| City of license | Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Detroit, MI-Windsor, ON |
| Branding | 90.9 WRCJ |
| Slogan | Classical Days, Jazzy Nights |
| Frequency | 90.9 MHz |
| First air date | January 8, 1948 |
| Format | Classical/Jazz |
| Power | 42,000 watts |
| HAAT | 165 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 6056 |
| Callsign meaning | We are Classical & Jazz |
| Former callsigns | WDTR-FM (10/7/82-7/1/04) WDTR (1/8/48-10/7/82) |
| Owner | Detroit Public Schools (operated by Detroit Educational Television Foundation) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | http://www.wrcjfm.org/ |
WRCJ-FM is a classical/jazz FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station operates on 90.9 MHz and is the only Classical Music station in Detroit. The Detroit Educational Television Foundation, owners of WTVS, operates the public radio station for the Detroit Public Schools.
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WRCJ went on the air for the first time on January 8, 1948 as WDTR, and was Michigan's first educational FM station. By the dawn of the 21st century, the station's programming consisted largely of urban contemporary music with public affairs programs concerning the school district and a variety of specialty shows, including the "Old 'n' Gold" rare oldies show and the Sunday big band/nostalgia showcase "Somewhere In Time". WDTR changed its call letters to WRCJ on July 1, 2004, and the station cut back its broadcast time to 8AM-5PM weekdays only. At the same time, the school district announced it would draft a contract with a third party to operate the station while the school district continued to own the frequency. Accordingly they put out an RFP (Request for Proposal), stipulating the station's format change to classical and jazz, to which several area organizations responded, including WUOM and WTVS. In April 2005, the Detroit Public Schools announced that Detroit Public TV would take control of WRCJ in July. The change happened at noon on August 1, 2005.
The current format of classical and jazz music began August 1, 2005. The station plays Classical music from 5AM to 7PM and Jazz music from 7PM to 5AM, six days a week, with religious/gospel music on Sunday mornings.
The station is staffed by local presenters from 6AM-7PM. Morning and afternoon show host Dave Wagner was a longtime air personality on former commercial classical music station 105.1 WQRS. Mid-day host Chris Felcyn is a longtime public radio personality known for his show "The Listening Room," which is now heard Sunday mornings at 10AM on WRCJ. Former classical WQRS host and frequent fill in host for WRCJ, Jack Goggin hosts the Sunday evening show “Film Classics”, a show that aired for nine years on 105.1 WQRS.
WRCJ's weeknight jazz programming consists of Tony Mowod's "JazzWorks" show from WDUQ in Pittsburgh and "Jazz Overnight" with Bob Parlocha, which is nationally syndicated by WFMT in Chicago. The station also carries WFMT's "Exploring Music" with Bill McGlaughlin, weekday mornings from 5-6AM. With the exceptions of "The Listening Room," "DSO Unmasked" , "Film Classics", "ARTifacts", "The Voice of MOT" and Detroit Symphony Orchestra full-length concerts (Sundays at noon), WRCJ's classical-music programming on weekends is satellite-fed from the Classical 24 network.
90.9 WRCJ currently ranks at #21 (2.1) in the Detroit market according to the November 2010 PPM Ratings release.
WRCJ has been also repeated intermittently by W284BQ, a low-powered "fill-in" repeater in Detroit owned by Martz Communications Group (through licensee Radio Power, Inc.) that broadcasted on 104.7 MHz. In March 2011, Radio Power filed an application with the Federal Communications Commission to relocate the frequency of W284BQ from 104.7 MHz to 93.9 MHz[1] -- if approved, the repeater will interfere in much of Greater Detroit with CIDR-FM, an FM radio station in Windsor, Ontario that also serves Greater Detroit, though the licensee contends that, despite CIDR-FM's coverage area, the transmitter will be directional, as to not interfere with CIDR-FM on the Canadian side of the border.[2] In addition, the repeater rebroadcasts the HD Radio signal of WGPR's smooth jazz station, The Oasis;[3] it is unknown if Martz intends on using the repeater for WRCJ, as originally planned.
The current lineup (as of August 18, 2008) Starting out the day at 5am is Exploring Music with Bill McGlaughlin. On the morning drive it's Dave Wagner. During the workday is The Well-Tempered Wireless with Chris Felcyn. On the ride home it's Dr. Dave’s Drive Time Elixir with Dave Wagner once again. Wrapping up the day on nights is Jazz Works with Tony Mowod, and Jazz Overnight with Bob Parlocha.
Weekend programming includes "The Listening Room," "DSO Unmasked," "Film Classics," "ARTifacts," "The Voice of MOT," and Detroit Symphony Orchestra full-length concerts (Sundays at noon). At other times during the weekends, and on holidays, the station is satellite-fed from the Classical 24 network.
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