WVCW (99.5

MHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that one h ...

) is a

non-commercial A non-commercial (also spelled noncommercial) activity is an activity that does not, in some sense, involve commerce, at least relative to similar activities that do have a commercial objective or emphasis. For example, advertising-free community ...

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission 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 radi ...

licensed A license (or licence) is an official permission or permit to do, use, or own something (as well as the document of that permission or permit). A license is granted by a party (licensor) to another party (licensee) as an element of an agreeme ...

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christin ...

. Owned by

VCY America VCY America, is a traditional, evangelical, conservative Christian ministry based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The VCY America Radio Network maintains a format of Christian talk and teaching, as well as traditional Christian music through its broadca ...

, the station serves the Delaware Valley, including

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

. The WVCW transmitter is located 8 miles north of downtown Wilmington on Bellows Drive, less than 1/4 mile from the Pennsylvania state line. Besides a standard

analog transmission Analog transmission is a transmission method of conveying information using a continuous signal which varies in amplitude, phase, or some other property in proportion to that information. It could be the transfer of an analog signal, using an an ...

, WVCW broadcasts over

HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for an in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. It generally simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD Radio is used ...

. The station is best known for its 67-year legacy as WJBR and WJBR-FM, a Delaware-targeted

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 present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet ...

station, which was consistently rated as one of the top stations in the Wilmington area, even amidst competition from Philadelphia stations.

History

On January 31, 1957, WJBR signed on as a stand-alone FM station, with no AM counterpart. It was founded by a father and son team, John B. Reynolds Sr. and John B. Reynolds Jr. The

call sign In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign (also known as a call name or call letters—and historically as a call signal—or abbreviated as a call) is a unique identifier for a transmitter station. A call sign can be formally assig ...

was based on the founders' initials. John Sr. began the radio station because his son was "a strong believer in the future of FM". The station originally broadcast a

classical Classical may refer to: European antiquity *Classical antiquity, a period of history from roughly the 7th or 8th century B.C.E. to the 5th century C.E. centered on the Mediterranean Sea *Classical architecture, architecture derived from Greek and ...

and light music format. WJBR's format eventually evolved into

beautiful music Beautiful music (sometimes abbreviated as BM, B/EZ or BM/EZ for "beautiful music/easy listening") is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator m ...

and the station was branded as ''JBR 100''. It used the slogan "Just Beautiful Radio". In 1976, the Reynolds family acquired another Wilmington radio station, WTUX, to combine with WJBR. WTUX was a 1,000 watt

daytimer A clear-channel station is an AM radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. The system exists to ensure the viability of cross-co ...

, carrying a middle of the road music format. In 1978, WJBR's call sign was changed to WJBR-FM. WTUX's

was then switched to WJBR, and the format flipped to beautiful music, to give WJBR listeners the choice of hearing the station on AM or FM. Over time, the station's power was increased to 2,500 watts in the daytime and nighttime service was added at 32 watts. In the early 1980s, WJBR-AM-FM added more soft vocals to attract a younger audience. John B Reynolds Jr. sold WJBR-AM-FM in 1985 to CRB Broadcasting, which completed the transition from easy listening to an all-vocal

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 present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quiet s ...

sound. CRB changed its name to Commodore Media and was eventually purchased by Capstar Broadcasting. In March 2000, Capstar sold WJBR-FM to the

NextMedia Group NextMedia Group was an out-of-home media company headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado. NextMedia owns and operates 33 AM and FM stations, 5,700 outdoor advertising display across several regions and markets, as well as an interactive divi ...

for $32.4 million. Capstar retained WJBR, and later merged into Clear Channel Communications, which was renamed

iHeartMedia iHeartMedia, Inc., formerly CC Media Holdings, Inc., is an American mass media corporation headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It is the holding company of iHeartCommunications, Inc. (formerly Clear Channel Communications, Inc.), a company fou ...

. The AM station is now a

Fox Sports Radio Fox Sports Radio is an American sports radio network. Based in Los Angeles, California, the network is operated and managed by Premiere Networks in a content partnership with Fox Corporation's Fox Sports division and iHeartMedia, parent company ...

station,

WWTX WWTX (1290 AM) is a sports talk formatted radio station in Wilmington, Delaware. The station has local programming, along with coverage from Fox Sports Radio. WWTX is the flagship station for University of Delaware Women's Basketball and also b ...

, and remains owned by iHeartMedia. In February 2007,

Beasley Broadcast Group Beasley Broadcast Group, Inc., based in Naples, Florida, is an owner/operator of radio stations in the United States. , the company owned 63 stations under the Beasley Media Group name. History The company was founded in 1961 by George G. Beasl ...

acquired WJBR-FM from NextMedia for a reported $42 million. In August 2023, Beasley agreed to sell WJBR-FM to

for $5 million, marking VCY's entrance into both the Philadelphia/Wilmington area. The final day for the on-air staff was October 4; two staffers, Justin Franiak and Eric Johnson, remained with Beasley in Philadelphia at

WXTU WXTU (92.5 FM) is a commercial radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Owned by Beasley Broadcast Group, the station broadcasts a country music format. Its studios and offices are located at 1 Bala Plaza on East City Avenue in Bala Cynwyd, ...

and

WMGK WMGK (102.9 FM, "102.9 MGK") is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. The broadcast tower used by the station i ...

respectively. An automated version of WJBR-FM's programming would continue on the station's website and the second

channel of

WBEN-FM WBEN-FM (95.7 MHz, "95.7 Ben FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and broadcasts an adult hits radio format. The studios and offices are in Bala Cynwyd and ...

in Philadelphia; Beasley also moved the WJBR call sign to an AM radio station in Seffner–

Tampa, Florida Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough C ...

, while VCY America relaunched 99.5 as WVCW, a call sign that took effect on October 7.

HD Radio and translators

As WJBR-FM, the station's second HD Radio channel formerly broadcast a Spanish rhythmic / tropical format branded as ''Maxima 104.1'', which was simulcast on a

translator Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...

Millville, New Jersey Millville is a city in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 U.S. census, the city's population was 28,400,gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message (" the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words a ...

format branded as ''Philly's Favor 100.7'', which was simulcast on a translator in

Mount Holly, New Jersey Mount Holly is a township that is the county seat of Burlington County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is an eastern suburb of Philadelphia, the nation's sixth largest city as of 2020, As of the 2020 U.S. census, the township's population ...

, W264BH (100.7 FM), which broadcast to the Philadelphia radio market. After the sale, the station turned off the HD channels. But the HD2 subchannel was turned back on with VCY Spanish programming.

References

External links

A Gospel Favor Debuts In Philadelphia
* * * * {{Philly Radio VCW VCY America stations Radio stations established in 1957 1957 establishments in Delaware Wilmington, Delaware VCW