WWMX

WWMX (106.5 FM, "Mix 106-5") is a Hot Adult Contemporary radio station in Baltimore, Maryland. The station's transmitter is located on Television Hill in Baltimore. The station, although still classified as hot adult contemporary per Mediabase & Nielsen BDS reports, primarily plays CHR hits.

History

For many years the station had played beautiful music as WRLX-FM. But by the early 1980s, the target demographic of the station had aged beyond what was termed "profitable" and the station decided to switch to a new format.

In the early to mid-1980s, 106.5 was one of many "Hot Hits" CHR/Top 40 stations throughout the country, consulted by programmer Mike Joseph. WMAR-FM Hot Hits 106 was the main competitor to Baltimore's other CHR, B-104. When the station was sold, it retained the Hot Hits format, but its call letters changed to WMKR-FM and its name became "Hot Hits K-106." The station was sold once again to Capitol Broadcasting in 1986. Capitol decided to change the format to adult contemporary and the name to "Mix 106.5." K-106 signed off by playing "Broken Wings" and then the jingles for each of its DJs. Mix 106.5 was introduced, and the call letters were changed to WWMX. Initially, Mix played the "Best Mix of the '60s, '70s, and '80s." For years, many (including the local press at times) mistakenly thought the calls were "WMIX", leading the station to insert quick "W-Mix," with the word "Mix" spoken, identifiers between commercials. These were not legal station identifications, as 106.5 still identified itself as "WWMX Baltimore" at the top of the hour, but they allowed the station to claim listeners who mistakenly identified 106.5 as "WMIX" in their diaries.

During the eighties and into the nineties, the station's adult contemporary format evolved into an Adult Top 40 format, playing some hip hop, and classic hard rock. Many urban contemporary songs that have charted high on the CHR/pop charts have been played on WWMX.

Capitol later sold the station to ARS Broadcasting, who later merged with Infinity Broadcasting. Infinity changed names to CBS and WWMX is now owned by CBS Radio.

In 2008, the station began shifting towards a mainstream Top 40 (CHR) (similar to rival WIHT in Washington, D.C.) as it began incorporating more rhythmic hits, but still incorporating 90s hits played on hot AC stations, thus classified as an Adult Top 40 station. The station, while still considered a hot AC, has since dropped the 1980s and 1990s songs from the playlist. As of April 2009, the station has dramatically shifted away from hot AC, primarily playing top 40 hits much like a CHR station, but still plays some music from the mid to late 2000s. WWMX had not had much rivalry until contemporary hit radio sttation WZFT replaced alternative rock station WCHH by late 2009. A Washington, D.C. version of with the same format as WWMX, despite the partial blocking of WWMX's signal in Washington, D.C. by sister station WJFK-FM, launched April 2009 on WTGB-FM, and replaced the classic rock format. That station is now WIAD.

WWMX-HD2

In 2006, WWMX's HD2 was launched with a Top 40 "New CHR" format. It was replaced in January 2010 with a rhythmic dance format billed as MIX2, playing a mix of hit-driven rhythmic dance, hip hop and pop tracks and remixes. On August 1, 2011 it was replaced with a modern rock format branded as "97.5 HFS" (also on translator W248AO 97.5 FM).

References

External links

• WWMX Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WWMX
• Radio-Locator information on WWMX
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WWMX
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W248AO