WJMH

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WJMH is an Entercom-owned mainstream urban FM radio station serving the Piedmont Triad region. It broadcasts at 102.1 MHz with 100,000 watts of power and is licensed to serve Reidsville, North Carolina.

[edit] Early history (1947-1988)

The radio station now known as 102 JAMZ was originally located in Reidsville, North Carolina, a simulcast of sister station WREV (1220 AM). In 1947, William Manton Oliver, Sr., at that time owner of the local newspaper (The Reidsville Review), applied to the FCC for a permit to construct an FM radio station under the AM's corporate name, Reidsville Broadcasting Company, Inc. After operating for a time under a Construction Permit, the station's license was granted September 6, 1948. At that time, FM was still new and somewhat experimental. Almost all radio listening was shared among the AM radio stations. Mr. Oliver's primary purpose for constructing the station was a desire to provide high school football coverage to Reidsville listeners, as WREV (AM) was not allowed to remain on the air after sunset. For almost twenty years, the same programming was carried on both WREV-AM and WREV-FM. The simulcast ended in 1966, when Oliver's son, William Manton Oliver, Jr. began to handle day to day operations and WREV-FM became a Christian radio station. On September 10, 1977, by chance the day of William Manton Oliver Sr.'s funeral, WREV-FM was sold to new owner George Beasley, a former high school principal, and the Christian station on 102.1 assumed new call letters, as WWMO.

Late in 1986, Beasley began construction of a new taller tower, near the Guilford/Rockingham county line and moved the facility to new studios in Greensboro. The new "BIG 102" took the WBIG call letters, recently abandoned by Greensboro's oldest radio station, (an AM facility that "went dark" [voluntarily turning in its broadcasting license to the FCC and leaving the air permanently]). The new FM hired some of WBIG-AM's personalities and debuted as a country music station, late in March, 1987. It was at this point that the former Reidsville-only station first actively attempted to reach the Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point metropolitan area^{[citation needed]}.

The debut of "BIG 102" was preceded by a computerized countdown created by Dan Robins, who in 1994 was corporate product manager of Smart Computers and Software in Fayetteville, North Carolina^[1].

WBIG's initial Arbitron ratings were fairly strong, but settled back over time. Through the four ratings "books" in 1988, the 12+ "shares" (a measure of the percentage of listeners aged 12 and older) were 4.9, 5.0, 4.4 and 3.8. Through that same time, competitor WTQR achieved shares of 18.6, 17.5, 18.1 and 16.8.

[edit] History as 102 JAMZ

On January 1, 1989, Beasley abandoned the Country battle, flipping the format to "Churban" and changing the station's call letters and name. WJMH "102 JAMZ" was consulted by Jerry Clifton, who specialized in multi-ethnic programming (in Miami, Detroit, Orlando, Dallas, Philadelphia and other markets). Under original Program Director Chris Bailey, 102 JAMZ showed a 12+ Arbitron share of 7.7 in their first ratings book, as compared to rival Power 97's 4.1.

Under Bailey, and 102 JAMZ' second PD, Brian Douglas, 102 JAMZ continued to outrank Power 97 in the 12+ ratings, but especially with Men and Women aged 18 to 34 and with teenaged listeners (Douglas joined 102 JAMZ in September, 1990 and remains Program Director to the present time). 102 JAMZ and Power 97 continued to compete head-on until September, 1996. At that time, new owner Max Media moved WQMG in a much more adult direction, as Black-targeted Urban Adult Contemporary 97.1 QMG and 102 JAMZ began working with Steve Smith Radio and Ratings Consultants (Smith had guided Hot 97, WQHT, New York's transition from dance to a more Hip Hop and R&B mix as Hot 97's Program Director in 1993 and 1994).

From its inception, 102 JAMZ featured a strong percentage of Rap and, by 1992, was perhaps the first radio station to be targeted toward 18-24 year old African-Americans. "Urban", or Black-targeted stations of the time, typically attempted to reach a broader demographic, concentrating focus on the lucrative 25 to 54 year old market. Therefore, rap music was typically relegated to weekend mix shows, limited to airplay during the evenings only or, in many cases, not played at all.

The station achieved success with younger listeners across the spectrum (White, Hispanic, etc.), building on music for college-aged listeners, foreground "personalities", regular hip hop-oriented Mix Shows, interactive cash contests and activity "on the streets". Breaking lifestyle news and events in hip hop music are mentioned regularly, as well. Since the late 90s, 102 JAMZ has maintained a station website (102JAMZ.com).

