WHTG-FM
Encyclopedia
WBBO is a radio station
broadcasting a Contemporary Hit Radio
format. Licensed to Ocean Acres, New Jersey
, it serves Ocean
& Burlington
counties in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia
. It first began broadcasting in 1993
under the call sign WQNJ, but more recently operated under WKMK. The station is currently owned by Press Communications.
& Burlington
in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of Philadelphia
. The station can be heard from Atlantic City
to the South, Belmar
to the North, and Philadelphia
to the West.
The WBBO antenna is co-located with WVBH and WCHR-FM
on a tower located near the intersection of Route 72 and the Garden State Parkway
in Manahawkin
.
.
Pat originally planned 98.5 to be a live and local Smooth Jazz station, using the slogan "Cloud Nine," with an original sign-on date of Spring 1991.
However, that sign-on date changed many times, due mostly because of antenna clearances that had to be taken care of prior to signing on.
In late 1992, with Seaira not having enough financial backing to sign on themselves with a local format, 98.5 entered into an agreement with D&K Broadcasting (the owners of WJLK at the time.)
On February 11, 1993, WQNJ began on-air testing and on March 10, 1993, officially signed on with a simulcast of WJLK. It was pretty much a 100% simulcast, with the exception of local commercial cut-ins and on weekday mornings at 6, 7, 8 and 9am, Pat Parson would do a 5 minute newscast.
This basic format lasted until 1996 when it was announced that Nassau Broadcasting had purchased the station (and others in the Jersey Shore area.)
and branched out on its own as "B-98.5 - The Jersey Shore's Hit Music Station."
The first song played on "B-98.5" was the Spice Girls
"Wannabe".
On July 11, 1997, the calls were changed to WBBO.
In 2001, Nassau sold WBBO (along with WOBM-FM
and WJLK) to Millennium Radio Group. In April 2003, it was announced that Millennium was selling WBBO to Press Communications, who ironically enough, was the original applicant for 98.5 in the late 1980s. In August 2004, Press officially took over WBBO.
and became GRock Radio. On July 5, 2006, 98.5 changed calls to WKOE as part of a switch with new move-in 106.5 in Bass River Township. WKOE was formerly located at 106.3 in Ocean City
On July 24, 2006 at midnight, the simulcast on 98.5 ceased.
Later on July 24, 2006, after "stunting" with playing The Eagles "New Kid In Town" over and over for 12 hours, 98.5 debuted as "K-98.5: Real Jersey Kountry" and new call letters of WKOE, were assigned at 10 AM that day (switching from WBBO which had been re-instated). The WKOE call letters were quickly replaced with WKMK to avoid a legal situation after it was noted that using WKOE on a country formatted station violated a usage agreement that Press Broadcasting signed regarding the WKOE calls.
The first song played was Alan Jackson's "Gone Country." Past staffers of K98.5 include Jim Radler, Leeann Taylor and Brian Moore.
On February 16, 2009, "K98.5" switched its name to "Thunder 98.5". Along with the name change, the station's format has been tweaked to an edgier sound, playing some classic southern rock along with country music; similar southern rock/country "hybrid" formats were used unsuccessfully on various U.S. country outlets in the 1990s, most even used the same "Thunder Country" moniker.
Bold textCurrent B98.5 Airstaff:
Mornings: PorkRoll & Eggs (6a-10a)
Middays: Van Dusen (10a-3p)
Afternoons: Tom Farinaro (3p-7p)
Evenings: Kelso (7p-Mid)
Program Director: AJ Colantonio
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 Contemporary Hit Radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format. Licensed to Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Ocean Acres, New Jersey
Ocean Acres is a census-designated place split between Barnegat Township and Stafford Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 13,155 at the 2000 census. Ocean Acres is approximately a six-square-mile community of 5,500 lots, located in the northwestern end of...
, it serves Ocean
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...
& Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
counties in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of 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,...
. It first began broadcasting in 1993
1993 in radio
The year 1993 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*WIBF debuts it's modern rock in Jenkintown/Philadelphia*March 13 - Eagle 106 WEGX becomes WJJZ Smooth Jazz 106.1 and featured Smooth Jazz format. the final song played for Eagle 106 was I Will Remember You by Amy Grant...
under the call sign WQNJ, but more recently operated under WKMK. The station is currently owned by Press Communications.
Coverage Area
98.5's signal blankets OceanOcean 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...
& Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
in New Jersey as well as the New Jersey suburbs of 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,...
. The station can be heard from Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
to the South, Belmar
Belmar, New Jersey
Belmar is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 5,794. The Borough of Belmar is governed under the Faulkner Act system of municipal government....
to the North, 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,...
to the West.
The WBBO antenna is co-located with WVBH and WCHR-FM
WCHR-FM
WCHR-FM is a Manahawkin, New Jersey radio station broadcasting at 105.7 FM with a classic rock format...
on a tower located near the intersection of Route 72 and the Garden State Parkway
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
in Manahawkin
Manahawkin, New Jersey
Manahawkin is a census-designated place and unincorporated area contained within Stafford Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Manahawkin translates to 'land of good corn' although this has been disputed by recent scholars claiming that it translate to “fertile land sloping into...
