Radio 96.3 Star Country (WMAD)

WMAD (96.3 Star Country) is a radio station serving the Madison, Wisconsin metropolitan area. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and has been running a country music format since December 23, 2005. The station airs a classic country format on its HD Radio subchannel (96.3FM-HD2).

Early 96.3 Music HistoryThe 96.3 FM frequency in Madison has had a varied format history. In the 70's the station was WVLR. As early as the late 1990s, the station played a soft rock format as WMLI, which eventually morphed into adult contemporary “Star 96.3.” In March 2002, the station shifted to a smooth jazz format as "Smooth Jazz 96.3 WCJZ," filling a niche in the Madison market filled only by the “Magic Sunday Morning” smooth jazz program on WMGN (Magic 98).

"Star Country"“MAD Radio 96.3” came to an end on the night of December 22, 2005, after 2 hours of songs with a “goodbye” or "end" theme (ending with "Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley and the Jimi Hendrix version of “The Star Spangled Banner”). At 12AM on December 23, 2005, WMAD launched its new country format under the branding, “96.3 Star Country,” beginning with a montage of its liners and jingles followed by Gretchen Wilson's “All Jacked Up," the first of 10,000 songs played without interruption for commercials or DJ’s on “Star Country.” (The "MAD Radio" format would resurface again in 2007 on WIBA-FM's HD Radio subchannel.)

Using the tag line, "Now you have a choice," Clear Channel took an aggressive approach in promoting "Star Country" and in targeting the long-time country station in Madison, WWQM. The aggressiveness included luring away the WWQM morning team of John Flint and Tammy Lee, who joined "Star Country's" morning show in November 2006.