WWZY
Encyclopedia
WWZY/WBHX is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station
in Neptune, New Jersey
, referred to as "107.1 The Breeze" and "99.7 The Breeze".
WBHX-FM is licensed to Tuckerton, New Jersey
. The transmitter is located in Long Beach Island
in Beach Haven
. The station is heard along the Jersey Shore from Toms River
to Ocean City
.
. The station is also played throughout most of the day in southern Ocean County on WCAT-TV, the public-access television
cable TV channel serving Pinelands Regional High School
.
Unfortunately, there were three radio stations with a Classic Rock format covering the Southern Ocean County area. WBHX was not able to compete with Manahawkin's
WCHR-FM
"105.7 The Hawk" or 50,000 watt WMGM-FM
"The Shark 103.7" just a short distance away in Atlantic City
. On October 4, 2002, the station switched to its current Adult Contemporary
format known as "The Breeze". The very last song played by Radio Rohn before the switch from Classic Rock
to Adult Contemporary
was "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, WRLB was a "full-service" station, broadcasting big-band music, high school sports and local news. An Italian program aired on Sunday. Competition was mainly from the Asbury Park Press
' radio station, WJLK-AM-FM, which aired similar full-service programming.
In 1981, WRLB was sold to Monmouth Broadcasting and became contemporary hit radio, WWUU (known on air as "U 107"). The station was programmed as contemporary hit radio, but without a strong local presence due to automation. The station was sold again to Jonathan and Elizabeth Hoffman (under the similar name "Mammoth Broadcasting"), and in 1982 became WMJY (Y-107), featuring live local talent playing the hits. Liners for the rechristened station highlighted the station's local presence by touting "The New Live Y-107".
At first, Y-107 maintained You 107's CHR format, but within a few years, Y-107 was a rock station, using the slogan "Rock Hits Home", with special programming on Sundays spotlighting new age music
, blues
, psychedelic music, and The Beatles
. Disc jockeys at Y-107 in its rock days included John Ford, Linda Jordan, T.J. Brustowicz, Bobbi Stewart, Garrick Hart, Willobee (now Program Director at WFUZ, Nanticoke, PA), Lauren Pressley and Thom Morrera. Ian Case
hosted a morning show that combined music and comedy bits. Newscasters included Doug Doyle, Rhonda Schaffler (later of CNN) and Matt Ward.
In late 1988, Mammoth sold WMJY to K&K Broadcasting. At the time of its purchase, K&K operated two radio stations in Erie, PA. Word had gotten out that a format change was in the works. On January 19, 1989, mention had been made on the air of a rally to be held the following afternoon at the station's studios in downtown Long Branch to save Y-107's rock format. In the early morning hours of January 20, 1989, K&K sent a security guard to remove overnight announcer T.J. Brustowicz from the premises and padlock the doors. The entire staff was fired (many reading of their job loss in the paper that morning), though some announcers and support personnel were eventually hired back. K&K then temporarily instituted a satellite-driven hard rock format called "Z-Rock." Many of WMJY's listeners objected to the firing of the local DJs and the hard-rock format, and petitioned K&K to change it back to classic rock. The new owners refused.
In May 1989, WMJY changed to a local, soft-adult contemporary format called "SeaView 107 FM." The new format featured soft-rock artists with a heavy dose of 1960s and 1970s oldies. Call letters changed to WZVU in June 1989.
WZVU "SeaView 107" was a ratings success in the Monmouth-Ocean ratings, beating longtime rival WJLK-FM within the first year. The station began to lean heavily on oldies, first featuring "all-oldies weekends."
Unfortunately, WZVU's corporate parent, K&K Broadcasting began to encounter financial problems. In 1992, all of the local DJs were terminated, and the station switched to a satellite delivered oldies format. Curiously, this was the same satellite format that was aired on WJLK-AM 1310 in Asbury Park. By this time, the Asbury Park Press had sold WJLK-AM-FM to D&F Broadcasting.
In early 1994, GM Jim Edwards (former Drake jock on WOR-FM) launched Oldies 107.1. Bob Steele was the second PD. Airstaff included, Rocky D, Jersey Judi Franco, Big Joe Henry, Tommy Dean, Bobby Ryan, Captain Jack Aponte and Mark Lee. Innovative specialty shows were on weekends such as All Request Radio and the Sunday Night Train with Tommy Dean and Bobby Ryan.
