WSNX-FM

Last updated
WSNX-FM
WSNX Current Logo.png
Broadcast area Muskegon-Grand Rapids-Holland
Frequency 104.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding104.5 SNX
Programming
Format Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
WBCT, WBFX, WMAX-FM, WOOD, WSRW-FM, WTKG
History
First air date
November 18, 1971;52 years ago (1971-11-18)
Former call signs
WQWQ-FM (1971–1986)
WSNX (1986)
Call sign meaning
For the station's former "Sunny" branding
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 24644
Class B
ERP 32,000 watts
HAAT 189 meters (620 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
43°12′14″N86°01′44″W / 43.204°N 86.029°W / 43.204; -86.029
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website 1045snx.iheart.com

WSNX-FM (104.5 MHz "104-5 SNX") is a top 40 (CHR) radio station located in iHeartMedia's Grand Rapids, Michigan headquarters. The station is licensed to Muskegon, in Western Michigan with the station serving the Grand Rapids area, and is one of two top 40/CHR stations in Grand Rapids along with WHTS. [2] The studios are located at 77 Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids while its transmitter is located near Sherman Blvd and Ensley Rd outside of Muskegon.

Contents

History

What is now WSNX began life as Beautiful Music station WQWQ (the "Q" stood for "Quality") in 1971. Goodrich Radio Marketing purchased the frequency in 1984, and quickly changed the beautiful music format to Top 40 and used the moniker "Sunny-FM" on-air. (The WQWQ calls and easy-listening format moved to 101.7 FM and continued there until the station became WMRR.) Goodrich Radio located the studios at 875 East Summit in Norton Shores, just outside Muskegon. The antenna was upgraded to get a city-grade signal into Grand Rapids. Sunny FM on-air personalities in the 1980s included Jim Biggins, J.J. Duling, Diamond Dave, Jo Jo Girard, Mark Frost, Ranger Bob and T.R. McCoy.

WSNX moved to Grand Rapids (at 2610 28th Street) in 1996, where it was occupying the same offices of sister stations WODJ and WKWM. It would also drop the "Sunny FM" moniker and simply go by "104.5 WSNX". It was around this time that the CHR-formatted station added an apparent hip-hop or urban feel musically, as well as adding local music.

During the late 1980s, WSNX was one of several competing CHR stations in the area, with the dominant WGRD and WKLQ. By the mid-1990s, WGRD had switched to alternative rock and WKLQ had long since switched to album-oriented rock, and the CHR battle was between WSNX and Federated Media's adult-leaning "Mix 96" (WAKX). In early 1997, Clear Channel purchased WAKX from Federated Media and flipped it to "Continuous New Hit Music, I-96" as WVTI. Goodrich aimed WSNX directly at "I-96", competing with them on the air and through promotions. The station identified itself as "Grand Rapids' Hottest New Music, 104.5 WSNX" or just SNX in jingle form.

WSNX moved again to downtown Grand Rapids after it was purchased by Clear Channel Radio in September 1999, and took the "Continuous New Hit Music" moniker and a slightly more mainstream, though still rhythmic-leaning, CHR format, as WAKX was retooled as a Hot AC to compete with WLHT. [3] In 2006, the station dropped the "Continuous New Hit Music" slogan, and the point from "104.5", with the station simply branding itself as "104-5 WSNX", virtually the same time when rival WHTS was launched. In 2011, the station started using the "West Michigan's New Party Station" slogan, but this is not used on-air and only used on the station's website.

WSNX was the first radio station in both the Grand Rapids and Muskegon markets to broadcast in HD Radio, as it does today. Its HD2 subchannel originally carried the Dance Top 40 "Club Phusion" format, but switched, in late 2009, to a format known as "The Beat". By 2014, this changed to a 24/7 Black comedy format, and then, during September 2022, all HD2 services were discontinued.

Jingles and imaging

The late '90s saw WSNX use 3 jingle packages from Reelworld. KDWB 1996, KDWB 1997, and WZPL. In 2001, the station used N2 Kiss, Dallas. This started a long 10-year jingle deal that would see WSNX use every KDWB jingle package N2 Effect released. The deal ended in 2010, and WSNX has not used any jingles since.

The station's imaging voices were Brian James until 1999, then Saint John until 2007, and Doctor Dave from 2007–present.

Related Research Articles

WMAX-FM is the callsign of a radio station owned by iHeartMedia located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The studios and offices are located at 77 Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids while its transmitter is located near Felch St and 32nd Ave south of the town of Hudsonville outside of Grand Rapids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDWB-FM</span> Radio station in Richfield–Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota

KDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, licensed to suburban Richfield. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, and airs a Top 40/CHR radio format.

