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| Broadcast area | Milwaukee metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 99.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 99-1 The Mix |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Hot adult contemporary |
| Subchannels |
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| Affiliations | Westwood One |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | November 1, 1962 (1962-11-01) |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | "Mix" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 27029 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 137 meters (449 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°56′46″N88°03′40″W / 42.946°N 88.061°W /42.946; -88.061 |
| Translator(s) | HD3: 97.9 W250BN (Milwaukee) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | www |
WMYX-FM (99.1MHz) is acommercialradio station inMilwaukee, Wisconsin, US. Calling itself "99-1 The Mix", it was the first station in the U.S. to use the "Mix" moniker.[2] WMYX-FM has been airing roughly the samehot adult contemporaryradio format since late1981. The station is owned byAudacy, Inc., along withsister stationsWXSS-FM andWSSP. WMYX's studios andtransmitter (sharing one of WSSP's towers) are co-located inHales Corners. Theplaylist consists of current hits and recent hits from the 2000s and 2010s. WMYX is responsible for the activation of theMilwaukee metropolitan areaEmergency Alert System.
WMYX-FM broadcasts in theHD Radio format, with its HD-2 sub-channel carrying asoftoldies format known as "MeTV FM". The HD-3 sub-channel airs aregional Mexican format branded as "Caliente 97.9", which is relayed on translator 97.9W250BN.
On November 1, 1962, the stationsigned on as WEMP-FM, owned by the Milwaukee Broadcasting Company.[3] At first, the stationsimulcast co-owned AM sister stationWEMP, but by the late 1960s, WEMP-FM was airing its own programming for about half of its broadcast day. In1970, the station flipped to its own full-time format: "WNUW Stereo FM", first with Drake's Chenault'sautomated Hitparade and then to their Solid Goldoldies format. Then it tried anAdult Top 40 format, followed byalbum-oriented rock known as "X-Rock 99".
Later, it switched toeasy listening music. On October 31,1978, the station flipped to "Disco 99" and played all-disco music. WNUW was the first disco station in Milwaukee, pre-datingWLUM's launch into the format four months later in February 1979. WNUW's run as a disco outlet lasted less than 10 months. Afterward, it became known as "Music FM 99" again, this time with a disco-leaning Top 40 hits format.
In 1981, the station switched toAC with thecall sign WMYX using the moniker "99 WMYX The Mix". During the 1980s and the 1990s, WMYX'splaylist featured a mixture ofHot AC,Soft AC and dance/pop songs.
During the 1996 and 1997NFL seasons when theGreen Bay Packers went to theSuper Bowl, the station gained fame when morning hosts Dan Weber and Jane Matenaer recorded parody songs with Packer and football themes. The most famous was the "Packarena" (parody ofLos Del Rio's "Macarena"). The song was played heavily on the station during the 1996 season. For the 1997 season, Dan & Jane recorded a parody of "Wannabe" by theSpice Girls under the name "Packer Wannabe". Cassette tapes were sold of the songs at various southeast Wisconsin locations with proceeds going to the Child Abuse Prevention Fund.
When sister station WAMG switched to Top 40 and becameWXSS in June1998, WMYX evolved into a standardHot AC format with a more focused playlist. In September2004, longtime morning co-host Dan Weber was replaced with WXSS morning hosts Michael Knight and Rahny Taylor in an airstaff shakeup. Jane Matenaer remained on board with Knight and Taylor. At the same time, longtime afternoon host Mark Richards was replaced by crosstownWKTI-FM evening host Kidd O'Shea. Taylor returned to WXSS soon after. Knight was let go due to differences with management, and Kidd O'Shea was promoted from Afternoondrive time to Mornings.