.
Early history
98.5 was granted the WQNJ calls on February 7, 1990. Even before this station hit the air, it had extensive coverage in the local newspapers, because it was to be the first commercial station to hit the air in Ocean County since WJRZ signed on in 1976. FM 98.5 was originally owned by Seaira, Inc., a local company that was headed by Pat Parson, a former WCBS-AM news anchor from 1970 to 1990 and a former alumnus of WERA in PlanfieldPlainfield, New Jersey
Plainfield is a city in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population increased to a record high of 49,808....
.
Pat originally planned 98.5 to be a live and local Smooth Jazz station, using the slogan "Cloud Nine," with an original sign-on date of Spring 1991.
However, that sign-on date changed many times, due mostly because of antenna clearances that had to be taken care of prior to signing on.
In late 1992, with Seaira not having enough financial backing to sign on themselves with a local format, 98.5 entered into an agreement with D&K Broadcasting (the owners of WJLK at the time.)
On February 11, 1993, WQNJ began on-air testing and on March 10, 1993, officially signed on with a simulcast of WJLK. It was pretty much a 100% simulcast, with the exception of local commercial cut-ins and on weekday mornings at 6, 7, 8 and 9am, Pat Parson would do a 5 minute newscast.
This basic format lasted until 1996 when it was announced that Nassau Broadcasting had purchased the station (and others in the Jersey Shore area.)
B98.5
Pat Parson's newscasts were soon dropped - but the simulcast continued on until Memorial Day weekend in 1997 when 98.5 broke away from WJLKWJLK
WJLK is an Adult CHR radio station that plays '80s, '90s, recent, and Contemporary Hit Music. The station broadcasts on the 94.3 FM frequency. Their variety of music stretches from bands such as Green Day to Gwen Stefani or Rob Thomas. The station is owned by Millennium Radio in New Jersey...
and branched out on its own as "B-98.5 - The Jersey Shore's Hit Music Station."
The first song played on "B-98.5" was the Spice Girls
Spice Girls
The Spice Girls were a British pop girl group formed in 1994. The group consisted of Victoria Beckham , Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm and Geri Halliwell. They were signed to Virgin Records and released their debut single, "Wannabe" in 1996, which hit number-one in more than 30...
"Wannabe".
On July 11, 1997, the calls were changed to WBBO.
In 2001, Nassau sold WBBO (along with WOBM-FM
WOBM-FM
WOBM-FM is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station known as "Ocean County's Hometown Station" broadcasting in Central New Jersey. Its variety of music stretches from artists such as Celine Dion to Billy Joel and Faith Hill. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, and is part of the...
and WJLK) to Millennium Radio Group. In April 2003, it was announced that Millennium was selling WBBO to Press Communications, who ironically enough, was the original applicant for 98.5 in the late 1980s. In August 2004, Press officially took over WBBO.
Alumni
Original Staff * Neil Sullivan, Program Director 1997-1999 * Fox Feltman (aka. Alan Fox), Assistant Program Director/Music Director, Afternoons 97-1999 * Jessica Taylor, Mid day host, 1999 * Andy Chase, Promotions and Swing jock 1997-2003, morning host 2003-2004 * Mike and Diane, Mornings 1998-1999 * JC, then Scotty Valentino Nights 1997-1999G Rock Radio
On February 18, 2005, 98.5 started simulcasting sister station WHTG-FM "G-106.3" from EatontownEatontown, New Jersey
Eatontown is a borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 12,709.What is now Eatontown was originally incorporated as Eatontown Township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on April 4, 1873, from portions of Ocean Township and...
and became GRock Radio. On July 5, 2006, 98.5 changed calls to WKOE as part of a switch with new move-in 106.5 in Bass River Township. WKOE was formerly located at 106.3 in Ocean City
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
On July 24, 2006 at midnight, the simulcast on 98.5 ceased.
Real Jersey Kountry K98.5
The first song played was Alan Jackson's "Gone Country." Past staffers of K98.5 include Jim Radler, Leeann Taylor and Brian Moore.
Ocean County's Country Thunder 98.5
B 98.5 returns
The station swapped its "Thunder" country format with co-owned WHTG and WBBO on September 15, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. At that time, the station resumed its former identity of "B 98.5", and at that time also swapped call signals, assuming the WHTG-FM identity long associated with 106.3 FM in Eatontown, which became WKMK at that time. The music style, which now features a lean towards 96.7 Party and some of the staff were a carry-over from Hit 106. In the weeks leading up to the station change, commercials continuously announced "Hit 106 is moving down the dial".Bold textCurrent B98.5 Airstaff:
Mornings: PorkRoll & Eggs (6a-10a)
Middays: Van Dusen (10a-3p)
Afternoons: Tom Farinaro (3p-7p)
Evenings: Kelso (7p-Mid)
Program Director: AJ Colantonio