Misplaced Pages

WJIM-FM

Lansing, Michigan
Broadcast area	Lansing-East Lansing metropolitan area
Frequency	97.5 MHz
Branding	975 Now FM
Programming
Format	Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations	Compass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner	Townsquare Media (Townsquare License, LLC)
Sister stations	WFMK, WITL-FM, WJIM, WMMQ, WVFN
History
First air date	June 1960
Call sign meaning	JIM Gross, son of original owner Harold Gross
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	17386
Class	B
ERP	45,000 watts
HAAT	156 meters
Transmitter coordinates	42°40′33″N 84°30′0″W / 42.67583°N 84.50000°W / 42.67583; -84.50000
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	975now.com

WJIM-FM (97.5 MHz, "975 Now FM") is a radio station in Lansing, Michigan, broadcasting a top 40 (CHR) format. It is owned by Townsquare Media and has an ERP of 45,000 watts, making it a class B radio station

History

The station has had the WJIM-FM calls continuously since it signed on in 1960. For over three decades, WJIM-FM broadcast an easy listening/beautiful music format, which evolved during the early 1990s into a soft adult contemporary sound. On Labor Day in 1995, WJIM-FM switched from AC to "Oldies 97.5." The change came days after WIBM dropped its longtime oldies format in favor of country to compete with WITL-FM. The station's "good times and great oldies" format was very popular in Lansing for over a decade, with the station consistently rated in the top ten (and frequently the top five) 12+ in the Arbitron ratings.

On September 13, 2005, crosstown competitor WHZZ 101.7 FM abruptly flipped from adult-leaning CHR as "Z101.7" to Variety Hits as "Mike FM." WJIM-FM stepped in to fill the Top 40 void in the market two days later, as "Oldies 97.5" signed off with Don McLean's "American Pie" at 10 a.m. on September 15 and "The New 97-5" (usually just called "97.5, Lansing's New Hit Music Station") debuted in its place. Longtime "Oldies 97.5" morning man Rich Michaels moved to sister station WMMQ. On September 7, 2007, the station repositioned from "The New 97-5" to "97-5 Now FM."

The WJIM call letters have a history in Lansing of being associated with Top 40 music, as WJIM-AM 1240 was a leading Top 40 station in Lansing during the 1960s as "Big Jim 1240."

On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus Media stations, including WJIM-FM, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management. The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WJIM-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus". All Access. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
3. "Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official". RadioInsight. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
4. "Cumulus-Townsquare-Peak Deal Closes". All Access. November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.

Sources

• Michiguide.com - WJIM-FM History

External links

• 975 Now FM official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 17386 (WJIM-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WJIM-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

• Radio stations in Lansing, Michigan
• Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States
• Townsquare Media radio stations
• Radio stations established in 1960
• 1960 establishments in Michigan