[edit] 102 JAMZ' SuperJam

102 JAMZ' annual summer concert happens each year in late June, featuring primarily hip hop artists. The station's debut summer show, SuperJam I, took place Friday night, June 20, 1997, at Greensboro Coliseum with an audience of 20,000 and featured Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Junior M.A.F.I.A., Lil' Kim, OutKast, Lost Boyz, SWV, Freak Nasty and others. Successive annual SuperJams have included artists such as Jay-Z, Ludacris, Diddy, T.I., T-Pain, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Fat Joe, Young Jeezy, Ja Rule, Three 6 Mafia, Busta Rhymes, Bow Wow, Ying Yang Twins, LL Cool J, Nas, Crime Mob, Big Pun, Cam'Ron, Slick Rick and Doug E. Fresh, Yung Joc, Dru Hill, Trick Daddy, Jermaine Dupree, Dem Franchize Boyz, Redman, Petey Pablo, 112, DJ Unk, Elephant Man, Trina, Lloyd, DJ Kool, Trillville, N.O.R.E., Chingy, Jagged Edge, Rich Boy, Da Brat and Omarion. SuperJam and the 102 JAMZ Birthday Bash, held each Jam-Uary, are hosted by the 102 JAMZ airstaff, with music provided by the 102 JAMZ Mix Squad.

[edit] Former 102 JAMZ personalities

Personalities over the years have included Busta Brown and Shilynne Cole, now with 97.1 QMG (WQMG), The Bushman, afternoons at FM 98 (WJLB) in Detroit, Mad Hatta, morning personality at Houston's 97.9 The Box (KBXX), Kendall B, morning co-host at Denver's KS 107.5 (KQKS), Mary K, Assistant Program Director of 95.7 JAMZ (WBHJ) in Birmingham, Big Lip Bandit, mornings at 99 JAMZ (WEDR), Miami and Boogie D, Operations Manager (in charge of programming) for St. Louis radio stations Hot 104.1 (WHHL) and Foxy 95.5 (WFUN). Other alumni have included The Jammer, Mic Foxx, Dr. Michael Lynn and former morning show co-host Amos Quick, now a Guilford County school board member, and host of 102 JAMZ' Sunday morning talk show. George "Apollo" Fetherbay, now a National Voice Over taletnt and owner of Apollo Productions

[edit] Present personality lineup

Today, 102 JAMZ features the Wild Out Wakeup Show, starring Kyle Santillian, Afrika and B-Daht (with off-air Producer Tiffany) in the mornings, 6 to 10 a.m., followed by Delyte from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (featuring the 20 Minute Workout), Big Tap Money from 3 to 7 p.m. (with the 5:00 ReMix), Waleed Coyote from 7 p.m. to midnight (featuring the 10:00 Banger), and Big Mo, midnight to 6 a.m. Weekends include Showdown, Young Gee, Sho Smoove, Phamalae, Big Bull, Food Stamp and Sportie.

[edit] Special programming

102 JAMZ does regular Mix Squad Weekends (with all music mixed), Throwback Weekends (featuring older hip hop), Twin Spin Weekends (with sets of music from particular artists), etc. The station also does tributes to major artists on their birthdays, presents occasional retrospectives on fallen artists such as Notorious B.I.G. and 2Pac, etc.

The 102 JAMZ Mix Squad is regularly out in front. J-Flex is on the turntables for the 5:00 ReMix, weekdays at 5 p.m. and on Hip Hop 102, Saturday nights from 10 to 2. DJ Deluxe does the 10:00 Banger, weekday evenings at 10, DJ Polo handles the 20 Minute Workout, featuring Old School Hip Hop, weekdays at noon, DJ MC does the Breakfast Mix, Friday mornings at 8 while DJ SoundMachine is on Smash City, Friday Nights from 10 to 2. DJ Cease Fire mixes on the Sunday Night Heat at 10:00, and DJ Swift fills in on all shows. Amos Quick, former co-host of the 102 JAMZ morning show, hosts a live, interactive two-hour community affairs show, called Straight Talk, Sunday mornings at 6. Sunday nights at 11:00, Reggae Jamz features Geronimo and mixer Statixx.

[edit] Present day overview

102 JAMZ is categorized by the broadcasting industry as an Urban Contemporary station. It is is one of the few radio stations in the United States still operating "live and local" (with no pre-recorded, voice tracked or national syndicated programming), 24 hours a days, seven days a week. The station "streams" online, at 102JAMZ.com.

[edit] Ownership history

WJMH has been operated by five different owners through the years, originally (1947) by Reidsville Broadcasting Company, Inc., in 1977 as the first station in the company now known as Beasley Broadcasting, in 1996 by Max Media, in 1998 by Sinclair Broadcasting and, from late 1999 to the present, by Entercom Communications Corp.

[edit] References

1. ^ Gina Evans, "Radio Countdown," The Fayetteville Observer, June 5, 1994.

• Personal Interviews: George Beasley, original owner (interviewed 1990-1995)
• Personal Interviews: Dave Compton, present Program Director of WPET (AM), former WREV (AM)/WWMO employee (interviewed 2001-2007)
• Personal Interviews: Brian Douglas, WJMH Program Director, September 1, 1990 to present (interviewed 2007)
• FCC data

[edit] External links

• 102 JAMZ' website
• Link to origin of WREV, WWMO and WBIG call letters (what they originally stood for)
• 102 JAMZ MySpace fan page