WJYI
Encyclopedia
WJYI is a radio station
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, USA. It runs a Christian
format with Contemporary Christian Music from Salem Radio Network
's Today's Christian Music
network. It also features brokered teaching and preaching programs from both local Churches and national ministries. It also airs brokered ethnic programming (mostly German) and Polka music on Saturdays. It is known on-air as "Joy 1340".
basketball and the Milwaukee Brewers
. WEMP was also an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network, which later became the ABC Radio Network, until 1948.
In 1955, when WEMP moved to 1250 AM
, the new owners of 1340 kHz changed the call sign to WRIT, and launched a Top 40 format. The call letters stood for We'Re IT. Future television talk show host Tom Snyder
got his start at the station as a news reporter in the 1950s.
WRIT switched to all-news
on September 29, 1975, with NBC's News and Information Service (NIS). The all-news format was unsuccessful, and the station dropped the WRIT call sign in 1978, picking up the WBCS (Wisconsin's Best Country Station) call letters from their country
-formatted FM sister station, which they began simulcasting. The WRIT call sign was resurrected on New Year's Day
, 2000 by oldies-formatted WZTR
as a tribute to the former Top 40 format of the old WRIT.
The station became WMKE in 1980, programming its own country format, and later aired a gold-based AC
format, before going back to WBCS in 1984, again simulcasting their FM sister. The station briefly aired an all talk
format in 1985.
When WBCS-FM flipped to AOR
as WLZR-FM
in 1987, the AM station also became WLZR, simulcast
ing their sister station for several years. In the early 1990s, WLZR 1340 aired its own automated formats, first heavy metal
as "The Crusher", then an alternative rock
format known as "The Warp" until 1994, when it again reverted to a full-time simulcast of its sister station.
Eventually, the station began to sell much of their air time to religious and sports broadcasters, and became WJYI (Joy 1340) on May 30, 1997.
In early 2011, WJYI began simulcasting on the HD Radio
HD2 subchannel of sister station WZBK-FM (106.9), replacing the previous automated smooth jazz
format which aired on that subchannel in the aftermath of the May 2010 WJZI format switch.
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 Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, USA. It runs a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
format with Contemporary Christian Music from 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...
's Today's Christian Music
Today's Christian Music
Today's Christian Music is a radio format programmed and produced by Salem Radio Networks. It targets the 25-54 adult Christian listener demographic. Today's Christian Music has a blend of Contemporary Christian music from artists such as Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, MercyMe, Delirious?,etc....
network. It also features brokered teaching and preaching programs from both local Churches and national ministries. It also airs brokered ethnic programming (mostly German) and Polka music on Saturdays. It is known on-air as "Joy 1340".
History
The station signed on the air as WEMP in 1935. In June 1943, WEMP became the first in Milwaukee to broadcast a 24-hour schedule.. They also carried various ethnic programs and sports broadcasts, including Marquette UniversityMarquette University
Marquette University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1881, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities...
basketball and the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
. WEMP was also an affiliate of the NBC Blue Network, which later became the ABC Radio Network, until 1948.
In 1955, when WEMP moved to 1250 AM
WSSP
WSSP is a Milwaukee-based sports talk station owned by Entercom.The station is the secondary home station for any play-by-play sports coverage on WTMJ-AM which conflicts with another event; for instance the Milwaukee Bucks air on WSSP if a Milwaukee Brewers game airs. If a Green Bay Packers game...
, the new owners of 1340 kHz changed the call sign to WRIT, and launched a Top 40 format. The call letters stood for We'Re IT. Future television talk show host Tom Snyder
Tom Snyder
Thomas James "Tom" Snyder was an American television personality, news anchor and radio personality best known for his late night talk shows The Tomorrow Show, on the NBC television network in the 1970s and 1980s, and The Late Late Show, on the CBS Television Network in the 1990s...
got his start at the station as a news reporter in the 1950s.
WRIT switched to all-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....
on September 29, 1975, with NBC's News and Information Service (NIS). The all-news format was unsuccessful, and the station dropped the WRIT call sign in 1978, picking up the WBCS (Wisconsin's Best Country Station) call letters from their country
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...
-formatted FM sister station, which they began simulcasting. The WRIT call sign was resurrected on New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
, 2000 by oldies-formatted WZTR
WRIT-FM
WRIT-FM is a radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, owned by Clear Channel Communications. Branded as "Oldies 95.7", it airs a 60s-70s Oldies format....
as a tribute to the former Top 40 format of the old WRIT.
The station became WMKE in 1980, programming its own country format, and later aired a gold-based AC
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
format, before going back to WBCS in 1984, again simulcasting their FM sister. The station briefly aired an all talk
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format in 1985.
When WBCS-FM flipped to AOR
AOR
-Entertainment:* Album-oriented rock, an American FM radio format* Anukokunda Oka Roju, a 2005 Tollywood film starring Charmy Kaur* AOR – Spirit of The Alarm, band* Arab On Radar, an American noise rock band...
as WLZR-FM
WHQG
WHQG Radio is a mainstream rock FM radio station licensed to and serving the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area. The station is owned by Saga Communications...
in 1987, the AM station also became WLZR, simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ing their sister station for several years. In the early 1990s, WLZR 1340 aired its own automated formats, first heavy metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
as "The Crusher", then an alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
format known as "The Warp" until 1994, when it again reverted to a full-time simulcast of its sister station.
Eventually, the station began to sell much of their air time to religious and sports broadcasters, and became WJYI (Joy 1340) on May 30, 1997.
In early 2011, WJYI began simulcasting on the HD Radio
HD 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...
HD2 subchannel of sister station WZBK-FM (106.9), replacing the previous automated smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format which aired on that subchannel in the aftermath of the May 2010 WJZI format switch.