WJXR

WJXR

Macclenny, Florida
Broadcast area	Jacksonville, Florida
Frequency	92.1 MHz
Branding	WJXR
Programming
Format	Home shopping
Ownership
Owner	WJXR, Inc.
History
First air date	1985
Call sign meaning	JaXsonville Radio
Technical information
Class	C3
Links
Website	www.wjxr.com

WJXR (The Bargain Channel) 92.1 FM is a U.S. radio station located in Macclenny, Florida in Baker County, with two additional offices in Jacksonville. The bulk of the station's airtime is devoted to the Bargain Channel Program, which consists of broadcasting cut-rate prices on a wide variety of items, similar to the "Trading Post"-type programs that was the genesis of cable shopping channels like the Home Shopping Network. The station was purchased in 1985 by Sarah and Greg Perich and was converted soon thereafter to a larger, more bargain-oriented format.

Popularity

The Bargain Channel's popularity rests, in part, in the idiosyncrasies of the hosts and the matchless scope of the items being sold. For example, the Bargain Channel has marketed large quantities of batteries, "miscellaneous" meats, tiger's eye men's rings, and burlap sacks. Many of the products on WJXR are sold in seemingly randomly matched packages, such as 4 packs of miscellaneous chicken combined with a 2 person vacation to either Disney World or Sea World for only $109. These packages are known as "deals". Callers will often purchase items by saying "I want two deals of them batteries" or "can I get two deals of the pizza pans??"

Callers identify themselves by using "Buyer's Numbers", an assigned number for callers to identify themselves with and reserve items for pickup. The owners of WJXR like to boast that they have over 100,000 listeners because they now have over 100,000 Buyer's numbers. The fact of the matter is that most listeners have multiple numbers, either because they lost their earlier number or they are attempting to avoid the mythical "restock fee". The Restock Fee is an imaginary charge that WJXR hosts threaten listeners with as a penalty for not picking up their items. In fact this fee is never assessed, but listeners do not know this and will continue to register for new buyer's numbers in order to avoid the imaginary fee.

Listeners also get multiple buyer's numbers to try to qualify for "Midnight Madness", a contest conducted daily on the Bargain Channel where listeners who have qualified are chosen "at random" for a chance to win a $25.00 Shopping Spree.

A common occurence on the Bargain Channel are crank callers. WJXR does not employ a delay system on their signal, so the occasional crank caller will get through and bring the show to a halt with profanity laced tirades or ridiculous stories or questions.

Trivia

• WJXR's call letters stand for "Jacksonville Radio."

• The station's call letters are often used by hosts to greet callers. Due to their often thick Southern dialect, hosts habitually pronounce the letters as the now-signature "Dubjexar?". Another popular caller greeting is "Welcome to the Bargain Channel," with "tothebarginchannel" slurred together in a humorous fashion.

• WJXR used to have a country format, and had the slogan "Shark Country." The station logo was a shark dressed as a cowboy.

• WJXR sells merchandise brought from salvage goods vendors. Dented cans and out of date food are not uncommon when buying merchandise from the Bargain Channel. Vacation packages sold on the Bargain Channel may sound too good to be true, and most of the time they are riddled with ridiculous blackout dates, hidden fees, or timeshare restrictions.

• "Meat Packages" and "Jewelry" are also staples of the Bargain Channel. The meat packages are flash frozen meat being resold by local travelling vendors. To hear the hosts of the Bargain Channel talk listeners are getting packages of meat that are "no bone, no fat" and are supposedly a tremendous value. However, they will never disclose the weight you are getting and in reality the package is worth far less than you would pay for the same amount at your local grocer. The "jewelry", if we can all it that, is handmade, snap in, bulk stones, being marketed as premium jewelry. Every day there is a "Jewely Jamboree" where Greg calls in another batch of the handmade jewelry, acting as if piece was from Tiffany's window.

• A mascot, a chihuahua named Delia Diamonique, used to appear at remote broadcasts.

Cast of Characters

• Some of the characters that have worked for the Bargain Channel over the years include:

• Discount Doug - WJXR's "morning man". A hokey, transplanted New Yorker who overemphasizes everything he sells. Doug will often use large words out of context in order to describe products. Doug also has a habit of calling female callers "dear", "sweetheart", or other terms of endearment which, while listening, make him sound lecherous.

• Miss Cathy - The ultimate hick radio announcer. It doesn't get any more country than this. "Dub-j-x-r" is her answer to the telephone calls and her difficult southern dialect make it anyone's guess what she will say next. A true fan favorite on the station!!

• Miss Judy - No longer with us, Ms. Judy, like Ms. Cathy, was no Rhodes Scholar. However, she brought a lighthearted, Forrest Gump-like attitude which made the times she was on much more enjoyable.

• "Pricebuster" Paul - Also in the "no longer with us" category, Pricebuster Paul was the ultimate Bargain Channel salesman. Nothing more needs to be said.

• Ms. Barbara - The first lady of Bargain Channel announcers. Ms Barbara was one of the most popular Bargain Channel hosts of all time. Her sweet southern accent made her the "Belle of the Bargain Channel" until she left the air suddenly.

• Greg - "The Main Man" of the Bargain Channel. Host, owner, salesman, he wears all of those hats.

• Nascar Ted and Miss Sandy - Late night vendors, Nascar Ted and Miss Sandy bring the backwoods to the air. Like traveling junk salesmen of old, Nascar Ted and Miss Sandy peddle their flea market wares in a hokey, southern style that somehow fits right in on WJXR.

• Laid Back Leon - Another long time vendor, Leon is the man to know for all your name brand goods. DVD's, CD's, Health and Beauty items are all Leon's stock in trade.

• Ray - Ray is another vendor on the Bargain Channel, known mostly for the ridiculous deals he brings to the air. Unlike most other vendors where you pay a fee to the Bargain Channel and pick up your merchandise, Ray's deals include a fee to the Bargain Channel and then an additional fee to the business, making his deals worth much less in value than the average Bargain Channel deal.

External links

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