WJRZ-FM
Encyclopedia
WJRZ-FM began broadcasting on July 4, 1976 from Manahawkin, New Jersey
with a Top 40 format that also played a lot of recurrents. The original city of license was Ship Bottom
, later changed to Manahawkin, and used the ID "Manahawkin-Toms River". Some of the early slogans used were "Stereo 100" and "FM 100" - later using "Power 100". The station was originally licensed to the Jersey Shore Broadcasting Corporation, which was incorporated in New Jersey in 1974, with Joseph J. Knox, Jr., as president and Brent McNally VP and founders. The station signed on air as an affiliate of the ABC Radio Network and later switched to AP Radio. The station maintained studios and a 340 ft (103.6 m). tower on 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) on Beach Avenue in Manahawkin, next to AT&T High Seas Radio Station WOO. The transmitter was later moved to a 500 ft (152.4 m). tower on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) off Route 9 in Waretown
.
The CHR/Hot AC format continued until November 1991, when WJRZ moved to a classic hits format, but went back to CHR by the middle of 1992. In December 1998, WJRZ dropped Hot AC in favor of country as "Jersey Shore Country." The country format had a mixed reaction from area listeners and failed to attract a significant number of listeners.
In June 2000, they flipped to oldies as "Oldies 100," and in 2002 ownership changed to Greater Media
.
in November 2007. WJRZ's HD2 multicast channel will be "Classic Oldies," however a launch date has not been established. Its transmitter is located in Waretown.
For Christmas 2009, WJRZ flipped to an all-Christmas playlist on Friday, November 6, 2009. Promoting Jersey's Holiday Hits through Christmas Day. Signature Sunday night program-- The Sunday Night Request Show with TJ Lubinsky remains playing the station's regular format Sunday nights from 7pm-midnight.
On December 14th 2009, most of the on-air personnel at WJRZ were dismissed and on December 15th, WJRZ started airing commercials between the Christmas songs announcing their new format. In each of the commercials, they were playing the type of songs you generally hear in that type of format. On December 26th, 2009, 100.1 WJRZ became Magic 100.1 "Today's Best Variety" similar to Greater Media's sister station WMGQ; an adult contemporary format from New Brunswick, NJ which is also programed by WJRZ's OM/PD Jeff Rafter. It was not, however, a direct simulcast. The stations shared similar personalities who voicetracked their shows on the WJRZ singal (mornings with Chris McCoy and mid-days with Debbie Mazella).
In 2010, Jeff Rafter was relieved of his duties at WJRZ. He remains OM/PD at WMGQ. Glenn Kalina overtook the OM/PD role, and became host of the station's new local morning show. Today's on-air line up (May, 2011):
6-10 am- Glenn Kalina Morning Show
10am-2pm- Debbie Mazella
2-7pm- Tripp Rogers
7-12pm- Barbara Farragher
The WJRZ call sign was previously used in New Jersey on 970 AM in Newark
and Hackensack
as a country-music station in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1971, the station switched to a Top 40 format and became WWDJ. Buck Owens
mentions WJRZ 970 AM and its then owner, Ed Nielson, in track seven of his 1966 recording, Carnegie Hall
Concert With Buck Owens And His Buckaroos, recorded live by Capitol Records
.
WJRZ has had a long history of talented music hosts and newspeople beginning with its sign on July 4,1976. They include (1970s) Jay Sorensen, Jay Lurie, Brent McNally, Bob Sorrentino, Terry Barnes, Joe Stephens, Ron Stevens, Lance DeBock, Mike Brophy, AJ Brooks, Art Sarnovsky, Chuck Flamini, Kryn Westhoven, Chris VanZant and many,many others.
to the south, Medford to the west and Belmar
to the north.
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...
with a Top 40 format that also played a lot of recurrents. The original city of license was Ship Bottom
Ship Bottom, New Jersey
Ship Bottom is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the borough population was 1,156. The borough is located on Long Beach Island and borders the Atlantic Ocean....
