Misplaced Pages

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "WJLK" AM – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (March 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

WJLK (1160 kHz) is an AM radio station licensed to Lakewood Township, New Jersey, and broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format simulcast from WJLK-FM (94.3). The station is owned by Townsquare Media and serves the Monmouth County area.

History

The station signed on November 20, 1970, as a daytime-only operation on 1170 kHz, using the call letters WHLW (for Howell and Lakewood Townships). Early in its existence, it became a top 40 station calling itself 11-7 Radio, featuring such disc jockeys as John Collure, Paul Irwin, Jack Tracksler, Charlie Roberts, Jay Sorensen, and Joey Reynolds. The station became WOBM in 1981, and in early 1988, moved to the 1160 frequency and became a 24-hour operation. At the time, the station was owned by North Shore Broadcasting Partners, which was affiliated with WOBM-FM's ownership group, Seashore Broadcasting.

During the late 1980s, WOBM was known as "1160 AM Star Country" and featured a country music format and New York Mets baseball games. Local airstaff at the time included general manager Kevin Buckelew, (son of co-owner Joseph Buckelew and known on-air as Kevin Carr), Tom Maciazak, Ava Holly and Kevin Hodge, although most of the programming was satellite-delivered. The station also simulcast Bob Levy's "Topic A" program on Sunday mornings from the sister FM station. Levy had originated the program while general manager of WOBM-AM-FM and continued the program after retiring from the position in the late 1980s. At the time, programming and ad sales operations emanated from WOBM's studios and transmitter site at 46 Clayton Road in Howell Township, just off Route 9.

In the 1990s, WOBM adopted an MOR format, and added Bob Levy and his wife Marianne as local morning hosts. Outside of the local morning show, WOBM featured Dial Global's syndicated adult standards format, known on-air by the handle America's Best Music.

On September 3, 2010, WOBM changed its format and branding to "Good Time Oldies", and began simulcasting on 1310 WADB.

The WOBM News/Townsquare Media News team includes bureau chief Thomas Mongelli and morning anchor Dianne DeOliveira.

On May 19, 2014, WOBM changed its format from oldies to news/talk. On January 3, 2017, WOBM returned to an oldies format, branded as "Beach Radio".

On December 12, 2019, the station's translator at 93.5 signed off and on December 29, 2019, its new translator on 104.1 signed on.

On February 1, 2022, at 10 am, after playing "Thunder Road" by Bruce Springsteen, WOBM changed their format from oldies to country, branded as "Cat Country 96.7/104.1", with the first song being "Cold as You" by Luke Combs. The "Cat Country" branding was shared with Atlantic City sister station WPUR.

On July 10, 2023, WOBM dropped the country music format and began simulcasting the hot adult contemporary programming of WJLK, expanding its coverage to northern Ocean County; the format change also ended the simulcast with WADB, which began simulcasting WOBM-FM. The station's call sign was changed to WJLK on July 21, 2023.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WJLK". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. "WJLK Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
3. "WOBM/WADB Shifts To Talk". RadioInsight. January 3, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
4. "WOBM/WADB Go To The Beach". RadioInsight. January 3, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
5. Venta, Lance (February 1, 2022). "Townsquare Launches Cat Country Jersey Shore". RadioInsight.
6. "WOBM-FM & WJLK Expand Coverage On The Jersey Shore". RadioInsight. July 10, 2023. Retrieved July 15, 2023.
7. "Form 380 - Exchange Request". fcc.gov.

External links

• Facility details for Facility ID 49295 (WJLK) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WJLK in Nielsen Audio's AM station database

FM translator

• Facility details for Facility ID 202322 (W281CK) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• W281CK at FCCdata.org

• Radio stations in New Jersey
• Hot adult contemporary radio stations in the United States
• Townsquare Media radio stations
• Radio stations established in 1970
• 1970 establishments in New Jersey