WIBG-FM
 | |
| City | Avalon, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Atlantic City – Cape May |
| Branding | Wibbage FM 94.3 |
| Slogan | South Jersey's Oldies Station |
| Frequency | 94.3 MHz |
| First air date |
March 29, 1976 (as WWOC) May 2009 (current format) |
| Format | Oldies |
| ERP | 6,000 watts |
| HAAT | 91 meters |
| Class | A |
| Facility ID | 16910 |
| Transmitter coordinates | 39°13′45.00″N 74°40′54.00″W / 39.2291667°N 74.6816667°W |
| Callsign meaning | WIBbaGe |
| Former callsigns |
WWOC (1976-1992) WXNJ (1992–1993) WWOC (1993–2001) WWZK (2001–2005) WILW (2005 -2009) |
| Owner |
WIBG, LLC (WIBG, LLC) |
| Sister stations | WIBG (AM) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wibg.com |
WIBG-FM (94.3 FM, Wibbage 94.3) is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies music format.[1] WIBG is licensed to Avalon, New Jersey, USA. The station is currently owned by WIBG Limited Liability Company and features local programming.[2] Its studios are in Ocean City, New Jersey and its transmitter is located west of the city.
Operating with 6,000 watts, the station can be heard from Manahawkin in Ocean County to the north; south to Lewes, Delaware and as far west as Vineland in Cumberland County.
History
The station signed on the air March 29, 1976, as WWOC with a beautiful music format until March 27, 1992, when it was changed to WXNJ. On February 3, 1993, the station reverted its call sign back to WWOC; on March 3, 2001, to WWZK; on February 17, 2005, to WILW; and on August 19, 2009, to the current WIBG-FM,[3]
The programming is a version of the "WIBBAGE" format from the Philadelphia AM 990 powerhouse of the 50s, 60s and 70s. WIBG-FM plays rock and roll, Philly Soul, Motown and Pop along with memorable audio clips from the original Wibbage AM, period commercials, movies, and TV shows. WIBG-FM transmits on 94.3 MHz.
The call sign changed in August 2009 from WILW commensurate with a relocation of the transmitter site from Swainton (Middle Township), New Jersey, to Palermo (Upper Township), New Jersey, and doubling of transmission power to 6,000 Watts. Construction of the new transmitter was completed in early November 2009. The station coverage then reached both Cape May and Atlantic Counties along with parts of Ocean and Cumberland Counties, whereas the station only had a strong signal in Cape May County. The re-introduction of the WIBBAGE trademarked brand was the work of longtime regional broadcaster and owner Rick Brancadora, who re-created the original highlights of WIBBAGE with retro jingles, airchecks of some of the original WIBBAGE broadcasters and commercials of the 1960s and 1970s era. The WIBBAGE legacy remains a very powerful brand among tens of thousands of listeners each day. Brancadora began his radio ownership in 1992 with WIBG-AM, now the most powerful AM broadcast station in the Atlantic City-Cape May markets.
WIBG's full-time, on-air talent consists of longtime South Jersey radio personalities Jerry Beebe in the morning; Rick Rock in mid-day, who also serves as the station's program director; Chris Nagle for the afternoon drive; and Ken Schaffer in the evening, and from midnight to 6 AM, John Lockwood. There are various local and national weekend programs, including Bill Cain, The Billio "Doctor of Music and Mirth Show" , Brett Parker, Down The shore with "Philly" Bill Culp,; "Wibbage Brit Brunch with John Lockwood", The Mary Mac "Mac Attack "Show, Larry Trulli and his "Larry's Sunday Night Oldies Show", Nationally syndicated show host Dick Bartley and The Doo Wop Stop with Cool Bobby B, and Sports Director Josh Hennig does the live play by plays for local high school sports. Jerry Beebe, South Jersey Morning show veteran of 30 years. Rick Rock, the original on-air personality on WIBG-FM is one of the most popular on-air personalities with one of the most recognized voices in South Jersey. Chris Nagle's afternoon drive show is among the most popular in the market with roots in South Jersey Radio. Ken Schaffer's radio roots are in South Jersey, and he is a pioneer in the mobile entertainment industry as founder of Schaffer Sound Productions in suburban Philadelphia. John Lockwood, originally from the Midwest, now has the distinction of being one of the few, if not only, overnight radio personalities in the market.
References
- ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Summer 2009. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
- ↑ "WIBG-FM Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
- ↑ "wibg Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WIBG
- Radio-Locator information on WIBG
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WIBG