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This page will attempt to showcase the histories of New Jersey FM Radio stations,
past and present.
Please feel free to e-mail me with any information you would like to contribute to this page and
you will be credited.
Some information provided by:
WNJO - 94.5 FM, Trenton
94.5 in Trenton began on August 7, 1965 as WCHR with a religious format.
But after 33 years, that all changed when Nassau Broadcasting bought the station.
November 10, 1997 saw the beginning of things to come when WCHR began to simulcast on 920 AM in Trenton (see NJ AM Page 1) in preparation for a format change.
On February 27, 1998, WCHR started stunting with construction sound effects and on March 2, 1998 94.5 became "New Jersey's Oldies Station."
The WNJO calls were assigned on March 26, 1998.
On November 1, 2001, WNJO switched to a classic hits format as "94.5 The Hawk."
WFME - 94.7 FM, Newark
94.7 started broadcasting in 1947 as WAAT, co-owned with 970 AM in Hackensack (see NJ AM Page 2).
Later on in the 1950's, 94.7 changed calls (along with the AM) to WNTA and then in 1963 became WFME with its current religious format.
If anyone has any further info on the early days of 94.7, please e-amil me at the address above.
WAYV - 95.1 FM, Atlantic City
95.1 started broadcasting in April 1961, with calls of WRNJ.
On July 1, 1974, calls were changed to WAYV and the station featured a "Beautiful Music" format that lasted until 1977.
1978 saw the format evolve into "The Music People," a soft-rock format similar to "Magic" stations, such as WMGK in Philadelphia.
In 1979 and 1980, the format again evolved into more contemporary music and became full-time disco as "The Rhythm Of South Jersey."
By 1981, they started to evolve into their current incarnation of CHR/Hot AC.
In April 1990, they started calling themselves "Hot 95", which lasted for a short period of time.
Before moving to the Bayport One building, WAYV's studios were located on the Atlantic City boardwalk at Chelsea Ave.
(Thanks to Mike Ferriola and Mark Fletcher for some of this information)
WRAT - 95.9 FM, Pt. Pleasant
95.9 went on the air October 4, 1968 as WADB with an MOR/easy listening format.
The WADB calls stood for Adament Brown, the owner of the station.
This basic format would last until Labor Day weekend 1996 when New Jersey Broadcast Partners bought 95.9 and it became WRAT with a rock format.
Stunting before the format change featured the song "Rat In The Kitchen" by reggae group UB40.
95.9 was officially granted the WRAT calls on September 13, 1996.
In 2001, WRAT (along with WDHA/WMTR/WWTR) was sold to Greater Media (owners of WMGQ/WCTC).
WTTH - 96.1 FM, Margate City
96.1 was first granted the WFOU calls on November 13, 1989, followed by WMXL on June 25, 1990.
On September 23, 1991, calls were again changed to WTTH and by December of that year, was on the air with their current Urban AC format.
In September 1994, WTTH started a simulcast on 105.5 FM in Cape May Ct. House (see Page 8).
In February 1999, the simulcast moved over to 93.1 in Wildwood Crest (see Page 5).
WFPG-FM - 96.9 FM, Atlantic City
WFPG began broadcasting on 96.9 in September 1962, after being on 98.5 FM in the 1950's.
I don't know about their early formats, but in the 1970's and 1980's, they featured an easy listening format as "FM 97," which eventually evolved into Soft AC.
The first indication of this was in August 1989 when they started calling themselves "Lite 96.9"
In October 1995, they started using their current slogan of "Lite Rock 96.9".
The WFPG calls stand for "Worlds Famous PlayGround", a tourism slogan for Atlantic City.
Any further info on the early days of WFPG? E-mail me at the address above.
(Thanks to Dick Taylor, GM of WOND/WGYM/WUSS/WTKU, for some of this information)
WBSS - 97.3 FM, Millville
97.3 began on February 2, 1962 as WMVB "Millville-Vineland-Bridgeton."
Programming consisted of a simulcast with WMVB, 1440 AM from 6am to sunset, then originating its own programming from sunset to its 11pm sign-off.
The format was easy listening at this time, also featuring local news each hour and world news on the half-hour.
Sundays would feature religious programming in the morning and "Mostly Music" in the afternoon.
The original owners were Fred Wood (of WIP Philadelphia's "Dawn Patrol" and was GM of 1360 AM in Vineland - at the time WWBZ - before buying WMVB-AM in 1957,) Dorothy Carlson (who also worked at WWBZ,) plus some others.
Ed Bold, of WSNJ fame (see Page 9), also worked part-time at WMVB during this time.
Fred Wood later sold WMVB AM/FM in the late 1960's, after starting a cable TV business.
He also founded WWOC, 94.3 in Avalon in 1976 (see Page 5.)
In the mid to late 1970's, WMVB featured a easy listening/AC format which eventually evolved into a more mainstream adult contemporary format by 1981.
The station also increased its broadcasting schedule to 24 hours, after previously signing off at midnight each night, except for 1am on Monday mornings.
Skipping ahead to May 1987, WMVB began using the slogan "B-97", which would evolve to "Boss 97" in May 1988.
97.3 changed calls to WBSS on September 16, 1988 to reflect the change.
WBSS was originally a CHR, but started going in the Rhythmic CHR direction in July 1991.
In November 1995, the owners of WKXW "New Jersey 101.5" (see Page 7) bought 97.3 and started a simulcast of WKXW.
(Thanks to Earl Mellor and Glenn Summers for some of this information)
WPST - 97.5 FM, Trenton
97.5 started life on January 19, 1949 as WTOA, becoming WPST on September 13, 1971.
The WPST calls originally stood for "Passport Stereo Trenton," a slogan of the station at the time.
WPST is known for it's mainstream CHR format, which they've had for many years.
If anyone has any info on 97.5's years as WTOA, please e-mail me at the address above.
(Thanks to Lance Venta for digging up some old WPST logos)
WMGQ - 98.3 FM, New Brunswick
98.3 went on the air in 1947 as WCTC, changing calls to WQMR "Quality Music Radio" and then WMGQ around 1977.
98.3 started as easy listening and evolved to it's current adult contemporary format.
WMGQ was Greater Media's trademark station for "Magic Music," a mix of adult contemporary and folk music, which evolved into the AC format WMGQ has today.
WTKU - 98.3 FM, Ocean City
98.3 was granted the WDVR calls on September 27, 1982 and was on the air by April 1983 with a rock format.
On November 12, 1987, calls were changed to WKTU and in January 1988 became "Classic Hits KTU."
In 1990, WKTU changed to oldies, calling themselves "Kool 98.3, Good Times & Great Oldies".
98.3 changed calls to WTKU on February 13, 1996, in order for 103.5 FM in Lake Success NY (see NYC FM Page 2) to use the WKTU calls for the resurrection of the legendary station in the NYC area.
On September 17, 2001, WTKU re-imaged itself and focused on 70's, 80's and 90's music, essentially an "Oldies-based Adult Contemporary" format, using the slogan, "Kool 98.3, Always A Better Song."
(Thanks to Dick Taylor, GM of WOND/WGYM/WUSS/WTKU, for some of this information)
(Thanks to Mark Fletcher for digging up an old WTKU logo)
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