WJOX
Encyclopedia
WJOX
WJOX (690 AM
, "Jox 94.5" (simulcasting WJOX-FM) is an all-sports radio station
licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
, with daytime licensed power of 50,000 Watt
s and 500 Watts at night. WJOX is the Birmingham
affiliate of the University of Alabama
Crimson Tide Sports Network (football only), the UAB Blazers
Radio Network (baseball only), Tennessee Titans
Radio, and Fox Sports Radio
. It formerly was the broadcast home of the Birmingham Barons
.
restrictions, the station broadcast only during daytime hours. It was not until the early 1980s that WVOK was able to broadcast 24 hours a day.
Throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, WVOK was a Top 40 station calling itself “The Mighty 690” with a signal that covered almost all of north and central Alabama
, as well as parts of Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee. Rather than attempting to compete with crosstown station (and market leader) WSGN, WVOK targeted listeners in the rural areas of the states its signal reached. One of the most popular promotions of WVOK was their “Shower of Stars” concert series. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, these concerts brought such performers as the Rolling Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis
, Neil Diamond
and the Beach Boys to Birmingham.
In 1977, WVOK dropped Top 40 music and became a country station using the nickname OK 69. At about the same time, sister station WVOK-FM (now WZRR
) signed on with an album rock format. Country music on WVOK-AM continued until 1985, when the station changed to adult contemporary music before moving to an oldies
format. In 1989, oldies were dropped, and the station began playing classic country music.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, several AM stations in Birmingham debuted afternoon sports talk call-in shows. Local sportswriter Paul Finebaum
had debuted a popular show on WAPI (1070 AM). In 1990, Herb Winches, a former TV sports anchor on WBRC
and WVTM, moved his own popular show with co-host Ben Cook from WERC
to WVOK. Because Winches’ show was fairly successful, and because, by the 1990s, there were few AM radio stations that were successful playing music, station management made the decision to launch an all-sports station in 1992.
On November 29, 2006, WJOX began simulcasting on the 100.5 FM frequency of sister station WRAX. On December 1, the AM station changed its call letters to WSPZ, and the WJOX call sign moved to the FM station. On January 8, 2007, WJOX-FM and WSPZ began separate sports programming schedules. Three of the local call-in shows from the former WJOX-AM moved to FM, and a new morning-drive show was created, reuniting former WJOX-AM morning drive personalities Matt Coulter and Scott Griffin. As a result of the change, and to differentiate itself from WJOX, an affiliate of ESPN Radio
, WSPZ affiliated with Fox Sports Radio
. Coulter was let go by WSPZ on January 22, 2008 when his contract was not renewed. Scott Griffin was fired on July 17, 2008 and his show was replaced with syndicated sports talk, then Don Imus
's nationally syndicated morning show.
The station returned to the WJOX call sign on February 8, 2010 and now simulcasts WJOX-FM 94.5.
WJOX (690 AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, "Jox 94.5" (simulcasting WJOX-FM) is an all-sports radio station
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...
licensed to Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, with daytime licensed power of 50,000 Watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s and 500 Watts at night. WJOX is the Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
affiliate of the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
Crimson Tide Sports Network (football only), the UAB Blazers
UAB Blazers
The UAB Blazers are the forest green and old gold-swathed athletic teams at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The school is one of the twelve member institutions of Conference USA and participates in Division I of the NCAA...
Radio Network (baseball only), Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
Radio, and Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
. It formerly was the broadcast home of the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
.
History
The station that now broadcasts from 690 AM in Birmingham signed on in 1947 as WVOK. It was the first radio station in Birmingham to broadcast at 50,000 watts. Due to Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
restrictions, the station broadcast only during daytime hours. It was not until the early 1980s that WVOK was able to broadcast 24 hours a day.
Throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s, WVOK was a Top 40 station calling itself “The Mighty 690” with a signal that covered almost all of north and central Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, as well as parts of Mississippi, Georgia and Tennessee. Rather than attempting to compete with crosstown station (and market leader) WSGN, WVOK targeted listeners in the rural areas of the states its signal reached. One of the most popular promotions of WVOK was their “Shower of Stars” concert series. Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, these concerts brought such performers as the Rolling Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis is an American rock and roll and country music singer-songwriter and pianist. An early pioneer of rock and roll music, Lewis's career faltered after he married his young cousin, and he afterwards made a career extension to country and western music. He is known by the nickname 'The...
, Neil Diamond
Neil Diamond
Neil Leslie Diamond is an American singer-songwriter with a career spanning over five decades from the 1960s until the present....
and the Beach Boys to Birmingham.
In 1977, WVOK dropped Top 40 music and became a country station using the nickname OK 69. At about the same time, sister station WVOK-FM (now WZRR
WZRR
WZRR is a classic rock FM radio station licensed to Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Its on-air name is "Rock 99". The station is owned by Cumulus Media. Other stations in the market that Cumulus owns include WJOX-FM , WAPI-FM , WUHT-FM , WJOX-AM and WAPI-AM...
) signed on with an album rock format. Country music on WVOK-AM continued until 1985, when the station changed to adult contemporary music before moving to an 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. In 1989, oldies were dropped, and the station began playing classic country music.
During the late 1980s and early 1990s, several AM stations in Birmingham debuted afternoon sports talk call-in shows. Local sportswriter Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum
Paul Finebaum is an American sports author, television and radio personality and former columnist based in Birmingham, Alabama. His primary focus is sports, particularly those in the Southeast. Finebaum was born in Memphis, Tennessee and attended the University of Tennessee, where he received a...
had debuted a popular show on WAPI (1070 AM). In 1990, Herb Winches, a former TV sports anchor on WBRC
WBRC
WBRC, virtual channel 6, is the Fox-affiliated television station serving the Birmingham, Alabama designated market area. The station is owned by Raycom Media, and its transmitter is located atop Red Mountain in Birmingham...
and WVTM, moved his own popular show with co-host Ben Cook from WERC
WERC
WERC — branded News Radio 105.5 WERC — is a news/talk radio station licensed to Birmingham, Alabama, and serving the Birmingham market as a complete simulcast of sister station WERC-FM...
to WVOK. Because Winches’ show was fairly successful, and because, by the 1990s, there were few AM radio stations that were successful playing music, station management made the decision to launch an all-sports station in 1992.
On November 29, 2006, WJOX began simulcasting on the 100.5 FM frequency of sister station WRAX. On December 1, the AM station changed its call letters to WSPZ, and the WJOX call sign moved to the FM station. On January 8, 2007, WJOX-FM and WSPZ began separate sports programming schedules. Three of the local call-in shows from the former WJOX-AM moved to FM, and a new morning-drive show was created, reuniting former WJOX-AM morning drive personalities Matt Coulter and Scott Griffin. As a result of the change, and to differentiate itself from WJOX, an affiliate of ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
, WSPZ affiliated with Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
. Coulter was let go by WSPZ on January 22, 2008 when his contract was not renewed. Scott Griffin was fired on July 17, 2008 and his show was replaced with syndicated sports talk, then Don Imus
Imus in the Morning
Imus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
's nationally syndicated morning show.
The station returned to the WJOX call sign on February 8, 2010 and now simulcasts WJOX-FM 94.5.
- The station airs 10 University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamThe University of Alabama at Birmingham is a public university in Birmingham in the U.S. state of Alabama. Developing from an extension center established in 1936, the institution became an autonomous institution in 1969 and is today one of three institutions in the University of Alabama System...
baseball games each season as part of the Blazers ISP Sports Network.