 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Capital Region |
| Frequency | 96.3MHz |
| Branding | Jamz 96.3 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Rhythmic contemporary |
| Affiliations | Compass Media Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WFLY,WINU,WKLI-FM,WROW,WYJB | |
| History | |
First air date | May 24, 1991 (1991-5-24)[1] |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Albany Jamz" |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 35537 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 470watts |
| HAAT | 293 meters (961 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°38′11.3″N74°0′0.5″W / 42.636472°N 74.000139°W /42.636472; -74.000139 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WAJZ (96.3FM) is acommercialradio stationlicensed toVoorheesville, New York, and serving theCapital District, includingAlbany,Schenectady andTroy. The station is owned byPamal Broadcasting and broadcasts arhythmic contemporaryradio format that leans towardurban contemporary. In morningdrive time, WAJZ carries thenationally syndicated "Jubal Show" fromKBKS-FM inSeattle.
WAJZ has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 470watts. Thetransmitter is on Pinnacle Road inHelderberg Escarpment tower farm inNew Scotland, amid thetowers for other Albany-area TV and FM stations.[3]
Since the launch ofJamz 96.3 on December 23, 1998, it has become one of the most popular radio stations in the Albany market, initially as anurban contemporary radio station, and evolving torhythmic contemporary by September 2005. As of 2011, the station tends to lean moreurban rather than dance (similar toWQHT inNew York City) to avoid competing with co-ownedmainstream CHRWFLY.
The stationsigned on the air on May 24, 1991, as WCDA (the station had no relation toWTEN-TV, which was previously WCDA, or itsAdams, Massachusetts satellite station, WCDC-TV). It offered a locally programmedadult contemporary format, calling itselfCD96.3. The format ran for three years, featuring live, personality-driven programming that included a full-time news staff. The station came into a market already featuring a glut of other adult contemporary stations, and unable to overcome this, three years later the format was changed tocountry music, initially using programming from the Jones Satellite to target the market's top station,WGNA-FM. It found little success throughautomated programming.
Eventually, WCDA brought back in more-locally produced programming. Like most locally owned and operated "single" stations, WCDA found itself competing against ownership groups that had acquired multiple stations. The Albany market, like most radio markets in the nation, saw all of its individually owned stations eventually sold to larger group broadcasters, WCDA among them.
In August 1996, Albany Broadcasting (forerunner to today's Pamal Broadcasting) purchased WCDA, used the WPTRcall sign the company retained from the sale of1540 AM, and relaunched the station under an approach that included more recent and past country hits than WGNA. After 18 months of struggling ratings, and after a weekend ofHalloween-relatedstunting, the station relaunched asPower Country 96.3, focusing on newer, more youthful country songs, on November 3, 1997. The relaunch had no effect on its ratings as the station languished near the bottom, even with rights toSiena College men's basketball andNew York Yankees baseball.
On December 23, 1998, WPTR changed its format tourban contemporary, the first FM station in the market aimed at theAfrican American community.Jamz 96.3 took the WAJZ call letters several weeks later.[4] For its first half-decade, the station maintained very good numbers, but increased competition forced the station to reevaluate.
In September2005, it started shifting its direction towards arhythmic contemporary approach. Since 2011, the station has returned to an urban contemporary direction, with most dance product airing onsister stationWFLY; however, WAJZ is still reported as rhythmic contemporary byMediabase andNielsen BDS.