WJRZ-FM

WJRZ-FM (100.1 FM) is a radio station located in New Jersey.

History

WJRZ began broadcasting on July 4, 1976 from Manahawkin, New Jersey with a Top 40 format that also played a lot of recurrents. The original city of license was Ship Bottom, later changed to Manahawkin, and used the ID "Manahawkin-Toms River". Some of the early slogans used were "Stereo 100 WJRZ", "FM 100 WJRZ", and as "HitRadio Power 100 WJRZ". The station was originally licensed to the Jersey Shore Broadcasting Corporation, which was incorporated in New Jersey in 1974, with Joseph J. Knox, Jr., as president and Brent McNally VP and founders. The station signed on air as an affiliate of the ABC Radio Network and later switched to AP Radio. From its sign-on the station grew its listenership very quickly. WJRZ has had a long history of talented music hosts and newscasters. They include (1970s) Jason "Big Jay" Sorensen, Jay Lurie, Brent McNally, Bob Sorrentino, Terry Barnes, Joe Stephens, Ron Stevens, Lance DeBock, Mike Brophy, A.J. Brooks, Arthur Sarnovsky, Chuck Flamini, Karyn Westhoven, Chris VanZant and many,many others. The station maintained studios and a 340 ft (100 m). tower on 16 acres (65,000 m²) on Beach Avenue in Manahawkin, next to AT&T High Seas Radio Station WOO. The transmitter was later moved to a 500 ft (150 m). tower on 20 acres (81,000 m²) off Route 9 in Waretown.

The CHR/Hot AC format continued until November 1991, when WJRZ moved to a classic hits format, but went back to CHR by the middle of 1992. In December 1998, WJRZ dropped Hot AC in favor of country as "Jersey Shore Country." The country format had a mixed reaction from area listeners and failed to attract a significant number of listeners.

In June 2000, they flipped to oldies as "Oldies 100," and in 2002 ownership changed to Greater Media.

WJRZ-FM Today

WJRZ-FM moved away from the "Oldies 100" slogan, re-branding themselves as "100.1 WJRZ - The Greatest Hits Of the 60's & 70's" , and in early 2008, simply using "Jersey's Greatest Hits" and dropping all pre-Beatles music except for Sunday nights. The station dropped one of its signature programs- Jukebox Saturday Night with Joe Stephens in June, 2009. WJRZ-FM started broadcasting in HD Radio in November 2007. WJRZ-FM's HD2 multicast channel will be "Classic Oldies," however a launch date has not been established. Its transmitter is located in Waretown.

For Christmas 2009, WJRZ-FM flipped to an all-Christmas playlist on Friday, November 6, 2009.

On December 14, 2009, most of the on-air personnel at WJRZ-FM were dismissed and on December 15, WJRZ-FM started airing commercials between the Christmas songs announcing their new format. In each of the commercials, they were playing the type of songs typically hear in that type of format. On December 26, 2009, 100.1 WJRZ-FM became Magic 100.1 "Today's Best Variety" similar to Greater Media's sister station WMGQ; an adult contemporary format from New Brunswick, N.J. which is also programed by WJRZ-FM's OM/PD Jeff Rafter. It was not, however, a direct simulcast. The stations shared similar personalities who voicetracked their shows on the WJRZ signal (mornings with Chris McCoy and mid-days with Debbie Mazella).

In 2010, Jeff Rafter was relieved of his duties at WJRZ-FM. He remains OM/PD at WMGQ. Glenn Kalina overtook the OM/PD role, and became host of the station's new local morning show.

The WJRZ call sign was previously used in New Jersey on 970 AM in Newark and Hackensack as a country-music station in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1971, the station switched to a Top 40 format and became WWDJ. Buck Owens mentions WJRZ 970 AM and its then owner, Ed Nielson, in track seven of his 1966 recording, Carnegie Hall Concert With Buck Owens And His Buckaroos, recorded live by Capitol Records. WJRZ has had a long history of talented music hosts and newscasters. They include (1970s) Jay Sorensen, Jay Lurie, Brent McNally, Bob Sorrentino, Cosmo Rose, Terry Barnes, Joe Stephens, Ron Stevens, Lance DeBock, Mike Brophy, AJ Brooks, Art Sarnovsky, Chuck Flamini, Kryn Westhoven, Chris VanZant and many,many others.

On April 22, 2013, at 6 am, WJRZ-FM flipped back to their classic hits format carried from 2000–09 as WJRZ 100.1: Jersey's Greatest Hits. The new station launched with "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles followed by "The Boys are Back in Town" by Thin Lizzy.

On January 6th 2015, longtime Program Director/Afternoon host Glenn Kalina announced his resignation of the positions and retirement from full time radio. He will continue to host "The Beatles: From Us To You" on Sunday mornings. Assistant Program Director Matt Knight was elevated to Program Director while midday host TJ Bryan fills the Assistant Program Director role and weekend DJ Bob O'Brien takes over afternoons.

Technical

WJRZ's primary coverage area extends from Atlantic City to the south, Medford to the west and Belmar to the north.

External links

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WJRZ
• Radio-Locator information on WJRZ
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WJRZ
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W264AM
• Radio-Locator information on W264AM
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W300AO
• Radio-Locator information on W300AO

Coordinates: 39°47′53″N 74°12′07″W / 39.798°N 74.202°W / 39.798; -74.202