W8XWJ was an "experimental audio broadcasting station" in Detroit, Michigan, owned by the Detroit News, which operated from 1936 to 1940. It was classified as an Apex broadcasting station, i.e. it provided programming intended for the general public over what were then known as "ultra-high" frequencies, later the high end of the short wave band. W8XWJ primarily broadcast unique programming, although it sometimes simulcast programs originating from co-owned AM station WWJ. In April 1940, W8XWJ was shut down, in order to be converted to a commercial FM station.
History
W8XWJ made its debut on January 29, 1936, as an AM station broadcasting on 31.6 MHz."New Era in Radio Entered as W8XWJ Takes to the Air" by George W. Stark, Detroit News, January 30, 1936, pages 1, 4. Its start received national attention,"Early Bird Rises to Apex", Broadcasting, February 15, 1936, page 30. with Variety calling the debut "a choice affair"."WWJ's Short-wave Dedication" by "Pete", Variety, February 5, 1936, page 36.
A promotional review of W8XWJ's early operations summarized its activities as:
In late 1937 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) formally set aside a band of 75 frequencies for use by "Apex" broadcasting stations,"Upper Bands Set Aside for Television", Broadcasting, November 1, 1937, pages 60-61. and the following January W8XWJ was assigned to 42.06 MHz. The station also announced that it had upgraded its transmitter from 100 to 500 watts and was broadcasting fourteen hours a day, with most of its programming unique to the station."W8XWJ to Do Own Shows, Featuring 'Finest Music'", Detroit News, January 16, 1938, Sports section, page 10.
A major restriction on the Apex band stations was that, because they were operating under experimental authorizations, they could not run commercials, except when rebroadcasting programming from an existing station. In 1938 it was reported that station general manager William Scripps was promoting the idea of creating commercial licenses for Apex stations, but this was not done."Scripps Sees Commersh Possibilities Looming on Ultra Shortwave", Variety, December 7, 1938, page 30.
In the late 1930s the FCC determined that for most purposes FM transmissions were superior to the AM (amplitude modulation) employed by the Apex stations, and began to shut down the existing experimental grants. On May 18, 1940, the commission issued "Order No. 67", which would allocate the frequencies from 42 to 50 MHz to a new commercial FM station band effective January 1, 1941."FCC Order No. 67", Federal Register, May 25, 1940, page 2011. Its subsequent "Order No. 69" included W8XWJ in a list of stations to be deleted by a January 1 deadline."FCC Order No. 69" Federal Communications Commission, May 22, 1940.
However, in anticipation of the FCC's actions the Detroit News had already begun the process of replacing W8XWJ with an FM station, and had ended its broadcasts on April 13, 1940."New System For W8XWJ", Detroit News, April 14, 1940, page 14. Beginning on May 13, 1941, the upgraded facility, employing W8XWJ's former Penobscot Building studios and transmitter site, returned to the airwaves as Michigan's first FM station, W45D (now WXYT-FM)."FM Station Is on the Air", Detroit News, May 13, 1941, page 1.
References
External links FCC History Cards for W8XWJ (covering 1936-1940) FCC History Cards for WXYT-FM (covering 1940-1979 as W45D / WENA / WWJ-FM) "A Detroit Apex Station in 1936" by John Schneider, Radio World, September 17, 2013.