WMAX-FM

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WMAX-FM are the call letters of a radio station owned by Clear Channel Communications located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, transmitting on a frequency of 96.1 MHz.

The station is identified as Radio X 96.1. The format has a selection of tracks centering on alternative music of the 1990's as well as tracks from the late 1970's, 1980's, and current alternative music, to appeal to a core audience of persons aged 25-39. The on-air music presentation leans towards an Adult album alternative and modern rock hybrid.

[edit] History

The frequency originally belonged to WHTC-FM. Michael Walton of Milwaukee WI purchased WHTC AM and FM and in 1983 96.1 became known as WYXX. During this time, it was an automated Top 40 station that focused primarily on playing Billboard magazine's Top 100 hits. The all-hit format was later softened to adult contemporary.

When WOOD-FM dropped its easy listening format in 1992, WYXX adopted the format along with the call letters WKEZ. In 1994 the station was sold to Federated Media and a "Young Country" format was adopted with the call letters WAKX. This was unsuccessful, and the format later changed to Hot Adult Contemporary as "Mix 96."

The station was later purchased by Clear Channel Communications and the station became WVTI, known as "I-96" (taking its name from the highway Interstate 96 passing through Grand Rapids; the station's logo also resembled an interstate highway sign). The format shifted from Hot AC to CHR as Continuous Hit Music, I-96. Clear Channel took control of rival station WSNX in the late summer of 1999; much of the "I-96" air lineup moved over to WSNX, which shifted from CHR/Rhythmic to CHR/Pop as a result, and "I-96" itself shifted back to Hot AC, which it would remain for the next six years.

On October 18, 2005, the station flipped to a Jack FM clone called "MAX-FM". It gained the call sign of WMAX from another Clear Channel operation in Chattanooga, Tennessee on November 16, 2005. On March 19, 2007, the station retooled itself into a Modern AC-leaning Hot AC presentation, known as "The NEW MAX-FM", which lasted until January 31, 2008.

On January 31, 2008 at 3 PM, the station dropped their Hot AC format and began stunting with the sounds of a ticking clock interspersed with liners that were played every two or three minutes. Some of these liners were in Spanish and made reference to WNWZ AM 1410 and cold, snow-covered cornfields in Hudsonville, MI, while others mentioned "02/04/08 at 10:01 AM." In addition, songs which served as clues to what the new format would be were played. The songs included Coldplay's "Clocks"; Elvis Presley's "Burning Love"; David Allan Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name", and Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes", among dozens of others. During the stunt, the station's website showed a 12-second viral video clip influenced by Cloverfield and SaveUs_222, with a message that pointed to the date of February 4, 2008 at 10:01 AM. At that time, the ticking clock stopped, and the new format, Radio X 96.1, was born. The Radio X presentation is very similar to other Clear Channel operations in Philadelphia, Columbus, OH, and Hartford, CT. The first song played on Radio X 96.1 was Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Legally, 96.1 is WMAX-FM, as the WMAX calls are used at a Catholic Christian radio station (not co-owned) at 1440 AM in Bay City, Michigan.

[edit] References

• [2] - RadioInsight - 96.1 WMAX-FM Grand Rapids Becomes Radio X.
• [3] - Grand Rapids Press - What's Going on at MAX-FM?

[edit] External links

• Michiguide.com - WMAX-FM History

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WMAX
• Radio Locator information on WMAX
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WMAX