In the late 1990s Long Branch's
107.1 was sold to Big City Broadcasting along with the 107.1's in Briarcliff Manor, NY
and Hampton Bays, (Long Island) NY
. The three stations began a simulcast of Country Music, ironically known as "New Country Y-107." Call letters of the Long Branch
station were changed to WWZY. Later the 107.1 in Belvidere, NJ
was added to make New Country Y-107 a four station "Quad Cast."
After a few years, Big City Broadcasting went bankrupt and the four stations were sold. 107.1 in Long Branch
retained the WWZY call letters but switched to a Spanish Format.
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...
in Neptune, New Jersey
Neptune Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 27,690 people, 10,907 households, and 6,805 families residing in the township. The population density was 3,366.8 people per square mile . There were 12,217 housing units at an average density of 1,485.4 per square mile...
, referred to as "107.1 The Breeze" and "99.7 The Breeze".
WBHX-FM is licensed to Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
. The transmitter is located in Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island
Long Beach Island is a barrier island and summer colony along the Atlantic Ocean coast of Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States...
in Beach Haven
Beach Haven, New Jersey
Beach Haven is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey in the United States. The borough is located on Long Beach Island and borders the Atlantic Ocean...
. The station is heard along the Jersey Shore from Toms River
Toms River, New Jersey
Toms River is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Toms River Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is part of a larger Toms River Township...
to Ocean City
Ocean City, New Jersey
Ocean City is a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States. It is the principal city of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Cape May County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 11,701...
.
WWZY Simulcast
"107.1 The Breeze" is simulcast to Southern Ocean County New Jersey on 99.7 WBHX in Tuckerton, New JerseyTuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
. The station is also played throughout most of the day in southern Ocean County on WCAT-TV, the public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channel serving Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School
Pinelands Regional High School is a three-year regional public high school that serves students from four communities in tenth through twelfth grade from Ocean County, New Jersey, operating as part of the Pinelands Regional School District, which serves students from Bass River Township,...
.
99.7 History
On August 10, 1999 WBHX signed on full-time airing a mostly automated Classic Rock format with "Radio Rohn" in mornings. Specialty shows included "The Dead At Midnight", "Blues Delux" and "The Dr. Demento Show".Unfortunately, there were three radio stations with a Classic Rock format covering the Southern Ocean County area. WBHX was not able to compete with Manahawkin's
Manahawkin, New Jersey
Manahawkin is a census-designated place and unincorporated area contained within Stafford Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Manahawkin translates to 'land of good corn' although this has been disputed by recent scholars claiming that it translate to “fertile land sloping into...
WCHR-FM
WCHR-FM
WCHR-FM is a Manahawkin, New Jersey radio station broadcasting at 105.7 FM with a classic rock format...
"105.7 The Hawk" or 50,000 watt WMGM-FM
WMGM (FM)
WMGM is a radio station based in Atlantic City, New Jersey playing mainstream rock. WMGM serves most of southern New Jersey from Toms River to Cape May.-History:103.7 first signed on June 14, 1961 as WOSJ, later as WMGM...
"The Shark 103.7" just a short distance away in Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. On October 4, 2002, the station switched to its current Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
format known as "The Breeze". The very last song played by Radio Rohn before the switch from Classic Rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
to Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
was "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen.
107.1 History
107.1 was founded in 1960 as WRLB. At the time, the station's owner was afforded the possibility of broadcasting with 50,000 watts, but he declined, thinking that FM radio had limited potential. Therefore, the station signed on with 3000-watts from a tower located in Long Branch, NJ. The studios were located adjacent to the tower. WWZY still uses the same tower, although the studios are now in Neptune, NJ. When the Long Branch 107.1 did not utilize 50,000 watts, the Federal Communications Commission subsequently assigned 107.1s to Briarcliff Manor, NY (north of New York City), Belvidere, NJ (near Stroudsburg, PA) and Patchogue, NY (Long Island). These area 107.1s would later haunt the Long Branch allocation with interference in fringe areas.Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, WRLB was a "full-service" station, broadcasting big-band music, high school sports and local news. An Italian program aired on Sunday. Competition was mainly from the Asbury Park Press
Asbury Park Press
The Asbury Park Press is a daily newspaper in Monmouth and Ocean counties of New Jersey and has the third largest circulation in the state...
' radio station, WJLK-AM-FM, which aired similar full-service programming.
