WRCJ-FM (90.9
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 he ...
) is a classical/jazz radio station in
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...
. The station is the only
classical music station in Detroit. The Detroit Educational Television Foundation, owners of PBS member station
WTVS
WTVS (channel 56) is a PBS member television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned by the Detroit Educational Television Foundation. Its main studios are located at the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios in Wixom, with an addi ...
, operates the public radio station for license holder Detroit Classical and Jazz Educational Radio LLC, which is owned by the Stanley and Judith Frankel Family Foundation. WRCJ transmits its signal with an
effective radiated power
Effective radiated power (ERP), synonymous with equivalent radiated power, is an IEEE standardized definition of directional radio frequency (RF) power, such as that emitted by a radio transmitter. It is the total power in watts that would h ...
of 42,000
watt
The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of 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 quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James ...
s from an antenna 702 feet in height located in suburban
Oak Park in
Oakland County
Oakland County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the metropolitan Detroit area, located northwest of the city. As of the 2020 Census, its population was 1,274,395, making it the second-most populous county in Michigan, b ...
, and has studios located at the
Detroit School of Arts
The Detroit School of Arts (DSA), originally known as the Detroit High School for the Fine and Performing Arts, is a blue ribbon high school located in Midtown, Detroit, Midtown Detroit, Michigan. .
History
WRCJ went on the air for the first time on January 8, 1948 as WDTR, a service of
Detroit Public Schools
Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) is a school district that covers all of the city of Detroit, Michigan, United States and high school students in the insular city of Highland Park. The district, which replaced the original Detr ...
. It was Michigan's first educational FM station. By the dawn of the 21st century, the station's programming consisted largely of
urban contemporary
Urban contemporary music, also known as urban music, hip hop, urban pop, or just simply urban, is a music radio format. The term was coined by New York radio DJ Frankie Crocker in the early to mid-1970s as a synonym for Black music. Urban conte ...
music with public affairs programs concerning the school district and a variety of specialty shows, including the "Old 'n' Gold" rare oldies show, Safe and Secure Detroit, a show dedicated to public safety, and Personal Security after the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commer ...
, and the Sunday big band/nostalgia showcase "Somewhere In Time". WDTR changed its call letters to WRCJ on July 1, 2004 (currently, the
WDTR
DTR may refer to:
Technology
* Data Terminal Ready, a control signal in RS-232 serial communications
* Desktop replacement computer, portable, with desktop-like capabilities
* Digital Tape Recorder in spacecraft of the Voyager program
Others
* ...
call letters are used by a Christian music station in
Imlay City, Michigan
Imlay City is a city in Lapeer County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,869 at the 2000 census and 3,585 at the 2020 census.
History
Imlay City was founded on April 1, 1850 by Charles Palmer, the chief engineer of the Port Huro ...
) and the station cut back its broadcast time to 8 AM to 5 PM weekdays only. At the same time, the school district announced it would draft a contract with a third party to operate the station while the school district continued to own the frequency. Accordingly, they put out an RFP (Request for Proposal), stipulating the station's format change to classical and jazz, to which several area organizations responded, including
Ann Arbor’s NPR member station
WUOM
Michigan Radio is a network of five FM public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The network is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio ...
and Detroit’s PBS member station
WTVS
WTVS (channel 56) is a PBS member television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned by the Detroit Educational Television Foundation. Its main studios are located at the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios in Wixom, with an addi ...
. In April 2005, Detroit Public Schools announced that Detroit Public TV would take control of WRCJ in July. The change happened at noon on August 1, 2005. On January 11, 2017, it was announced that Detroit Public Schools would sell the station's license to the non-profit Detroit Classical and Jazz Educational Radio LLC, an entity owned by the Stanley and Judith Frankel Family Foundation, for $6 million. The deal received FCC approval on March 1 of that year; the new ownership maintained the operating agreement with Detroit Public TV.
Airstaff
In addition to Dave Wagner, Peter Whorf, Jack Goggin, Maxine Michaels, John Penney and Linda Yohn, substitute hosts include Ron Nolan, Davis Gloff, Cecelia Sharpe, Judy Adams, and Carl Grapentine, long time morning host at WFMT in Chicago.
References
Michiguide.com - WRCJ-FM History
External links
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FCC History Cards for WRCJ
{{Detroit Radio
RCJ-FM
Classical music radio stations in the United States
Jazz radio stations in the United States
Radio stations established in 1948