 | |
| Broadcast area | Greater Birmingham |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 96.5MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Magic 96.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Adult contemporary |
| Subchannels | HD3:K-Love |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WDXB,WERC,WERC-FM,WQEN | |
| History | |
First air date | June 1, 1961; 64 years ago (1961-06-01) (as WCRT-FM) |
Former call signs | WCRT-FM (1961–1973) WQEZ (1973–1982) |
Call sign meaning | Sounds like 'magic" (station branding) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 2111 |
| Class | C0 |
| ERP | 100,000watts |
| HAAT | 313 meters (1,027 ft) |
| Translator | HD3: 96.1 W241AI (Gorgas) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | magic96.iheart.com |
WMJJ (96.5FM, "Magic 96.5") is acommercialradio station inBirmingham, Alabama. Owned bySan Antonio-basediHeartMedia, it broadcasts anadult contemporaryformat, switching toChristmas music for the much of November and December. In the evening, it carries thenationally syndicated call-in and dedication show,Delilah. Its studios are on First Avenue South in Beacon Ridge Tower in Birmingham.
WMJJ has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000watts, the maximum for most FM stations. Itstransmitter is atop the west end of theRed Mountain range, off Venice Road in Birmingham. WMJJ broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. It carries aChristian adult contemporary format on its HD3subchannel, branded as "K-Love", which feedsFM translator 96.1 W241AI inGorgas.
The stationsigned on the air on June 1, 1961; 64 years ago (June 1, 1961). Its originalcall sign was WCRT-FM, broadcasting with 49,000 watts, half of its current output.[2] Under the joint ownership of Chapman Radio & Television Company, WCRT-FM was thesister station of WCRT 1260 AM, now known asWYDE.[2] For most of its first decade, the two stationssimulcast the same programming.
In 1973, WCRT-FM was sold to Magic City Broadcasting. It moved to a taller antenna, increased power to an even 50,000 watts, and changed call letters to WQEZ. The EZ in the call sign reflected the station's switch tobeautiful music.[3] WQEZ played quarter hour sweeps of music with limited commercials and chatter.
In the late 1970s, the station increased its broadcast power to the present 100,000 watts.[4] Throughout the 1970s, there wasn't much choice in FM programming in Birmingham. Most stations were either beautiful music oralbum oriented rock (AOR). 96.5 FM was the home of WQEZ "your 'Q' toE-Z listening". The format consisted of instrumental music and soft vocals.[citation needed]
The station was sold in 1982 to Capitol Broadcasting, a company owned primarily by radio group owner Ken Johnson. Ray Quinn, who had been Johnson's General Manager at his property inLouisville, Kentucky, moved to Birmingham built a new management team. They changed WQEZ's format toadult contemporary on December 27 of that year.[5] Until this time there were no FM stations in the market with this format. The stations that came closest to filling this niche wereWSGN andWAPI. But they werefull service radio stations with frequent breaks for news, commercials and chatter. The new name of the station was WMJJ "Magic 96," and it has retained that call sign, moniker and format since then.[citation needed]
Quinn's original team included program director Bill Thomas and sales manager Chris Gallu. Later, the sales team leadership included Steve Streiker who was General Sales Manager from 1983 until 1985. "Burt and Kurt" hosted the morning show during the station's early years, Charlie Walker did middays, and Jeff Tyson handled evenings, both crossing the street from top-ranked (at the time)WKXX to join the station. When Bill Thomas left the programming chair to become VP/Programming for Capitol Broadcasting in the mid-1980's, John Jenkins was promoted to Program Director. He remained in that position until he left the station to program WMAG-FM (also a Magic station) inGreensboro, North Carolina. He was succeeded by Smokey Rivers, who broadened WMJJ'splaylist at night, with a few softerclassic rock titles and a fewoldies.[citation needed]
John Jenkins returned as Vice President of programming at Ameron Broadcasting in the early 1990s and returned the station's focus to mainstream adult contemporary music. Under Ameron's ownership, the station remained consistently number one in women. It was sold to Capstar Broadcasting, which later merged withClear Channel Communications, the original name of today's iHeartMedia. Magic 96 began a promotion in the early 1980s that remained a fixture on the station for nearly a decade, the "Magic Alabama Lottery". The promotion involved the mailing of numbered tickets to hundreds of thousands of Birmingham residents each Spring and Fall. One listener won $96,000, one of the largest cash prizes ever given away by a Birmingham radio station. The station also gave away a $175,000 home in that promotion in the mid 1990s.[citation needed]
Ray Quinn came to Birmingham in 1982 to help launch radio station Magic 96.5 (WMJJ-FM). Now, Quinn is back in town to run Clear Channel Radio's cluster of five stations, including his old station. He started here Tuesday.
33°26′38″N86°52′48″W / 33.444°N 86.880°W /33.444; -86.880