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What Happened to WJSJ 105.3 FM Fernandina Beach/ Jacksonville, FL?

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For over the past several days, WJSJ Fernandina Beach/ Jacksonville, FL has been off the air. I know the station, which is the only station left in the Jacksonville, FL metro area owned by the now defunct Tama Broadcasting via a court-appointed receiver, has had a revolving door of formats that haven't been successful in generating the amount of listeners or the advertising revenue. So, I want to know if the station went off the air because of financial difficulties or are they're having any technical difficulties with the transmitter or related equipment?
 
For 105.3, I haven't a clue... they were simulcasting 99.5 out of St. Marys, GA for the last several months (or longer). Their station checks do both B99.5 and Coast 105.3.

Currently 99.5 is operational and broadcasting through most of Camden County and Nassau County at 250 watts.

...and there are no letters on WJSJ 105.3 on the FCC database to indicate why they are offline at this time and no one is reading their Facebook page at this time apparently...
 
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As I went through Jacksonville 2 weeks ago that simulcast was going on. I was curious as to why that was happening. I got the original 99.5 signal when I went through Georgia as well.
 
On May 1, 2015. the licensee of WJSJ Fernandina Beach, Scott Savage (the court-appointed receiver of the former Tama stations), sent a Silent STA application to the FCC stating the reason why the station has been off the air. Basically, the application stated that the time brokerage agreement had ended abruptly and, as a result, the licensee will have to find another time brokerage partner. Moreover, the licensee said the process will take at least 6 months, which means the station will be off the air for quite a while. As for any ideas for what programming would be successful on 105.3 FM, I don't know anything that will work on that frequency other than bringing back the simulcast of 105.5 FM akin to when the stations were under common ownership or simulcast Gospel music programming on WJNJ AM 1320 Jacksonville/W279AG (103.7 FM) Atlantic Beach, FL, which are stations owned by New Covenant Ministries, a local church in the Jacksonville area. The primary reason why I believe WJSJ (105.3 FM) would be an excellent compliment to these stations is because WJSJ 60 dBu primary service contour encompasses the majority of the predominately African-American communities on Jacksonville's Northside and Urban Core since the station's transmitter is located in the Oceanway community on the Northside. Furthermore, the station has a decent, quite listenable signal on the Westside of Jacksonville, another area in Jacksonville containing a significant population of African-Americans. On the other hand, the signal of 103.7 FM is OK at best on the Northside and is poor on the Westside because of the null in the station's coverage pattern that was created to protect co-channel, 100kW WRUF. On the flip side, W279AG's signal is the strongest on the Southside and the Beaches, which is where the transmitter is located. Since W279AG 103.7 FM is a translator, the station is subject to interference from full power stations, which means when atmospheric conditions are right, 100 kW WRUF can completely obliterate the tiny 250 watt W279AG, especially on the southwestern part of the coverage pattern where the signal is the weakest. Since WJSJ has better Metro Jacksonville coverage overall than the 103.7 translator, the station would be a great asset to "Pure Radio" and provide more consistent, more reliable signal to ALL of Jacksonville, especially in the areas where the majority of the potential listening audience resides.
 
Why Not Local?

You guys can't see the forest for the trees. I have been to Amelia Island and there appears to be enough business there and in Yulee and Callahan (basically Nassau County) to support a local radio station. Granted it's close to Jacksonville but it doesn't appear to be suburban Jacksonville, but it's own market.

Dick Myers
 
I wouldn't mind seeing the old Bargain Channel moved to 105.3 but since the signal doesn't reach all of Jacksonville, it wouldn't work. BUT if they did do it, they'd gain new customers from Nassau and Camden Counties.

Currently the four-hour block they do on 102.3 isn't all that great anyhow since a 99 watt station doesn't cover JAX properly especially on the Northside and Westside
 
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I agree with Dick Myers. WJSJ is not, never was, nor will it ever be, a Jacksonville radio station. However, if a buyer plays his (or her) cards right, WJSJ can own its own local market. It's the ONLY local FM signal in the Fernandina Beach, Yulee and Callahan area. It's a matter of an owner wanting to be an insignificant unnoticed minnow in a highly competitive big pond, or would said owner rather be a whale in a smaller pond with virtually no local competition; hence, owning the small market pond.
 
Indeed, why not local?

105.3's management was a joke. I offered to create and host a Saturday night show on 105.3 that would rely heavily on local businesses for support and content, focusing on Amelia Island, Yulee and Fernandina. I also proposed doing it for no salary, but rather a split of the advertising, which I would also sell, on foot, to the local merchants. Unfortunately, some dope named "Skip" was in charge and poo-pooed my idea right out of the gate, despite the fact that it would have cost him nothing. What a pro!

So needless to say, I was quite pleased to see the whole thing fold up. That's what happens when you have short-sighted morons in charge.

Dick Myers is 100% correct. That station would never be a threat in Jacksonville, but as a solid signal north and east, it has potential.

Unregistered said:
You guys can't see the forest for the trees. I have been to Amelia Island and there appears to be enough business there and in Yulee and Callahan (basically Nassau County) to support a local radio station. Granted it's close to Jacksonville but it doesn't appear to be suburban Jacksonville, but it's own market.

Dick Myers
Click to expand...
 
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