KIIS-FM (102.7 FM, "102.7 KIIS FM") is a commercial radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, United States, and broadcasts to the Greater Los Angeles area. The station airs a contemporary hit radio format. Owned by iHeartMedia, KIIS-FM is the origin of the conglomerate's KISS-FM brand (with the call sign pronounced as "kiss"), and serves as the flagship station for the radio program On Air with Ryan Seacrest (although the KIIS version includes features not heard in the syndicated version, such as local traffic and weather as well as other locally relevant topics). KIIS-FM's studios are located in Burbank, while the station transmitter resides on Mount Wilson, north of Los Angeles.
KIIS-FM extends its on-air signal by using a single full-power repeater, KVVS (105.5FM) in Rosamond, California. KIIS-FM has consistently been rated the number-one radio station in the Los Angeles/Orange County and Ventura County markets, averaging nearly one million listeners.[2]
As of December 2021, KIIS-FM is the only Top 40 station in the Los Angeles area, after Audacy's KNOU flipped to a simulcast of KNX and changed its callsign to KNX-FM.[3]
History
KLAC/KRHM
The station on 102.7MHz first signed on the air in 1961, as KLAC-FM, a sister station to KLAC (570 AM). It swapped frequencies with KRHM (which had gone on the air on 94.7 FM in 1948, as KFMV) in 1965.[4]
KKDJ/K-Double-I-S
KRHM changed its call sign to KKDJ and flipped to contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as Top 40) on April 15, 1971. The format lasted until 1975, when Combined Communications purchased KKDJ. The station's format was changed to adult contemporary on October 22, 1975, at 6:00am, during Charlie Tuna's morning show when KKDJ began simulcasting with KIIS (1150 AM) with an on-air mock wedding, with KKDJ "marrying" KIIS. Meanwhile, KKDJ's callsign was changed to KIIS-FM. The spelling of "K-I-I-S" instead of KISS was because it resembled the AM frequency: "1150" = "IIS".[5] The new merged station was referred to as, "AM and FM, K-double-I-S".
Making the transition from KKDJ to KIIS-FM were popular disc jockeys including Humble Harve, Jay Stevens, John Peters, Danny Martinez, and Charlie Tuna. Tuna, an iconic voice of Los Angeles radio, served as both program director and morning show host for KKDJ and KIIS-FM at the transition; he died in February 2016. In 1977, KIIS-FM hired Gary McKenzie as its news director; later, he went on to anchor at RKO Radio Networks and CBS. The AM and FM stations did simulcasts during the day while returning to two separate stations in the evening hours.
102.7 KIIS-FM
Unable to draw high ratings with adult contemporary, KIIS-FM began to evolve, first to Top 40 in 1976, then dance and disco music in 1978, and back to Top 40 in 1980. KIIS (AM) would keep its soft rock/AC format until late 1979. Just prior to this, Gannett Company purchased both the KIIS-AM-FM station pair and Combined Communications. In 1981, the format of KIIS (AM) was changed to Christian talk and teaching and the new call sign KPRZ was adopted.
Rick Dees joined the station for mornings in July 1981, after KHJ switched formats to country music. Fill-in personality Dave Sebastian (Williams), working both the AM and FM stations at the time, hosted the vacated FM morning show until the arrival of Dees due to a non-compete clause in his contract. With Dees in mornings, KIIS became a CHR powerhouse in Los Angeles.
Rick Dees in the KIIS studio, 1986
In 1985, KIIS (AM) returned to a Top 40 format and simulcast KIIS-FM's morning and afternoon shows, while all other dayparts had different disc jockeys. This would last until around 1988, when it transitioned to a full-time simulcast when the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) relaxed the rules on major-market stations simulcasting each other. The simulcast continued until 1997, when the AM station flipped to sports radio as KXTA, simulcasting with XETRA-AM in Tijuana/San Diego until 2005.
In a 1996 deal in which Gannett acquired WTSP television in the Tampa market from Jacor/Citicasters, KIIS-AM-FM were acquired by Jacor/Citicasters, which in 1998, merged into Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia). After Clear Channel's acquisition of KAVS and KYHT, the two High Desert stations abandoned their previous modern rock format and together began serving as repeaters for KIIS-FM. Another simulcast, KIIS (1220 AM) in Santa Clarita,[6] was added in 1999, as well as KFMS (101.9 FM) in Las Vegas.
