A Brief History of 107.1 FM St. Joseph
WSJM-FM / WIRX-FM By Jim Gifford and Gayle Olson
Researched and Assembled by Zack East
While sister station WSJM-AM (1400 AM) had existed since about 1956 (and was aquired by Mid-West Family Broadcasting of Madison, WI in 1958), 107.1 WSJM-FM St. Joseph was started about 1965. Mid-West Family Broadcasting received permission from the FCC in 1963 for frequency 107.1 FM. Owners Bill Walker and Charlie Dickoff were responsible for bringing the first totally separate FM broadcast station to the area.
107.1 FM was started so that, quoting a full-range newspaper ad from March 29, 1967, listeners could "discover the new adult world of fine music on WSJM-FM. No announcers shouting at you...featuring the light jazz, show tunes and semi-classical music that has been noticeably missing lately..."
How the times have changed.
In 1969, 107.1's WSJM-FM call letters were changed for their first and only time to WIRX-FM, and became "WIRX Country." The station had no live air personalities on a regular basis and relied solely on the music to tell the story.
Jumping ahead 10 years to 1979, "WIRX Country" struggled financially with the format and made the switch to "Top 40" in the 1st weekend of May, 1979.
Welcome "Rock 107 WIRX, The Music Works." The format was "Top 40" with a rock-lean, and was also unmanned and purely music based.
As radio grew and matured, particularly the Top 40 Rock format, it was clear that to survive and thrive, "Rock 107 WIRX" would have to make a connection with the audience in other ways. That meant evolving into a full 24-hour a day live station complete with a staff of air talent.
In 1985, "Rock 107 WIRX" did just that, by introducing Jim Gifford and the Champions of Breakfast Morning Show, but now under a different moniker as "Magic 107 WIRX." An afternoon DJ, and, eventually, a midday jock were added to round out the entire live offering. At this time, WSJM-AM and WIRX-FM were both broadcasting out of their "Radio Island" studios, which literally sat on an island in the St. Joseph River, much where the Pier 33 boat facility now stands to this day.
In February of 1988, the stations moved to their present-day studios at 580 East Napier in Benton Harbor. This is thanks in part to a new land development by business owners Bob Warren of LECO Corporation and Pier 33, Bob DeLong, and President/GM Gayle Olson.
"Magic 107 WIRX," or "107 WIRX" as it was often referred to, programmed a very steadfast hit-oriented 'Rock 40' format. The station often out-performed other area stations from South Bend and other localities because of its heritage and performance with advertisers.
In 1991, WIRX-FM returned to emphasize its rock format by dropping the "Magic" and once again becoming "Rock 107 WIRX." This time, the moniker also came with a positioning statement: "Rockin' Hit Radio...107 WIRX."
Over time, the consistency of the format began to evolve into what is now referred to as "Mainstream Rock," which mixes a heavier end of Classic Rock music with newer rock from today. As a few different Program Directors took hold of the station over the course of the 90s, the moniker saw small changes such as "The Best of Rock 107 WIRX."
The late 90s saw the return of "Rock 107 WIRX" as the shortened, "Music Works"-less moniker, but the 'song remains the same' when it came to the music selection. The station began to welcome in new eras of promotions to help listeners feel more in-tune with the station (pun intended).
In 1998, the station purchased a 1997 AM General Hummer (now dubbed the H-1 by General Motors), with what was referred to as "Screamin' Yellow" paint. The "Screamin' Yellow Hummer" was born, and was an instant success as the station's primary promotional vehicle, replacing the "Giant Jambox" seen for years around Southwest Michigan.
It was also during the late 90s and in to the 2000s that "Rock 107 WIRX" began the "Screamin' Yellow" summer promotion, in which a vehicle with a "Screamin' Yellow" paint job was given away for listeners. The concept first began with a restored "Muscle Car" being given away each summer, but is now moving outward to include newer vehicles and motorcyles.
In late 2005, "Rock 107 WIRX" began a very minor tweak in programming as "Rock 107 WIRX - Everything That Rocks" was born. The idea behind "ETR" was to play literally everything from the Classic Rock era, coupled with high-rated rock music from the hair band 80s, the grunge-filled 90s, and today's hits from Active Rock.
Today, "Rock 107 WIRX - Everything That Rocks" thrives on broadcasting their heritage message through new channels, such as webcasts enabling anyone in the world to listen live on their computer or iPhone, and on HD Radio.
MORNING SHOWS IN WIRX'S HISTORY
1985-1991 Jim Gifford and the Breakfast of Champions
????-2004 The Morning After with John Jay
2004-2005 Too Damn Early Show with Kluck
2005-2009 The Jason Lee Show
2009-2010 Free Beer and Hot Wings
WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD ON WIRX IN THE PAST...
1979 with songs from Jefferson Starship, Cheap Trick, Mellencamp, The Police and Zep 1981 with songs from the Stones, J. Geils Band, Van Halen, Ozzy and Billy Squier 1991 with songs from Faith No More, Temple of the Dog, Firehouse, Tesla and LA Guns 1989 with songs from the Crue, Tom Petty, the Smithereens, Neil Young and Skid Row 2001 with songs from Disturbed, 3 Doors Down, Default and Foo Fighters 1996 with songs from Metallica, Tonic, Alice in Chains, Smashing Pumpkins and Soundgarden 1987 with songs from the Crue, GNR, the Beastie Boys, Whitesnake and Tesla 2002 with songs from Audioslave, Seether, Chevelle, Stone Sour and Nirvana 1986 with songs from Stevie Ray Vaughn, Europe, Van Halen, David Lee Roth and Clapton 1997 with songs from Days of the New, Ozzy, Creed, Kenny Wayne Shepherd and Kid Rock 2008 with songs from Nickelback, Shinedown, Seether, Offspring, Atreyu and GNR 1980 with songs from Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, Pink Floyd, Styx, J. Geils Band and Queen 1993 with songs from Aerosmith, Candlebox, Jackyl, Pearl Jam and Lenny Kravitz 1985 with songs from Dokken, WASP, The Cult, Bryan Adams, Dire Straits and the Boss 2000 with songs from Linkin Park, Fuel, 3 Doors Down, Bon Jovi and AC/DC 2006 with songs from Daughtry, Audioslave, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour and Buckcherry 1994 with songs from the Offspring, STP, Green Day, Dave Matthews Band and the Toadies 1982 with songs from The Who, John Mellencamp, Iron Maiden, Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks 1999 with songs from the Foo Fighters, Kid Rock, Staind, Buckcherry and RHCP 2007 with songs from Puddle of Mudd, Tool, Velvet Revolver, Hellyeah and Kid Rock 2003 with songs from Trapt, Foo Fighters, Nickelback, Smile Empty Soul, Evanescence and Linkin Park 1983 with songs from Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, U2, Accept, The Talking Heads and more 2005 with songs from Shinedown, Papa Roach, Taproot, No Address and Trapt 1990 with songs from Warrant, Poison, The Cult, and Queensryche 1998 with songs from Godsmack, Creed, Semisonic, Aerosmith and Matchbox Twenty 1992 with songs from STP, Ugly Kid Joe, Pearl Jam, Radiohead and the Black Crowes 1988 with songs from Lita Ford, Danzig, Grateful Dead, Cinderella, Bon Jovi and Van Halen 1984 with songs from Autograph, Metallica, David Lee Roth, John Mellencamp and Stevie Ray Vaughn 2004 with songs from Velvet Revolver, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin, Alter Bridge, Godsmack and Nickelback 1995 with songs from Bush, Collective Soul, Everclear, Alice in Chains and Foo Fighters
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