View source for WJR

{{short description|News/talk radio station in Detroit}}
{{Hatnote|The abbreviation WJR may also refer to [[List of junior world records in athletics|World Junior Records]] in athletics or [[World Jewish Relief]], a British charitable organisation. For the former WJR-FM, see [[WDVD]].}}
{{Distinguish|WJRT-TV|WJRW|KJR (AM)|KJR-FM}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = WJR
| city                = [[Detroit, Michigan]]
| country             = US
| logo                = WJR logo 2024.png
| logo_upright        = .9
| area                = {{ubl|[[Southeast Michigan]]|[[Northeastern Indiana]]|[[Central Michigan]]|[[Northeast Ohio]]|[[Northwest Ohio]]|[[Southwestern Ontario]]}}
| frequency           = {{frequency|760|[[kHz]]}}
| branding            = News Talk 760 WJR
| format              = [[talk radio|News/Talk]]
| affiliations        = {{ubl|[[Fox News Radio]]|[[Westwood One]]|[[Michigan State Spartans]]}}
| owner               = [[Cumulus Media]]
| licensee            = Radio License Holdings LLC
| sister_stations     = [[WDVD]]
| airdate             = {{start date and age|1922|5|4|p=y|br=yes}}
| former_callsigns    = {{ubl|WCX (1922–1925)|WJR-WCX (1925–1929)}}
| former_frequencies  = {{ubl|833 & 619&nbsp;kHz (1922)|750 & 619&nbsp;kHz (1922–1923)|750&nbsp;kHz (1923)|580&nbsp;kHz (1923–1927)|680&nbsp;kHz (1927–1928)|750&nbsp;kHz (1928–1941)}}
| callsign_meaning    = Former owner Jewett Radio & Phonograph Co.
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| facility_id         = 8626
| class               = A
| power               = {{ubl|{{val|50000|u=watts|fmt=commas}} (unlimited)}}
| coordinates         = {{ubl|{{coord|42|10|5|N|83|12|54|W}} (main)|{{coord|42|10|8|N|83|12|50|W}} (aux)}}
| repeater            = {{Radio Relay|96.3|[[WDVD|WDVD-HD2]]|Detroit}}
| webcast             = {{ubl|{{listenlive|https://player.listenlive.co/23401}}|{{Audacy.com|newstalk760wjram}}|{{iHeartRadio|5361}}}}
| website             = {{URL|https://www.wjr.com/}}
}}
'''WJR''' (760 [[kHz]]) is a commercial [[AM broadcasting|AM]] radio station in [[Detroit, Michigan]], owned by [[Cumulus Media]], with a [[news/talk]] format. Most of WJR's broadcast studios, along with its newsroom and offices, are in the [[Fisher Building]] in Detroit's [[New Center]] area. A tower atop the Fisher Building relays WJR's audio to the transmitter site, and at one time WJR-FM (currently [[WDVD]]) also used this tower.

WJR is a [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class A]] [[clear channel station]], operating with 50,000 watts, the maximum power for AM stations in the United States, around the clock. WJR's 1934 transmitter building — which has been called "one of the best [[Art Deco]] transmitter buildings ever"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://detroit1701.org/WJR%20Radio.html|title=WJR transmitter building|date=October 2007|website=detroit1701.org}}</ref> — and [[transmitter]] [[radio masts and towers|tower]] are located near (and visible from) the intersection of Sibley and Grange Roads in [[Riverview, Michigan]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=wjr&x=0&y=0&sr=Y&s=C|title=WJR-AM 760 kHz - Detroit, MI|website=radio-locator.com}}</ref>

Due to WJR's low transmitting frequency and high power, omnidirectional signal, plus the region's mostly flat land and good [[ground conductivity]],<ref>[https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/m3-ground-conductivity-map "Map of Effective Ground Conductivity in the United States for AM Broadcast Stations"] (FCC.gov)</ref> the station has unusually large daytime coverage, equivalent to that of a full-power FM station. Its daytime signal provides at least secondary coverage to most of the southern [[Lower Peninsula]], as well as almost half of [[Ohio]] (with [[Cleveland]] and [[Toledo, Ohio|Toledo]] getting city-grade coverage) and slivers of [[Indiana]] and [[Pennsylvania]]. At night it can be heard throughout much of eastern North America with a good radio.

