WKSI-FM

Last updated

WKSI-FM
WKSI-FM 2014.png
Broadcast area
Frequency 98.3 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingKiss 98-3
Programming
Format Contemporary hit radio [1]
Subchannels HD2: Classic Country 95-7 (Classic country) [1]
Affiliations Premiere Networks
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
August 28, 1967(57 years ago) (1967-08-28)
Former call signs
  • WZFM (1967–1982)
  • WXVA-FM (1982–2003)
Call sign meaning
play on the word "Kiss"
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 26998
Class A
ERP 1,750 watts
HAAT 188 meters (617 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 39°10′38.0″N78°15′53.0″W / 39.177222°N 78.264722°W / 39.177222; -78.264722
Translator(s) HD2: 95.7  W239BV (Winchester)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live (via iHeartRadio)
Website kiss983.iheart.com

WKSI-FM (98.3 MHz) is a contemporary hit radio formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Stephens City, Virginia, serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. [1] WKSI-FM is owned and operated by iHeartMedia [3]

Contents

History

98.3 FM signed on August 28, 1967, as WZFM, a local station serving Charles Town, West Virginia. The station was co-owned with WXVA (1550 AM) by Arthur W. Arundel, who at the time owned WAVA Arlington and the Leesburg-based Loudoun Times-Mirror newspaper. WZFM simulcast WXVA's broadcasting day, which was Full Service with blocks of country music. [4]

The two stations were sold in 1970, to electrical engineer John P. Luce. The simulcast split around this time as the AM side was switched to Top 40 and the FM station went to full-time country. [5]

Luce sold to Heritage Broadcasting Corporation in September 1982. [6] Heritage changed the callsign to WXVA-FM after taking control. After an initial return to simulcasting 1550 AM (which had flipped to middle-of-the-road) immediately after the change, the station settled on light adult contemporary around 1986. [7]

In September 1993, another format change took place, this time to oldies. [8] Unusually for an FM station, Broadcasting Yearbook reported that it operated 19 hours a day – signing off between midnight and 5 a.m. A flip back to country as "Xtra Country 98" took place in January 1996. [9] The station remained in Charles Town, but was a rimshot to Winchester, regularly showing up in the ratings there despite competition from local country stalwart WUSQ-FM. [10]

Clear Channel (now iHeartMedia) bought WXVA-FM from Heritage in 2000. [11] As it already owned WUSQ-FM, it sought to tap the larger Winchester market with a different format instead of competing with itself. On December 10, 2003, Clear Channel applied to move the transmitter to WUSQ-FM's site near Round Hill, Frederick County, Virginia, changing the city of license from Charles Town to Stephens City. [12] The station immediately began stunting as "Christmas 98.3" with Christmas music and spots advising listeners to tune to WUSQ-FM for country. The flip to CHR as "Kiss 98-3". WKSI-FM came on December 26, although the physical move was not completed until late 2004. [13] [14]

HD2 subchannel

On August 22, 2013, WKSI began simulcasting its HD2 signal on newly acquired translator W239BV, broadcasting on 95.7, from WKSI's tower west of Winchester. [15] The HD2 signal aired the "Today's Mix" format, one of iHeartMedia Premium Choice formats. [15]

On November 1, 2013, W239BV switched its format from hot adult contemporary to a seasonal All-Christmas music format, with the "Mix 95-7" branding remaining. [16]

Until December 26, 2020, at 12 Midnight, when W239BV took over the Classic Country format, which had been abandoned by crosstown competitor WXBN ahead of sister-station WINC-FM's sale and format change, as "Classic Country 95-7". [17] [18] [19]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KCAQ</span> Radio station in Camarillo–Ventura, California

KCAQ is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Camarillo, California and serves the Ventura County area. The station is owned by Gold Coast Broadcasting and airs a rhythmic contemporary music format. KCAQ was simulcast on AM sister station KKZZ in Port Hueneme until August 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXSN</span> Adult contemporary radio station in San Diego

KXSN is a commercial radio station in San Diego, California, branded as Sunny 98.1. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station airs a classic hits radio format. The studios and offices are located in San Diego's Stonecrest area, off Granite Ridge Drive, across the street from rival station KMYI. The transmitter is off La Jolla Scenic Drive South in La Jolla, amid towers for several other San Diego FM and TV stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBGB (FM)</span> Adult hits radio station in Boston

WBGB – branded as Big 103 – is a commercial adult hits FM radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves Greater Boston. The WBGB studios are located in the Boston neighborhood of Brighton, while the station's transmitter resides in nearby Newton. Besides a standard analog transmission, WBGB broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via Audacy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXZX</span> Radio station in Columbus, Ohio

WXZX is a commercial radio station that is licensed to serve Hilliard, Ohio and serves the Columbus metropolitan area. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station broadcasts an alternative rock format. Both the WXZX studios and the station transmitter are located in Downtown Columbus. The station is the Columbus affiliate of the Cincinnati Bengals Radio Network.

KMEE is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Palm Desert, California, United States, and serves the Palm Springs—Coachella Valley radio market. The station is owned by Brad Fuhr, through licensee KGAY PSP, with studios on South Belardo Road in Palm Springs. KMEE broadcasts a soft oldies format, provided by MeTV's radio network.

