WJUS
Encyclopedia
WJUS is a radio station
licensed to serve Marion, Alabama
. The station is owned by Grace Baptist Temple Church of Selma, Alabama
. WJUS is the only AM radio station licensed to the city of Marion.
music format until the late-2000 ownership and callsign change. As WJUS, this station aired a community-oriented Gospel music
format from 2001 until Summer 2008. In Summer 2008, the station adopted a syndicated "Party Blues and Oldies" format featuring a mix of urban oldies
and blues music.
In addition to its usual music programming, each Wednesday morning WJUS airs the "BodyLove
" radio soap opera
in which the characters deal with health problems with practical solutions and healthier eating. The program is hosted locally by registered nurse Frances Ford who brackets the show with a listener call-in show offering advice, support, and "practical steps to better health".
s of power at 1310 kHz, licensed to operate only from sunrise to sunset. On July 7, 1955, the FCC granted a request by the station to increase their broadcast power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts for daytime-only operation. Radio Marion, Inc., acquired the license for WJAM on July 8, 1964.
In 1973, as the station was broadcasting a full-service mix of news
and country music
programming, a series of complaints, both formal and informal, were filed with the FCC that WJAM was not properly serving the public interest. Citing "a lack of public affairs programming" by the station, its routine license renewal was challenged. The license held by Radio Marion, Inc., was eventually renewed for a full three-year term after a hearing in March 1976. The FCC released its initial decision on this matter on July 13, 1976.
In October 1981, Radio Marion, Inc., reached an agreement to sell WJAM to Marion Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 19, 1982, and the transaction was consummated on January 19, 1983. The new owners applied to the FCC for new call letters and were assigned WAJO on June 1, 1983.
In March 1985, after the station suffered a significant financial setback the license for WAJO was involuntarily transferred from Marion Communications, Inc., to receiver William H. Dilday Jr. The transfer was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1985.
In June 1986, William H. Dilday Jr. reached an agreement to sell this station to Marion Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 30, 19986, and the transaction was consummated on July 20, 1987.
On May 27, 1997, WAJO filed for renewal of its broadcast license
, normally a routine paperwork matter, but after nearly a year of consideration the FCC dismissed the renewal application and terminated the station's authority to broadcast. On June 11, 1998, the station owners petitioned the FCC for reconsideration and on June 30, 1998, the Commission granted the petition, reinstated the application, and renewed that station's license. Control of the license was transferred to Rollins Broadcasting Company and the new owners applied for a new callsign. The station was assigned the current WJUS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
on October 5, 1998
.
In October 2000, Rollins Broadcasting Company (Elijah Rollins III, owner) reached an agreement to sell this station to current owner Grace Baptist Temple Church (Glenn King Sr., pastor) for a reported sale price of $60,000. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 28, 2000, and the transaction was consummated on December 15, 2000. At the time of the sale, the station aired an urban contemporary
music format.
to allow this station to change its community of license to nearby Selma, Alabama
. The new broadcast tower location at 32°27'16"N, 87°06'36"W would also require a reduction in daytime signal power to 1,100 watt
s and nighttime power to 16 watts. As of late December 2008, the station is still located in Marion, Alabama. This construction permit is scheduled to expire on August 9, 2009.
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 serve Marion, Alabama
Marion, Alabama
Marion is the county seat of Perry County, Alabama. As of the 2000 census, the population of the city is 3,511. First called Muckle Ridge, the city was renamed after a hero of the American Revolution, Francis Marion.-Geography:...
. The station is owned by Grace Baptist Temple Church of Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
. WJUS is the only AM radio station licensed to the city of Marion.
Programming
As WAJO, the station aired an urban contemporaryUrban 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...
music format until the late-2000 ownership and callsign change. As WJUS, this station aired a community-oriented Gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
format from 2001 until Summer 2008. In Summer 2008, the station adopted a syndicated "Party Blues and Oldies" format featuring a mix of urban oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
and blues music.
In addition to its usual music programming, each Wednesday morning WJUS airs the "BodyLove
BodyLove
BodyLove is a radio soap opera in which the characters face common health problems and attempt to deal with them using practical solutions and healthier eating. Billed as "the soap opera that's good for you", BodyLove uses fictional drama to reach African American listeners with messages that...
" radio soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
in which the characters deal with health problems with practical solutions and healthier eating. The program is hosted locally by registered nurse Frances Ford who brackets the show with a listener call-in show offering advice, support, and "practical steps to better health".
History
New station WJAM signed on the air on December 5, 1950, with 1,000 wattWatt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s of power at 1310 kHz, licensed to operate only from sunrise to sunset. On July 7, 1955, the FCC granted a request by the station to increase their broadcast power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts for daytime-only operation. Radio Marion, Inc., acquired the license for WJAM on July 8, 1964.
In 1973, as the station was broadcasting a full-service mix of news
News Radio
News Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
programming, a series of complaints, both formal and informal, were filed with the FCC that WJAM was not properly serving the public interest. Citing "a lack of public affairs programming" by the station, its routine license renewal was challenged. The license held by Radio Marion, Inc., was eventually renewed for a full three-year term after a hearing in March 1976. The FCC released its initial decision on this matter on July 13, 1976.
In October 1981, Radio Marion, Inc., reached an agreement to sell WJAM to Marion Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 19, 1982, and the transaction was consummated on January 19, 1983. The new owners applied to the FCC for new call letters and were assigned WAJO on June 1, 1983.
In March 1985, after the station suffered a significant financial setback the license for WAJO was involuntarily transferred from Marion Communications, Inc., to receiver William H. Dilday Jr. The transfer was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1985.
In June 1986, William H. Dilday Jr. reached an agreement to sell this station to Marion Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 30, 19986, and the transaction was consummated on July 20, 1987.
On May 27, 1997, WAJO filed for renewal of its broadcast license
Broadcast license
A broadcast license or broadcast license is a specific type of spectrum license that grants the licensee the privilege to use a portion of the radio frequency spectrum in a given geographical area for broadcasting purposes. The licenses are generally straddled with additional restrictions that...
, normally a routine paperwork matter, but after nearly a year of consideration the FCC dismissed the renewal application and terminated the station's authority to broadcast. On June 11, 1998, the station owners petitioned the FCC for reconsideration and on June 30, 1998, the Commission granted the petition, reinstated the application, and renewed that station's license. Control of the license was transferred to Rollins Broadcasting Company and the new owners applied for a new callsign. The station was assigned the current WJUS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
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...
on October 5, 1998
1998 in radio
The year 1998 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*January 2 — A gunman shoots Antario Teodoro Filho, Brazilian politician and radio presenter, during a broadcast.*January 21 - Big 105 debuts playing its AC format...
.
In October 2000, Rollins Broadcasting Company (Elijah Rollins III, owner) reached an agreement to sell this station to current owner Grace Baptist Temple Church (Glenn King Sr., pastor) for a reported sale price of $60,000. The deal was approved by the FCC on November 28, 2000, and the transaction was consummated on December 15, 2000. At the time of the sale, the station aired an urban contemporary
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...
music format.
Construction permit
On August 9, 2006, the FCC issued WJUS a construction permitConstruction permit
A construction permit or building permit is a permit required in most jurisdictions for new construction, or adding on to pre-existing structures, and in some cases for major renovations. Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance...
to allow this station to change its community of license to nearby Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
. The new broadcast tower location at 32°27'16"N, 87°06'36"W would also require a reduction in daytime signal power to 1,100 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s and nighttime power to 16 watts. As of late December 2008, the station is still located in Marion, Alabama. This construction permit is scheduled to expire on August 9, 2009.