WBMJ
Encyclopedia
WBMJ is a radio station
broadcasting a Religious format. Licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico
, USA, it serves the Puerto Rico area. The station is currently owned by Calvary Evangelistic Mission, Inc. and features programing from Salem Communications
.
WBMJ is one of three AM
stations that comprise The Rock Radio Network
. The station's studio
facilities are in Santurce, Puerto Rico. The facilities serve as the hub of the Network, and most of the Networks's programming originates from there. The transmitter
is in Barrio Camarones, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
. It is operated with a 10,000-watt Nautel
transmitter and broadcasts in a directional pattern. For more information on WBMJ, see The Rock Radio Network
.
WBMJ broadcasts in a Religious format. Its programming is bilingual and consists largely of biblical teaching in English and in Spanish. WBMJ also broadcasts a limited amount of Christian music. It serves as the Puerto Rico affiliate of the Salem Radio Network
News agency. WBMJ is also the site of the Bible Correspondence School of the Caribbean.
Bob Bennett was a veteran of US Top 40 radio when he moved to Puerto Rico and started building WBMJ. The station was simply another iteration of the proven Top 40 format from the mainland. Since the Island of Puerto Rico is a US territory, it was natural to use mainland announcers and jingles and, of course, follow religiously the Billboard record charts. Since the culture shock of living in the Island was hard on the jocks, they seldom lasted more than a year. On the other hand, there were several totally bilingual Puerto Rican jocks who were there for a lengthy period, speaking English on a station in Puerto Rico.
From 1968 to roughly 1975, WBMJ was an exclusively English language Top 40 station, with all announcing and music in English. Spots were mostly in Spanish, though. The reasoning for the format was simple: all through Latin America, American music was popular. A really tightly done Top 40 with US hits would be an attractive proposition. However, all advertising in Puerto Rico tended to be in Spanish, so the spots were in Spanish. Even in 1968, there were less than 100,000 "Continentals" living in the Island; everyone else was a Spanish speaker first... Many knew English, though. The station, however, never got into the top stations in ratings, usually registering around 7th or 8th.
In 1975, WBMJ switched to Spanish jocks and a mix of 90% English music with some Spanish pop hits, under the name of Radio Rock. Radio Rock became the number one radio station in San Juan very quickly, staying there through much of the rest of the '70s, challenged seriously only by WKAQ with its Spanish Top 40. WBMJ became a salsa oldies station around 1981 as Exitos 1190 and then, eventually, became religious under the ownership of the operators of WIVV from Puerto Rico's Vieques Island.
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...
broadcasting a Religious format. Licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
, USA, it serves the Puerto Rico area. The station is currently owned by Calvary Evangelistic Mission, Inc. and features programing from Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
.
WBMJ is one of three AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
stations that comprise The Rock Radio Network
The Rock Radio Network
The Rock Radio Network is a 3-station AM radio network out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It broadcasts Christian biblical teaching in a bilingual format. The Rock consists of the stations WBMJ in San Juan, WIVV in Vieques, and WCGB in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico...
. The station's studio
Studio
A studio is an artist's or worker's workroom, or the catchall term for an artist and his or her employees who work within that studio. This can be for the purpose of architecture, painting, pottery , sculpture, scrapbooking, photography, graphic design, filmmaking, animation, radio or television...
facilities are in Santurce, Puerto Rico. The facilities serve as the hub of the Network, and most of the Networks's programming originates from there. The transmitter
Transmitter
In electronics and telecommunications a transmitter or radio transmitter is an electronic device which, with the aid of an antenna, produces radio waves. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating...
is in Barrio Camarones, in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
. It is operated with a 10,000-watt Nautel
Nautel
Nautel Ltd. is a Canadian manufacturer of AM and FM radio broadcast transmitters, navigational radio beacons, Differential Global Positioning System transmitters, medium frequency telegraph and NAVTEX transmitters, and high frequency amplifiers for dielectric heating applications...
transmitter and broadcasts in a directional pattern. For more information on WBMJ, see The Rock Radio Network
The Rock Radio Network
The Rock Radio Network is a 3-station AM radio network out of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It broadcasts Christian biblical teaching in a bilingual format. The Rock consists of the stations WBMJ in San Juan, WIVV in Vieques, and WCGB in Juana Díaz, Puerto Rico...
.
WBMJ broadcasts in a Religious format. Its programming is bilingual and consists largely of biblical teaching in English and in Spanish. WBMJ also broadcasts a limited amount of Christian music. It serves as the Puerto Rico affiliate of the Salem Radio Network
Salem Radio Network
Salem Radio Network is a United States-based radio network that specializes in syndicated Christian talk, music, and secular news/talk programming...
News agency. WBMJ is also the site of the Bible Correspondence School of the Caribbean.
Early history
WBMJ was owned by Bob Hope’s Mid-Ocean Broadcasting Company, and set up by its excellent General Manager, the late Bob Bennett in 1967-1968. With its distinctive sound and top modulation the station was frequently picked up as far away as Norway. WBMJ signed on in 1968 under Bob Bennett, who continued to manage the station through 1980 when Bob Hope's Mid Ocean sold to record impresario Jerry Masucci.Bob Bennett was a veteran of US Top 40 radio when he moved to Puerto Rico and started building WBMJ. The station was simply another iteration of the proven Top 40 format from the mainland. Since the Island of Puerto Rico is a US territory, it was natural to use mainland announcers and jingles and, of course, follow religiously the Billboard record charts. Since the culture shock of living in the Island was hard on the jocks, they seldom lasted more than a year. On the other hand, there were several totally bilingual Puerto Rican jocks who were there for a lengthy period, speaking English on a station in Puerto Rico.
From 1968 to roughly 1975, WBMJ was an exclusively English language Top 40 station, with all announcing and music in English. Spots were mostly in Spanish, though. The reasoning for the format was simple: all through Latin America, American music was popular. A really tightly done Top 40 with US hits would be an attractive proposition. However, all advertising in Puerto Rico tended to be in Spanish, so the spots were in Spanish. Even in 1968, there were less than 100,000 "Continentals" living in the Island; everyone else was a Spanish speaker first... Many knew English, though. The station, however, never got into the top stations in ratings, usually registering around 7th or 8th.
In 1975, WBMJ switched to Spanish jocks and a mix of 90% English music with some Spanish pop hits, under the name of Radio Rock. Radio Rock became the number one radio station in San Juan very quickly, staying there through much of the rest of the '70s, challenged seriously only by WKAQ with its Spanish Top 40. WBMJ became a salsa oldies station around 1981 as Exitos 1190 and then, eventually, became religious under the ownership of the operators of WIVV from Puerto Rico's Vieques Island.