WJR programming is streamed via the web, and is simulcast on [[WDVD]]'s 96.3 FM HD2 subchannel.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=10| title=HD Radio: Detroit, MI| publisher=HD Radio| access-date=December 16, 2015| url-status=dead| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151123032523/http://hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=10| archive-date=November 23, 2015}}</ref> WJR is also licensed to broadcast a digital hybrid (HD) signal.<ref>{{cite web| title=Station Search Details| url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=8626| publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]| access-date=December 16, 2015}}</ref>

WJR is Michigan's primary entry point station for the [[Emergency Alert System]].

==Programming==
WJR airs a mix of local and [[broadcast syndication|nationally syndicated]] talk shows and local sports.<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/252754/wjr-revamps-programming-lineup-with-paul-w-smith-moving-to-12pm-guy-gordon-to-mornings/ WJR revamps programming lineup with Paul W. Smith moving to 12&nbsp;pm, Guy Gordon to mornings]. Retrieved June 5, 2023.</ref>   Weekdays feature a local lineup beginning with an hour of news at dawn, followed by ''JR Mornings'' with Lloyd Jackson and Jamie Edwards.  Middays are hosted by Kevin Dietz and [[Paul W. Smith]] followed by afternoon personalities Chris Renwick and [[Mitch Albom]].  [[sports radio|Sports talk]] shows are heard in the early evening with an hour of [[brokered programming]] at 7 o'clock.  At night, syndicated [[conservative talk]] programs include ''[[The Mark Levin Show]], [[Guy Benson|The Guy Benson Show]]'' and ''[[Red Eye Radio]]''. 

Weekends feature specialty shows on money, health, gardening, education, travel, religion, golf and home repair, some of which are paid [[brokered programming]].  Repeats of some weekday shows are also heard, as well as ''[[Bill Cunningham (talk show host)|Sunday Night with Bill Cunningham]]''.  Late nights and weekends, most hours begin with an update from [[Fox News Radio]].  The WJR news department provides newscasts on weekdays.

WJR is the [[flagship station]] of [[Michigan State Spartans]] [[Michigan State Spartans football|football]] and [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball|men's basketball]].<ref name=MSU/>  In the mid-1980s, it had been the flagship for the [[Michigan Panthers]] [[United States Football League|USFL pro football]] team.

==History==
[[File:Fisher Building, Detroit.jpg|thumb|The [[Fisher Building]], a National Historic site in the city's [[New Center]] area, is home to the Fisher Theatre, with the WJR radio [[antenna (radio)|antenna]], presently used to relay audio to the transmitters for WJR and WDVD]]
===WCX===
WJR traces its history to May 4, 1922. Effective December 1, 1921, the U.S. government for the first time adopted regulations formally defining "broadcasting stations". The wavelength of 360 meters (833&nbsp;kHz) was designated for entertainment broadcasts, while 485 meters (619&nbsp;kHz) was reserved for broadcasting official weather and other government reports.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435066705633&view=1up&seq=200 "Miscellaneous: Amendments to Regulations"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', January 3, 1922, page 10.</ref> On May 4, 1922, the ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' newspaper was issued a license, with the randomly assigned callsign WCX, for operation on both broadcasting wavelengths.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hxhh8g&view=1up&seq=1106 "New stations"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', June 1, 1922, page 2. Limited Commercial license, serial #699, issued May 4, 1922 to the Detroit Free Press for operation on 360 and 485 meters for a three month period.</ref>

WCX made its debut, broadcasting from the [[Detroit Free Press Building|''Free Press'' Building]], on the same day it was licensed. The inaugural broadcast included an address by Michigan governor [[Alex J. Groesbeck]].<ref>"America Given Concert by Free Press", ''Detroit Free Press'', May 5, 1922, page 1.</ref> 1922 saw a rapid expansion in the number of broadcasting stations, most sharing the single entertainment wavelength of 360 meters, which required progressively more complicated time sharing schedules among stations in the same region. The ''Detroit News'', which operated station [[WWJ (AM)|WWJ]], bristled at having to suffer the "handicap" of being required to give up some airtime to WCX, which had, in the words of the ''News'', decided to "break in".<ref>"WWJ (An Explanation)", ''Detroit News'', May 4, 1922, page 1.</ref>

