WRJD
Encyclopedia
WRJD is a heritage radio station based in Durham, North Carolina
that broadcasts on 1410 AM
.
roared through Central and Eastern North Carolina, causing a great deal of damage and destruction. Despite that initial setback, WSRC managed to continue broadcasting as the first radio station in the Raleigh-Durham market to serve the black
community. Throughout much of its lifetime, WSRC has played a mix of gospel
, soul
, and R&B
music. Along the way, the station has attracted a wealth of talented personalities, including Norfley Whitted, Jimmy "Dr. Jive" Byrd, Durham native Shirley Caesar
, and former WTVD
news reporter Ervin Hester.
In 1965, WSRC-FM signed on at 107.1, but was sold to Duke University
and later signed on as WDBS-FM (now WFXC
) in 1971. On March 16, 2006, Davidson Media Group
(who also owns another Durham station, WTIK
-AM) took over the operations for WSRC and later changed its call letters to WRJD. Prior to the station changing hands from previous owner Willis Broadcasting (who had been going through serious financial difficulties over the past few years), local gospel group The Cooper Four performed its final live Sunday afternoon broadcast on March 12. The group had been with WSRC since its early beginnings. The Cooper Four would come back to the rechristened WRJD "Rejoice 1410 AM" whenre they are still heard Sunday mornings at 8:15. Rejoice 1410 was nominated for 2011 Medium Market Station of the Year by the Stellar Awards. The WSRC call letters have since been given to an AM station located in Fair Bluff, North Carolina
.
in Durham to broadcast all eleven games of the 2007 football season, its first in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).
On January 23, 2008, WRJD became the new flagship station for Durham Bulls
radio broadcasts, replacing WDNC who had been carrying Bulls games continuously since 1981. However, that arrangement would not last long, as the Bulls reached an agreement to broadcast games on 99.9 the Fan
beginning with the 2009 season. Interestingly enough, that station is owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company
, which in turn also owns the Bulls. The station is still the flagship for NCCU athletics and airs Washington Redskins football.
incorporated the former WSRC calls into his best-known painting Sugar Shack, which was featured in the credits of the TV sitcom Good Times
as well as the cover of Marvin Gaye
's 1976 album I Want You. Oddly enough, WSRC was erroneously listed as "620 on your dail (sic)', which is the frequency for fellow Durham radio station WDNC
.
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
that broadcasts on 1410 AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
.
History
The station signed on the air as WSRC on October 15, 1954, a day most locals remember as the day Hurricane HazelHurricane Hazel
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed as many as 1,000 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane...
roared through Central and Eastern North Carolina, causing a great deal of damage and destruction. Despite that initial setback, WSRC managed to continue broadcasting as the first radio station in the Raleigh-Durham market to serve the black
Black
Black is the color of objects that do not emit or reflect light in any part of the visible spectrum; they absorb all such frequencies of light...
community. Throughout much of its lifetime, WSRC has played a mix of gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
music. Along the way, the station has attracted a wealth of talented personalities, including Norfley Whitted, Jimmy "Dr. Jive" Byrd, Durham native Shirley Caesar
Shirley Caesar
Shirley Ann Caesar is an American Gospel music singer, songwriter and recording artist whose career has spanned six decades...
, and former WTVD
WTVD
WTVD, channel 11, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, licensed to Durham, North Carolina. The station serves the areas of Durham, Raleigh, Chapel Hill, and Fayetteville, known as the Triangle...
news reporter Ervin Hester.
In 1965, WSRC-FM signed on at 107.1, but was sold to Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
and later signed on as WDBS-FM (now WFXC
WFXC
WFXC and WFXK are a simulcasting urban adult contemporary station in the Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina market. Owned by Radio One along with K97.5 and The Light 103.9, Foxy 107/104 plays "Today's R&B and Classic Soul" and airs the Tom Joyner morning show and the Michael Baisden afternoon show...
) in 1971. On March 16, 2006, Davidson Media Group
Davidson Media Group
The Davidson Media Group is a New York based broadcaster specializing in multi-cultural, community focused formats. In four years the company has grown into a network of 40 stations in a 16 state region...
(who also owns another Durham station, WTIK
WTIK
WTIK is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Durham, North Carolina, USA, the station serves the Triangle area. The station is currently owned by Davidson Media Station Wtik Licensee, LLC....
-AM) took over the operations for WSRC and later changed its call letters to WRJD. Prior to the station changing hands from previous owner Willis Broadcasting (who had been going through serious financial difficulties over the past few years), local gospel group The Cooper Four performed its final live Sunday afternoon broadcast on March 12. The group had been with WSRC since its early beginnings. The Cooper Four would come back to the rechristened WRJD "Rejoice 1410 AM" whenre they are still heard Sunday mornings at 8:15. Rejoice 1410 was nominated for 2011 Medium Market Station of the Year by the Stellar Awards. The WSRC call letters have since been given to an AM station located in Fair Bluff, North Carolina
Fair Bluff, North Carolina
Fair Bluff is a town in Columbus County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,181 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Fair Bluff is located at , along the banks of the Lumber River...
.
Recent developments
On July 11, 2007, WRJD announced a partnership with North Carolina Central UniversityNorth Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
in Durham to broadcast all eleven games of the 2007 football season, its first in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA).
On January 23, 2008, WRJD became the new flagship station for Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
radio broadcasts, replacing WDNC who had been carrying Bulls games continuously since 1981. However, that arrangement would not last long, as the Bulls reached an agreement to broadcast games on 99.9 the Fan
WCMC-FM
WCMC-FM is a Sports Talk radio station based in Raleigh, North Carolina and licensed to nearby Holly Springs. Its studios are located in downtown Raleigh along with WRAL-FM, an adult contemporary music station...
beginning with the 2009 season. Interestingly enough, that station is owned by Capitol Broadcasting Company
Capitol Broadcasting Company
Capitol Broadcasting Company is a TV and radio broadcast company based in Raleigh, North Carolina. They also own and operate the minor league baseball team, the Durham Bulls.-TV:*WRAL-TV 5...
, which in turn also owns the Bulls. The station is still the flagship for NCCU athletics and airs Washington Redskins football.
WRJD in popular culture
Durham native Ernie BarnesErnie Barnes
Ernest “Ernie” Eugene Barnes, Jr. was an African-American painter, well-known for his unique style of elongation and movement. He was also a professional football player, actor and author.- Childhood :...
incorporated the former WSRC calls into his best-known painting Sugar Shack, which was featured in the credits of the TV sitcom Good Times
Good Times
Good Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans, and developed by Norman Lear, the series' primary executive producer...
as well as the cover of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
's 1976 album I Want You. Oddly enough, WSRC was erroneously listed as "620 on your dail (sic)', which is the frequency for fellow Durham radio station WDNC
WDNC (AM)
WDNC is a Sports Talk radio station licensed to Durham, North Carolina but based in Raleigh, North Carolina with a frequency of 620 AM. WDNC and branded 620 the Buzz and is affiliated with the ESPN Radio Network...
.