WHJJ
 | |
| City | Providence, Rhode Island |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Southern New England |
| Frequency | 920 kHz |
| Branding | "News Radio 920 WHJJ" |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Format | Talk |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks Fox News Radio Pawsox Radio Network (flagship) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | iHeartMedia, Inc. (iHM Licenses, LLC) |
| WHJY, WSNE-FM, WWBB | |
| History | |
First air date | September 6, 1922 |
Former call signs | WJAR (September 6, 1922-November 26, 1980) |
Former frequencies | 360 meters/~833 kHz (September 6, 1922-19??) 890kHz (19??-March 29, 1941) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 37234 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 5,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°46′53″N 71°19′55″W / 41.78139°N 71.33194°WCoordinates: 41°46′53″N 71°19′55″W / 41.78139°N 71.33194°W |
| Translator(s) | 104.7 W284BA (Warwick, relays WSNE-HD2) |
| Repeater(s) | 93.3 WSNE-HD2 (Taunton, Massachusetts) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 920whjj |
WHJJ (920 kHz, "News Radio 920 & 104.7 FM") is a commercial AM radio station in Providence, Rhode Island. It carries a talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Oxford Street in Providence, while its transmitter is located is in Riverside, Rhode Island. WHJJ is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.
WHJJ operates at 5,000 watts. The transmitter is off Wampanoag Trail (Rhode Island Route 114) in East Providence.[1] A single tower is used during the day, providing at least secondary coverage to all of Rhode Island and the Massachusetts South Coast. At night, WHJJ switches to a directional antenna using a two tower array to protect other stations on 920 AM and adjacent frequencies. Programming is also heard on FM translator W284BA at 104.7 MHz, as well as 93.3 WSNE-FM HD2.
History[]
On September 6, 1922 at 8 p.m., the station signed on as WJAR. It began with a concert broadcast on a wavelength of 360 meters (approximately 833 kHz). WJAR was owned by a department store chain, The Outlet Stores. It later faced competition from The Shepard Stores' WEAN and would be later joined by Cherry & Webb's WPRO. As WJAR, the station was a charter member of the NBC Red Network, upon its launch on November 15, 1926. (It previously was a member of the Red Network's predecessor operated by AT&T and its station in New York City, WEAF, as early as 1922). In the 1950s, as NBC Radio cut back its programming hours, WJAR began more local programming, playing middle of the road (MOR) music with live personality disc jockeys.
By the 1970s, WJAR's format had switched to Top 40 music, where it briefly gave longtime format leader 630 WPRO some competition. Later, WJAR's format eased over to adult contemporary. When Outlet sold WJAR to buy what is now WSNE-FM in 1980 (the two are now sister stations), the new owners briefly continued the adult contemporary sound, but eventually went in the direction of talk radio.
The station adopted its current call sign, WHJJ, on November 26, 1980.[2] Previous owner Outlet Communications sold the station and retained the heritage WJAR call letters for the company's television station on channel 10.
In the mid-1980s, WHJJ attempted to shore up its news image by adopting an "All News, All Morning Till 9" format. From 5-9 every morning (including weekends), WHJJ broadcast a dual-anchor news, weather, sports, and traffic format. The format was similar to all-news radio stations such as WCBS and WINS in New York.
WHJJ was the Rhode Island affiliate of Air America Radio in 2004 and 2005, airing progressive talk programs from Rachel Maddow and Al Franken. In 2005 and 2006, WHJJ won Associated Press awards for the Massachusetts/Rhode Island area; the 2005 award was for special events coverage of the Democratic National Convention, while the 2006 honor was for news station of the year.
In December 2006, WHJJ owner Clear Channel Communications (now known as iHeartMedia) fired afternoon drive time veteran Arlene Violet, after 16 years, as part of a company-wide cost-cutting measure. In 2013, WHJJ was rebranded as "NewsRadio 920", replacing conservative morning talk host Helen Glover with Rhode Island Radio Hall Of Famer Ron St. Pierre, in order to present a more news-centric program. In December 2020, Jim Polito of sister stations WTAG Worcester Massachusetts and WHYN Holyoke Massachusetts began to also air his morning show on WHJJ.
Former personalities[]
- Legendary NBC staff announcer Don Pardo received his start at WJAR in 1938.
- Former Rhode Island Attorney General Arlene Violet hosted a talk show on WHJJ (c. 1990-December 2006)
References[]
External links[]
- Official website
- WHJJ in the FCC AM station database
- WHJJ on Radio-Locator
- WHJJ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Radio stations in Providence, Rhode Island
- Radio stations established in 1922
- News and talk radio stations in the United States
- IHeartMedia radio stations
- 1922 establishments in Rhode Island