In late September 1922 a second entertainment wavelength, 400 meters (750&nbsp;[[kHz]]), was made available for "Class B" stations, which had higher powers and better quality equipment and programming. Both WCX and WWJ qualified to use this new wavelength on a timesharing basis, and WCX ended use of the 485 meter "market and weather" wavelength.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510008420265&view=1up&seq=88 "Alterations and corrections"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', May 1, 1923, page 8.</ref> In early 1923, the United States further expanded the broadcast station frequencies into a band running from 550 to 1350&nbsp;kHz. The Class B frequency of 580&nbsp;kHz was designated for use by qualified stations in the "Detroit/Dearborn" area,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/radioage12unse/page/n362/mode/1up/ "Radio Conference Recommendations: New Wave Lengths"], ''Radio Age'', May 1923, page 11. Beginning with these assignments radio stations ended the practice of broadcasting their market reports and weather forecasts on the separate 485 meter wavelength.</ref> and both WCX and WWJ were assigned to this frequency.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.319510008420265&view=1up&seq=113 "Alterations and corrections"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', June 1, 1923, pages 11-12.</ref>

On December 8, 1924, WCX opened studios atop the new [[Book-Cadillac Hotel]] in downtown Detroit, with transmitter facilities on the roof. Hometown poet [[Edgar A. Guest]] and the [[Jean Goldkette]] orchestra participated in the program. In January 1925, WWJ's reassignment to 850&nbsp;kHz<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&view=1up&seq=30 "Alterations and corrections"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', February 2, 1925, page 10.</ref> left WCX as the sole station remaining on 580&nbsp;kHz.

===WJR-WCX===
On August 20, 1925, the Jewett Radio & Phonograph Company received a license for a new station, WJR. The company also took over WCX, consolidating operations in [[Pontiac, Michigan]], as WJR-WCX on 580&nbsp;kHz.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&view=1up&seq=161 "New Stations"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', September 1, 1925, page 3.</ref><ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763060&view=1up&seq=165 "Alterations and corrections"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', September 1, 1925, page 7. There were only a small number of dual call sign stations during the 1920s and 1930s, usually resulting from station consolidations. Most remaining examples disappeared after May 15, 1933, when the Federal Radio Commission requested that stations drop call letters no longer in regular use. ([https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1933-06-25/ed-1/seq-44/ "Double Call Letters Are Being Eliminated"], ''Washington (D.C.) Evening Star'', June 25, 1933, Part 4, page 6.)</ref>

===Goodwill Station ownership===
[[File:Advertisement for radio station WJR (May 8, 1927).gif|thumb|1927 saw the adoption of the slogan "The Goodwill Station", plus NBC Blue network programs beginning on May 9.<ref name=blue>"WJR" (advertisement), ''Detroit Times'', May 8, 1927, Part 2, page 8.</ref>]]

On January 1, 1927, the station was taken over by [[George A. Richards]],<ref>"WJR Officials Work Tirelessly For WJZ", ''Detroit Times'', May 8, 1927, Part 2, page 8.</ref> a local [[Oakland Motor Car Company|Oakland]]-[[Pontiac (automobile)|Pontiac]] automobile dealer. Richards would later also assume control of [[WHKW|WGAR]] in [[Cleveland]] and [[KMPC]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{citation|url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/002027682|title=Memorandum of WJR, KMPC and WGAR in support of proposed findings of fact and conclusions|author=Fulton, Walter & Halley|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|year=1951|access-date=November 4, 2018}}</ref> WJR adopted the slogan "The Goodwill Station" and on May 9, 1927, began carrying programs from the recently formed [[NBC Blue Network]].<ref name=blue/>

In mid-1927, the joint stations moved to 680&nbsp;kHz.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763078&view=1up&seq=88 "Broadcasting Stations by Wave Lengths"] (effective June 15, 1927), ''Radio Service Bulletin'', May 31, 1927, page 10.</ref> On November 11, 1928, the [[Federal Radio Commission]] implemented a major AM band reorganization, under the provisions of its [[General Order 40]]. This reallocation divided stations into three classes, which became known as "Clear", "Regional" and "Local". WJR-WCX was assigned as the sole North American occupant of the clear channel frequency of 750&nbsp;kHz.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.c021003683&view=1up&seq=238 "Revised list of broadcasting stations, by frequencies, effective 3 a. m., November 11, 1928, eastern standard time"], ''Second Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission for the Year Ended June 30, 1928, Together With Supplemental Report for the Period From July 1, 1928, to September 30, 1928'', page 202.</ref>