The "Jane & Kidd In The Morning Show" won the2006 AIR Award for favorite Milwaukee morning radio show.[4] On May 15, 2009, longtime co-host Jane Matenaer was released from WMYX. Soon after, Elizabeth Kay, who had sometimes filled in for Matenaer when she was gone, joined Kidd O'Shea for the morning show. The show was known as "Kidd and Elizabeth in the Morning". Later, Tony "Radar" Hess was hired to replace Kidd O'Shea, with the show renamed "Elizabeth and Radar".[5]
From 2003-2011, "The Mix" airedChristmas music from November through Christmas Day every year.WRIT-FM began competing with WMYX on a yearly basis starting in 2005, when it switched to a Christmas format during the holiday season. In 2007, the holiday format started unusually early, as WMYX began its Christmas music programming on November 1. The move paid off, with WMYX becoming the highest rated music station in Milwaukee during that two-month time period.[6]
In 2008, WMYX went All-Christmas on October 31 (Halloween) at 3:21 p.m. after crosstown Christmas rival WRIT started playing Christmas music at 3:13 p.m. In 2009, WMYX began Christmas programming at roughly 7:00 p.m. on November 13. WRIT made the switch about 20 minutes later. In 2010, WMYX lost its title as the leading Milwaukee-area Christmas station when rival WRIT switched at approximately 5:15 p.m. on November 18. WMYX waited to air the all-Christmas music format until 12:00 a.m. on November 22. In 2011, WMYX switched around 5:00 p.m. on November 10. WRIT followed shortly after at 5:55 p.m.[7]
WMYX decided not to air the Christmas music format in 2012 for the first time in a decade. This resulted in a backlash on the station'sFacebook page from angry listeners who considered WMYX's "Christmas Mix" a holiday tradition.[8] Instead, WMYX provided a streaming channel of Christmas music on its web site and integrated a few Christmas songs into the station's regular playlist. Meanwhile, WRIT often referred to itself as "Milwaukee's Only Christmas Music Station". WMYX later did play a set of All-Christmas music, from Noon on Christmas Eve through Christmas Day.
For several years in the 2000s, 99.1 would jokingly "stunt" for an hour after ending the Christmas music, playing on radio fans on online industrymessage boards who would often predict a format flip on December 26, no matter WMYX's ratings standing and listener loyalty. In 2003, WMYX ran several liners alluding to a format change, including playing a few non-AC songs. In 2004, "Magic 99" was on for an hour, playing a mix ofsmooth jazz and light instrumentals (before the announcer gave up mid-liner and gave away the joke). In 2006, WMYX briefly flipped toContemporary Christian music, similar toK-Love and the then-independentWFZH, calling itself "Spirit 99".
WMYX'sHD2 subchannel formerly carried ablues music format called "The Delta". In 2017,Radio Disney returned to Milwaukee through aleased access agreement in several markets between Entercom andThe Walt Disney Company. Until 2013, the Radio Disney network had been heard on WKSH (1640; currentlyRelevant Radio stationWSJP).
Radio Disney programming ended in mid-August 2018, when Entercom and Envision Networks entered an agreement for WMYX-HD2 to begin carryingWeigel Broadcasting'sMeTV FM.[9] Officially, it serves as a repeater of the audio of television stationWRME-LD inChicago, which operates a side-channel analog audio stream on channel 6 audible through87.7 FM on analog radios in Chicago under special FCC authorization. Through theAudacy app, it is available nationwide, thus freeing Weigel from the responsibility of hosting the audio stream of WRME-LD otherwise.
The HD2 subchannel iscross-promoted throughMeTVowned-and-operated stationWBME-CD (channels 41.1/58.2).[10]
In December 2021, WMYX activated a third HD sub-channel under abrokered programming agreement with El Sol Broadcasting to air aRegional Mexican format, branded as “Caliente 97.9”. The format is relayed on El Sol-owned translator W250BN (97.9 FM), which formerly relayed its AM station,WJTI (1460 AM, itself now translated via W273DQ, 102.5 FM).[11] That HD subchannel is made available by El Sol through its website, and is not heard on the Audacy streaming platform and mobile app.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W250BN | 97.9 FM | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | 155293 | 250 | D | 43°2′20.1″N87°55′4.3″W / 43.038917°N 87.917861°W /43.038917; -87.917861 (W250BN) | LMS |
