WKSM

Last updated
WKSM
99 Rock WKSM-FM logo.png
Broadcast area Emerald Coast
Frequency 99.5 MHz
Branding99 Rock
Programming
Format Mainstream rock
Ownership
Owner
WFTW, WNCV, WYZB, WZNS
History
First air date
May 28, 1965;58 years ago (1965-05-28) (as WFTW-FM at 99.3)
Former call signs
WFTW-FM (1965-1978)
WFTW (1978-1979)
WFTW-FM (1979-1988)
Former frequencies
99.3 MHz (1965-1994)
Call sign meaning
Kiss FM (format until 1993)
Technical information
Facility ID 27467
Class C2
ERP 50,000 watts
HAAT 133.5 meters (438 ft)
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website wksm.com

WKSM (99.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Fort Walton Beach and serving the Emerald Coast of Florida. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format, calling itself 99 Rock. The radio studios and transmitter are on Hollywood Boulevard NW in Fort Walton Beach. [1] WKSM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts.

Contents

History

The station signed on the air on May 28, 1965;58 years ago. [2] It was the FM simulcast of WFTW 1260 AM. WFTW-FM was originally on 99.3 MHz, broadcasting at 3,000 watts, a fraction of its current output. Both stations were owned by Vacationland Broadcasting. Because WFTW 1260 was a daytimer, WFTW-FM continued the AM station's programming after sunset.

FM 99.3 was a Class A frequency, limited at the time to only local coverage. So management decided to move WFTW-FM's dial position. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) permitted it to move slightly up the dial to 99.5 MHz and get a boost in power. The signal now covers a significant part of the larger and more lucrative Pensacola radio market.

In the late 1960s, WFTW-FM stopped simulcasting 1260 WFTW. It began broadcasting a beautiful music format. The station featured quarter-hour sweeps of mostly instrumental cover versions of popular songs, as well as Broadway and Hollywood show tunes. The station would later flip to an adult contemporary format, and then later Top 40/CHR in October 1985. It was one out of two CHR stations in the Fort Walton Beach and Destin areas, with the other being WNUE. The station's call letters were changed to WKSM in April 1988, retaining its CHR format. The format lasted until mid-November 1991, and the station switched to its current album rock format. This left WNUE the only Top-40 station in Fort Walton Beach until it became a sports radio format in 1992.

In 1993, WKSM and WFTW were sold for $1 million to Holiday Broadcasting. [3] In 2003, Cumulus Media acquired the two stations. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNNX</span> Classic alternative station in College Park, Georgia

WNNX is a commercial radio station licensed to College Park, Georgia, featuring a classic alternative format as "99X". Owned by Cumulus Media, the station serves the Atlanta metropolitan area. WNNX's studios are located in Sandy Springs, while the transmitter resides atop the Westin Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Downtown Atlanta. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WNNX is available online.

WODE-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Easton, Pennsylvania. The station's service contour covers the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

WMZQ-FM is a commercial radio station in Washington, D.C. owned by iHeartMedia, it has had a country music radio format since 1977. The station's studios and offices are on Rockville Pike in Rockville, Maryland, and its transmitter is on Tower Street in Falls Church, Virginia. WMZQ-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 50,000 watts, the maximum power for radio stations in the Washington area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTPA-FM</span> Radio station in Pennsylvania, United States

WTPA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a classic rock format. Its broadcast tower is located on Reesers Summit in Fairview Township, York County, at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIVK-FM</span> Radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee

WIVK-FM is a commercial radio station in Knoxville, Tennessee. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country music radio format known as "107.7 WIVK {wih-vik}" The studios and offices are on Old Kingston Pike in the Sequoyah Hills section of West Knoxville. On weekends, it carries the nationally syndicated American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks, along with University of Tennessee Volunteers football games in the fall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVNN-FM</span> Radio station in Trinity, Alabama

WVNN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Trinity, Alabama. Owned by Cumulus Media, it airs a news/talk radio format. WVNN-FM simulcasts WVNN 770 AM, which is licensed to Athens, Alabama. The stations are branded as "NewsTalk 770 AM/92.5 FM WVNN". The studios and offices are in Athens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KYCH-FM</span> Radio station in Portland, Oregon