On December 16, 1928, the station moved from the newspaper's offices to its current location in the Fisher Building in uptown Detroit, and began identifying as "WJR Detroit, from the Golden Tower of the Fisher Building". In 1929, the license was transferred to "WJR, Goodwill Station, Inc.", and on April 22, 1929, "WCX" was formally dropped from the dual call sign, with the station becoming just WJR.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiug.30112106763086&view=1up&seq=95 "Alterations and corrections"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', April 30, 1929, page 13.</ref> In 1931, WJR raised its power to 10,000 watts. The station switched [[network affiliation]] from NBC Blue to [[CBS]] on September 29, 1935, and at the same time station officials formally dedicated WJR's new 50,000-watt transmitter.<ref>{{cite news| title=Stations in Detroit Realigned Sept. 29| url=https://archive.org/details/broadcasting89unse/page/n1019/mode/1up| access-date=December 18, 2021| work=Broadcasting| date=October 1, 1935| volume=8| number=7| page=22}}</ref> On March 29, 1941, the station moved from 750 to 760&nbsp;kHz, in accordance with the [[North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement]] frequency reallocations.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015080119129&view=1up&seq=74 "List of Radio Broadcast Stations, Alphabetically by Call Letters as of March 29, 1941"], page 74 (Federal Communications Commission)</ref>

Although station owner George A. Richards purchased the [[Detroit Lions]] professional football team in 1934, WJR did not begin to broadcast their games until the 1938 season.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting15unse/page/n216/mode/1up "General Mills, Chrysler Sponsoring Pro Football'], ''Broadcasting'', August 1, 1938, page 73.</ref>

WJR signed on an [[FM broadcasting|FM]] outlet in 1948, on 96.3&nbsp;[[MHz]]. This station was known as WJR-FM until 1982, when it became WHYT. The station is now [[WDVD]].

===Capital Cities ownership===
[[File:Advertisement for radio stations WJR and WGAR (1939).jpg|thumb|In 1939, coverage by WJR and co-owned WGAR in Cleveland, "The Great Stations of the Great Lakes", was promoted as providing advertisers the ability to reach a "Golden Horseshoe" of midwestern listeners.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting16unse/page/n865/mode/1up "WJR/WGAR"] (advertisement), ''Broadcasting'', June 1, 1939, page 10.</ref>]]
Richards died in May 1951, and in 1964, Goodwill Stations was sold to [[Capital Cities Communications]], which later merged with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and still later with the [[Walt Disney Company]]. Upon the sale, WJR's slogan became "The Great Voice of the Great Lakes". Also in 1964, WJR acquired full rights to [[Detroit Tigers]] [[baseball]] games, with announcers [[Ernie Harwell]] and [[George Kell]], who had begun broadcasting Tiger games in 1960. Previously, WJR had carried only night games with day games on [[WDTW (AM)|WKMH]] and [[WLQV|WJBK]]. The station became the flagship of the Tiger Baseball Network.In the late 1960s, WJR also became the flagship station for [[Detroit Red Wings]] [[ice hockey|hockey]] and [[Detroit Pistons]] [[basketball]].

The station's advertising campaigns and jingles included "W-J-R ... Radio 76 ... Cares About Detroit"<ref>[http://jingles.com/audio/d_SpiritOf76.mp3 "W-J-R ... Radio 76 ... Cares About Detroit"] (recordings of assorted WJR jingles)</ref> and "This is America's finest - AM stereo 76". [[J. P. McCarthy]] regularly stated, in a nonchalant way, "This is the world's greatest radio station, WJR Detroit", with a manner that made it seem like the most obvious of facts.

WJR broadcast in [[C-QUAM]] [[AM stereo]], from 1982 to 2006, and was received in stereo at great distances at night. WJR's Detroit Tigers home games were broadcast in stereo, as were the Thanksgiving Day Parades.

