STATION HISTORY: 1540 PHILADELPHIA WNWR (Global Radio, LLC)

WJMJ

1540 was founded by Patrick J. Stanton, former general manager of WDAS on December 25, 1946. The daytime only station operated out of the ballroom of the St. James Hotel in center city Philadelphia. The format was middle of the road music and religious programming. The call letters reportedly stood for "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph."

Sally Starr was a popular host at the station begining in the late 1940s. Her shows were often broadcast from local record shops throughout the Delaware Valley.

WRCP

In August, 1965, WJMJ was sold to Rust Craft Broadcasting, a division of the Rust Craft Greeting Card Company. Calls were changed to WRCP and studios were eventually moved to 2043 Locust Street in Philadelphia (referred to as the "Rittenhouse Ranch.") The calls have been variously described as meaning "Rust Craft Philadelphia" and "Real Country Power." A "Modern Country" format was instituted in 1967 under program director John Mazer. In the 1960s and early 70s, a WRCP stagecoach with staffers dressed as cowboys/cowgirls was used as a promotional tool. Some of the station's country DJs in this period included Don Paul, Dave Stanley, Nick Reynolds, Shelly Davis, Bob Steele, and Jack Gillan.

On October 17, 1977, WRCP AM and FM split into completely separate programming. The FM side, with new calls WSNI, went with a "beautiful country" format while the AM continued with a more traditional country format. In 1980, the FM dumped country for adult contemporary, making WRCP-AM the only country station in Philadelphia at the time. In 1981, after WFIL adopted a country format, WRCP switched to "Philadelphia gold" oldies from the 60s and 70s with jocks Ron Cade, Jay Patrick and Tom McDonnel.

WSNI/WPGR

In 1983, the calls were changed to match sister station WSNI. Program Director Don Cannon, whose WSNI-FM morning show was simulcast on 1540, instituted a short-lived "Beatles and Mowtown" format. Some of the jocks during the oldies format included Mike St. John, Hy Lit, Harvey Holiday, Tommy McCarthy, Jerry Blavat, and "Armand In The Morning." The following year, the calls were changed to WPGR, "Philly Gold Radio."

In 1992, the oldies station was sold to a group of local investors under the name All Star Radio. (Eric Farber, Marina Kats, Robert Rovner, Bob Daniels and Anthony Corradetti) The station was renamed "Geator Gold Radio" with Jerry Blavat as operations manager. In 1994, WPGR received permission to operate 24 hours a day, although at very low power after dark. A number of veteran Philly jocks came and went during this period including Bob Charger, Georgie Woods and Sally Starr (who had worked at the station some 40 years earlier.)

WNWR

In 1995, the station was sold to Global Radio for $1.4 million, with new calls WNWR and time-brokered ethnic and multicultural programming.

• Sources
  • "WJMJ, Philly, to Debut Dec 25.", The Billboard, 11/16/1946, p. 9

Discuss WNWR AM 1540 PHILADELPHIA