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WKXW

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WKXW
Broadcast areaNew Jersey
Frequency101.5MHz(HD Radio)
BrandingNew Jersey 101.5
Programming
Language(s)English
Format
SubchannelsHD2: Beach Radio (oldies)
Ownership
Owner
WCHR,WPST,WNJE
History
First air date
August 27, 1962;62 years ago(1962-08-27)
Former call signs
  • WBUD-FM (1962–1967)
  • WBJH (1967–1979)
  • WTRT (1979–1980)
  • WKXW-FM (1980–1981)
  • WKXW (1981–2002)
  • WKXW-FM (2002–2006)
Call signmeaning
Two "W's" bookending "Kix" (former branding)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID53458
ClassB
ERP
  • 15,500 watts (analog)
  • 617 watts (digital)[2]
HAAT275 m (902 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
40°16′58.4″N74°41′9.6″W/ 40.282889°N 74.686000°W/40.282889; -74.686000(WKXW)
Links
Public license information
Webcast
Website

WKXW(101.5FM,"New Jersey 101.5" ) is acommercialFMradio station licensed to serveTrenton, New Jersey.The station is owned byTownsquare Mediawith studios and offices located inEwing[3]and its transmitter facility, which is shared withWPRB,located near theQuaker Bridge MallinLawrence TownshipinMercer County, New Jersey.[4]

History

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The station went on the air on August 27, 1962, as WBUD-FM with aneasy listeningformat. Itscall signsubsequently changed in 1967 to WBJH, which stood for Bill and Joy Hardin,[citation needed]the son and daughter-in-law of the owner. The station's call sign changed to WTRT in 1979 and rebranded as"The New T-101 FM".In 1980, the station's call sign was changed to WKXW-FM, under its new owner Fidelity Communications. It was playing ahot adult contemporaryformat as"The All New Kix 101 & A 1/2 FM"and later"Kix 101.5".By the late 80s, the station evolved into more of a gold-basedadult contemporaryformat. Its weekend Saturday oldies show evolved into an all oldies format from the 1950s through early 70s on overnights and weekends before the change to its current weekday talk format, which came in 1990 when it was sold to Press Communications. The sale to Millennium Radio Group took place in 2001.

On March 1, 1990, at 5 pm, "New Jersey 101.5", conceived by Sabo Media CEO, Walter Sabo, became the first full-time FM talk station in America targeted for a younger audience. Mark Sheppard, who later went to middays, kicked off the format playing Bill Haley & The Comets' "Rock Around The Clock".

Since the 1990s, the station has atalkandnewsformatduring the week, witholdiesmusic on the overnights and weekend. Initially, the oldies format was 1960s-based with a few pre-1964 oldies and a 1970s oldie or two each hour. By the early-to-mid-1990s, more 1970s music was added and by the early-2000s, 1980s music from 1980 to 1982 was added occasionally. Between 2000 and 2005, music from between 1986 and 1989 was added to the lineups. Gradually, at the same time, songs from 1964 and older were gradually reduced in the late-1990s and gone by 2000. In September 2007, 1960s music was removed from the "60s, 70s, and 80s" weekend music programming ID, and nearly all 1960s music had been removed from the playlist. However, in May 2012, "60s" was added back to the weekend music programming ID, coinciding with a limited but steady increase in music airplay focusing on select titles by well-known artists.

In the mid-to-late-1990s, music was ended on weekday overnights and now airs strictly on weekends and some holidays.

The station has, at times, provided a simulcast on various AM and FM stations in theAtlantic Cityarea, beyond the reach of its main transmitter. The most recent simulcast ceased in June 2009 whenthen-WXKWchanged formats toESPN Sports Radio.The station's morning show was also simulcast for a time on regional cable networkCN8in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with cameras mounted in the radio studio showing the station's personalities on-camera.

In 2011, California-basedOaktree Capitalsigned a deal to buy Millennium Radio Group; after taking over, Oaktree transferred the Millennium stations toTownsquare Media.[5]

Controversies

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In 2008, the station's parent companywas sued by a photographerforcopyright infringement,anddefamationwith regards to the online posting of a photocopy of aNew Jersey Monthlymagazine photograph. Photographer Peter Murphy sent a notice ofcopyright infringementto the station to remove a photoCraig Cartonand Ray Rossi, which had been photocopied from a March 2006 issue of the magazine; the station also posted edited versions of the picture that were submitted by listeners. While the station complied with the takedown request, Carton and Rossi complained on-air about Murphy's conduct, allegedly saying that Murphy was "not to be trusted" and that people "should avoid doing business" with him. Carton and Rossi also alleged that Murphy "was a homosexual."[6]In April 2008, Murphy brought suit for direct,contributory,andvicariouscopyright infringement,violation of theDMCA,anddefamation of characteragainst Millennium Radio Group, Carton, and Rossi. The Third Circuit ruled that the station's actions did constitute both a violation of the DMCA and copyright infringement, whichvacatedthe district court's judgment.[7]

