WUMX
| File:Wumxnewlogo.jpg | |
| City of license | Rome, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Utica, New York |
| Branding | Mix 102.5 |
| Slogan | The 90's to Now |
| Frequency | 102.5 MHz |
| First air date | 1982 (as WUUU-FM) |
| Format | Hot Adult Contemporary |
| ERP | 27,000 watts |
| HAAT | 198 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 53656 |
| Transmitter coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Callsign meaning | Utica MiX |
| Former callsigns | WUUU-FM (1982-1993) WKDY (1993-1995) WSKS (1995-2001) WRBY (2001-2004) |
| Owner | Galaxy Communications (Galaxy Utica Licensee LLC) |
| Website | mix1025.com |
WUMX (102.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format. Licensed to Rome, New York, USA, the station serves the Utica, Rome New York area. The station is currently owned by Galaxy Utica Licensee LLC, the Utica division of Galaxy Communications. Syndicated programming on WUMX include The John Tesh Radio Show, and Elvis Duran and the Morning Show.
As WUUU
102.5 signed on in 1982 as WUUU, an adult contemporary station identified as "U-102" under the ownership of Norma Eilenberg. In 1989, WUUU changed to an oldies format, and Norma Eilenberg renamed the station "Oldies 102". The WUUU call letters were retained until a frequency swap with WKDY 93.5 FM in 1993.
As WKDY
102.5 next operated as WKDY under a country music format as "Hot Country KDY 102.5". Aimed at rival WFRG which had also gone through a frequency swap, "KDY country" could not dislodge WFRG and often ended up last place in the Utica-Rome market. In August 1994, a frustrated Norma Eilenberg and her recently appointed program director Wally Wilcox changed WKDY's format to CHR. Now branded as "Kiss 102", WKDY was the first top 40 station in the Utica-Rome market since WRCK changed from CHR to classic rock.
As WSKS
In December 1995, Kiss 102 changed its calls to WSKS. In the fall of the following year Kiss 102 was rebranded as 102.5 Kiss FM. In 1997, Norma Eilenberg sold WSKS to Dame Media, who retained the top 40 format. Dame Media sold the station to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia) in 1999. One year later, Clear Channel bought rival WOW-FM (WOWZ/WOWB) and moved the Kiss-FM branding to WOWZ/WOWB. WOWZ, at 97.9 FM, took over the WSKS call letters and WOWB was renamed WSKU. 102.5 played various formats before beginning its second stint as a country music station.
As WRBY
In 2001, 102.5 changed calls to WRBY and started branding as "Bob 102.5". Under the country music format for the second time, Bob 102.5 played country music marathons known as 20 Song Bob-A-Thons, causing dominant rival WFRG-FM, who branded as Big Frog 104, to ditch its longtime 10 Songs In A Row imaging. Bob 102.5 was best known for their slogan, "Turn Your Knob To Bob". WRBY had modest ratings, but despite their imaging and slogan could not overtake WFRG-FM. So, at the beginning of 2004, Clear Channel stunted with the "Wheel Of Formats". On January 12, 2004 the "wheel" landed on Hot AC and WRBY flipped to the current "Mix 102.5". The new Mix 102.5 played music from the 1980's, 90's, as well as contemporary hits.
As WUMX
Shortly after the format change Mix 102.5 changed calls to the present-day WUMX. In 2005, WUMX began flipping to a holiday music format branded as "Christmix 102.5" (a format also shared with former sister station WZUN) from early November until Christmas Day. Traditionally, WUMX makes its Christmas changeover relatively early in the season, much like WZUN. This programming choice proved popular and forced rival WLZW to begin the practice in 2009. In October 2007, Clear Channel sold WUMX along with sister stations WOUR, WRNY, and WIXT to Galaxy Communications, who kept the hot AC format and Mix 102.5 branding. In addition to the syndicated Elvis Duran and John Tesh shows, WUMX's current lineup includes Melanie from 10am to 3pm and Rick Gary (voicetracked from WZUN) from 3pm to 7pm. The station added a new logo, slogan and slight format change to meet with the changing times in June 2015.
Logo used from 2004-2015
