WMAG

WMAG is an adult contemporary music formatted radio station licensed to High Point, North Carolina and serves the Piedmont Triad region, including Greensboro and Winston-Salem. The iHeartMedia, Inc. outlet broadcasts at 99.5 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. It has studio facilities and offices located on Pai Park in Greensboro, and a transmitter site is near Randleman, North Carolina.

WMAG
CityHigh Point, North Carolina
Broadcast areaPiedmont Triad
Greensboro
High Point
Winston-Salem
Frequency99.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingMix 99.5
SloganThe Triad's Best Mix Of The '80s to Now
Programming
FormatAdult contemporary
SubchannelsHD2: Smooth jazz
Ownership
OwneriHeartMedia, Inc.
(iHM Licenses, LLC)
WPTI, WMKS, WTQR, WVBZ
History
First air date
1946 (1946) (as WMFR-FM at 97.7)
Former call signs
WMFR-FM (1946–1982)
Former frequencies
97.7 MHz (1946–?)
Call sign meaning
W MAGic (former branding)
Technical information
Facility ID73258
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT456 meters (1,496 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
35°52′13″N 79°50′25″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitemix995triad.iheart.com

WMAG is one of North Carolina's most powerful stations, providing at least secondary coverage as far east as Raleigh, as far north as Martinsville, Virginia and as far south as the Charlotte suburbs.

History

The precursor to this station signed on in 1946 as WMFR-FM 97.7, a sister station of High Point's 1230 WMFR (We Make Furniture Right) or as some called it, We Make Frank Rich in recognition of the owner (Frank S. Lambeth). WMFR-FM later moved to 99.5.

In 1982, WMFR-FM was purchased by Voyager Communications and upgraded their facilities, becoming adult contemporary WMAG "Magic 99.5".[1] During the 1980s and early 90s the station's competitors in the adult contemporary format were WWWB and WMQX.[1][2] In later years, "Magic 99.5" repositioned to soft rock and dropped the "Magic" handle in favor of just the call sign. Voyager Broadcasting sold WMAG in the early 1990s to what would become AMFM Broadcasting. In 1999, Clear Channel Worldwide acquired the station. Its original transmitter site, still used by 1230 WMFR, is visible atop The Radio Building on Main St. in downtown High Point.

At the end of 2009, Bill Flynn ended a 26-year career as WMAG morning host when he moved to WPTI.[3]

After the local classic hits station WTHZ "Majic 94.1" switched to a contemporary Christian format, WMAG added more 1970s' and 1980s' music in effort to gain some of the former WTHZ listeners.

Another local radio personality, Rod Davis, lost his job as the co-host on WMAG's morning show, on Wednesday October 26, 2011; when Clear Channel Communications announced that it had dismissed some on-air and off-air staff, within that same week, throughout the United States. The reason for the layoffs is to benefit in a reshaping of its regional and local programming that should enable it to seek out advertisers focused on areas wider than a single market.[4]

On December 18, 2020, WMAG rebranded as "Mix 99.5".[5]

References
  1. "Raleigh-Durham FM Dial". Archived from the original on 2003-02-01. Retrieved 2010-05-05.
  2. Leigh Pressley, "WMQX Changes Name, Attracts New Listeners," Greensboro News & Record, August 18, 1991.
  3. Rowe, Jeri (2010-01-07). "Radio host shifts to the right with a new station". News & Record. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  4. "Rod Davis among local radio personalities laid off as part of corporate reorganization". News & Record. Retrieved 2011-12-05.
  5. WMAG Rebrands As Mix 99.5 Radioinsight - December 18, 2020
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