WYJB
Encyclopedia
WYJB is an adult contemporary
(with a slight lean towards Hot AC) formatted radio station
licensed to Albany, New York
and serving New York's Capital District
as well as the surrounding areas, including the Adirondacks. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting
, and broadcasts at a power of 12 kilowatts effective radiated power
(ERP) from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland.
format, which began in the early 1960s. The station has had an adult contemporary format since 1991, originally strictly Soft AC, evolving towards mainstream AC and eventually developing a slight Hot AC lean in recent years. The station has been #1 overall in several books since its launch, and its primary competitors are WRVE
(99.5 The River) and WQAR
(Star 101.3, a rimshot in the Saratoga
/Glens Falls
area).
As of May 2011, the station staff is: Laura Daniels (6:00 am–10:00 am), Lynn Wilson (10:00 am–3:00 pm), Chad O'Hara (3:00 pm–7:00 pm), and the syndicated Delilah
weeknight show (7:00 pm–midnight).
flagship WROW
and initially simulcasting the AM's programming. After the Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) forced FM stations to originate their own programming in 1967, it aired a time-delayed variation of the AM's easy listening format. This arrangement remained until after Capital Cities sold the WROW stations in 1983, at which point the FM became the primary station which the AM largely simulcasted.
With the decline of easy listening formats in the late 1980s, WROW-FM evolved to a Soft AC format as EZ95.5 in early 1991 with easy listening moving solely to the AM side. Though with a good signal in comparison to rival WKLI-FM, the easy listening heritage of the 95.5 frequency proved to be detrimental to the growth of the station. In late 1993, the WROW stations were sold to Albany Broadcasting (forerunner to today's Pamal Broadcasting), at which point an overhaul of the station took place.
In 2001, Delilah
was added to the station in the evenings after WKLI (then on 94.5 FM) flipped to classic rock
; and continued to develop a slight Hot AC lean, even more so with sister station WCPT (now WKLI-FM) changing to a soft AC/standards
format. Five years later, the long-time morning show Chuck and Kelly moved to competitor WBZZ (originally on 104.5, later on 105.7), and Ric Mitchell and Laura Daniels (formerly of WFLY
) were named Chuck and Kelly's replacements. In 2010
, Ric Mitchell left WYJB with Chuck Taylor returning to the morning show shortly after, but from when WBZZ dumped adult contemporary that year, it left WYJB and rimshot competitor WQAR
as Albany's only adult contemporary radio stations.
On November 9, 2011, the station flipped to Christmas music
for the first time, in response to the flip of nearby oldies station WTRY-FM
to all-Christmas the same day.
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....
(with a slight lean towards Hot AC) formatted radio station
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 Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
and serving New York's Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
as well as the surrounding areas, including the Adirondacks. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
, and broadcasts at a power of 12 kilowatts effective radiated power
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
(ERP) from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland.
Programming
WYJB's adult contemporary format is a direct evolution of WROW-FM's former easy listeningEasy listening
Easy listening is a broad style of popular music and radio format that emerged in the 1950s, evolving out of big band music, and related to MOR music as played on many AM radio stations. It encompasses the exotica, beautiful music, light music, lounge music, ambient music, and space age pop genres...
format, which began in the early 1960s. The station has had an adult contemporary format since 1991, originally strictly Soft AC, evolving towards mainstream AC and eventually developing a slight Hot AC lean in recent years. The station has been #1 overall in several books since its launch, and its primary competitors are WRVE
WRVE
WRVE is a Hot Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Schenectady, New York and serving the Capital District and Upper Hudson Valley of New York. It broadcasts at 99.5 FM at 14.5 kilowatts ERP from a transmitter in Guilderland, New York...
(99.5 The River) and WQAR
WQAR
WQAR is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to Stillwater, New York and serving Saratoga County, New York and vicinity. The station is the flagship station of the Anastos Media Group and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Stillwater...
(Star 101.3, a rimshot in the Saratoga
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
/Glens Falls
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
area).
As of May 2011, the station staff is: Laura Daniels (6:00 am–10:00 am), Lynn Wilson (10:00 am–3:00 pm), Chad O'Hara (3:00 pm–7:00 pm), and the syndicated Delilah
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
weeknight show (7:00 pm–midnight).
1950s–1993: WROW-FM
The 95.5 frequency, originally allocated to the unbuilt WXKW-FM in 1950, signed on in 1959 as WROW-FM, sister to Capital Cities CommunicationsCapital Cities Communications
Capital Cities redirects here. For the article about the seat of a government, see Capital .Capital Cities Communications was an American media company best known for its surprise purchase of the much larger American Broadcasting Company in 1985...
flagship WROW
WROW
WROW is a radio station broadcasting to Albany, New York, with its towers in Glenmont, New York. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and runs a Adult Standards/Oldies format under the branding Magic 590...
and initially simulcasting the AM's programming. After 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...
(FCC) forced FM stations to originate their own programming in 1967, it aired a time-delayed variation of the AM's easy listening format. This arrangement remained until after Capital Cities sold the WROW stations in 1983, at which point the FM became the primary station which the AM largely simulcasted.
With the decline of easy listening formats in the late 1980s, WROW-FM evolved to a Soft AC format as EZ95.5 in early 1991 with easy listening moving solely to the AM side. Though with a good signal in comparison to rival WKLI-FM, the easy listening heritage of the 95.5 frequency proved to be detrimental to the growth of the station. In late 1993, the WROW stations were sold to Albany Broadcasting (forerunner to today's Pamal Broadcasting), at which point an overhaul of the station took place.
1994–present: WYJB
On January 3, 1994, EZ95.5 relaunched with a more mainstream AC sound as The New B95.5 with the WYJB calls coming into effect several days prior. Within five years of the launch, the station became the death knell for the weaker WKLI signal's AC format (and also many of its future rival stations, including a K-Lite revival on 94.5 FM and Buzz 105.7).In 2001, Delilah
Delilah Rene
Delilah Rene Luke , almost always known mononymously as Delilah, is an American radio personality, author, and songwriter, best known as the host of a nationally syndicated nightly U.S...
was added to the station in the evenings after WKLI (then on 94.5 FM) flipped to classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
; and continued to develop a slight Hot AC lean, even more so with sister station WCPT (now WKLI-FM) changing to a soft AC/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...
format. Five years later, the long-time morning show Chuck and Kelly moved to competitor WBZZ (originally on 104.5, later on 105.7), and Ric Mitchell and Laura Daniels (formerly of WFLY
WFLY
WFLY is a Contemporary Hit Radio station licensed to Troy, New York and serving New York's Capital District as well as the surrounding areas, including the Adirondacks...
) were named Chuck and Kelly's replacements. In 2010
2010 in radio
The following events occurred in radio in 2010.-Events:*Date Unknown: CHOI/Quebec City flips from Alternative Rock to News/Talk.*January 4: KJCS/Lufkin, Texas goes silent....
, Ric Mitchell left WYJB with Chuck Taylor returning to the morning show shortly after, but from when WBZZ dumped adult contemporary that year, it left WYJB and rimshot competitor WQAR
WQAR
WQAR is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to Stillwater, New York and serving Saratoga County, New York and vicinity. The station is the flagship station of the Anastos Media Group and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Stillwater...
as Albany's only adult contemporary radio stations.
On November 9, 2011, the station flipped to Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
for the first time, in response to the flip of nearby oldies station WTRY-FM
WTRY-FM
WTRY-FM, or 98.3 WTRY, is an oldies station licensed to Rotterdam, New York and serving New York's Capital District and Mohawk Valley. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in between Altamont and Duanesburg, New York off U.S...
to all-Christmas the same day.