WLHT-FM is a hot adult contemporary music formatted radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan owned by Townsquare Media. WLHT's studios are located on Ottawa Avenue Northwest in downtown Grand Rapids, while its transmitter is located in Comstock Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHTS</span> Radio station in Coopersville, Michigan

WHTS is a commercial radio station licensed to Coopersville, Michigan, and serving the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. It airs a top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned by Cumulus Media. The studios are on Monroe Center Street NW in Grand Rapids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGRD-FM</span> Rock radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan

WGRD-FM is a mainstream rock radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. It is the flagship station of The Free Beer and Hot Wings Show, a comedy/talk program, on weekday mornings. It consists of five members: Gregg "Free Beer" Daniels, Chris "Hot Wings" Michels, Steve McKiernan and Kelly Cheesborough. The show is now syndicated in 38 markets throughout the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDUL</span> Radio station in Superior, Wisconsin

WDUL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Superior, Wisconsin. It airs a top 40 (CHR) radio format and is owned and operated by Midwest Communications. Midwest's six Duluth-Superior radio stations share studios at 11 East Superior Street in downtown Duluth, Minnesota.

WTNR is an FM radio station licensed to Greenville, Michigan. Owned by Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts a country music format targeting Grand Rapids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBCT</span> Country music radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan

WBCT is a commercial radio station licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are located at 77 Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids. The station has had a country music radio format since July 24, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFGR</span> Radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan

WFGR is an American radio station serving Grand Rapids, Michigan. It transmits from their facility in Alpine Township. WFGR is owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAEB-FM</span> Radio station in Allentown, Pennsylvania

WAEB-FM is a radio station licensed to Allentown, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format.

WWSN, known as "Sunny 92.5", is an FM radio station located in Newaygo, Michigan, owned by Cumulus Media. From 2006 to 2019, the format was country music as WLAW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSRW-FM</span> Radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan

WSRW-FM is a commercial radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. It airs an adult contemporary radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are on Monroe Center Street in Downtown Grand Rapids. The transmitter is off Payne Lake Road in Middleville.

WNWZ is a radio station broadcasting an urban contemporary format, licensed to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

WYGR is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format, licensed to Wyoming, Michigan and serving the Grand Rapids area. The station operates with 500 watts during the day and 250 watts critical hours, but must sign off at night to protect 1530 WCKY in Cincinnati. WYGR programming is simulcast on FM translator W235BN at 94.9 FM, which can be heard in the immediate Grand Rapids area as far north as Cedar Springs and Allendale but gives way to co-channel WMMQ out of East Lansing east of Grand Rapids and fellow co-channel WKZC north and west of the Grand Rapids area. A second FM translator W258DF in Lowell was added in February 2019.

WLAW-FM is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Whitehall, Michigan, the station serves the Muskegon, Michigan market. The station's programming was derived from Cumulus Media Networks' Hits & Favorites format until Westwood One took over. It is heard as far as Grand Rapids, Michigan, east of US-131, and it experiences interference from WJIM-FM from Lansing. It is now affiliated with Westwood One's country program. Also heard on W256DM-FM 99.1 in Muskegon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVIB</span> Radio station in Holton, Michigan

WVIB is a radio station broadcasting an urban adult contemporary format fed via satellite from Westwood One. The station is licensed to Holton, Michigan and serves the Muskegon market. It can be heard as far south as Allendale, Michigan, as far east as Lakeview, Michigan, and as far north as Ludington, Michigan. However, its range is limited by WBCH to the southeast and WSJP-FM to the west.

WMHG was a radio station in Muskegon, Michigan. It broadcast a MOR/oldies format. WMHG used ABC Radio Networks' satellite-delivered "Timeless Favorites" format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMRR</span> Radio station in Muskegon Heights, Michigan

WMRR is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format. Licensed to Muskegon Heights, Michigan, it first began broadcasting under the WKJR call sign.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMUS</span> Radio station in Muskegon, Michigan

WMUS is a radio station broadcasting a country music format in Muskegon, Michigan. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.

There are several media outlets in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the United States. These outlets serve Grand Rapids and the surrounding metropolitan area.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WSNX-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "Radio Industry News, Radio Show Prep, Radio Promotions, Radio Station Data, Podcast News".
  3. "Clear Channel Grabs Seventh In Grand Rapids" (PDF). p. 8. Retrieved 2023-09-17.