KSWD is an FM radio station in Seattle, Washington. Owned by Audacy, Inc., it broadcasts a hot adult contemporary format. KSWD's studios are located on Fifth Avenue in Downtown Seattle; the station broadcasts from two transmitters located near Issaquah on Tiger Mountain, with its main transmitter operating at 73 kW effective radiated power (ERP) and its auxiliary transmitter operating at an ERP of 53 kW.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXVV</span> Radio station in Victorville, California

KXVV is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Victorville, California and serves the Victor Valley area. The station is owned by El Dorado Broadcasters and broadcasts a regional Mexican format. KXVV's studios and transmitter are located in Hesperia. KXVV is also simulcasted on Sister Station 910 AM

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWEG</span> Radio station in Myersville, Maryland

WWEG is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Myersville, Maryland. The station is owned by Manning Broadcasting, Inc. and broadcasts a classic hits format.

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAIW (FM)</span> Radio station in Virginia, United States

WAIW is a contemporary worship formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Winchester, Virginia. WAIW is owned and operated by Educational Media Foundation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KRPT</span> Radio station in Devine–San Antonio, Texas

KRPT is a commercial radio station broadcasting a classic country format. Licensed to Devine, Texas, United States, the station serves the San Antonio area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia. The KRPT studios are located in the Stone Oak neighborhood in Far North San Antonio, and the transmitter site is in Pearsall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KBEB</span> Radio station in Sacramento, California

KBEB is a commercial radio station in Sacramento, California, calling itself "92-5 The Breeze." It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs a soft adult contemporary format. KBEB carries the syndicated "Delilah" call-in and request show in the evening. The studios are in North Sacramento near Arden Fair Mall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WINC (AM)</span> Radio station in Winchester, Virginia

WINC is a commercial broadcast radio station licensed to Winchester, Virginia, United States. The station carries a news, talk, and sports format. Owned by Colonial Radio Group of Williamsport, LLC, WINC serves the Northern Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. The station's studios are located in Winchester while the transmitter resides south of the city in nearby Kernstown. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WINC is available online.

WINC-FM is a hot adult contemporary-formatted radio station licensed to Berryville, Virginia, serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley. WINC-FM is owned by Darrin Jones, through Euclid Avenue Properties, LLC.

WXVA – branded as 102.9 Valley FM – is a classic hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Winchester, Virginia, serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley. WXVA is owned and operated by Winchester Radio Broadcasters, LLC.

WHTU is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Big Island, Virginia, and serving the Lynchburg metropolitan area. WHTU broadcasts a classic hits radio format and is owned by Gary Burns' Three Daughters Media, through licensee KSM Holdings, LLC. The studios and offices are off Forest Road in Forest, Virginia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXDC</span> Radio station in West Virginia, United States

WXDC is a Classic hits formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, serving Martinsburg in West Virginia and Hancock in Maryland. WXDC is owned by WVRC Media, through their West Virginia Radio Corporation of the Alleghenies licensee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">W239BV</span> Radio station in Winchester, Virginia

W239BV is a classic country formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Winchester, Virginia and serves Frederick County, Virginia. W239BV simulcasts sister station WKSI-FM's HD2 feed. W239BV is owned and operated by iHeartMedia.

WVRX is a Southern Gospel formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Strasburg, Virginia, serving the Northern Shenandoah Valley. WVRX is owned by Point FM Ministries. WVRX simulcasts sister station WVRS.

WLZV – branded K-Love – is a non-commercial contemporary Christian radio station licensed to serve Buckland, Virginia. Owned and operated by the Educational Media Foundation, WLZV does not broadcast any local programming, functioning as the Northern Virginia network affiliate for K-Love; WLZV also services the southwestern portion of the Washington metropolitan area.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings . Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WKSI-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "WKSI Facility Record". Federal Communications Commission, audio division. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1968 (PDF). p. B-180.
  5. ↑ Staff (July 6, 1970). "Changing hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. p. 29.
  6. ↑ Staff (September 27, 1982). "Actions" (PDF). Broadcasting. p. 101.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting-Cablecasting Yearbook 1986 (PDF). p. B-308.
  8. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1995 (PDF). p. B-447.
  9. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1997 (PDF). p. B-486.
  10. ↑ Corbin, Robert (October 24, 2003). "Winchester to get new radio station". VARTV.
  11. ↑ Staff (December 11, 2000). "Changing hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. p. 48.
  12. ↑ "WKSI-FM Facility Record". FCCData.
  13. ↑ Hughes, Dave (December 26, 2003). "Shenandoah Valley Gets Kissed". DCRTV.
  14. ↑ Hughes, Dave (September 1, 2004). "New City for WKSI". DCRTV.
  15. 1 2 "CCM&E Premium Choice Hot AC..." Robert F. Corbin via Twitter. August 22, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  16. ↑ Venta, Lance (November 2, 2013). "Christmas Comes Early Across America". RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 3, 2013.
  17. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 26, 2020). "Classic Country 95.7 Debuts In Winchester". RadioInsight/RadioBB Networks. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  18. ↑ Venta, Lance (October 8, 2020). "Educational Media Foundation Acquires WINC-FM". RadioInsight/RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  19. ↑ Venta, Lance (November 17, 2020). "WINC-FM Begins Frequency Move Ahead Of EMF Sale". RadioInsight/RadioBB Networks. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  20. Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-571. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.