WNJR (AM)
Encyclopedia
WNJR was a commercial radio station
based in Newark
, New Jersey
, on 91 Halsey St. in Newark, NJ. The station broadcast on 1430 kHz with a transmitter power output (TPO) of 5000 watt
s.
. In 1947, it changed calls to WNJR, owned by North Jersey Radio Inc. It aired an all-news format that while unsuccessful at the time, today would be considered prototypical. In the 1950s and 1960s the station featured some of the earliest rock and roll
programming in the New York area, including the first claim to airing Alan Freed
in that region. Despite claiming to be based in Newark, in the late 1950's through the 1970's, the station actually broadcast from a studio located at 1700 Union Ave in Union, NJ. The station's two large 344 foot high guyed broadcast towers were well known to residents of the newly developed "College Estates" section of Union. WNJR commonly suffered from poor night time signal coverage and co channel interference.
As Newark, its home city, became predominantly African-American in the 1970s, WNJR switched to a black-oriented music and news format and in 1973 became the flagship station of Unity Broadcasting's National Black Network
(NBN).
After WQEW
in New York City
changed to Radio Disney
in late 1998, WNJR began playing adult standards
. Julius LaRosa was the morning host, while Johnny Michaels took over afternoons.
Today, the 1430 frequency uses the WNSW
calls and airs a Spanish language
religious format. The WNJR Call sign changed to WNSW in June 1999.
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...
based 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...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, on 91 Halsey St. in Newark, NJ. The station broadcast on 1430 kHz with a transmitter power output (TPO) of 5000 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.
History
In 1946 The Newark Sunday Call purchased WBYN from the FCC. At the time the The Newark Sunday Call was in the middle of being purchased by the Newark Evening NewsNewark Evening News
The Newark Evening News was an American newspaper published in Newark, New Jersey. As New Jersey's largest city, Newark played a major role in New Jersey's journalistic history. At its apex, The News was widely regarded as the newspaper of record in New Jersey. It had bureaus in Montclair,...
. In 1947, it changed calls to WNJR, owned by North Jersey Radio Inc. It aired an all-news format that while unsuccessful at the time, today would be considered prototypical. In the 1950s and 1960s the station featured some of the earliest rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
programming in the New York area, including the first claim to airing Alan Freed
Alan Freed
Albert James "Alan" Freed , also known as Moondog, was an American disc-jockey. He became internationally known for promoting the mix of blues, country and rhythm and blues music on the radio in the United States and Europe under the name of rock and roll...
in that region. Despite claiming to be based in Newark, in the late 1950's through the 1970's, the station actually broadcast from a studio located at 1700 Union Ave in Union, NJ. The station's two large 344 foot high guyed broadcast towers were well known to residents of the newly developed "College Estates" section of Union. WNJR commonly suffered from poor night time signal coverage and co channel interference.
As Newark, its home city, became predominantly African-American in the 1970s, WNJR switched to a black-oriented music and news format and in 1973 became the flagship station of Unity Broadcasting's National Black Network
National Black Network
The National Black Network, or NBN, began operation in July 1973 as the first coast-to-coast radio network wholly owned by African Americans.-Early years:...
(NBN).
After WQEW
WQEW
WQEW is a Radio Disney affiliate licensed to New York City. Its transmitter is located in Maspeth, Queens. WQEW has a transmitter power of 50,000 watts and is listed as a Clear-channel station...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
changed to Radio Disney
Radio Disney
Radio Disney is a radio network based in Burbank, California and headquartered out of the Disney Channel headquarters on West Alameda Ave., from where it has been based since November 2008. Prior to that, the network was based in Dallas, Texas...
in late 1998, WNJR began playing adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
. Julius LaRosa was the morning host, while Johnny Michaels took over afternoons.
Today, the 1430 frequency uses the WNSW
WNSW
WNSW is a radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey, serving Northeastern New Jersey and parts of New York City. The station, formerly known by the call letters WNJR, runs an ethnic and brokered format. It is owned by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, Inc..-Early years:The station signed on in...
calls and airs a Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
religious format. The WNJR Call sign changed to WNSW in June 1999.