WJYD is an FM radio station in Circleville, Ohio, located at 107.1 MHz, branded as "Joy 107.1". The station, which is owned by Radio One, serves the Columbus area with an urban gospel format. The transmitter site is near Circleville. The station was previously classic country "K107.1." Before November 13, 2015, the then-WHOK-FM was one of three country-formatted radio outlets in Columbus who had competition with WCOL-FM, and WCLT-FM for country music audiences in the Columbus radio market, the most of any radio station in Ohio. However, WHOK-FM was the only one of the four outlets with a Class-A frequency. In addition, the station provides a rimshot signal from a location seven miles northeast of downtown Circleville and 22 miles from downtown Columbus. Consequently, the station provides only distant and fringe signal coverage to most of Columbus itself.
Station history
107.1 went on the air in 1965 as WNRE, which stood for the young owner's name, Nelson Embry. At the time, the station broadcast from a small downtown Circleville studio with a very low power signal. The transmitter was later moved to its present location on a hill along State Route 159 northeast of Circleville. In the mid-1980s, the station adopted the Z-Rock format before changing format and call letters to WLRO or "Lady Radio", featuring programming geared specifically towards women. That was short lived, and in 1989, the station was changed to "Classic Hits 107.1", employing a classic hits format. In the early 1990s, it was WTLT "The Light", playing a Contemporary Christian format. In 1993, 107.1 flipped to a simulcast of 105.7's Rhythmic CHR format, first as "Hot 105/107", then as CHR/Pop "105.7/107.1 Kiss FM". In April 1994, the CHR/Pop "KISS-FM" branding and format moved exclusively to 107.1, becoming "The New 107.1 Kiss FM". In January 1995, after teasing a "major announcement" for about a week, 107.1 flipped to 70's music as "Arrow 107.1", complimenting 105.7 once again. Arrow ended in 1996 and 107.1 then became Active Rock "107.1 The Big Wazoo". This name and format would broadcast on 107.1 until January 8, 2007 at 8 PM, when WAZU flipped to country as "Wink 107.1". “Wink” debuted with Big & Rich’s “Comin' to Your City” followed by Brooks & Dunn’s “Play Something Country”. On April 1, 2013, the country format of Wink was merged with K95's format and became "K95 at 107.1" with a classic country format, changed shortly after to "K107.1". At Midnight on November 13, 2015, the station flipped to a simulcast of WXMG, as Radio One had purchased WHOK-FM and sister WZOH-FM from Wilks. WHOK then flipped to urban gospel as "Joy 107.1" on November 16 at 5 PM. The station changed its call sign to the current WJYD on November 23, 2015.