For much of its history, WJR served as a powerhouse in Michigan sports radio. However, in 2001, the station lost its longtime [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] rights to the Detroit Tigers and [[Detroit Red Wings]], both of which moved to [[CBS]]-owned [[WXYT (AM)|WXYT]] and [[WXYT-FM]]. Then, in 2005, the station dropped its status as the flagship station for [[Michigan Wolverines]] football and basketball in favor of a flagship rights deal with the [[Michigan State Spartans]].  WJR had served as flagship for Michigan State prior to 1976.<ref name=MSU>{{cite press release| title=MSU Announces Football Broadcast Team| url=http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/050806aaa.html| date=May 8, 2006| publisher=Michigan State University| access-date=December 16, 2015}}</ref>

===Cumulus Media ownership===
WJR was sold with other ABC Radio stations to [[Citadel Broadcasting]] on June 12, 2007. Citadel merged with [[Cumulus Media]] on September 16, 2011.<ref name=abj-citadelcumulus>{{cite news| title=Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting| url=https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/09/16/cumulus-now-owns-citadel-broadcasting.html| access-date=September 16, 2011| newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Atlanta Business Journal]]| date=September 16, 2011}}</ref>

WJR broadcast an [[HD Radio]] signal for about a two-year period (2006–2008) (also on [[WDRQ]]'s HD2 [[digital subchannel]]), eventually eliminating night time HD radio use, then dropping it completely on both WJR and WDRQ-HD2, returning to only its analog signal.

On November 20, 2015, WJR announced it would take over as flagship station of the Detroit Lions in 2016, with the team moving over from WXYT-FM.<ref name=freepress-wjrmove>{{cite news| title=Want to listen to the Lions in 2016? Tune in to WJR-AM| url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/11/19/detroit-lions-radio-broadcasts/76086598/| work=Detroit Free Press| access-date=November 20, 2015|author=Dave Birkett|date=November 19, 2015}}</ref><ref name=detroitnews-censorship>{{cite news| title=CBS Detroit: Lions censorship demands caused split| url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2015/11/20/detroit-lions-radio-change/76103168/| access-date=November 20, 2015| work=The Detroit News|author=Tony Paul|date=November 20, 2015}}</ref> The live sporting events meant that regular programming might be pre-empted. (During parts of the season when Michigan football and Tiger baseball were both on, Tiger baseball took precedence, and if a Michigan football game was either just beginning or really good when Tiger baseball came on, an announcement would come on as the football game faded out, stating the need to switch due to contractual obligations. Otherwise, the announcement would just simply state the station is leaving the Michigan game for the Tigers. Either way, listeners were directed to [[CKLW]] in nearby [[Windsor, Ontario]], for the conclusion of the game).

[[File:WJR News-Talk-760AM logo.png|thumb|Previous logo]]

On December 18, 2020, the Detroit Lions announced that [[Audacy, Inc.|Audacy]] signed a deal for WXYT-FM to become the flagship station for the 2021 NFL season after a five-year partnership.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Detroit Lions Return To Entercom's 'The Ticket' WXYT-FM.|url=http://www.insideradio.com/free/detroit-lions-return-to-entercom-s-the-ticket-wxyt-fm/article_f9f28132-414f-11eb-970c-df738a23f450.html|access-date=January 28, 2021|website=Insideradio.com|language=en|date=December 18, 2020}}</ref>

For many years, WJR aired [[Rush Limbaugh]] in early afternoons. Following Limbaugh's death in 2021, [[Dan Bongino]] took over the noon to 3&nbsp;pm time slot on WJR and many other Cumulus stations. Bongino's show is distributed by [[Westwood One]], which is the national syndication arm of Cumulus Media. Following disputes with Westwood One and Cumulus over a [[COVID-19]] vaccine mandate, Bongino announced plans to end his Cumulus radio show at the end of his contract 18 months in the future.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leaf |first=Maria |date=December 16, 2022 |title=LISTEN: Dan Bongino announces end of national radio show |language=en-US |work=[[Washington Examiner]] |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/listen-dan-bongino-announces-end-of-national-radio-show/ |access-date=January 6, 2023}}</ref> Cumulus began phasing his show out of its stations' lineups, including WJR in June 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2023 |title=Dan Bongino To Be Replaced By Paul W. Smith At WJR Detroit. |url=https://www.insideradio.com/free/dan-bongino-to-be-replaced-by-paul-w-smith-at-wjr-detroit/article_f4f91284-03af-11ee-b553-a3608da4a345.html |access-date=June 6, 2023 |website=Insideradio.com |language=en}}</ref> At that time, WJR announced a new lineup of local personalities weekdays from 5&nbsp;am to 8&nbsp;pm.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 5, 2023 |title=WJR Revamps Programming Lineup with Paul W. Smith Moving To 12pm & Guy Gordon To Mornings |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/252754/wjr-revamps-programming-lineup-with-paul-w-smith-moving-to-12pm-guy-gordon-to-mornings/ |access-date=September 2, 2023 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref> Morning show host Paul W. Smith would move to early afternoons in place of Bongino, with Guy Gordon who previously hosted afternoons moving to morning drive.<ref>{{Cite web |title=WJR's Paul W. Smith moving to new time slot as part of station revamp |url=https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/detroit/2023/06/05/wjr-paul-w-smith-station/70288973007/ |access-date=September 2, 2023 |website=Detroit Free Press |language=en-US}}</ref> New shows hosted by Chris Renwick and Sean Baligian were also added to the schedule.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.wjr.com/|title=WJR-AM|website=WJR-AM}}</ref>

