WAJZ

WAJZ
	FCC
Facility ID	35537
Class	A
ERP	470 watts
HAAT	293 meters (961 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	42°38′10.69″N 73°59′57.9264″W / 42.6363028°N 73.999424000°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live
Website	jamz963.com

WAJZ (96.3

nationally syndicated "Jubal Show" from KBKS-FM in Seattle

.

WAJZ has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 470 watts. The transmitter is on Pinnacle Road in Helderberg Escarpment tower farm in New Scotland, amid the towers for other Albany-area TV and FM stations.^[3]

Programming

Since the launch of Jamz 96.3 on December 23, 1998, it has become one of the most popular radio stations in the Albany market, initially as an

urban rather than dance (similar to WQHT in New York City) to avoid competing with co-owned mainstream CHR WFLY

.

History

The station

adult contemporary format, calling itself CD96.3. 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 to country music, initially using programming from the Jones Satellite to target the market's top station, WGNA-FM. It found little success through automated

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 WPTR call sign the company retained from the sale of 1540 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 of Halloween-related stunting, the station relaunched as Power 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 to Siena College men's basketball and New York Yankees baseball.

On December 23, 1998, WPTR changed its format to

African 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 September

Nielsen BDS

.

References

^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. D-314. Retrieved April 24, 2017.
^ "Facility Technical Data for WAJZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Radio-Lcoator.com/WAJZ
^ "Urban Arrives In Albany At WPTR-FM (page 17)" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. January 8, 1999. Retrieved August 13, 2023.

External links

WAJZ in the FCC FM station database
WAJZ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

[by1999-1] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. D-314. Retrieved April 24, 2017.

[2] "Facility Technical Data for WAJZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[3] Radio-Lcoator.com/WAJZ

[4] "Urban Arrives In Albany At WPTR-FM (page 17)" (PDF). worldradiohistory.com. January 8, 1999. Retrieved August 13, 2023.

[3]

[4]

Rhythmic Contemporary radio stations in the state of New York
By frequency	89.1 96.3 97.1 100.3 103.5
By callsign	WAJZ WJPZ-FM WKTU WMVN WQHT
By city	Lake Success New York Sylvan Beach Syracuse Voorheesville
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in New York See also Contemporary Hit Radio Rhythmic KISS-FM MOVin

v t e Pamal Broadcasting
AM Radio Stations:	WBNR WENU WGHQ WLNA WMML WROW WSYB
FM Radio Stations:	WAJZ WBPM WDVT WFFG-FM WFLY WHUD WINU WJEN WJJR WKBE WKLI-FM WNYQ WSPK WXPK WYJB WZRT