KYCH-FM is a commercial radio station in Portland, Oregon. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an adult hits radio format branded as "97.1 Charlie FM." KYCH-FM plays a fairly wide mix of music, mostly from the rock and pop genres, from the 1960s to today; much of the playlist is made up of modern rock and classic rock from the MTV music video era of the 1980s and 1990s. From mid-November through December 25 Charlie plays exclusively Christmas music. The station does not have disc jockeys, instead playing amusing or ironic messages after every three or four songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KWPN (AM)</span> Sports radio station in Oklahoma City

KWPN is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Moore, Oklahoma, and serving the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a sports format. While Cumulus owns three sports stations in Oklahoma City, WWLS-FM and WKY have mostly local shows on weekdays, while KWPN carries mostly syndicated programming from ESPN Radio. The studios and offices are on NW 64th Street in Northwest Oklahoma City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRVV</span> Radio station in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

WRVV is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts a classic rock format. The station's studios and offices are located at 600 Corporate Circle in Harrisburg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIIM-FM</span> Radio station in Tucson, Arizona

KIIM-FM is a commercial radio station in Tucson, Arizona. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music radio format. Studios and offices are located on Oracle Road in North Tucson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAAL</span> Radio station in Binghamton, New York

WAAL is a commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station in the Binghamton metropolitan area. It is an affiliate of the New York Giants Radio Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKI</span> Radio station in Brookfield–New Haven, Connecticut

WRKI is a commercial radio station licensed to Brookfield, Connecticut, serving Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut. From its tower at more than 1200 feet above sea level WRKI's 29,500-watt signal can be heard in such large Connecticut cities as Bridgeport, Danbury, Stamford and New Haven.

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

WBRW is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Blacksburg, Virginia, and serving the New River Valley and part of the Roanoke metropolitan area. It broadcasts an active rock radio format known as "The Bear." It is owned by Monticello Media LLC, with radio studios and offices on Lee Highway in Radford. WBRW carries the nationally syndicated drive time show, Rover's Morning Glory from WMMS Cleveland. It also carries Virginia Tech Hokies football games.

WJIM is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a talk radio format. It is also the flagship station of the Michigan Talk Network. Studios and offices are on Pinetree Road in Lansing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIOV-FM</span> Radio station in Ephrata, Pennsylvania

WIOV-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Ephrata, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Radio License Holding CBC LLC, a part of Cumulus Media, and broadcasts a country music radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on South Reading Road, along PA 272, at Rothsville Road in Ephrata. The station's broadcast tower is located off Tower Road near Ephrata at.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEEX</span> Radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania

WEEX is a radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania, owned by Cumulus Media through licensee Radio License Holding CBC, LLC. The station airs a sports radio format branded as "Fox Sports Lehigh Valley", carrying the Fox Sports Radio network. It is also the flagship radio station for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs minor league baseball team and Lehigh University Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDEN-FM</span> Radio station in Macon, Georgia

WDEN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Macon, Georgia. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and the broadcast license is held by Cumulus Licensing, LLC. WDEN airs a country music radio format. The studios and offices are on Mulberry Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZNS</span> Radio station in Fort Walton Beach, Florida

WZNS is a radio station serving the Fort Walton Beach, Florida area with a top 40 (CHR) format. This station is under ownership of Cumulus Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFTW</span> Radio station in Fort Walton Beach, Florida

WFTW is a commercial radio station in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, serving the Emerald Coast. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a news/talk format. The radio studios and offices are on Hollywood Boulevard NW in Fort Walton Beach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJBC-FM</span> Radio station in Pontiac, Illinois

WJBC-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Pontiac, Illinois, in the Bloomington-Normal radio market. It is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts a country radio format, calling itself "93.7 Nash Icon." The transmitter is on County Road 3200 North in Weston, Illinois.

References

30°24′51″N86°37′40″W / 30.414083°N 86.627722°W / 30.414083; -86.627722