FM 92.1 in Saint Johns, Michigan, from the mid 1960's until August 1981. The original WRBJ-AM/FM was owned by Ditmer Broadcasting, which was headed by Robert D. Ditmer.
WRBJ Bans Offensive Music
In response to the Don ImusDon Imus
John Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
controversy, WRBJ's owner, Roberts Broadcasting, took a stand on excessively violent and derogatory hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
lyrical content. Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton have long taken a stand against, and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons
-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...
began to stand up against it as well, calling on people to accept "social responsibility." Inspired by the move, Roberts Broadcasting, after much reviewing of playlists for content, decided to create a policy to ban the station from playing music that glorifies violence and degrades women as of April 2007. The purpose was to take a stand against racism, self-racism (in the case of Blacks using the N-word
Nigga
Nigga is a term used in African American Vernacular English that began as an eye dialect form of the word nigger .- Use in language :In practice, its use and meaning are...
against each other), and promote pride in the 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...
community by fighting against the oppressive media. While the revamping of the playlist may not be noticeable to listeners, the owner said that any songs on WRBJ-FM containing content considered offensive (other than censor
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
ed language) will be removed. And it may go on to drop syndication rights to the Russ Parr Morning Show
Russ Parr
Russ Parr is an American radio and television personality.-Career:Parr began as a Production Services Director at ABC TV....
as well, claiming that the morning jock is a borderline shock jock
Shock jock
Shock jock is a slang term used to describe a type of any radio broadcaster who attracts attention using humor that a significant portion of the listening audience may find offensive. The term is usually used pejoratively to describe provocative or irreverent broadcasters whose mannerisms,...
. This is the first time a radio station owner has done this since Clear Channel
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
banned certain songs from airplay in response to 9/11.
WRBJ-FM is no longer Hot
On Monday, March 17, 2008, WRBJ-FM reimaged itself as just 97-7 (WRBJ). The station has fewer hip-hop songs and more R&B music. Russ ParrRuss Parr
Russ Parr is an American radio and television personality.-Career:Parr began as a Production Services Director at ABC TV....
's morning show has been replaced by that of Rickey Smiley
Rickey Smiley
Rickey Smiley is a standup comedian, television host, actor, and radio personality best known for his prank phone calls. The calls feature Smiley disguising his voice and carrying on a conversation with the recipient of the call....
. Upcoming changes for WRBJ-FM include several hours' worth of urban gospel every Sunday, a public affairs
Public affairs (broadcasting)
Public affairs, a broadcasting industry term, refers to television programs which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time...
program and neo-soul. Since September 2008, WRBJ became Jackson's affiliate of Michael Baisden
Michael Baisden
Michael Baisden is an American author, motivational speaker, host of the TV One talk show Baisden After Dark, and host of his own nationally-syndicated radio show.-Career:...
in the afternoons.