Previous Format: Classic Rock
New Format: Smooth Jazz
Date & Time Of Change: November 17, 2006 at 6:00pm
More Info: Wikipedia

In the Fall of 2004, Nassau Broadcasting applied for a city of license change for their flagship station 97.5 WPST from Trenton to Burlington, NJ (less than 20 miles to the south). In doing so they would make 97.5 able to move into the more lucrative Philadelphia market. While that move will not take place until the Fall of 2005 at the earliest, Nassau took the next step in January by announcing it would swap the programming of its two Trenton FM’s. 97.5 WPST’s CHR format would move on Valentine’s Day to the 94.5 home of Classic Rocker “The Hawk”. In doing so, the CHR format of WPST stays in the suburban Trenton market, in the event that 97.5 should be sold following its move to Philadelphia.

In the Fall of 2004, Nassau Broadcasting applied for a city of license change for their flagship station 97.5 WPST from Trenton to Burlington, NJ (less than 20 miles to the south). In doing so they would make 97.5 able to move into the more lucrative Philadelphia market. While that move will not take place until the Fall of 2005 at the earliest, Nassau took the next step in January by announcing it would swap the programming of its two Trenton FM’s. 97.5 WPST’s CHR format would move on Valentine’s Day to the 94.5 home of Classic Rocker “The Hawk”. In doing so, the CHR format of WPST stays in the suburban Trenton market, in the event that 97.5 should be sold following its move to Philadelphia.

After years of silence, 1040 WJHR Flemington returned to the air in 1996 with a Full Service Hot AC format as “Jersey’s Hometown Radio”. As the only commercial station licensed to Hunterdon County, WJHR had a nice niche in a rapidly growing area. Nassau Broadcasting attempted to increase that niche when they took over the station. Flipping the station to News/Talk was intended to increase the local niche of the station in the market, while removing the music that competed with Nassau’s WPST. Unfortunately, the station did not succeed enough as was expected, which is not surprising given the amount of money needed to operate an all local News/Talk operation. In 1999, the station flipped to a simulcast of 1350 WHWH in Princeton, NJ and both air a satellite Business Talk format.

Nassau Broadcasting created the first duopoly in the Trenton market in early 1998 with the acquisition of 920 WTTM and 94.5 WCHR from Great Scott Broadcasting. WCHR’s religious programming was quickly transferred from 94.5 to 920. With market speculation leaning towards the debut of an AC or Country format, Nassau surprised observers with the choice of Oldies for the new station. With New Jersey 101.5 already in the market doing Oldies on weekends and overnights, many thought that there would be no room in the market for another Oldies outlet. The decision has chosen to be a wise one as WNJO has become a dominant #2 in the market, after debuting at #1 and allowing sister station WPST to retain the top spot.