WMNX

WMNX (97.3 FM) is a mainstream urban formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Wilmington, North Carolina and serving the Wilmington Metro area.

WMNX

Wilmington, North Carolina
Broadcast area	Wilmington Metro
Frequency	97.3 MHz
Branding	Coast 97.3
Programming
Format	Mainstream urban
Affiliations	Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner	Cumulus Media (Cumulus Licensing LLC)
Sister stations	WAAV, WGNI, WKXS-FM, WWQQ-FM
History
First air date	February 24, 1970 (as WHSL-FM)
Former call signs	WHSL-FM (1970–1989) WMFD-FM (1989–1990)[1]
Technical information[2]
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	8584
Class	C1
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	269.3 meters
Transmitter coordinates	34°03′6.6″N 78°04′56″W
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen live
Website	coast973.com

History

97.3 started in 1970 as WHSL-FM, sister station to AM 1490 WHSL. In the early 1980s, album-oriented rock WHSL was launched. In the late 1980s, WHSL shifted to soft adult contemporary music during the day and smooth jazz in the evening, with calls WMFD-FM and later WMNX. In 1992, it switched to mainstream urban and began using the branding "Coast 97.3"^{[citation needed]}. In 1999, Cape Fear Broadcasting announced the sale of its six stations to Cumulus Broadcasting. The sale was challenged by Ocean Broadcasting of Wilmington because it would give Cumulus 6 FMs and an AM in Wilmington, and about 55 percent of market revenue.^[3] Today, WMNX airs a mainstream urban format.