WJHP-FM, WZFM, WZOK-FM The 96.9 frequency originally was the home of WJHP-FM which first began experimental broadcasts in 1947, before any other FM stations were on the air in Jacksonville. It was the FM counterpart to
AM 1320 WJHP (now
WJNJ). It was owned by The Metropolis Company, a division of
The Jacksonville Journal, a defunct afternoon newspaper. WJHP-FM mostly
simulcast the programming of WJHP. In 1960, the
call sign was changed to WZFM. The callsign switched again in 1961 to WZOK-FM. With FM radio still in its early days, the station
signed off in 1962. The license was returned to the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the frequency remained unoccupied for seven years. WZOK's callsign later went to
Rockford, Illinois.
WRLJ, WPDQ-FM On July 1, 1969, a new station
signed on at 96.9 MHz as WRLJ. It was owned by Beck Broadcasting, which also owned
AM 600 WPDQ (now
WBOB). While WPDQ was a
Top 40 station, WRLJ played
beautiful music. A couple of years after going on the air, the station picked up the call letters of its AM
sister station, becoming WPDQ-FM.
WAIV In 1975, the two stations were sold to Rounsaville Broadcasting of Jacksonville (later Affiliated Broadcasting). AM 600 became
middle of the road formatted WMBR while 96.9 became WAIV, a
progressive rock outlet. Because Jacksonville is on the
Atlantic Coast, the call sign represented the word "Wave." In 1980, the call letters for AM 600 were switched to match the FM station, becoming WAIV and WAIV-FM. Both stations were Top 40 outlets. At the time, the FCC would not allow an AM and an FM station in medium to large cities to simulcast full-time, so the two stations shared some hours and were separately programmed most hours. By the mid-1980s, AM 600 had become
WOKV, a
talk radio station (later moving to
AM 690), while WAIV-FM switched to
adult contemporary.
WKQL In 1986, both stations were bought by
EZ Communications and in 1990, the FM station became WKQL, "Cool 96.9." It featured an
oldies format.
WJGL In 2000, WKQL and WOKV were bought by
Cox Radio, Inc., the current owner. In 2005, WKQL changed call letters to the current WJGL, shifted to classic hits, and rebranded as "96.9 The Eagle." The station eliminated most 1960s music and the pop and dance artists, focusing on rock songs of the 1970s, 80s and some 90s. ==References==