WNNJ

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WNNJ (103.7

In the mid-1960s, the FCC encouraged co-owned AM-FM stations to separate their programming. WNNJ-FM was renamed WIXL and had an automated beautiful music format. The station played mostly easy listening instrumental cover versions of pop tunes along with a couple of soft vocals per hour. There were similarly formatted stations heard in Sussex County from the Lehigh Valley and New York City which were more popular, so WIXL had trouble competing.

Country Music

The owners did a format study in the Summer of 1976. The conclusion was that country music fans were underserved in Sussex County. WHN was an AM country station from New York that played pop tunes mixed with country hits. In Franklin, New Jersey, 102.3 WSUS played a format of 50% Top 40 hits and 50% country music. WSUS did switch formats at night to a top 40/rock format keeping the pop and country mix format during the day for the next few years. So it was decided that WIXL would go country full-time. In November 1976 WIXL 103.7 became "XL Country". Two years later, its slogan was "The Home Of Great American Music".

As a country station, WIXL played deep cuts by well known country music artists. Some

WIXL continued with a country format through most of the 1980s, but as demographics began to change, a format study was done late in 1986. The conclusion was that there was a need for another contemporary music station in the market. Plans for a format change were made early in 1988 for Labor Day weekend. However, competition heard these rumors. Out of fear of being beaten by a competitor, WIXL dropped its country music format on May 28, 1988, at noon.

Contemporary Hits

This format change faced some controversy. Now country music fans could only get their music on 97.1 WYNY in New York City which had a spotty signal but still could be received. Later that year, Westwood One acquired the WYNY's Country Unit and moved it to 103.5 FM. Because of 103.5 FM's proximity to 103.7, WYNY could no longer be received in the WIXL listening area. As a result, Sussex County residents could not get country music on the radio. Finally, four years later, 106.3 WFMV became "Hot Country WHCY", bringing country music back to the area.

WIXL became a Top 40 (CHR) station, with the entire DJ staff staying on. WIXL became known as "Power 103". Later that year, the station dropped the WIXL call letters and reverted to WNNJ-FM.

In 1992 the station dropped the Power 103 name to simply be known as 103.7 WNNJ-FM following the departure of PD Larry Bear. The station followed an

Classic Hits

In January 1997, half the airstaff exited and new DJs were mixed in. The station cut back the news department as well. The Adult Top 40 format was also dropped. WNNJ-FM then flipped to a pop-leaning rock format. The station became known as "Classic Hits 103-7". Musically Classic Hits 103-7 played rock oriented songs from 1964 to 1989. Mixed in were harder rock hits as well as pop hits from the '70s that leaned toward rock, along with a few late 60s and early 80s titles. The station earned high ratings with this format. In September 1998 Chuck Seese and Deanne Schulz were teamed to host the morning show, replacing Pat Butler. DJs during this era included Christa Robinson, Chip Miller, Mike Malone, Vince Thomas, Brett Alan, Andy Roberts, Frank Bruno, and others.

More personnel changes came in August 2000, as a change in ownership was coming. Chuck Seese returned to Nassau's WSBG in Stroudsburg PA, and Schulz became a publicity executive. In the Winter of 2001 Nassau sold WNNJ-FM along with WNNJ 1360,

On July 1, 2008, WNNJ-FM officially changed its call letters to WNNJ, because 1360 WNNJ modified its format and changed its call letters to WTOC. Because the FM station no longer shared call letters with an AM station, the FM suffix was no longer needed. From July 9, 2012 until early 2020, Gary Cee, formerly of WPDH, was the Program Director of WNNJ.

Facilities

WNNJ's transmitter is located in Frankford Township and transmits at 2,300 watts as a Class B1 FM station. Originally the transmitter was in Andover Township in Springdale (a couple miles from where AM 1360's transmitter is still located). The station wanted to relocate the tower in Fredon but faced a opposition. Finally in 1986, the station began transmitting at the present location.

The studios were located outside of Newton for many years as well. In September 2004, the studios and offices moved into state of the art facilities in Franklin on Mitchell Avenue along with other iHeartMedia stations in the Sussex County cluster, WHCY and WSUS.

Schedule^[4]

Currently, WNNJ's schedule is:

References

External links

• The Rock Station 103.7 Website
• WNNJ in the FCC FM station database
• WNNJ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

41°11′13″N 74°46′01″W / 41.187°N 74.767°W / 41.187; -74.767