City Youngstown, Ohio Branding Mix 98.9 | Broadcast area Youngstown, Ohio | |
Slogan The 80's to Now
Your Christmas Station (Nov.-Dec.) Frequency 98.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) First air date August 26, 1947
(as WKBN-FM) | ||
WMXY (98.9 FM, "Mix 98.9") is a radio station in Youngstown, Ohio, broadcasting a mainstream Adult Contemporary music format. It is the Youngstown affiliate for Delilah in the evening.
History
WMXY began as WKBN-FM, a sister to its same-named AM station and television station. The relationship between the radio stations continues today, though the TV station has been spun off to a different owner. In the station's earliest years, WKBN's signal was simulcast with WKBN-FM, but by the mid-1960s, WKBN-FM separated its programming in response to new FCC rules mandating that dual AM-FM licensees originate programming for at least half of the broadcast day. Thus, WKBN-FM became an easy-listening station, mostly automated, and later adopting the moniker "Stereo 99".
Not long after, WKBN-FM became an office favorite among Youngstown area businesses, and like many beautiful music formatted stations nationwide, was at its peak of profitability from the late 1960s through the mid-1980s.
WKBN then switched from its easy listening format to soft adult contemporary by 1989, in response to the decline in easy listening music popularity and in older listener demographics for the beautiful music format. Most of the dayparts remained automated, however; and the Stereo 99 moniker remained.
By the end of the 20th century, the station changed its call letters to WMXY and adopted the slogan "Mix 98.9", and adopted a more mainstream Hot AC format. In early 2012, Mix 98-9 adjusted its music mix back to mainstream AC, using Clear Channel's Premium Choice AC music logs and continuing to carry Delilah at night. Weekend programming includes Casey Kasem's American Top 40- The '80s, heard Sunday mornings and rebroadcast as an online-only feature on Monday evenings. On the weekends the station switches over to the "Time Warp Weekend", where all music heard is from the 80s and early 90s which attracts many more listeners during the weekend than the week.