WEDR
| Company type | Radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1963 |
| Founder | Ed Rivers |
| Headquarters | Hollywood, Florida , United States |
Area served | South Florida |
Key people | Derrick Baker (Program Director), Jerry Rushin (Market Manager) |
| Products | Urban contemporary radio programming (hip-hop, R&B, afrobeat) |
| Owner | Cox Media Group |
WEDR (99.1 FM, branded as "99 Jamz") operates in the South Florida market and holds its license in Miami, Florida. It is part of the Cox Media Group portfolio, alongside sister stations WHQT, WFEZ, and WFLC. WEDR broadcasts an urban contemporary format that showcases a wide-ranging selection of music including hip-hop, R&B, and afrobeat, catering to the culturally diverse population of South Florida. The station’s production facilities are situated in Hollywood, Florida.
The station's broadcast footprint is distinctively influenced by its relocation from a class C tower to a class C1 tower near Miami Gardens, a strategic move designed to reduce interference with neighboring frequencies serving southwestern Florida. Since the summer of 2005, WEDR has transmitted digitally utilizing the HD Radio technology.
History
1963 – The call sign WEDR was introduced to South Florida after Ed Rivers acquired it from an AM broadcaster in Birmingham, Alabama. Initially, WEDR-FM aired rock and country music formats before transitioning to progressive rock in the late 1960s.
1970 – WEDR embraced a black-oriented format, becoming the only station targeting the black community in the market despite having a limited signal reach.
1988 – WHQT adopted an Urban Contemporary format, presenting direct competition to WEDR, which had fallen to 24th place in audience ratings.
1990 – WEDR rebranded from "Starforce 99" to "99 JAMZ," broadening its urban contemporary mix to include R&B, soul, rap, and weekend reggae programming. On April 21, 1990, the station significantly boosted its transmission power from 16 kW at 175 feet to 92 kW at 1,014 feet height above average terrain, expanding its coverage into West Palm Beach-Boca Raton and parts of the Caribbean.
1992 – "99 Jamz" achieved the status of the highest-rated station in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area.
2003 – After twenty years, Program Director and morning show host James T transitioned to sister station WHQT. Subsequently, WEDR shifted toward a mainstream urban format with slogans highlighting its leadership in hip hop and R&B while directly competing with Clear Channel’s WMIB ("103.5 the Beat"). Despite this evolution, slower R&B and classic soul tracks were retained during overnight hours.
July 2004 – The station launched the Big Lip Bandit Morning Show featuring Supa Cindy and Benji Brown.
2005 – Introduced "The Take Over," a nighttime program hosted by K. Foxx and DJ Khaled; K. Foxx departed in 2009 for New York’s Hot 97.
October 2006 – Derrick Baker was named Program Director.
March 2008 – The station rebranded as "99Jamz, South Florida's ONLY Station for Hip Hop and R&B," maintaining its leading position despite competitors altering their formats.
July 2008 – Began broadcasting the nationally syndicated "Rickey Smiley Morning Show," replacing the Big Lip Bandit program.
2009 – Jerry Rushin was promoted from General Manager to Market Manager for Cox Media Group.
2015 – Continued to hold the top position in South Florida PPM ratings.
2020 – Discontinued syndicated morning shows and launched “TNT” Trick and Trina Show produced by Big Mack and DJ Nasty 305.
2022 – The PAC Jam Morning Show succeeded Trick and Trina as the morning program.
Programming
The station’s core lineup features The Morning Hustle with Kyle and L’orel on weekday mornings, followed by midday programming with K Foxx. Afternoons are hosted by DJ Nasty 305, while evenings showcase The Turn Up Partnas with DJ Hercules and Lucky C.
Friday nights highlight The Bashment Explosion hosted by King Waggy Tee. Weekend programming includes The Nick Cannon Countdown Show on Saturday mornings and Sunday Morning Gospel presented by Maestro Powell & Wendell Ford.