==Father Coughlin broadcasts==
{{Main|Charles Coughlin}}
Father Charles Coughlin was a local Roman Catholic priest, whose controversial weekly radio sermons largely originated at WJR. At the height of his popularity, Coughlin reported receiving thousands of letters daily.<ref>''Father Coughlin: the radio priest, of the Shrine of the Little Flower'' by Ruth Mugglebee, 1933, [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071170834&view=1up&seq=239 page 215].</ref> He was also extremely polarizing, described by one biographer as "a man of kindness and beautiful understanding",<ref>Mugglebee (1933) [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071170834&view=1up&seq=339 page 312].</ref> while another labeled him "the father of hate radio".<ref>[https://books.google.com/books/about/Radio_Priest.html?id=UULZAAAAMAAJ ''Radio Priest: Charles Coughlin, the Father of Hate Radio''] by Donald I. Warren, 1996.</ref>

Father Coughlin made his radio debut on October 17, 1926, speaking over WJR via a microphone installed by the station at the altar at the Shrine of the Little Flower.<ref>Mugglebee (1933) [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071170834&view=1up&seq=184 page 164].</ref> His commentaries initially addressed perceived social ills, opposing prohibition, divorce and birth control as damaging to American society. During the [[Great Depression]] he moved heavily into political issues. On October 5, 1930, he began a weekly broadcast carried over the CBS network that originated at that network's Detroit affiliate, [[WXYT (AM)|WXYZ]].<ref>Mugglebee (1933) [https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015071170834&view=1up&seq=226 pages 202-203].</ref> But a year later CBS dropped him for being too divisive, by implementing a ban on commercially sponsored religious programs. With the assistance of WJR station manager Leo Fitzpatrick, Father Coughlin responded by forming his own network, with WJR as the key station.<ref>"Radio Saga Links WJR, Coughlin", ''Detroit Times'',  September 29, 1935, Part 6, pages 2-3.</ref> "The Golden Hour" broadcasts began on October 4, 1931, initially on about 20 stations. By October 16 of the next year this expanded to 26 stations, said at the time to be "the largest independent network ever arranged",<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting13unse/page/n841/mode/1up "Rev. Coughlin Program Over 26 Station Net"], ''Broadcasting'', October 15, 1932, page 10.</ref> and by early 1938 the network had grown to 58 stations.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcastingbroa14unse/page/n519/mode/1up "Net of 58 Stations for Fr. Coughlin"], ''Broadcasting'', January 15, 1938, page 34.</ref>

Coughlin's fervent anti-communism led to the perception that he was in favor of the rise of fascism in Europe, and he was accused of being anti-Jewish.<ref>[https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/42047197/1938-11-26/ed-1/seq-5 "Coughlin's Anti-Semitism"], ''Detroit United Automobile Worker'', November 26, 1938, page 5.</ref> Although initially supported by the local church hierarchy, his personal attacks on political figures eventually resulted in official restrictions and rebukes.<ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19371008&id=jZk0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=0GkFAAAAIBAJ&pg=769,650090 "Coughlin Reproved by New Archbishop"], ''Lewiston Evening Journal'', October 8, 1937, page 8.</ref><ref>[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19371122&id=VxZPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ux8EAAAAIBAJ&pg=3126,2094060 "Coughlin Gets Official Rebuke"], ''Bend (Oregon) Bulletin'',  November 22, 1937, page 3.</ref> In 1939 the [[National Association of Broadcasters]] (NAB) adopted a code of conduct that included restrictions on controversial commercial broadcasts,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting17unse/page/n762/mode/1up "Text of First Ruling of Code Compliance Committee"], ''Broadcasting'', October 15, 1939, page 13.</ref> which was seen as primarily directed toward Coughlin, and WJR vice president John F. Pratt argued that "the provision on controversial subjects seems to many of us the first shackle on freedom of speech on the radio".<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting17unse/page/n761/mode/1up "Code's Restrictions Are Blow to Freedom, Pratt Tells NAB"], ''Broadcasting'', October 15, 1939, page 12.</ref> The NAB code led to a loss of participating stations,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/broadcasting17unse/page/n760/mode/1up "First Code Action Brings NAB Discord"] by Sol Taishoff, ''Broadcasting'', October 15, 1939, page 11.</ref> and this, combined with subject matter restrictions imposed by his church superiors, resulted in Coughlin ending his radio broadcasts.

