City | Detroit, Michigan |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Detroit, MI-Windsor, ON |
Branding | 90.9 WRCJ |
Slogan | Classical Days, Jazzy Nights |
Frequency | 90.9 MHz |
First air date | January 8, 1948 |
Format | Classical/Jazz |
Power | 42,000 watts |
HAAT | 165 meters |
Class | B |
Facility ID | 6056 |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°22′25″N 83°06′50″W / 42.37361°N 83.11389°W |
Callsign meaning | We are Classical & Jazz |
Former callsigns | WDTR-FM (10/7/82-7/1/04) WDTR (1/8/48-10/7/82) |
Owner |
Detroit Public Schools (operated by Detroit Educational Television Foundation) |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | http://www.wrcjfm.org/ |
WRCJ-FM is a classical/jazz FM radio station in Detroit, Michigan. The station operates on 90.9 MHz and is the only Classical Music station in Detroit. The Detroit Educational Television Foundation, owners of Detroit Public Television WTVS, operates the public radio station for license holder Detroit Public Schools.
WRCJ went on the air for the first time on January 8, 1948 as WDTR, and was Michigan's first educational FM station. By the dawn of the 21st century, the station's programming consisted largely of urban contemporary 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 9/11 Terrorist Attacks, and the Sunday big band/nostalgia showcase "Somewhere In Time". WDTR changed its call letters to WRCJ on July 1, 2004, and the station cut back its broadcast time to 8AM-5PM 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 WUOM and WTVS. In April 2005, the Detroit Public Schools announced that Detroit Public TV would take control of WRCJ in July. The change happened at noon on August 1, 2005.
The current format of classical and jazz music began August 1, 2005. The station plays Classical music from 5AM to 7PM and Jazz music from 7PM to 5AM, six days a week, with religious/gospel music on Sunday mornings.
The station is staffed by local presenters from 6AM-7PM. Morning and afternoon show host Dave Wagner was a longtime air personality on former commercial classical music station 105.1 WQRS. Midday host Chris Felcyn is a longtime public radio personality known for his show "The Listening Room," which is now heard Sunday mornings at 10AM on WRCJ. Former classical WQRS host and frequent fill in host for WRCJ, Jack Goggin hosts the Sunday evening show “Film Classics”, a show that aired for nine years on 105.1 WQRS. The award-winning Music Director for WRCJ is Jim Dantzer.