WJJL
Encyclopedia
WJJL is a radio station
broadcasting a 1950s music
(oldies
) format. Licensed to Niagara Falls, New York
, USA, the station serves the Buffalo area. The station is currently owned by M. J. Phillips Communications, Inc., Debtor in Possession. WJJL went on the air in December 1947, and it serves Western New York
and Southern Ontario
, Canada
. WJJL was the first radio station to feature a two-way telephone
talk show, Party Line. The show was renamed to Viewpoint in the 1960s
Until its move to West Seneca, WJJL primarily served the Greater Niagara Falls area. In the station's heyday, it was never a top-notch station (when compared to the big legendary AMs in nearby Buffalo, such as WKBW, WBEN, WEBR, and WGR). However, it was a launching pad for many future top talents. These include former News Director and Viewpoint host Dave McKinley, now an Emmy Award-winning reporter for WGRZ-TV in Buffalo. John Murphy
, the current radio voice of the Buffalo Bills, worked there early in his career, as did long-time WJYE/Buffalo Program Director/Morning Host Joe Chile, and national voice-over artist Jeff Lawrence. Current WGN Radio-Chicago VP/General Manager Tom Langmyer
worked there as a summer fill-in personality, news reporter and anchor while in college. Other noted WJJL alumni include WBEN talk show host Tom Bauerle, longtime Niagara Falls fixture and news director Tom Darro, Tony Magoo, John Jarrett, Jon Park, David J. Miller, Bob O'Neil, WKBW-TV Anchor Melanie Pritchard, WGR's Howard Simon, former WIVB-TV personality Craig Nigrelli (now in Omaha), and Citadel Syndicated Midnight Radio Network
Talk Host and former WBEN Talk Host Gary McNamara. A studio fire at the station's Niagara Falls headquarters in 1999 necessitated a move out of Niagara Falls to West Seneca. Until its closure, the station maintained a satellite studio in The Summit Park Mall in Wheatfield
. In June 2009, WJJL's morning show started broadcasting from The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. In late 2010, the station moved into a new Southgate Plaza Location.
From 2000 to 2009, WJJL began broadcasting weekly games of the City of Buffalo Public School's Harvard Cup football league. These broadcasts featured Rich Kozak on play-by-play, Hall of Fame Coach Art Serotte, and sideline reporter Dr. John Pluta. The Harvard Cup championship was traditionally played on Thanksgiving. WJJL continues its weekly coverage of Western New York High School Football with the "Intense Milks" Game of the Week still focusing on the teams of the former Harvard Cup League. Kozak, Serotte, Pluta, and analyst Roger Weiss continue as part of the broadcast crew. Kozak will discontinue the project after the 2011 season, due to the discontinuation of the Buffalo Bills
' sponsorship of the event.
The station's owner is M.J. Phillips. A considerable amount of controversy arose in 2007, when a woman who identified herself as "Joann Nicola Lutz Distefano Phillips", an Internet troll who was known for her bizarre screeds on radio message boards, claimed to be the owner of the station, as well as M.J.'s ex-wife, and tried to take over the station's license by filing a parallel license renewal listing herself as the station owner. The FCC rejected her claim to the station, just as they did in 2004 when she previously tried to file a license renewal.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting a 1950s music
1950s in music
For music from a year in the 1950s, go to 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | 55 | 56 | 57 | 58 | 59This article includes an overview of the major events and trends in popular music in the 1950s....
(oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
) format. Licensed to Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
, USA, the station serves the Buffalo area. The station is currently owned by M. J. Phillips Communications, Inc., Debtor in Possession. WJJL went on the air in December 1947, and it serves Western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Southern Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. WJJL was the first radio station to feature a two-way telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
talk show, Party Line. The show was renamed to Viewpoint in the 1960s
Until its move to West Seneca, WJJL primarily served the Greater Niagara Falls area. In the station's heyday, it was never a top-notch station (when compared to the big legendary AMs in nearby Buffalo, such as WKBW, WBEN, WEBR, and WGR). However, it was a launching pad for many future top talents. These include former News Director and Viewpoint host Dave McKinley, now an Emmy Award-winning reporter for WGRZ-TV in Buffalo. John Murphy
John Murphy (announcer)
John Murphy is an American sportscaster from Buffalo, New York.Murphy is best known for his association with the Buffalo Bills, where he currently serves as the play-by-play announcer for the team's radio network...
, the current radio voice of the Buffalo Bills, worked there early in his career, as did long-time WJYE/Buffalo Program Director/Morning Host Joe Chile, and national voice-over artist Jeff Lawrence. Current WGN Radio-Chicago VP/General Manager Tom Langmyer
Tom Langmyer
Tom Langmyer , is an American broadcasting executive, author and current Vice President and General Manager of the Tribune Company's WGN Radio in Chicago, IL.-Early life:...
worked there as a summer fill-in personality, news reporter and anchor while in college. Other noted WJJL alumni include WBEN talk show host Tom Bauerle, longtime Niagara Falls fixture and news director Tom Darro, Tony Magoo, John Jarrett, Jon Park, David J. Miller, Bob O'Neil, WKBW-TV Anchor Melanie Pritchard, WGR's Howard Simon, former WIVB-TV personality Craig Nigrelli (now in Omaha), and Citadel Syndicated Midnight Radio Network
Midnight Radio Network
The Midnight Trucking Radio Network is a talk radio program currently hosted by Eric Harley and Gary McNamara...
Talk Host and former WBEN Talk Host Gary McNamara. A studio fire at the station's Niagara Falls headquarters in 1999 necessitated a move out of Niagara Falls to West Seneca. Until its closure, the station maintained a satellite studio in The Summit Park Mall in Wheatfield
Wheatfield, New York
Wheatfield is a town in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 18,117 at the 2010 census. The name stems from the agricultural use of the town lands: Growing Wheat....
. In June 2009, WJJL's morning show started broadcasting from The Niagara Arts and Cultural Center. In late 2010, the station moved into a new Southgate Plaza Location.
From 2000 to 2009, WJJL began broadcasting weekly games of the City of Buffalo Public School's Harvard Cup football league. These broadcasts featured Rich Kozak on play-by-play, Hall of Fame Coach Art Serotte, and sideline reporter Dr. John Pluta. The Harvard Cup championship was traditionally played on Thanksgiving. WJJL continues its weekly coverage of Western New York High School Football with the "Intense Milks" Game of the Week still focusing on the teams of the former Harvard Cup League. Kozak, Serotte, Pluta, and analyst Roger Weiss continue as part of the broadcast crew. Kozak will discontinue the project after the 2011 season, due to the discontinuation of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' sponsorship of the event.
The station's owner is M.J. Phillips. A considerable amount of controversy arose in 2007, when a woman who identified herself as "Joann Nicola Lutz Distefano Phillips", an Internet troll who was known for her bizarre screeds on radio message boards, claimed to be the owner of the station, as well as M.J.'s ex-wife, and tried to take over the station's license by filing a parallel license renewal listing herself as the station owner. The FCC rejected her claim to the station, just as they did in 2004 when she previously tried to file a license renewal.