City Cape May, New Jersey Branding 99.3 The Buzz First air date 1967 (as WRIO) | Broadcast area Cape May and Wildwood Frequency 102.3 MHz | |
Slogan Blazin' 18 Jamz in a Row | ||
WGBZ (102.3 FM) is a radio station licensed that serves Cape May, New Jersey. The station is owned by Equity Communications, L.P. Its studios are located at the Bayport One complex in West Atlantic City, and its transmitter is located in Middle Township, New Jersey.
History
102.3 first signed on June 3, 1967 as WRIO, in a religious format. The WRIO calls had previously been used on the 101.7 frequency. In 1983, 102.3's call letters were changed to WSJL, which stood for "South Jersey's Lighthouse." WSJL continued the religious format until 1995.
In July 1995, WSJL began simulcasting sister station 99.3 WMID-FM, which was formatted as a rock station at the time. In 1997, both stations changed formats to smooth jazz. 99.3 picked up the call sign WSAX while 102.3 became WJSX.
In 2000, when 99.3 became a simulcast of The Buzz 105.5, WJSX continued in the smooth jazz format but changed its calls to 99.3's now former WSAX.
In 2001, smooth jazz ended on 102.3. The station became a simulcast of sister station 1340 WMID, which was playing standards at the time; its call sign changed to WMID-FM (which had once been on 99.3). Two years later, WMID-FM, along with sister stations WZBZ, WGBZ and WMID were sold to Equity Communications in Atlantic City. 102.3 began simulcasting 95.1 WAYV, and changed its call sign again to WAIV. 102.3 WAIV has remained a simulcast of WAYV ever since.
In 2011, WAYV/WAIV, along with sister station WZXL, were named official stations of the Wildwoods boardwalk. Because the WAIV frequency is much stronger near Wildwood than in other towns in the listening area, the 102.3 frequency was advertised slightly more during this time than it is closer to Atlantic City. This included signs on the boardwalk's famous tram cars advertising both frequencies.
On August 26, 2013, WAIV swapped formats and call signs with sister station WSNQ.
On July 7, 2014, WSNQ changed their call letters to WGBZ and changed their format to rhythmic contemporary, simulcasting WZBZ 99.3 FM Pleasantville, New Jersey.