WJAG

WJAG
City of license Norfolk, Nebraska
Branding Newstalk WJAG 780 AM and 105.9 FM
Frequency 780 kHz
First air date September 13, 1922
Format News Talk Information
Power 1,000 watts (daytime only)
ERP 105.9 FM 250 watts
Class D
Facility ID 73121
Transmitter coordinates 42°1′54″N 97°29′47″W / 42.03167°N 97.49639°W
Affiliations ABC Radio, Premiere Radio Networks, Westwood One
Owner WJAG, Inc.
Sister stations KEXL
Website wjag.com

WJAG (780 AM, "Newstalk 780") is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Norfolk, Nebraska, USA. The station has been owned by WJAG, Inc. since 1922.

Programming

WJAG features news and talk radio programming from ABC Radio, Premiere Radio Networks and Westwood One.[1] WJAG operates during daylight hours only, in order to protect the nighttime signal of WBBM (780 AM) in Chicago.

In July 2008, WJAG became one of a handful of AM stations to operate a co-located FM translator. K290AT at 105.9FM carries WJAG's programming 24 hours a day, including overnight hours after the AM closes down. The nationally syndicated ESPN Radio Network fills much of the overnight airtime.

WJAG is the sister station to Norfolk's KEXL-FM.

History

WJAG was licensed on July 27, 1922, but didn't officially go on the air until September. At 12:15 p.m. on September 13, 1922, WJAG broadcast its first program: a news and farm market report. The station's initial power was 100 watts, and its first broadcasts consisted of three afternoon news and market reports: at 12:15, 3:30 and 5:30. The three reports were termed a "temporary schedule until enough (listener) cards come in indicating changes should be made."

WJAG was founded by the publisher of the Norfolk Daily News. The station's original slogan was "The Voice of the Norfolk Daily News." The newspaper's city editor in 1922, Karl Stefan, anchored the station's first news report and served as chief announcer until his election to Congress in 1935.

WJAG's first studio consisted of a single room in the building that housed the newspaper. Early programming consisted of performances by community choral groups, barbershop quartets and polka bands. The station's first remote broadcast was prompted by a performance by a 67-member choir. The choir was too large to fit in the one-room studio, and the station was able to obtain use of the automobile showroom at the neighboring Buick dealer. A wire was run across the street to carry audio of the choir's performance from the dealership to the studio.

It was housed in the Hotel Norfolk, at 108 N. Fourth St. in Norfolk, from 1926 to 1944.[2]:6

The station did not begin to sell commercial spots until after its fifth year of operation.

References

  1. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  2. ↑ Dana L. Pratt (August 24, 1988). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Hotel Norfolk / Madison Apartments". National Park Service. and accompanying eight photos from 1988

External links