WJMC (AM)
WJMC is an AM radio station broadcasting a full-service format of middle of the road music, news, and talk. Licensed to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, United States, the station serves the Rice Lake-Spooner area. The station is currently owned by TKC, Inc. and features programming from Premiere Networks. The station serves as a primary regional affiliate for the Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Wisconsin Badgers radio networks.
History
WJMC is the heritage radio station of the Rice Lake area, having first signed on the air in 1938. The station was established by the McGenty brothers, Walter and James, whose initials are reflected in the call sign. In its early decades, WJMC functioned as a "full-service" outlet, providing a mix of live ethnic music, church services, and community-focused "barn dance" programs.The station’s ownership history began with the McGenty brothers before it was acquired by the Janesville Gazette printing company, which operated the station as part of its media holdings for several decades. In 1989, Tom Koser purchased WJMC from the Bliss family, making it the foundation of the Koser Radio Group. Under the leadership of Koser's company, TKC, Inc., the station remained a family-run operation for over 30 years, during which it expanded its local presence by acquiring competitors like WAQE. In June 2023, a significant transition occurred when Armada Media reached an agreement to acquire the entire Rice Lake station cluster from TKC, Inc. for approximately $4.95 million, bringing the station under the management of AMC Partners Rice Lake LLC.
To supplement its AM signal, the station broadcasts on an FM translator, W243ED, at 96.5 MHz, which allows listeners to receive its full-service programming on the FM dial.