The U.S. has a long history of identity-focused media outlets. Telemundo is one of the most established, serving Hispanic audiences. Among the newest is the Black News Channel, which launches Jan. 6 in an estimate of 33 million homes.
In Bloomington-Normal, there is WXRJ 94.9 FM.
Launched in 2007 by the Black Business Alliance, the noncommercial radio station provides R&B, smooth jazz, hip-hop, and more, serving as a go-to outlet for urban adult contemporary music. The station is based at 1116 E. Lafayette St. on Bloomington’s southeast side.
Operations manager Aaron Sullivan and music programming director Gil Chinnery said WXRJ was created to fill a major need in Bloomington-Normal’s media market.
“There were enough outlets in the market that provided for the majority community, but none for the minority. We saw that there was no outlet for black music,” Sullivan said. “That was the major need, so it was the direction we took.”
"We saw that there was no outlet for black music."
With a mission to educate, inform, and inspire, the station also offers programs to encourage entrepreneurship and keep listeners informed about local news. One program, “Dollars and Sense,” airs Mondays at 6 p.m. and provides financial advice and education on money management, supported by CEFCU.
While starting the station was the first step, Sullivan said running a successful business as a person of color has its hardships.
“It’s hard because there’s a lot of competition and since we (the black community) as a people are so used to being assimilated into other cultures, being able to concentrate and say, ‘I’m gonna buy black and support local minority businesses,’ you have to put that into people’s mindset and actually get them to do it,” he said.
Getting the business off the ground and sustaining it is yet another challenge.
“I think that’s the biggest downfall,” Chinnery said. “It’s a lot more difficult to get enough funding to be able to do the forecasting and risk-taking that a lot of other businesses are able to do because they have a lot of funding, and it’s much more difficult to get grants and loans. It’s also been hard for us to get the major backing to be able to promote like we want to.”
Comedian Sheryl Underwood, who runs her own nationally syndicated radio program and targets overlooked urban stations across the country, is part of the WXRJ schedule. She joined the station in February 2016 and airs weeknights from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Sullivan and Chinnery said they are grateful for Underwood's help in bringing exposure to the station.
“Working with her and her team has been a good experience. What she has done is provided a way for smaller stations like us to be able to get a national named person,” Sullivan said. “If you get other people there's a lot of money involved, you have to run commercials, and since we're a noncommercial station it kind of limits us to the people that we can put on the air.”
Chinnery agreed.
“Not only that but she’s gone to different markets like Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and a lot of smaller radio stations to help them out by providing an on-air personality, as well as current topics," he said. "With her we get the current topics, news and views, and a little bit of entertainment as well. It's very helpful for us to provide her and her medium.”
Representation is important to the two. Sullivan said WXRJ’s founding was essential to show minorities that they are able to become successful in the industry too.
“If you see someone like you, you're going to be more apt to respond to that person like you,” he said. “I believe hiring more people of color for this industry will inspire those in the next generation to pursue it as well.”
As Bloomington-Normal’s media market evolves, Sullivan said the focus should be on diversity and targeting young listeners.
“There needs to be a way to replenish minorities in the market,” he said. “We’re going through a time where media is changing and our youth are utilizing the streaming services a lot more and missing out on what's really happening in everyday life. We need to somehow keep them informed with whatever medium that is actually working, and that's why local radio is important so they can stay abreast of those activities.”
Taking a step towards retaining young audiences, Sullivan said the station plays music they can relate to.
“We look at providing the music that teens hear. Some of the music that we play will not be played on the commercial stations in the market but is specifically geared towards that and we provide information about local events and happenings in the market, that is not being provided to them in the mass media,” he said.
The station also plays some music from local artists.
“We hope to continue being able to provide the music people want to hear on the air 24 hours a day, seven days a week, be able to provide information on the air, and become a place that provides you a connection to the community,” Sullivan said.
The Black Business Alliance of Bloomington-Normal is WXRJ’s parent organization. Its sister BBA organization in Peoria owns WPNV 106.3 FM in Peoria.
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