WMXD

WLIN/WCAR-FM years

Detroit's 92.3 FM began with a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit under the call sign WIPE. The permit was originally granted in 1960, held by jazz disc jockey Sleepy Stein and Hollywood composer and musician Henry Mancini. The construction permit specified a power of 10,000 watts from a transmitter location atop the Cadillac Tower Building in downtown Detroit. In 1961, David Kelly formed Downriver Broadcasting and purchased the construction permit for WIPE from Stein and Mancini.

Downriver Broadcasting signed on the station on November 2, 1962, with the call letters WLIN.^[1] Bill Hennes hosted the first broadcast from studios on Fort Street at LaBlanc Avenue in Lincoln Park. The studios were built and transmitter installed by chief engineer Art Lebermann. WLIN's original aim was to program a full-service variety format for the downriver Detroit area. The original schedule consisted of morning host Bill Hennes, a two-hour talk show, afternoon drive with Dave Kelly, and evening DJs Ron Rose and Don Haney. In 1963, the station relocated its studios to the Lafayette Pavilion Apartments high-rise complex in downtown Detroit, and the format became all jazz music.

In 1964, Hy Levinson, owner of successful "good music" outlet 1130 WCAR (now WDFN), purchased WLIN and rechristened it WCAR-FM on December 8 of that year. WCAR-FM initially broadcast from 6 a.m. to midnight and simulcast its AM sister's conservative MOR format 100% during that time. In 1969, Levinson hired consultant Ken Draper to modernize the music format for both WCAR and WCAR-FM, and the music mix was adjusted from conservative MOR to contemporary MOR. WCAR AM 1130 made a brief attempt at Top 40 in 1971-1972. But WCAR-FM was separately programmed, remaining a contemporary MOR outlet.

Tower 92/WCXI-FM

In February 1977, Levinson agreed to sell WCAR-AM-FM to Gene Autry's Golden West Broadcasters, Inc., but he would stay on as a consultant. Golden West in October of that year changed WCAR-FM's MOR format to the syndicated "Great American Country" package from Drake-Chenault. In the summer of 1978, the stations moved into studios in the new Renaissance Center. WCAR-FM's country format was moved over to the AM station, which became WCXI. The FM station adopted the call sign WTWR, airing an Adult Top 40/Oldies hybrid format under the name "Tower 92" (an homage to the station's new digs). Tower 92 was partly live, partly automated, with the air staff including Jack Kirkwood, Joey Ryan, Kurt Kelly, Kevin Sanderson, Ron Tavernit, Russ Gibb, and Tom Shannon, with Steve Schram as program director. The news team included Linda Ashley from WDEE, Jim Lowlor from WDET-FM, John Bell and News Director Ray Cardoza. The station was only a moderate ratings success, but the most successful format on 92.3 FM to that time.

In late 1981, Tower 92 transitioned from its Hot AC/Oldies hybrid to full-out Top 40 under the guidance of programmer Todd Wallace, and saw a slight improvement in the ratings in the Winter 1982 Arbitron report. Nevertheless, Golden West wanted to strengthen its country music position in the market against 106.7 WWWW-FM, and so Golden West pulled the plug on Tower 92 on May 10, 1982, after only 15 weeks of the Top 40 format. The station became WCXI-FM, programming a country music format separate from 1130 WCXI, in an effort to forge a two-pronged competition with the successful WWWW-FM. WCXI-FM and WCXI had distinct personalities, with WCXI-FM being a contemporary hit country format and 1130 WCXI taking a more full-service approach and focusing more on traditional country.

92 Music/WNTM

In March 1986, Fritz Broadcasting acquired WCXI-FM, pairing it with successful talk station AM 1270 WXYT. The FM station was changed to WNTM "92 Music," a satellite-fed adult contemporary format.

Since Detroit already had four AC stations, 92 Music sank to the bottom of the ratings, perhaps due to its lack of live and local air talent.

92-3 The Wave/WVAE

92.3's next format was new-age (a precursor of today's smooth jazz format). It mixed contemporary jazz with new-age instrumentals and soft vocals. It was launched on December 28, 1987, as WVAE, 92-3 The Wave, modeled after Los Angeles' successful KTWV. Much of the programming on WVAE was satellite-fed, and the station also featured comedy bits at the top of each hour to introduce the new hour.

"The Wave," an attempt to appeal to the "yuppie" audience, never achieved high ratings, but did have loyal fans, though it was in competition with beautiful music 97.1 WJOI and longtime jazz station 105.9 WJZZ, which began to play more contemporary jazz, new age and fusion material around that time.

92-3 The-Mix/WMXD

On November 30, 1989, the station became The Mix as WMXD. Originally starting out as a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary outlet and playing a wide variety of adult R&B and pop music, WMXD evolved into its current Urban AC format by late 1991 under the guidance of operations manager Kris McClendon. Ratings success came quickly after the station tapped the then-underserved Detroit audience for classic soul music. Detroit did have an AM classic soul station in 1310 WMTG. But its directional signal could not be heard in the city's East Side and other communities at night.

By 1993, WMXD was showing up regularly in the top 10 of Detroit's Arbitron ratings, and the format has endured since, surviving several ownership changes. In 1994, the station was sold from Fritz Broadcasting to Booth American, which merged with Broadcast Alchemy shortly afterward to become Secret Communications. WMXD and longtime Detroit urban contemporary powerhouse WJLB were now, and still are sister stations. Just a few months later, Secret sold the stations to Chancellor Media, which later merged with Evergreen Media to become AMFM, which was swallowed up by Clear Channel in 1999.

The Steve Harvey Morning Show

Until late June 2005, Mix 92.3 was Detroit's outlet for the popular syndicated Tom Joyner morning show. In June 2005, Radio One relaunched its "Kiss FM" gold-based Urban AC format on the 105.9 frequency (now WDMK), moving 105.9's hip-hop format to 102.7 (now WDKL) and grabbing Joyner for mornings on 105.9. WMXD subsequently brought in a parade of celebrities such as soul singer Kenny Lattimore to host the morning show until a permanent replacement could be found. The station finally signed on as an affiliate of The Steve Harvey Morning Show, syndicated by Clear Channel's Premiere Radio Networks out of WBLS in New York City (although WBLS itself was Black-owned by Inner City Broadcasting Corporation).

WMXD's morning and overall ratings have remained strong. WMXD also became the afternoon home to the syndicated Love, Lust and Lies Show with Michael Baisden, as well as the home of "The Sweat Hotel" with Keith Sweat. The addition of Love, Lust and Lies and The Sweat Hotel made Frankie Darcell's midday show the only local daypart on WMXD during weekdays, with the other shows all being syndicated. But the Detroit audience does not seem to mind.