==WJR personalities==
Past WJR personalities included J.P. McCarthy, Jimmy Launce, Warren Pierce, Mike Whorf, Murray Gula, Joel Alexander, Jay Roberts, [[Charles Coughlin]] and many others. WJR Program Directors during the Capital Cities era included Joe Bacarella, Curt Hahn and AC radio consultant Gary Berkowitz.
* [[Mitch Albom]], novelist and ''[[Detroit Free Press]]'' sports writer . WJR was the flagship station when ''The Mitch Albom Show'' (formerly ''Albom in the Afternoon'') was nationally syndicated.
* [[Frank Beckmann]], former midday talk show host (also the play-by-play voice for [[Michigan Wolverines football|University of Michigan]] football from 1981 to 2013). WJR was the flagship station for Michigan football from 1977 to 2005. Beckmann formerly called Lions and Tigers games for the station.
* [[Paul Carey (broadcaster)|Paul Carey]], former Detroit Tigers and [[Detroit Pistons]] announcer
* [[Charles Coughlin|Father Charles Coughlin]], Roman Catholic priest, and social and political commentator
* Guy Gordon, early afternoon drive host, former [[WXYZ-TV]] and [[WDIV-TV]] reporter and anchor.<ref>[http://www.wjr.com/guygordon/ Guy Gordon] (WJR.com)</ref>
* Edgar A. "Bud" Guest II, host of "The Sunny Side of the Street" and "Guest House".
* [[Karl Haas]], German-born musicologist who hosted the classical music magazine ''[[Adventures in Good Music]]'' (later originating from [[Cleveland]] station [[WCLV]])
* [[Ernie Harwell]], former [[Detroit Tigers]] announcer (when WJR was the Tigers' flagship station).
* Lloyd Jackson Sr., Assistant News Director and News Anchor and host of ''The Big Story''
* Kevin Joyce, former conservative talk show host
* [[Bruce Martyn]], former [[Detroit Red Wings]] announcer
* [[J.P. McCarthy]], former morning host
* [[Jack Paar]], ''Tonight Show'' host
* [[Van Patrick]], former sports director and announcer
* Bob Reynolds, former [[Detroit Lions]] and [[Michigan State football]] announcer
* Jay Roberts, host of the overnight music program ''Night Flight 760''
* [[Paul W. Smith]], current morning host
* Ted Strasser, host of the [[adult standards]] program ''Patterns in Music''
* [[Grace Lee Whitney]], actress-singer, later "Janice Rand" on ''[[Star Trek]]''.
* [[Mike Whorf]], host of the music magazine ''Kaleidoscope'', which focused on various music genres, themes, and eras

==See also==
* [[Media in Detroit]]
* [[List of initial AM-band station grants in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
* {{officialwebsite|https://www.wjr.com/|WJR 760}}
{{AM station data|8626|WJR}}
* [https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=61867 FCC History Cards for WJR] (covering 1927-1979 as WJR-WCX / WJR)
* [https://archive.org/details/WjrOneOfAKin/ "WJR: One of a Kind"] ''circa.'' 1966 promotional video (Internet Archive)
* [https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Station-Albums/WJR-50-Years.pdf 50 Years of Unique Radio] (1972)

{{Detroit Radio}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Michigan}}
{{Clear-channel AM}}
{{Cumulus Media}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1922 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Clear-channel radio stations]]
[[Category:Cumulus Media radio stations]]
[[Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1922]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Detroit|JR]]