WCHR-FM

Infobox Radio station
city = Manahawkin, New Jersey
area = Monmouth-Ocean, New Jersey


name = WCHR-FM
branding = "The Hawk"
frequency = 105.7 MHz
format = Classic rock
erp = 13,000 watts
haat = 140 meters
class = B1
facility_id = 24934
callsign_meaning =
owner = Millennium Radio Group, LLC.
webcast = [http://nick9.surfernetwork.com/WCHR Listen Live]
website = [http://www.1057thehawk.com/ www.1057thehawk.com]

WCHR-FM, known on-air as "Jersey's Home of Classic Rock, 105.7 The Hawk", is a Manahawkin, New Jersey radio station broadcasting at 105.7 FM with a classic rock format. It is owned by Millennium Radio Group, but was initially put on the air by Nassau Broadcasting, which has sold most of their mid Atlantic stations and shifted its focus out of its original area and into New England.

WCHR-FM is the most powerful FM station in the Monmouth/Ocean market and can be heard as far west as Philadelphia, as far north as Belmar, and as far south as Ocean City, New Jersey. Its transmitter is located in Manahawkin, New Jersey, just 25 miles north of Atlantic City, NJ.

WCHR-FM is not affiliated with WCHR-AM, a Trenton, New Jersey radio station that currently broadcasts on 920 AM with a religious format; that station is still owned by Nassau Broadcasting.

The WCHR call letters were originally associated with the Trenton, New Jersey station broadcasting at 94.5 FM, using a religious format (CHR standing for Christian Radio). In February 1998, WCHR began simulcasting on 920 AM, and in early Spring 1998 94.5 FM changed call letters to WNJO as it flipped format to Oldies. For more on the 94.5 frequency, see the WPST page.

105.7 was a Construction permit that Nassau acquired in 1998. When WCHR's religious unit moved over to AM 920 from 94.5 FM, the CP on 105.7 picked up the WCHR-FM call letters. 105.7 never employed the religious format. It did not sign on until 2000 when it took a similar Classic Hits Format that Nassau was airing on stations like WNNJ-FM and soon after on WODE and WNJO. Nassau gave Millennium Radio the option to buy the station in the deal that transferred the ownership of WJLK-FM, WOBM-FM, WBBO-FM, WADB and WOBM in June 2002. Nassau operated WCHR until its sale was completed a year later in July 2003.

Despite being the most powerful FM radio station in the market, WCHR-FM has failed to generate any substantial ratings, often being beat by stations with as little as 1/8 of WCHR's power and coverage as well as stations from as far as 75 miles away. But at the same time, raking in listeners from other markets, thus, taking listeners from stations like WMGK and WMGM and WAXQ.

WCHR-FM's primary competition include Atlantic City's WMGM "The Shark 103.7 " Philadelphia's 102.9 WMGK and New York's WAXQ "Q104.3" which all have a similar Classic Rock format and also cover parts of Ocean County.

On The Air

Mornings:Free Beer & Hot Wings Morning Show - 5am-9am

Midday:The Midday Rock N Roll Show with Race Thomas - 9am-3pm

Afternoons:The Work Release Program with Dr. Phil - 3pm-7pm

Nights:Mike Anthony / Vini "Maddog" Lopez - 7pm-10pm

Late Nights:Nights with Alice Cooper - 10pm-5am

External links

*FMQ|WCHR
*FML|WCHR
*FMARB|WCHR