WJDB-FM

WJDB-FM
City Thomasville, Alabama
Branding CD Country 95.5
Frequency 95.5 MHz
First air date September 9, 1972[1]
Format Country
ERP 25,000 watts
HAAT 160 meters (525 feet)
Class C3
Facility ID 25381
Transmitter coordinates 31°44′25″N 87°45′43″W / 31.74028°N 87.76194°W / 31.74028; -87.76194
Callsign meaning Joel Dige Bishop (station founder)
Owner Griffin Broadcasting Corporation
Sister stations WJDB
Webcast Listen Live
Website WJDB 95.5

WJDB-FM (95.5 FM, "CD Country 95.5") is an American full-service radio station licensed to serve Thomasville, Alabama, USA. The station, one of only two FM stations licensed to Thomasville, is owned by Griffin Broadcasting Corporation.[2] Griffin Broadcasting also owns Thomasville's only AM station, WJDB.

Programming

WJDB-FM broadcasts a country music format described in the station's promotions as "hot country".[2][3] However, the station is locally programmed and is not a subscriber to the Hot Country satellite-fed syndicated format from Dial Global.

In addition to its regular music programming, WJDB-FM is an affiliate of the Atlanta Braves radio network,[4] airs Auburn Tigers college football and men's basketball games,[5] and broadcasts select local high school football games.[2]

History

The station was assigned the "WJDB-FM" call sign by the Federal Communications Commission in 1972.[6] The station's call letters were chosen to honor the radio station's creator, Joel Dige Bishop.

In the early-to-mid-1980s, WJDB went off the air at 6:00 pm with the famous sign off which started with, "It's sundown in Thomasville and WJDB has concluded another day of broadcasting." While the AM station was concluding a day, WJDB-FM continued till 10:00 pm. Taking into consideration the number of youth in the area, WJDB-FM took this opportunity to not play country music, but rather the pop music of the day, including A-Ha, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and The Fat Boys.

In November 1990, licensee WJDB Radio, Inc., reached an agreement to sell this station to Griffin Broadcasting Corporation. The deal was approved by the FCC on January 4, 1991, and the transaction was consummated on January 31, 1991.[7]

On October 25, 2005, WJDB-FM was granted a construction permit by the FCC to upgrade to a class C2 station, increase their effective radiated power to 40,000 watts, and relocate their broadcast transmitter to the current tower site of sister station WJDB.[8] Station owners told the local press that construction would be completed in about one year.[2] However, the construction was not completed when the permit expired three years later on October 27, 2008, and the permit was ultimately cancelled by the FCC on November 18, 2008.[8]

On-air personalities

Current

The Morning Rush with Trey Rowell runs weekday mornings. The Morning Rush is one of the only live morning shows at 5 a.m. in the state. The 5 a.m. hour consists of classic oldies and classic country called "Flashbacks at 5". From 6 to9 a.m., the format shifts to a mix of new country, country from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990's, plus southern rock as well as comedy bits from comedians like Jerry Clower and Lewis Grizzard. Other segments include a tradio show dubbed "The Swap Shop".

Other local programming includes The Sheriff Ray Norris Show and Gettin' Outdoors with Big Daddy Lawler on Saturday mornings, The Sonic Game Plan Coaches Show with Ross Wood on Thursday and Friday nights, and The McDonald's High School Football Scoreboard on Friday nights during the season.

Former

In August 1976, WJDB announcer and ad salesman John D. McDonald, affectionately known as "Johnny Mac", was a candidate for mayor of Thomasville, Alabama.[9] A US Navy veteran and former member of the local school board, McDonald was elected mayor by a narrow margin.[10]

In popular culture

WJDB is name-checked as the "one good station" in the area in the mystery short story "Poachers" by Tom Franklin as published in The Best American Mystery Stories 1999, edited by Otto Penzler and Ed McBain.[11]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook. Broadcasting Publications. 1973.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "WJDB gets amped up". The Thomasville Times. November 16, 2005.
  3. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.
  4. ↑ "Affiliate Radio Stations". The Official Site of the Atlanta Braves. Retrieved December 10, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Football Affiliates". The Auburn University Official Athletic Site. December 10, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  7. ↑ "Application Search Details (BALH-19901113HQ)". FCC Media Bureau. January 31, 1991.
  8. 1 2 "Application Search Details (BPH-20050407HRO)". FCC Media Bureau. November 18, 2008.
  9. ↑ Dement, Velma (July 16, 2003). "Looking Back: Mockingbird returns to nest to raise another litter of wonderful singers". The Thomasville Times.
  10. ↑ Dement, Velma (August 13, 2003). "Looking Back: Politics dominated the news back in 1976". The Thomasville Times.
  11. ↑ McBain, Ed and Otto Penzler (ed.). The Best American Mystery Stories 1999. Houghton Mifflin. p. 158. ISBN 0-395-93915-1. He had his radio and one good station, WJDB of Thomasville, and money enough.

External links

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