WMAX-FM (96.1 MHz) is the callsign of a radio station owned by iHeartMedia located in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
WMAX-FM is licensed for HD Radio operations and features a simulcast of talk sister station WTKG on its HD2 side channel.
The all-hit format was softened to adult contemporary by 1985, to better compete with existing stations in the Grand Rapids market.
On January 31, 2008, at 3 PM, after the song Closing Time by Semisonic, the station dropped the Hot AC format and began stunting with the sounds of a ticking clock interspersed with liners that were played every two or three minutes.
Some of these liners were in Spanish and made reference to Regent Communications-owned WNWZ AM 1410 and cold, snow-covered cornfields in Hudsonville, Michigan, while others mentioned the time and date of 02/04/08 at 10:01 AM.
The songs included Coldplay's "Clocks"; Elvis Presley's "Burning Love"; David Allan Coe's "You Never Even Called Me By My Name", and Hall & Oates' "Private Eyes", among dozens of others.
During the stunt, the station's website showed a 12-second viral video clip influenced by the Cloverfield movie, with a message that pointed to the date of February 4, 2008 at 10:01 AM.
The Radio X presentation heavily centered on modern rock music from the 1990s, as well as featured selected songs from the mid-1970s through the end of the 1980s as well as current product.
Legally, 96.1 is WMAX-FM, as the WMAX calls are used at a Catholic Christian radio station (not co-owned) at 1440 AM in Bay City, Michigan.
Starting in June 2009, Clear Channel's Grand Rapids operations began making plans to change the format of the radio station into one carrying ESPN-provided sports programming and local/statewide play-by-play game commentary.
The plan went into effect August 7, 2009, when WMAX-FM began "stunting" by simulcasting mainstream rock-oriented sister station WBFX.