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WAJP 107.7 Perry

A country format on the 107.7 "C3" frequency is probably the better choice considering the area. The 9,400 watt FM signal also gives WAJP a much more competitive advantage against country formatted WNFK 92.1 "A" and its 6kw signal. Does anyone know what format is programmed on Perry's WFDZ-FM 93.5? I know WPRY-AM 1400 is programming Classic Hits.
 
dbright said:
Last I heard them 93.5 was also country as "Froggy 93.5"
Click to expand...

Thank you for the updated information. So, Perry's only AM is a classic hits station while all three FMs, comprising of the entire market, are country?
 
When I went through Perry last spring, 1400 was simulcasting an a translator at 95.3. The signal was pretty good, so I'd figure 4 FM signals for the market. That's slicing the pie pretty thin.
 
A market like Perry with all these stations? I didn't know the population of Perry in the 60s, but was WGKR a case of too much? (leaving only WPRY in the 70s)

cd
 
When I first started following the Perry market sometime around 1976, there were only two radio stations in Perry - WGKR-AM 1310 and WPRY-AM 1400, owned by Gene Kettring and Harry Hagen, respectively. WGKR was a 1kw daytimer and programmed a country and western format along with the "Trading Post" show a/k/a swap shop, while WPRY was a 1kw-unlimited Top 40 station. The first Perry FM, WNFK, did not go on the air until around 1986 and was on 105.5 "A" before moving to 92.1 "A" to make room for the Monticello station to move from 101.9 "C3" to its present 105.7 "C3". WFDZ's 93.5 "A" was dropped in about 13-years ago after a friend of mine petitioned the FCC to allot the channel to Perry. Soon after 107.7 "C3" was also assigned, giving Perry three primary FMs and later one FM translator on 95.3.
 
I received an e-mail reply from WAJP, seems they are still owned by a Hispanic Broadcast group. Interesting they would go with country with 2 existing stations in that market- I guess regional Mexican didn't cut it. The e-mail was rather uninformative and they used a "Radio Amigo" e-mail address/name, though they call themselves "Rodeo 107"- whatever works I guess.

Greg Myers
Holiday
 
So.....What does Perry need in a radio station? Sounds like country is well covered. Oldies FM? Is anyone covering the local community well?
 
I forgot that I posted in his thread; now I see that I did....

We went thru Perry 2 weeks ago. 3 country FMs? I mean, really....also 107.7 is MONO. I did not know to check 95.3; 1400 was off the air. They *must* run 1400 to have 95.3 active, correct? They did have a website, wpry.com , but it is not working.

I don't think 107.7 is running 9000+ watts. They sure don't behave like it.

cd
 
Are any of the FM's or AM's for that matter, doing local programming?
 
Perry has always fascinated me in the sense that everytime I've driven through there I've thought "How in the hell would a radio station make a living here?" And it sounds like they're still trying to figure it out.

Taylor County has grown in the last 30 years by almost 40 percent, but the population is still less than 23,000 people. Perry itself has stayed around 7,000 forever. The 2010 census shows the ethnic balance at 55 percent white, 40 percent black and about 2 percent Hispanic (of any race). For the county it's about 77 percent white, 20 percent black and 1.5 percent Hispanic. With all due respect, how can anyone look at this and think "Hey, we should do Regional Mexican!" Or, for that matter, "We need THREE Country FMs!"

Small-town radio is tough, and in a poor isolated county on the Forgotten Coast, I'm sure its even tougher. I seem to recollect that urban/black radio has been tried there in the past, but maybe I'm dreaming it. How 'bout a CHR (which in today's world leans Rhythmic anyway) or maybe a Rhythmic AC?

But three (3) Country FMs in a town of 7,000 that's nearly half African-American? Come on, y'all...
 
The FM in Madison was urban several times over the years, first at 104.9, and later at 102.7. Madison is about 20 miles from Perry. I don't think any of the Perry stations were ever urban.
 
I believe WXHT-FM 102.7 Madison has been targeting Valdosta, Georgia for several years. The station is part of the Black-Crow / RTG Valdosta station cluster with studios in Valdosta and the tower located near the Florida / Georgia state line.

As for all three Perry FMs programming a country music format, that is, in my opinion, overkill considering there are several other viable formats that will work fine on FM serving Perry and Taylor County. Perry's only AM station, WPRY, was programming a 70s leaning classic hits format for quite sometime.
 
You are correct 102.7 has been CHR/Hot AC targeting Valdosta for about the past 10 years years, it was urban several ownerships back, located in Madison, with 3kw, first at 104.9, later 102.7. When it was urban they really played unedited versions of the hits.
 
Anyone covering Perry with local news and sports of any kind?
 
At one point a few years ago WPRY 1400 had some local high school sports. This was while they were branded "Bulldog 1400."

Several posts back Mark Tillery mentioned the now-silent WGKR-AM 1310. That's the station from Perry I remember from childhood. My great-grandparents lived in Mayo, Fla., and listened to WGKR
every day. As I spent several weeks with them each year during the summers while growing up, I heard WGKR quite often. And loved it.
 
If I recall correctly the AM/FM in Perry was listed for sale for a long, long time--maybe still is. You know--one of those "Gulf Coast Combo" listings that sound intriguing until you find out where it is.

I'm going to guess that one of the established Country FMs may be doing all the business... the second one is struggling to pay the electric bill... and the third--well, the third just flipped from Mexican Regional, eh?

But just to play programmer for a second... if, say, I was unfortunate enough to inherit that third FM--or win it in a lottery--I would give serious consideration to an Adult Hits-style format with lots of urban content.

In small-town radio, CHR and/or Urban Contemp is a very hard sell. But Adult Hits would position it toward people in their thirties-forties-fifties with familiar tunes, shaded toward the specific makeup of the community. My two cents.
 
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