WJIM-FM (97.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), often described as being equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose formal expression in terms of SI base u ...

, "975 Now FM") is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is the broadcasting of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based rad ...

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Michigan. The most populous city in Ingham County, Michigan, Ingham County, parts of the city extend into Eaton County, Michigan, Eaton County and nort ...

, broadcasting a top 40 (CHR) format. It is owned by Townsquare Media and has an ERP of 45,000

watt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of Power (physics), power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantification (science), quantify the rate of Work ...

s, 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 Easy listening (including mood music) is a popular music genre and radio format that was most popular during the 1950s to the 1970s. It is related to middle of the road (MOR) music and encompasses instrumental recordings of standards, hit s ...

/ beautiful music format, which evolved during the early 1990s into a soft

adult contemporary Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul ...

sound. On Labor Day in 1995, WJIM-FM switched from AC to "

Oldies Oldies is a term for musical genres such as pop music, rock and roll, doo-wop, surf music from the second half of the 20th century, specifically from around the mid-1950s to the 1980s, as well as for a radio format playing this music. Since 2 ...

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 WHZZ (101.7 FM, "Mike FM") is a radio station licensed to Lansing, Michigan with a variety hits format. History The station has gone through many different formats over the years. After beginning as a simulcast of WILS 1320 AM as WILS-FM in 1 ...

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 Donald McLean III (born October 2, 1945) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. Known as the "American Troubadour" or "King of the Trail", he is best known for his 1971 hit "American Pie (song), American Pie", an eight-and-a-half-minut ...

'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 Townsquare Media, Inc. (formerly Regent Communications until 2010) is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting wit ...

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

Sources

Michiguide.com - WJIM-FM History

External links

975 Now FM official website
* {{Townsquare Media JIM-FM Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States Townsquare Media radio stations Radio stations established in 1960 1960 establishments in Michigan