, later changed to Manahawkin, and used the ID "Manahawkin-Toms River". Some of the early slogans used were "Stereo 100" and "FM 100" - later using "Power 100". The station was originally licensed to the Jersey Shore Broadcasting Corporation, which was incorporated in New Jersey in 1974, with Joseph J. Knox, Jr., as president and Brent McNally VP and founders. The station signed on air as an affiliate of the ABC Radio Network and later switched to AP Radio. The station maintained studios and a 340 ft (103.6 m). tower on 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) on Beach Avenue in Manahawkin, next to AT&T High Seas Radio Station WOO. The transmitter was later moved to a 500 ft (152.4 m). tower on 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) off Route 9 in Waretown
Waretown, New Jersey
Waretown is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Ocean Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 1,582. Waretown is home to Albert Music Hall and 2009 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, George E...
.
The CHR/Hot AC format continued until November 1991, when WJRZ moved to a classic hits format, but went back to CHR by the middle of 1992. In December 1998, WJRZ dropped Hot AC in favor of country as "Jersey Shore Country." The country format had a mixed reaction from area listeners and failed to attract a significant number of listeners.
In June 2000, they flipped to oldies as "Oldies 100," and in 2002 ownership changed to 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...
.
WJRZ-FM Today
WJRZ-FM moved away from the "Oldies 100" slogan, re-branding themselves as "100.1 WJRZ - The Greatest Hits Of the 60's & 70's" , and in early 2008, simply using "Jersey's Greatest Hits" and dropping all pre-Beatles music except for Sunday nights. The station dropped one of its signature programs- Jukebox Saturday Night with Joe Stephens in June, 2009. WJRZ started broadcasting in HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
in November 2007. WJRZ's HD2 multicast channel will be "Classic Oldies," however a launch date has not been established. Its transmitter is located in Waretown.
For Christmas 2009, WJRZ flipped to an all-Christmas playlist on Friday, November 6, 2009. Promoting Jersey's Holiday Hits through Christmas Day. Signature Sunday night program-- The Sunday Night Request Show with TJ Lubinsky remains playing the station's regular format Sunday nights from 7pm-midnight.
On December 14th 2009, most of the on-air personnel at WJRZ were dismissed and on December 15th, WJRZ started airing commercials between the Christmas songs announcing their new format. In each of the commercials, they were playing the type of songs you generally hear in that type of format. On December 26th, 2009, 100.1 WJRZ became Magic 100.1 "Today's Best Variety" similar to Greater Media's sister station WMGQ; an adult contemporary format from New Brunswick, NJ which is also programed by WJRZ's OM/PD Jeff Rafter. It was not, however, a direct simulcast. The stations shared similar personalities who voicetracked their shows on the WJRZ singal (mornings with Chris McCoy and mid-days with Debbie Mazella).
In 2010, Jeff Rafter was relieved of his duties at WJRZ. He remains OM/PD at WMGQ. Glenn Kalina overtook the OM/PD role, and became host of the station's new local morning show. Today's on-air line up (May, 2011):
6-10 am- Glenn Kalina Morning Show
10am-2pm- Debbie Mazella
2-7pm- Tripp Rogers
7-12pm- Barbara Farragher
The WJRZ call sign was previously used in New Jersey on 970 AM in Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
and Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
as a country-music station in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1971, the station switched to a Top 40 format and became WWDJ. Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
mentions WJRZ 970 AM and its then owner, Ed Nielson, in track seven of his 1966 recording, Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
Concert With Buck Owens And His Buckaroos, recorded live by Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
.
WJRZ has had a long history of talented music hosts and newspeople beginning with its sign on July 4,1976. They include (1970s) Jay Sorensen, Jay Lurie, Brent McNally, Bob Sorrentino, Terry Barnes, Joe Stephens, Ron Stevens, Lance DeBock, Mike Brophy, AJ Brooks, Art Sarnovsky, Chuck Flamini, Kryn Westhoven, Chris VanZant and many,many others.
Technical
WJRZ's primary coverage area extends from Atlantic CityAtlantic 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, Medford to the west and 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.