WBHJ
 | |
| Broadcast area | Birmingham, Alabama |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 95.7MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | 95.7 Jamz |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream urban/Rhythmic contemporary |
| Subchannels | HD2:WAGGsimulcast(Urban gospel) HD3:WAY-FM(Contemporary Christian) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WAGG,WBHK,WBPT,WENN,WPYA,WZZK-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1958(as WTBC-FM) |
Former call signs | WTBC-FM (1958–1969) WUOA (1969–1984) WFFX (1984–1996)[1] |
Call signmeaning | WBirmingHam'sJamz[2] |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 730 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 12,000watts |
| HAAT | 306 meters |
| Translator(s) | 106.3W292EI (Warrior) HD3:89.9W210CA (Birmingham) HD3:99.1W256CD (Fultondale) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | 957jamz.com |
WBHJ(95.7FM) is anurban-leaningrhythmic-formattedradio stationthat servesBirmingham, Alabama.In 2005, it also began broadcasting inIBOCdigital radio,using theHD Radiosystem fromiBiquity.It is owned bySummitMediaalong with six other stations in the market, and all share studios in the Cahaba neighborhood in far southeast Birmingham where the Program Director is Nuyork.[3]Its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain inBirmingham.
History
[edit]95.7 originally came on the air in 1958 asWTBC-FM,a Tuscaloosa station that was a companion toWTBC (AM)/1230with its transmitter on 15th Street. As WTBC-FM, the station was just a placeholder for the AM station, playing a stack of MOR format LPs on a turntable. A contributor who worked at WTBC (AM) notes that when the stack of records was finished, it just started playing over. Station IDs weren't done regularly because they were done by the often-forgetful AM jocks. The program director would go live for a few hours each night and was probably the only live person on the air daily. In 1969, It later becameWUOA(University of Alabama), anadult contemporary-formatted college radio station. Another change occurred in 1984 with thecallsswitching toWFFX,"95.7 the Fox", and the addition of modern rock.[1]
It then moved into the Birmingham market in the 1990s, and was during that period the transmitter moved to a taller tower nearVance.On July 15, 1996, the calls were changed toWBHJand the format of the station to "95.7 Jamz", anUrban-formatted radio station. The first Jamz program director was Mickey Johnson. Since that time, the station has been one of Birmingham's top rated radio stations.
In November 2004, after years of being plagued by an inadequate signal into its primary listening area of Birmingham, the station applied for a construction permit to theFederal Communications Commission(FCC) to move its transmitter from Vance toRed Mountain.In June 2005 the station completed a move to boost its signal in the Birmingham market by getting relicensed to the Birmingham suburb ofMidfieldand moving its transmitter site from ruralBibb County(near Vance) to Red Mountain, where the other high-power Birmingham stations are located. Although the move required a reduction in power from 100kilowattsto just 12.2 kilowatts, the move has provided a strong signal to listeners in the immediate market area.
WBHJ is arhythmic contemporaryreporter onMediabaseand anurbanreporter perNielsen BDS.
On July 20, 2012, Cox Radio, Inc. announced the sale of WBHJ and 22 other stations to Summit Media LLC for $66.25 million. The sale was consummated on May 3, 2013.[4][5]
Station management
[edit]- General Manager: John Walker
- Program Director: NuYork
- Music Director: Young Dil
References
[edit]- ^ab"Call Sign History".FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^Nelson, Bob (2008-10-18)."Call Letter Origins".The Broadcast Archive.Retrieved2008-10-31.
- ^Ekman, Jennifer (September 1, 2006)."Cox rocks Birmingham".Birmingham Business Journal.
- ^"Cox Puts Clusters up for Sale".20 July 2012.
- ^"Cox Sells Stations in Six Markets to Two Groups".6 May 2013.
External links
[edit]- 95.7 Jamz WBHJ official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 730 (WBHJ)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WBHJinNielsen Audio's FM station database