WFXJ (AM)

WFXJ (930 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Jacksonville, Florida. It airs a sports radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WFXJ is also streamed on thegamejax.iheart.com and on the iHeartRadio app. It calls itself "930 The Game."

For the FM radio station in North Kingsville, Ohio, United States, see WFXJ-FM.
WFXJ
CityJacksonville, Florida
Broadcast areaJacksonville metropolitan area
Branding930 The Game
SloganJacksonville's Sports Leader
Frequency930 kHz(HD Radio)
First air dateNovember 1925 (as WJAX)
FormatSports
Power5,000 watts
ClassB
Facility ID51973
Transmitter coordinates30°17′9.00″N 81°44′52.00″W
Call sign meaningW FoX Sports in Jacksonville
Former call signsWJAX (1925-December 2, 1991)
WNZS (December 2, 1991-March 8, 1994; March 8, 1994-March 16, 2001)
WJGR (March 8, 1994-)
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Florida Gators Radio Network
Westwood One - NFL & NCAA
PGA Tour Radio
OwneriHeartMedia
(Clear Channel Broadcasting Licenses, Inc.)
Sister stationsWJBT, WKSL, WQIK-FM, WSOL-FM, WWJK, W295AZ
WebcastListen Live
Website930thegame.iheart.com

The station's studios and offices are located on Central Parkway in Jacksonville's Southside neighborhood. The transmitter is off Hyde Grove Avenue on Jacksonsonville's Westside.[1] WFXJ is powered at 5,000 watts around the clock. By day it uses a non-directional antenna. But at night, to protect other stations on AM 930, it switches to a directional signal aimed toward the east.

Programming

WFXJ is a Fox Sports Radio Network affiliate, with some programming from the NBC Sports Radio network. It serves as Jacksonville's home for the University of Florida Gators football, basketball and baseball. WFXJ is also Jacksonville's home for Westwood One broadcasts of the NFL, NFL Post-Season, Super Bowl, NCAA Basketball Tournament, College World Series, The Olympics and The Players Championship.

History

WFXJ is the oldest radio station in Jacksonville. It signed on the air in November 1925, as WJAX.[2] During the 1930s, WJAX broadcast on 900 kilocycles at 1,000 watts. While most radio stations of its day were owned by department stores or newspapers, WJAX was owned by the City of Jacksonville. WJAX was an NBC Red Network affiliate. In 1941, with the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) WJAX moved to 930 kHz. It also got a boost to 5,000 watts.

In the 1990s, the station was carrying a talk radio format, owned by Florida businessman Bud Paxson. It used the call sign WNZS (standing for "News") and carried world and national news from the NBC Radio Network.[3] But as sports radio stations were gaining popularity around the country, WNZS switched to an all-sports format. Clear Channel Communications (original name of today's iHeartMedia) acquired WNZS in the late 1990s. Because Clear Channel has a financial interest in the Fox Sports Radio Network, the station became a Fox Sports affiliate. On March 16, 2001, the call letters were switched to WFXJ to reflect the Fox Sports affiliation, and the home city of Jacksonville.

In July 2015, WFXJ hired Seth Harp as its new Director of Programming and afternoon drive time host.

On September 5, 2018, WFXJ rebranded as "930 The Game."[4]

On March 15, 2019, WFXJ began simulcasting on FM translator W247CF 97.3 Orange Park, Florida, and rebranded as "97.3 The Game."[5] The FM translator switched to a Regional Mexican format in May 2020, leaving sports programming only on AM 930.[6] Without the FM translator, WFXJ returned to the branding "930 The Game."

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/WFXJ-AM
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1935 page 28.
  3. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1995 page B-89
  4. WFXJ Rebrands as 930 The Game Radioinsight - September 5, 2018
  5. The Game Comes to FM in Jacksonville Radioinsight - March 15, 2019
  6. InsideRadio.com "iHeart Jacksonville Launches Regional Mexican on 97.3" May 5, 2020
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