WJMR-FM
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Frequency | 98.3MHz(HD Radio) |
| Branding | Jammin' 98.3 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Urban adult contemporary |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WHQG,WJOI,WKLH,WRXS | |
| History | |
First air date | July 30, 1966(as WZMF) |
Former call signs |
|
Call signmeaning | "Jammin' R&B" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 26222 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 4,900watts |
| HAAT | 111 meters (364 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°02′49″N87°58′52″W/ 43.047°N 87.981°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | jammin983 |
WJMR-FM(98.3MHz) is anurban adult contemporaryradio stationserving theMilwaukee, Wisconsin,area. They are known on-air as"Jammin' 98.3",and arelicensedtoMenomonee Falls, Wisconsin.Under ownership of Saga Communications, its studios (which are shared with the other four stations in Saga's Milwaukee Radio Group) and transmitter are located in Milwaukee's West Side.
History
[edit]98.3 FM history
[edit]The 98.3 frequency was home for many years to WZMF, which signed on the air in July 1966. At its inception, the station aired aMORformat. WZMF was located in a small house on Shady Lane in Menomonee Falls.
WZMF's pop music programming eventually became more experimental, and the station evolved into afreeformprogressive rockformat by October 1968, one of the first stations to do so in the midwest. The station was moderately successful with the format for the next eleven years, pushing rivalWTOSinto a different format and staying competitive with leading rockerWQFM.WhenWISN-FMswitched frombeautiful musicto rock as WLPX in January 1978, immediately becoming a ratings success, WZMF began to tighten their format, amid protests from the station's on-air staff, and ratings dropped.[2]
WZMF was sold and went silent on March 23, 1979, after playing its last three songs: "Not to Touch the Earth"byThe Doors,"American Pie"byDon McLean,and theNational AnthembyJimi Hendrix.The station returned to the air in May 1979 with aneasy listeningformat as WXJY (Joy FM 98). In 1983, it became home toWFMRand itsclassical musicformat.
WJMR-FM history
[edit]WJMR started out on106.9 FMas WMJO, playing aJammin' Oldiesformat.Chancellor Broadcastingowned the trademark for the phrase"Jammin' Oldies",so the station was referred to as "Jammin' Hits" and the call letters (which stood for "Milwaukee's Jammin' Oldies" ) were changed to WJMR, and the station was known as"Jammin' 106.9".
The station stayed at 106.9 FM until December 12, 2000, when current owner Saga Communications moved WJMR's format and call letters to 98.3 in a swap with WFMR. This was done primarily to put WJMR's on a signal that more effectively covered the urban areas of Milwaukee, and to target WFMR toward the western and northern suburbs. Soon after WJMR moved to 98.3, the"Jammin' Oldies"trend was winding down, and the station tweaked its format tourban adult contemporary,a format it retains to this day. The station still refers to itself as"Jammin' 98.3",and has had success with its format since moving to the new frequency. The station is a probable rival toWKKV-FM,though the station's focus on an older audience and type of music means their formats rarely clash.
References
[edit]- ^"Facility Technical Data for WJMR-FM".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
- ^Billboard.Nielsen Business Media, Inc. April 28, 1979.
External links
[edit]- Jammin' 98.3 station website
- Milwaukee radio: a retrospective
- Former WZMF and WFMR studios
- A sample playlist from WZMF
- Facility details for Facility ID 26222 (WJMR)in theFCCLicensing and Management System
- WJMRinNielsen Audio's FM station database