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Legendary Detroit FM Radio Station Returns - But Only Online
WJZZ-FM Detroit was once one of the great all jazz radio stations in the U.S. But the station was eventually sold, and the call letters and format changed, ending what some fans called one of the best-ever stations of its kind.
A few years ago, a fan decided to bring it back online, and recreate what had made the place so special. But with COVID in the way, and his own inexperience, he had trouble with the launch. Now he's on more solid footing and wants those in Motown and nearby Windsor to know the station many loved for decades can be heard again.
Just online and not on your radio.
“I felt that we could get it back, but going the traditional route through trying to get an FCC license was going to be challenging,” explained [creator Rodger] Penzabene. “I was directed to go the internet route because it is the wave of the future. And, with internet radio, it was cost efficient and could be heard worldwide, versus just heard in metro Detroit with traditional radio.”
You can hear it here.
WJZZ, the World’s Oldest Jazz Radio Station Is Back in Detroit
For some reason, I have a WJZZ T-shirt from many years ago, although I'm not entirely sure where I got it. It's faded but still around.
- tvguy
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Re: Legendary Detroit FM Radio Station Returns - But Only Online
Great news. Thanks for posting. I picked it up in London, from ‘73-76 using an outdoor antenna system. Fewer FM stations in those days. I have many hours of reel-to-reel tapes of WJZZ. Great creative department. Advertisers included “Louis the Hatter” - Detroit’s #1 men’s store on Livernois - the Isle of Style.
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Re: Legendary Detroit FM Radio Station Returns - But Only Online
tvguy wrote:
Great news. Thanks for posting. I picked it up in London, from ‘73-76 using an outdoor antenna system. Fewer FM stations in those days. I have many hours of reel-to-reel tapes of WJZZ. Great creative department. Advertisers included “Louis the Hatter” - Detroit’s #1 men’s store on Livernois - the Isle of Style.
Were you able to pick up most of the Detroit FM's back then with your outdoor antenna system?
- tvguy
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Re: Legendary Detroit FM Radio Station Returns - But Only Online
Great news. Thanks for posting. I picked it up in London, from ‘73-76 using an outdoor antenna system. Fewer FM stations in those days. I have many hours of reel-to-reel tapes of WJZZ. Great creative department. Advertisers included “Louis the Hatter” - Detroit’s #1 men’s store on Livernois - the Isle of Style.
Were you able to pick up most of the Detroit FM's back then with your outdoor antenna system?
My recollection is that where I lived in a townhouse on what was then the outskirts of london (near Western Univ), we could receive WJZZ, WOMC, WGPR, WRIF, WKNR and the Public Classical Music and NPR stations reliably. Things were a bit more difficult lower in the FM band, ajacent to CFPL-FM, (96 mhz) and other local stations. Reception was frequent from CHFI, which I believe had just moved to the CN Tower, and we had reception of a number of Cleveland FM’s. There weren’t many local stations in London at that time. On FM I remember CJBX and Fanshawe College having FMs. My memory is a bit hazy these long years later....as to what else was on air on FM from London at the time....even though I worked on air at CFPL-AM and CFPL-FM and knew all of the radio players at that time...Tillsonberg's easy listening station was also quite stong and that made adjacent channel reception difficult.. I think the CBC signed on their FM’s a bit later, so that would have blocked out some of the adjacent U.S. stations when they came on air. Lots of Michigan-based stations in the 88-92 mhz "non commerccial band" and one other - from distant Illinois - WMBI - Moody Bible Institute Chicago. WMBI was in and out any time there was some troposhperic weather action. I looked up Louis the Hatter - the last store closed in 1992 following the death of the founder.
Last edited by tvguy (May 4, 2023 1:00 pm)