WAMJ

Infobox Radio Station


name = WAMJ
airdate =
frequency = 102.5 (MHz) HD Radio
city = Mableton, Georgia
area = Atlanta metropolitan area
format = Urban Adult Contemporary
owner = Radio One
erp = 3,000 watts
haat = 143 meters
branding = "Majic 102.5"
former_callsigns = WAWE
slogan = "Grown Folks Radio"
class = A
facility_id = 24562
webcast = [http://Wm-eon.vitalstreamcdn.com/live_eonwmss_vitalstream_com_radioone-wamj-fm-fast Listen Live]
website = [http://www.classicsoul1025.com/ www.classicsoul1025.com]
callsign_meaning = W Atlanta's MaJic (Previous branding)
sister_stations = WHTA, WJZZ, WPZE

WAMJ is a radio station located in Atlanta, Georgia. Operating on 102.5 MHz, it is assigned Mableton as its city of license, and transmits from a location in southwest Atlanta, near I-285 and Langford Parkway. The callsign was previously assigned to what is now WDND AM in South Bend, Indiana (an unrelated station).

This station is broadcasting in IBOC digital radio, using the HD Radio system from iBiquity.

History

The station is the result of Docket 80-90, the FCC plan to allow more stations on the air by reducing the required spacings. During the mid-1980s, it was decided that one of these new stations would be assigned to the west-northwest side of metro Atlanta. Several applicants requested the new allotment be assigned to one of four cities: Mableton, Lithia Springs, Douglasville, and Forest Park. The frequency already belonged to WGHR in Marietta, the student radio station at what is now Southern Polytechnic State University — however the forced downgrade to second-class status left the class D station vulnerable. It applied for the new allotment and to have it reserved to Marietta and as noncommercial, however the FCC refused this, leaving WGHR with no chance of upgrading. The remaining contenders applied in 1988, and had a lengthy battle in court. After many years of legal wrangling over the frequency, the station came on the air in 2001, forcing WGHR at SPSU to 100.7, and then off the air completely due to WWWQ's move-in on 100.5.

The station was originally WAWE FM during its construction permit, then became WAMJ just before it went on the air. WJZZ-FM is now at 107.5 (another Docket 80-90 station in Roswell), where WAMJ (then called "Magic 107.5") originally was. The swap occurred because the 107.5 was allowed to upgrade from class A to class C3, and Radio One felt that the jazz station would do better there.

In April 2004, Radio One acquired New Mableton Broadcast Corporation (WAMJ's owner) for approximately $35 million. Radio One has been operating the station under a local marketing agreement since August 2001. Radio One expects to complete this acquisition during the fourth quarter of 2004, under the name ROA Licenses (Radio One Atlanta Licenses), which also owns WJZZ-FM, WPZE-FM, and WHTA-FM.

In October 2005, the station changed format to Urban Adult Contemporary with the addition of current R&B and soul songs; it only skewed more to an Urban Oldies/Classic Soul heavy segment of the format months later. Since Radio One owns the station, rumors speculated that "The Tom Joyner Morning Show" (which is co-owned under Radio One through the shows former parent, Reach Media) would be expected to move to WAMJ from Cox Radio-owned WALR-FM. But WALR-FM was allowed to continue airing "TJMS" despite that. Instead, WAMJ began carrying "The Steve Harvey Show" in the mornings, and syndicated talk programming (including the Al Sharpton program and "The Michael Baisden Show") during the midday and afternoon hours. Evenings and weekends remain dedicated to music, however.

External links

*FMQ|WAMJ
*FML|WAMJ
*FMARB|WAMJ