In 1981, WRLB was sold to Monmouth Broadcasting and became contemporary hit radio, WWUU (known on air as "U 107"). The station was programmed as contemporary hit radio, but without a strong local presence due to automation. The station was sold again to Jonathan and Elizabeth Hoffman (under the similar name "Mammoth Broadcasting"), and in 1982 became WMJY (Y-107), featuring live local talent playing the hits. Liners for the rechristened station highlighted the station's local presence by touting "The New Live Y-107".
At first, Y-107 maintained You 107's CHR format, but within a few years, Y-107 was a rock station, using the slogan "Rock Hits Home", with special programming on Sundays spotlighting new age music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
, blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
, psychedelic music, and The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. Disc jockeys at Y-107 in its rock days included John Ford, Linda Jordan, T.J. Brustowicz, Bobbi Stewart, Garrick Hart, Willobee (now Program Director at WFUZ, Nanticoke, PA), Lauren Pressley and Thom Morrera. Ian Case
Ian Punnett
Case Ian Punnett is an American radio broadcaster.Punnett hosts a morning show, Ian and Margery, with his wife on KTMY in Minneapolis-St...
hosted a morning show that combined music and comedy bits. Newscasters included Doug Doyle, Rhonda Schaffler (later of CNN) and Matt Ward.
In late 1988, Mammoth sold WMJY to K&K Broadcasting. At the time of its purchase, K&K operated two radio stations in Erie, PA. Word had gotten out that a format change was in the works. On January 19, 1989, mention had been made on the air of a rally to be held the following afternoon at the station's studios in downtown Long Branch to save Y-107's rock format. In the early morning hours of January 20, 1989, K&K sent a security guard to remove overnight announcer T.J. Brustowicz from the premises and padlock the doors. The entire staff was fired (many reading of their job loss in the paper that morning), though some announcers and support personnel were eventually hired back. K&K then temporarily instituted a satellite-driven hard rock format called "Z-Rock." Many of WMJY's listeners objected to the firing of the local DJs and the hard-rock format, and petitioned K&K to change it back to classic rock. The new owners refused.
In May 1989, WMJY changed to a local, soft-adult contemporary format called "SeaView 107 FM." The new format featured soft-rock artists with a heavy dose of 1960s and 1970s oldies. Call letters changed to WZVU in June 1989.
WZVU "SeaView 107" was a ratings success in the Monmouth-Ocean ratings, beating longtime rival WJLK-FM within the first year. The station began to lean heavily on oldies, first featuring "all-oldies weekends."
Unfortunately, WZVU's corporate parent, K&K Broadcasting began to encounter financial problems. In 1992, all of the local DJs were terminated, and the station switched to a satellite delivered oldies format. Curiously, this was the same satellite format that was aired on WJLK-AM 1310 in Asbury Park. By this time, the Asbury Park Press had sold WJLK-AM-FM to D&F Broadcasting.
In early 1994, GM Jim Edwards (former Drake jock on WOR-FM) launched Oldies 107.1. Bob Steele was the second PD. Airstaff included, Rocky D, Jersey Judi Franco, Big Joe Henry, Tommy Dean, Bobby Ryan, Captain Jack Aponte and Mark Lee. Innovative specialty shows were on weekends such as All Request Radio and the Sunday Night Train with Tommy Dean and Bobby Ryan.
In the late 1990s Long Branch's
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
107.1 was sold to Big City Broadcasting along with the 107.1's in Briarcliff Manor, NY
Briarcliff Manor, New York
Briarcliff Manor is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York. It is shared between the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining, and lies entirely within the ZIP code of 10510...
and Hampton Bays, (Long Island) NY
Hampton Bays, New York
Hampton Bays is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 12,236 at the 2000 census.Hampton Bays is in the Town of Southampton.-Geography:...
. The three stations began a simulcast of Country Music, ironically known as "New Country Y-107." Call letters of the Long Branch
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
station were changed to WWZY. Later the 107.1 in Belvidere, NJ
Belvidere, New Jersey
Belvidere is a Town in Warren County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 2,681. It is the county seat of Warren County....
was added to make New Country Y-107 a four station "Quad Cast."
After a few years, Big City Broadcasting went bankrupt and the four stations were sold. 107.1 in Long Branch
Long Branch, New Jersey
Long Branch is a city in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 30,719.Long Branch was formed on April 11, 1867, as the Long Branch Commission, from portions of Ocean Township...
retained the WWZY call letters but switched to a Spanish Format.
On-air personalities
- Randy Davis
- Erin Vogt
- Lisa Anderson
- Dan Turi
- Shelli Cole
- Matt Ward
- Sue Linfante
- Mike Harrison
- Ted Efaw