WJJO (94.1 MHz "94-1 JJO") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Watertown, Wisconsin, and serving the Madison metropolitan area. It has an active rock radio format and is owned by Mid-West Family Broadcasting. Its studios are on Rayovac Drive in Madison.

WJJO
Broadcast areaMadison metropolitan area
Frequency94.1 MHz
Branding94.1 JJO
Programming
FormatActive rock
Ownership
OwnerMid-West Family Broadcasting
WHIT, WJQM, WLMV, WMGN, WOZN, WRIS-FM, WWQM-FM
History
First air date
August 1, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-08-01) (as WTTN-FM at 104.7)
Former call signs
WTTN-FM (1961–1982)
WMLW (1982–1989)
WTFX (1989–1991)
Former frequencies
104.7 MHz (1961–1972)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID73142
ClassB
ERP50,000 watts
HAAT150 meters (492 ft)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewjjo.com

WJJO is a Class B FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts, the maximum for most stations in Southwest Wisconsin. The transmitter is on Wedvick Road in Deerfield.[2]

History

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WTTN-FM (1961–1982)

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The station signed on the air on August 1, 1961; 63 years ago (1961-08-01). Its call sign was WTTN-FM and it originally broadcast at 104.7 MHz. It moved to 94.1 in the early 1970s to allow WTKM-FM in Hartford, Wisconsin, to apply for a construction permit to broadcast on 104.9. WTTN-FM and its AM sister station, WTTN at 1580 kHz (now silent), simulcast their programming until 1982.

Soft AC WMLW (1982–1989)

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In 1982, the FM started broadcasting in FM stereo and became WMLW ("Mellow 94"). It aired a soft adult contemporary format. WMLW also carried Milwaukee Brewers baseball games and aired syndicated programming such as The Rockin' America Top 30 Countdown with Scott Shannon and Westwood One's That's Love in the 1980s.

Top 40 WTFX (1989–1991)

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In 1989, with a change in ownership to Joyner Communications, the station flipped to Top 40 hits as 94.1 WTFX "The Fox". The studios moved to Madison and its transmitter location relocated to Deerfield, where it remains today. Joyner Communications later sold the station to the current owner, Mid-West Family Broadcasting.

Classic Rock WJJO (1991–1997)

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On June 17, 1991, the call letters were changed to WJJO. A classic rock format was adopted.[3]

Active rock (1997–present)

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On April 1, 1997, WJJO switched to its current format of Active Rock.[4] It competes with iHeartMedia's classic rock station WIBA-FM 101.5 in the Madison radio market.

Its morning show was hosted by Johnny Danger and Greg Bair for many years. On December 22, 2006, Bair left to host mornings on Mid-West's WHLK "106.5 The Lake" in Cleveland. On Monday, November 3, 2008, Bair returned to WJJO to co-host the morning show for another eleven years. On August 30, 2019, Bair's last show with Johnny Danger aired. The morning show is currently hosted by Johnny Danger and Dee. Previous morning show hosts include Sue Peterson, Mark Elliot, and "Crash and Burns".

Awards

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WJJO was the recipient of the "Radio Contraband Rock Radio Award for Medium Market Radio Station of the Year" in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014. In June 2013, Michele Clark's Sunset Sessions convention awarded WJJO the "rock station that plays the most new music".[5]

WJJO was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

References

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  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WJJO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WJJO
  3. ^ "RR-1991-06-21.pdf" (PDF). June 21, 1991.
  4. ^ "RR-1997-04-04.pdf" (PDF). April 4, 1997.
  5. ^ "Partners". Archived from the original on 2012-01-14.
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43°03′32″N 89°03′47″W / 43.059°N 89.063°W / 43.059; -89.063