On July 26, 2018, the station came under fire after hosts Judi Franco and Dennis Malloy referred toNew Jersey Attorney GeneralGurbir Grewalas "turban man" while on air.[8]The hosts were suspended for 10 days.[9][10]

In December 2018, Judi Franco garnered controversy when called the state's"Move Over" law"silly" and unnecessary in an opinion piece she posted on the station's website under the headline "Dead cops make bad laws."[11]

Some of the station's personalities have garnered attention for their promotion ofanti-vaccinationviewpoints (including opposition toCOVID-19 vaccinesandCOVID-19 vaccine mandates), including morning hostBill Spadea,and host Dennis Malloy of the midday showThe Dennis & Judi Show.[12][13][14][15]In September 2022, Spadea and station owner Townsquare Media were sued for defamation by Steven Tobias—a child psychologist who had made appearances on the station to discuss the impact of the pandemic on schools—after Spadea called for him to be "indicted forchild abuse"for promoting the wearing offace masksin schools.[16]

New Jersey-centric branding

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The station strongly brands its New Jersey-ness, with its announcers frequently self-identifying "New Jersey 101.5" and with its bumper message intoning "Not New York. Not Philadelphia. Proud to be New Jersey!", as well as its brandedNew Jersey Fast TrafficandNew Jersey Instant Weather.The New Jersey-centric nature of the station is emphasized in the traffic reports, in that they refer to traffic direction on bridges and tunnels as "entering New Jersey" or "leaving New Jersey" instead of the more traditional designations of "into the city/inbound" or "out of the city/outbound". As well, current temperatures of different samples of towns in New Jersey are given after the weather reports. Despite the station's branding, the 101.5 signal does not reach the majority of Cape May, Salem and Sussex Counties while the signal's coverage of Atlantic, Bergen, Cumberland and Hudson Counties is poor at best, though digital streaming options do allow full-state and even out-of-state reach of the station through other means.

Townsquare News Network

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The station is the flagship broadcasting arm of the Townsquare New Jersey News Network as heard on twelve radio stations throughout the state. The network consists ofWPSTin Trenton,WOBM-FMin Toms River,WJLK (AM)in Lakewood,WCHR-FMin Manahawkin,WJLK-FMin Asbury Park,WOBM (AM)in Asbury Park,WFPGin Atlantic City,WSJOin Egg Harbor City,WPURin Atlantic City, andWENJin Atlantic City. Various bureaus throughout the state share stories with the Ewing headquarters.

Big Joe Henry hosting his annual Talent Show finals,Point Pleasant Beach,August 2008

Notable alumni

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HD Radio

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On May 31, 2024, WKXW launched an oldies format branded "Beach Radio" on its HD2 subchannel.[17]

References

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  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for WKXW".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^"FCC 335-FM Digital Notification [WKXW]".fcc.gov.Federal Communications Commission.September 11, 2013.RetrievedJune 2,2018.
  3. ^"N.J. 101.5FM studio is renamed after longtime radio personality Jim Gearhart".The Star-Ledger.November 2, 2010.RetrievedJune 27,2013.
  4. ^"FM Query Results for WKXW".fcc.gov.Federal Communications Commission.RetrievedJune 2,2018.
  5. ^"Oaktree closes on Millennium-NJ, files to transfer stations to Townsquare Media".Radio-Info.July 21, 2011.RetrievedJuly 21,2011.
  6. ^Murphy v. Millennium Radio Group LLC,08-1743(US District Court, D. New Jersey 2010).
  7. ^Murphy v. Millennium Radio Group LLC,10-2163(3rd Circuit 2011).
  8. ^Lartey, Jamiles (July 26, 2018)."New Jersey radio hosts suspended for calling attorney general 'turban man'".The Guardian.
  9. ^The Latest: Sikh group says radio station should apologize-AP NEWS
  10. ^"NJ 101.5 suspends hosts after they called NJ Attorney General Gurbir Grewal 'turban man'".
  11. ^Cervenka, Susanne (December 5, 2018)."NJ 101.5 host Judi Franco 'trampling on the graves' of police, trooper union says".Asbury Park Press.RetrievedDecember 6,2018.
  12. ^Tully, Tracey; Otterman, Sharon; Hoffman, Jan (January 16, 2020)."How Anti-Vaccine Activists Doomed a Bill in New Jersey".The New York Times.
  13. ^Diamond, Michael L."No, the COVID vaccine doesn't have a microchip. How NJ doctors are fighting misinformation".Asbury Park Press.RetrievedJune 23,2022.
  14. ^"Cryan, slate win in District 20".New Jersey Globe.June 9, 2021.RetrievedJune 23,2022.
  15. ^Nelson, Blake (July 18, 2021)."Twitter suspends N.J. lawmaker for questioning vaccine mandates. He wants an apology".The Star-Ledger.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022.
  16. ^"Child Psychologist Sues 'NJ 101.5' And Host Bill Spadea".Insideradio.September 16, 2022.RetrievedSeptember 22,2022.
  17. ^Beach Radio Heads to TrentonRadioinsight - May 31, 2024
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