WWBX
WWBX (104.1 FM, Mix 104.1) is a radio station with a hot adult contemporary format in Boston, Massachusetts. The format started at 98.5 FM on February 9, 1991, and moved to 104.1 FM, replacing WBCN on August 12, 2009, to allow for the launch of WBZ-FM at 98.5 the next day. Its studios are located in Brighton, and its transmitter is on the upper FM mast of the Prudential Tower.
 | |
| City | Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Boston |
| Frequency | 104.1 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Mix 104.1 |
| Slogan | Boston's Best Variety |
| Programming | |
| Format | FM/HD1: Hot adult contemporary HD2: Active rock "WAAF" HD3: New CHR |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Entercom (Entercom License, LLC) |
| Sister stations | WBGB (FM), WEEI, WEEI-FM, WMJX |
| History | |
| First air date | May 1958 (as WBCN)[1] |
| Former call signs | WBCN (1958–2009) WBMX (2009–17) |
| Call sign meaning | Boston's MiX |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 26897 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 21,000 watts |
| HAAT | 235 meters (771 ft) |
| Transmitter coordinates | 42°20′50″N 71°4′59″W |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen live (via Radio.com) Listen live (HD2) |
| Website | mix1041 waaf |
From February 26, 1991 to December 3, 2017, the "Mix" format in Boston used the callsign WBMX. On December 4, 2017, the call letters changed to WWBX, after the call letters were transferred to a sister station in Chicago.[2]
History
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Switch to 104.1
On July 14, 2009, CBS Radio announced that WBMX would move from 98.5 FM to 104.1 FM, replacing WBCN[3] (which signed on in 1958 as a classical music station but had been a rock station since 1968[1]); these moves were made to launch a sports talk station, WBZ-FM, at the 98.5 frequency.[3] As a result, the station added the "-FM" suffix on July 29, 2009, allowing CBS to temporarily place the WBMX call letters on the former WFNA (1660 AM) in Charlotte, North Carolina; additionally, during "Mix"'s final week on 98.5, it used the WBZ-FM call letters intended for the new station.[3] WBCN's rock format moved to 98.5's HD2 subcarrier. WBCN's programming on 104.1 ended after midnight on August 12, 2009, WBMX then moved to 104.1 two hours later (the WBCN call letters were then transferred to the Charlotte station), with WBZ-FM launching the next day.[3] The final song "Mix" played on 98.5 was "Move Along" by The All-American Rejects,[4] while the first song "Mix" played on 104.1 was "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon.[5]
On February 2, 2017, CBS Radio announced it would merge with Entercom (which locally owned WEEI, WEEI-FM, WRKO, WKAF, and WAAF).[6] WBMX, WODS, and WAAF were retained by Entercom, while sister stations WBZ and WZLX, as well as WKAF and WRKO, were spun off to iHeartMedia (WBZ-FM would be traded to Beasley Broadcast Group in exchange for WMJX, making WBMX and WMJX sister stations.)[7][8] The merger was approved on November 9, 2017, and was consummated on the 17th.[9][10] Entercom applied to move the WBMX callsign to their sister-owned station in Chicago;[11] 104.1 picked up the new callsign WWBX on December 4, 2017.[2]
Alumni
Awards
Mix 104.1 (and the previous Mix 98.5) is one of the most honored radio stations in the country, and has earned more major radio awards than any other Hot AC station in history. The station was named "Hot AC Station of The Year" 9 times from 1997 through 2009. Former Program Director Greg Strassell was named "Hot AC Program Director of The Year" 9 times. Long time Music Director Mike Mullaney earned "Hot AC Music Director Of The Year" 5 times, in 2010, new morning team Karson & Kennedy were named "Hot AC Morning Show of The Year" of 2009 by FMQB magazine.
HD radio subchannels
| Subchannel | Branding | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mix 104.1 | Hot adult contemporary | Simulcasts the main analog signal. |
| 2 | WAAF | Mainstream rock | |
| 3 | Tomorrow's Hits Today | New CHR | |
WWBX-HD1
WWBX-HD1 simulcasts the analog signal of WWBX as Mix 104.1.
WWBX-HD2
Active rock accounts for all regular programming on the HD2 digital subchannel. Branded as "WAAF", WWBX-HD2 also simulcasts over the HD2 digital subchannel of WEEI-FM and is available online via Radio.com; both subchannels previously simulcast the analog signal of WAAF (107.3 FM) until that station was divested to the Educational Media Foundation on February 22, 2020.[12]
WWBX-HD3
WWBX-HD3 airs "Tomorrow's Hits Today", a CHR format that focuses on the very latest hits prior to their ascension to the top of the charts.
References
- "The Boston Radio Dial: WBMX(FM)". The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
- "WBMX (Mix 104.1)/Boston Morphs Into WWBX". All Access. December 4, 2017. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- "The Boston Radio Dial: WBZ-FM". The Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved January 14, 2012.
- http://audio.bostonradio.org/55f2db48-87c6-11de-8df5-001636ca12ea.ogg
- http://www.tophour.com/audio/Boston%20MA/fm1041_2009-08_wbmx_jlehmann.mp3
- CBS Radio to Merge with Entercom
- https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120711/entercom-trades-boston-seattle-spin-offs-iheartmedia-richmond-chattanooga-2/
- Entercom Swaps 98.5 the Sports Hub to Beasley for Magic 106.7
- "Entercom Receives FCC Approval for Merger with CBS Radio". Entercom. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- Venta, Lance (November 17, 2017). "Entercom Completes CBS Radio Merger". Radio Insight. Retrieved November 17, 2017.
- Feder, Robert (November 29, 2017). "www.robertfeder.com/2017/11/29/robservations-bruce-dumont-retiring-broadcast-museum/". robertfeder.com. Retrieved December 5, 2017.
- “Entercom Sells WAAF Boston To Educational Media Foundation” from Radio Insight (February 18, 2020)
External links
- WWBX in the FCC's FM station database
- WWBX on Radio-Locator
- WWBX in Nielsen Audio's FM station database