The grouping of KIIS-FM in Los Angeles, KIIS in Santa Clarita, KAVS (97.7 FM) in the Antelope Valley, KYHT (105.3 FM) in Barstow—Victor Valley, and KFMS in Las Vegas created nearly continuous coverage of KIIS-FM between Los Angeles and Las Vegas. (KFMS was branded as "KISS" instead of "KIIS"). However, this regional network was short-lived as KYHT broke its simulcast off in 2001, to become a repeater for KZXY-FM. Resulting from KYHT's flip from the KIIS-FM moniker, KFMS switched to all-local programming. KAVS was relocated from 97.7 to 105.5 FM in December 2007, and adopted the call sign KVVS. KIIS (AM) became KHTS in 2003. KIIS-FM was also simulcast on 850 AM in Thousand Oaks, California in the last year before that station's towers were demolished.
In February 2004, the decade-long general manager of KIIS-FM, Roy Laughlin, elected not to renew Rick Dees' contract, replacing him with Ryan Seacrest from sister station KYSR and retaining co-host Ellen K to team with Seacrest. Together, they created the nationally syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest, which airs on many of iHeartMedia's Top 40/CHR stations. The KIIS-FM version is more localized when compared to other stations carrying the show.
Trade publication Radio & Records named KIIS-FM its 2007 "Station of the Year" in the contemporary hit radio/Top 40 category for market size 1–25 at its national convention.[7]
In December 2007, KIIS-FM's Antelope Valley simulcast on KOSS (97.7 FM) was moved to 105.5 FM, replacing the previous format as "105.5 The Oasis". The country music format at 103.1 FM in Tehachapi, California was moved to 97.7 FM (now operating under 103.1's former call letters KTPI-FM) and is now branded as 97.7 KTPI. KSRY (103.1 FM) in Tehachapi became a simulcast of KYSR (98.7 FM, "Alt 98-7").
The station was, according to Radio & Records in 2008, the second-highest revenue billing radio station in the United States (behind WTOP-FM in Washington, D.C.), with $66.3million.[8] In 2010, the station was honored by the National Association of Broadcasters with the Marconi Award for CHR Station of the Year.[9]
On June 8, 2011, KIIS-FM began rebroadcasting on SiriusXM channel 11. At the end of 2003, Clear Channel replaced the KIIS simulcast with an exclusive KISS XM channel. In 2004, all XM music channels went commercial-free, and KIIS-FM was replaced with a unique-to-XM "KISS-XM" channel, retaining the same format. Since then, Clear Channel/iHeartMedia has regained the right to air commercials on their XM music channels. On June 1, 2022, the KIIS-FM simulcast left SiriusXM, with the launch and establishment of the iHeartRadio platform making the arrangement less important.[10]
In May 2017, Seacrest became co-host of the New York City-based syndicated talk show Live with Kelly. To accommodate the new role, it was announced that Seacrest would begin to host On Air from a studio constructed at the facilities of WABC-TV (where the TV show is produced). The KIIS-FM show continues to air live, although the first hour will either be pre-recorded or handled mostly by co-host Sisanie.[11][12][13]
In October 2023, the station launched a new weekly K-pop show, K-Pop With Jojo, hosted by KIIS-FM afternoon host JoJo Wright. In January 2024, iHeartMedia began to syndicate the show to most iHeartMedia CHR stations.[14]
HD Radio
KIIS-HD2
KIIS-FM's HD2 subchannel originally broadcast IHeartRadio's all-dance "Evolution" network. In June 2019, KIIS-FM's HD2 subchannel stopped broadcasting the "Evolution" network and flipped to a simulcast of the analog audio with a 10-second delay.
KNX-FM is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, United States. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an all-news radio format in a full-time simulcast with KNX. The station has studios at the intersection of Wilshire and Hauser Boulevards in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, and the transmitter on Mount Wilson.
KZBD is a commercial radio station in Spokane, Washington. It is owned by Stephens Media Group, through licensee SMG-Spokane, LLC, and airs a Top 40 (CHR) radio format. KZBD carries "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show" in AM drive time, syndicated by Premiere Networks.
KWID is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Las Vegas, Nevada. The station is owned by Lotus Communications and broadcasts a Spanish-language adult hits format. The KWID studios are located in the unincorporated community of Spring Valley in Clark County and its transmitter is on Black Mountain in Henderson.
KEIB is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station brands itself as The Patriot, and broadcasts a conservative talk radio format. The station's studios are on West Olive Avenue in Burbank.
KZZP is a United States commercial radio station licensed to Mesa, Arizona, and serving the Phoenix metropolitan area. The station airs a top 40 (CHR) format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. Studios and offices are on East Van Buren Street in Phoenix near Sky Harbor International Airport.
KHTS-FM is a contemporary hit radio station that is licensed to El Cajon, California, and serves the San Diego market. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC, and brands as "Channel 9-3-3". The station's studios are located in San Diego's Serra Mesa area, while the transmitter is located in Chollas View, which is east of Balboa Park and west of Emerald Hills, sharing facilities with KLSD. The station is available in HD Radio; the HD2 subchannel airs an LGBT-leaning dance hits format, carrying iHeart's Pride Radio network.
