WAJD-AM 1390                        
Gainesville

Original Call Letters: WPUP

Originally Licensed: May 31, 1962

Original City of License: Gainesville

Original Frequency: 1390 

Origin of Call Letters: 

Original Power: 5,000 watts daytime
Translator(s): W255CV-FM 98.9, Gainesville

Original Location: 7120 SW 24th Av
Original Format: CHR 


Network Affiliation(s):
Associated Press
Westwood One

Owner(s):
1962-Southern Broadcasting Co. of Marianna, Inc.
1963-WUWU Radio, Inc.
1971-Olivia Broadcasting
1978-Nabco, Inc.
1981-Kent Communications
1983-Sunshine Wireless Broadcasting Company
1987-Gillen Broadcasting Corp. (with WYKS-FM 105.5 $1.9 million)

History Of Call Letters and Formats:
WPUP-1962-Country 
WUWU-1963-Country "The Woo Woo"
WAKA-1971-Beautiful Music "AM 1390" "The Only One to Turn To"
WAKA-1973-Top 40/Oldies
WAKA-1974-Beautiful Music
WAKA-1978-MOR "14K" "The Only One to Turn To"  
WAKA-1979-CHR/New Wave  "14K"
WAKA-1980-Top 40
WKGR-1981-Adult Contemporary   "Adult Radio AM 14 WKGR"
WMGI-1983-Jazz/Urban Contemporary   "Magic 1390"
WDVH-1986-Country  "Building a Better Country"
WAJD-1987-CHR
WAJD-1987-All News "News Radio 1390"
WAJD-1988-Heavy Metal "Gator Rock 1390" "Rock Radio 1390"
WAJD-1990-CHR "Kiss 105.3" (Simulcast of WYKS-FM 105.3)
WAJD-2001-Children "Radio Disney AM 1390"
WAJD-2009-Licensed/Silent
WAJD-2011-R&B Oldies (Simulcast of WYKS-FM 105.3)
WAJD-2012-Licensed/Silent
  WAJD-2013-Progressive Talk    "Your Liberal Talk Station"
WAJD-2014-Licensed/Silent (5/15/14)
WAJD-2015-Talk    "The Peoples Voice" (Returned to the air 6/23/15)
WAJD-2016-Smooth Jazz      "Gainesville's Smooth Jazz"
WAJD-2019-Urban Contemporary     "99 Jamz"


WAJD History
Thanks to Marc Tyll for this history of WAJD.
In 1987, WDVH-AM 1380 along with WYKS-FM 105.3 was sold to Gillen Broadcasting, owned by Douglas J. Gillen. The call letters were changed to WAJD with a format change to All News, anchored by University of Florida Journalism students. The format was known as "All News Radio 1390", however news only lasted for about 18 months. Gillen decided a bold move towards Heavy Metal was in order. Originally the station was planned to changed its call letters to WWZR (for "Z Rock") with an affiliation with Satellite Music Network's "Z Rock" programming, however, at the last minute it was decided to keep the WAJD call letters and program heavy metal in house known as "Gator Rock 1390". Heavy Metal lasted for a very short period due to lack of advertiser support. The only advertiser on Gator Rock was the Florida lottery, so a decision was to begin simulcasting CHR from its sister station WYKS-FM "Kiss 105.3". This simulcast operation lasted for nearly 12 -years before separate programming was once again implemented when WAJD became Gainesville's Radio Disney's affiliate programming Contemporary Hit music during the afternoon and children's programming during the morning hours. Today WAJD remains a Radio Disney affiliate.

WAJD Flips From Smooth Jazz           10-16-19
"Smooth Jazz 1390 WAJD/98.9" (WAJD-AM 1390/98.8 FM) in Gainesville is becoming "99 Jamz". "The Steve Harvey Morning Show" has been added to the new Urban format. 


Names In WAJD History
John A. Dowdy-1962-President-Southern Broadcasting Co. of Marianna, Inc.
O.R. Buckler-1962-Vice President/General Manager-Southern Broadcasting Co. of Marianna, Inc./1963-Vice President/General Manager-WUWU Radio
Leon E. Mims1963-President/Owner-WUWU Radio
Michael Searcy-1971-General Manager-Olivia Broadcasting
Joe Schwartzel-1978-President/General Manager-Nabco 
Rick Dames-1981-Vice President/General Manager-Kent Communications
Dan N. Cohen-1982-President-Sunshine Wireless/1987-President-Gillen Broadcasting Corp
Jeffrey Greenhawk-1982-Vice President- Sunshine Wireless
Darwin Paustian-1982-General Manager- Sunshine Wireless
Douglas Gillen-1987-President/2000-President/General Manager/General Sales Manager-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Jeffrey Greenhawl-1987-Vice President-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Darwin Paustain-1987-General Manager-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Barry Sides-1987-General Sales Manager-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Jeri Banta-1987-Program Director-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Wayne Irwin-1987-Chief Engineer-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
Karl Kaufman-1996-General Sales Manager-Gillen Broadcasting Corp
Sharon Schrepple-1998-"Seniors on the Go''-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.
"The Steve Harvey Morning Show"-2019-Gillen Broadcasting Corp.

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