WJGL
| Company type | Commercial radio station |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Headquarters | Jacksonville, Florida , United States |
Area served | Jacksonville metropolitan area, Georgia coastline to south of St. Augustine, Florida |
| Products | Classic hits radio broadcasting |
| Owner | Cox Radio (subsidiary of Cox Media Group) |
WJGL (96.9 MHz, known as "96.9 The Eagle") is a commercial FM broadcaster based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is owned by Cox Radio, a subsidiary of Cox Media Group. The station features a classic hits format with an emphasis on classic rock, playing selections primarily from the 1970s, 1980s, and some tracks from the 1990s. Its playlist deliberately excludes pop and dance artists such as Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna.
Located in Jacksonville's Southside area, WJGL's studios are situated on Belfort Parkway, while its transmitter is positioned off Hogan Road in Arlington. Classified as a Class C FM station, it broadcasts at an effective radiated power (ERP) of 98,000 watts—rising to 100,000 watts with beam tilt—from a tower height of 1,014 feet (309 meters) above average terrain (HAAT). The station’s coverage extends from the Georgia coastline down to areas south of St. Augustine, Florida.
WJGL transmits in HD Radio and operates an HD2 subchannel that airs an urban contemporary format branded as "Power 106.1." This programming is also relayed through the 225-watt translator W291CI.
WJHP-FM, WZFM, WZOK-FM
The 96.9 MHz frequency first aired as WJHP-FM in 1947, functioning as the FM counterpart to AM 1320 WJHP (currently WJNJ). Owned by The Metropolis Company, affiliated with the now-defunct Jacksonville Journal, WJHP-FM primarily simulcasted its AM sister station.
In 1960, the call letters were changed to WZFM and then altered again to WZOK-FM in 1961. During this early period of FM radio development, the station ceased operations in 1962 and returned its license to the FCC. The frequency remained dormant for seven years afterward. Subsequently, the WZOK callsign was reassigned to a station in Rockford, Illinois.
WRLJ, WPDQ-FM
On July 1, 1969, Beck Broadcasting introduced a new station at 96.9 MHz under the call sign WRLJ, complementing its AM Top 40 outlet WPDQ (presently WBOB). WRLJ initially featured beautiful music and later adopted the call sign WPDQ-FM to align more closely with its AM counterpart.
WAIV
In 1975, ownership transferred to Rounsaville Broadcasting (later known as Affiliated Broadcasting). The AM station at 600 kHz switched to a middle of the road (MOR) format under the call sign WMBR, while 96.9 MHz became WAIV—a progressive rock station whose call letters referenced Jacksonville’s Atlantic Coast location ("Wave").
By 1980, AM 600 also took on the WAIV designation to match WAIV-FM; both stations operated as Top 40 formats but maintained distinct programming due to FCC regulations limiting simulcasting. By the mid-1980s, AM 600 transitioned into talk radio as WOKV (eventually moving to AM 690), while WAIV-FM shifted toward adult contemporary music.
WKQL
EZ Communications acquired both stations in 1986. In 1990, the FM station rebranded as WKQL "Cool 96.9," adopting an oldies music format.
WJGL
The year 2000 saw WKQL and WOKV purchased by Cox Radio, Inc., which remains their current proprietor. In 2005, WKQL was rebranded as WJGL "96.9 The Eagle," moving toward a classic hits format centered on rock from the ’70s through the ’90s while phasing out most selections from the ’60s and excluding pop/dance artists.
External links
- FM translator