Free FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air, instead of requiring a subscription fee like satellite radio services. Launched on October 25, 2005, Free FM was phased out over the course of 2007, with the final station using it, KLSX, dropping the brand in November 2008.
KTPI-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Mojave, California and serving the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. It is owned by RZ Radio LLC and broadcasts a country music format. It carries several syndicated shows: The Big D and Bubba Show in morning drive time, Big Time with Whitney Allen evenings and After Midnite with Granger Smith overnight.
WAEV is a commercial radio station in Savannah, Georgia. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a Top 40 - CHR format. It carries two nationally syndicated programs on weekdays: The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show in AM drive time and On Air with Ryan Seacrest in middays. The studios and offices are on Alfred Street in Garden City, using a Savannah address.
WXKS-FM, branded Kiss 108, is a commercial contemporary hit radio station licensed to serve Medford, Massachusetts, and covering Greater Boston. Owned by iHeartMedia, the WXKS-FM studios are in Medford and the station transmits from atop the Prudential Tower in Downtown Boston.
KHTS is a commercial AM radio station that is licensed to the Canyon Country neighborhood of Santa Clarita, California, about 30 miles (48 km) north of Los Angeles. The station is owned by Jeri Lyn Broadcasting. KHTS broadcasts with 1,000 watts during the daytime and 500 watts at night. The station is nicknamed "Your Hometown Station". KHTS is rebroadcast on FM translator K251CF in Santa Clarita.
WPKF is a top 40 (CHR) radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts from a tower mounted on the roof of the Ross Pavilion at the Hudson River Psychiatric Center in Poughkeepsie.
KISS-FM is a commercial radio station in San Antonio, Texas. It airs a mainstream rock format and is owned by Cox Media Group. The studios and offices are located on Datapoint Drive in Northwest San Antonio near the South Texas Medical Center complex. The transmitter site is in Elmendorf, amid the towers for several San Antonio TV and FM stations.
WFLZ-FM is a commercial radio station in Tampa, Florida. It airs a contemporary hit radio radio format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. The station's studios and offices are located on Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa. Local DJs are heard on weekdays, with syndicated shows, including American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest, the iHeartRadio Countdown, the Remix Top 30 with Hollywood Hamilton and On The Move with Enrique Santos, heard on weekends.
KLXB is a non-commercial radio station that is licensed to Bermuda Dunes, California and broadcasts to the Palm Springs radio market in the Coachella Valley. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and airs that company's contemporary Christian radio format known as "K-Love". KLXB is also heard on a translator station, K247CL (97.3 MHz) in Indio, California.
KVVS is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Rosamond, California, and owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It simulcasts the Top 40 (CHR) format of KIIS-FM (102.7) from Los Angeles for listeners in northern Los Angeles County and southeastern Kern County, California, collectively known as the Antelope Valley region. Educational Media Foundation-owned KTLW (88.1), which serves the same role as KVVS as an Antelope Valley re-broadcaster of KKLQ-HD2, also transmits from the KVVS tower.
WNRW - branded as 98.9 Kiss FM - is a Top 40 (CHR) radio station licensed to Prospect, Kentucky, and serving the Louisville metropolitan area. It is owned by iHeartMedia, with studios on South 4th Street in the Louisville neighborhood of Watterson Park. On weekdays, WNRW carries two nationally syndicated programs: The Jubal Show from co-owned KBKS-FM Seattle in morning drive time and On Air with Ryan Seacrest in middays.
On Air with Ryan Seacrest is a weekday syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest. It was launched in 2004 as a drive time show at the same time on Los Angeles Top 40 station 102.7 KIIS-FM as the television show with the same name, although Seacrest had hosted a similar show in afternoon drive time on sister station Star 98.7 KYSR from 1995 until 2003. The TV series ran for several months in 2004, but nationwide syndication of the radio program did not start until 2008. While Seacrest hosted his Los Angeles show in the morning, the syndicated show's affiliates aired it in middays or afternoons. The syndicated show took segments from Seacrest's live Los Angeles wake up show and packaged them with music, so listeners in other cities could hear them later in the day or the following day. The live radio show originated its broadcast from the KIIS-FM studios in Burbank, California. KIIS-FM is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc.
Evolution is a radio station platform on iHeartRadio and on Clear Channel's HD2 & HD3 radio and FM translators across the United States that plays commercial free dance/EDM music 24/7, operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. The primary station for the platform is WFLZ-HD3 Tampa.
WKSL is a commercial radio station licensed to Neptune Beach, Florida, and serving the Jacksonville metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. WKSL airs a contemporary hit radio format. WKSL carries two weekday syndicated programs, with Elvis Duran and the Morning Show from WHTZ New York City, and in middays, WKSL carries On Air with Ryan Seacrest based at KIIS-FM Los Angeles.
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