WJUS

WJUS
City of license Marion, Alabama
Broadcast area Selma, Alabama
Slogan Your Praise Station
Frequency 1310 kHz
Translator(s) 94.3 W232AN (Marion)
First air date December 5, 1950 (as WJAM)
Format Urban Gospel
Power 5,000 watts (day)
33 watts (night)
Class D
Facility ID 57472
Transmitter coordinates 32°38′04″N 87°17′48″W / 32.63444°N 87.29667°W / 32.63444; -87.29667
Former callsigns WJAM (1950-1983)[1]
WAJO (1983-1998)[2]
Owner Grace Baptist Temple Church

WJUS (1310 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Marion, Alabama. The station is owned by Grace Baptist Temple Church of Selma, Alabama. WJUS is the only AM radio station licensed to the city of Marion.

Programming

As WAJO, the station aired an urban contemporary music format until the late-2000 ownership and callsign change. As WJUS, this station aired a community-oriented Gospel music format from 2001 until Summer 2008.[3] In Summer 2008, the station adopted a syndicated "Party Blues and Oldies" format featuring a mix of urban oldies and blues music.[1]

In addition to its usual music programming, each Wednesday morning WJUS airs the "BodyLove" radio soap opera in which the characters deal with health problems with practical solutions and healthier eating.[4] The program is hosted locally by registered nurse Frances Ford who brackets the show with a listener call-in show offering advice, support, and "practical steps to better health".[4]

History

New station WJAM signed on the air on December 5, 1950, with 1,000 watts of power at 1310 kHz, licensed to operate only from sunrise to sunset.[5] On July 7, 1955, the FCC granted a request by the station to increase their broadcast power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts for daytime-only operation.[6] Radio Marion, Inc., acquired the license for WJAM on July 8, 1964.[5]

In 1973, as the station was broadcasting a full-service mix of news and country music programming,[5] a series of complaints, both formal and informal, were filed with the FCC that WJAM was not properly serving the public interest.[7] Citing "a lack of public affairs programming" by the station, its routine license renewal was challenged.[8] The license held by Radio Marion, Inc., was eventually renewed for a full three-year term after a hearing in March 1976.[8] The FCC released its initial decision on this matter on July 13, 1976.[8]

In October 1981, Radio Marion, Inc., reached an agreement to sell WJAM to Marion Communications, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on May 19, 1982, and the transaction was consummated on January 19, 1983.[9] The new owners applied to the FCC for new call letters and were assigned WAJO on June 1, 1983.[2]

In March 1985, after the station suffered a significant financial setback the license for WAJO was involuntarily transferred from Marion Communications, Inc., to receiver William H. Dilday Jr. The transfer was approved by the FCC on March 26, 1985.[10]

In June 1986, William H. Dilday Jr. reached an agreement to sell this station to Marion Radio, Inc. The deal was approved by the FCC on September 30, 19986, and the transaction was consummated on July 20, 1987.[11]

On May 27, 1997, WAJO filed for renewal of its broadcast license, normally a routine paperwork matter, but after nearly a year of consideration the FCC dismissed the renewal application and terminated the station's authority to broadcast.[12] On June 11, 1998, the station owners petitioned the FCC for reconsideration and on June 30, 1998, the Commission granted the petition, reinstated the application, and renewed that station's license.[12] Control of the license was transferred to Rollins Broadcasting Company and the new owners applied for a new callsign. The station was assigned the current WJUS call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on October 5, 1998.[2]

In October 2000, Rollins Broadcasting Company (Elijah Rollins III, owner) reached an agreement to sell this station to current owner Grace Baptist Temple Church (Glenn King Sr., pastor) for a reported sale price of $60,000.[13] The deal was approved by the FCC on November 28, 2000, and the transaction was consummated on December 15, 2000.[14] At the time of the sale, the station aired an urban contemporary music format.

Construction permit

On August 9, 2006, the FCC issued WJUS a construction permit to allow this station to change its community of license to nearby Selma, Alabama. The new broadcast tower location at 32°27'16"N, 87°06'36"W would also require a reduction in daytime signal power to 1,100 watts and nighttime power to 16 watts. As of late December 2008, the station is still located in Marion, Alabama. This construction permit is scheduled to expire on August 9, 2009.

References

  1. 1 2 "AM History Profile: WJUS". Alabama Broadcast Media Page. December 18, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  3. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  4. 1 2 Simon, Stephanie (April 11, 2008). "A health message listeners can relate to". The Baltimore Sun.
  5. 1 2 3 Broadcasting Yearbook. Broadcasting Publications. 1973.
  6. ↑ Broadcasting. Cahners Pub. Co. 1955.
  7. ↑ Annual Report v.39. United States Federal Communications Commission. 1973. pp. 28–36.
  8. 1 2 3 "Radio broadcasting - 1979". Journal of Broadcasting (Association for Professional Broadcasting Education). 1979.
  9. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19811027GN)". FCC Media Bureau. January 19, 1983.
  10. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19850222ER)". FCC Media Bureau. March 26, 1985.
  11. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-19860609EZ)". FCC Media Bureau. July 20, 1987.
  12. 1 2 "Application Search Details (BR-19970527XJ)". FCC Media Bureau. June 30, 1998.
  13. ↑ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. November 20, 2000.
  14. ↑ "Application Search Details (BAL-20001012AAP)". FCC Media Bureau. December 15, 2000.

External links

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