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Coordinates: 40°44′53″N 73°59′10″W / 40.748°N 73.986°W / 40.748; -73.986
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WRKS
File:ESPN Radio New York 98.7 logo.png
Broadcast areaNew York City area
Frequency98.7 (MHz)
(HD Radio)
98.7 HD-2 for ESPN Deportes Radio
98.7 HD-3 for ESPNews
BrandingESPN New York 98.7FM
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsESPN Radio
Ownership
Owner
WEPN
History
First air date
1948 (as WOR-FM)
Former call signs
1948-1972: WOR-FM
1972-1981: WXLO
Call sign meaning
We're An RKO Station
(former owner)
Technical information
Facility ID63781
ClassB
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT415 meters (1,362 ft)
Links
WebsiteESPN New York.com

WRKS (98.7 MHz) - known by its on-air branding ESPN New York 98.7FM - is an all-sports radio station in New York City, serving as the flagship station of ESPN Radio. It is currently run by ESPN's majority owner The Walt Disney Company under a local marketing agreement with owner Emmis Communications. The station has its studios on the 17th floor at 2 Penn Plaza in Midtown Manhattan, and its broadcast transmitter is located atop the Empire State Building.

Prior to April 30, 2012, WRKS featured an influential urban adult contemporary format as "98.7 Kiss FM," and shared studio facilities with sister station WQHT (97.1 MHz) and former sister station WEMP (101.9 MHz) in New York's West Village neighborhood.

WRKS serves as the flagship station of the New York Knicks, the New York Jets, the New York Rangers and the New York Red Bulls, in addition to Syracuse University men's basketball and football.

As WOR-FM

The WOR-FM logo from the late 1960's.

The 98.7 FM facility in New York City began as WOR-FM in 1948 and was owned by the Bamberger Broadcasting Service, which was a division of R.H. Macy and Company. Like most early FM stations, WOR-FM initially simulcasted AM sister station WOR (710 kHz). Macy's/Bamberger sold the WOR stations (who launched a television station in October 1949) to the General Tire and Rubber Company in 1952. General Tire reorganized its broadcasting division into RKO General in 1957.

In 1965 the Federal Communications Commission ordered AM stations in large markets to end continuous simulcasting on co-owned FM frequencies, a move made to spark development of FM stations as individuals. On July 30, 1966 WOR-FM began running a freeform-based progressive rock format for most of its broadcast day, though the station continued to simulcast WOR radio's Rambling with Gambling morning show for sometime afterwards. Under the leadership of legendary disc jockey Murray "the K" Kaufman, and featuring other notable disc jockeys such as Scott Muni and Rosko, the freeform format was the first of its kind in New York City radio. However, this programming quickly evolved into an Adult Top 40 format by the end of 1967, and Muni and Rosko departed for WNEW-FM (now WWFS) where the progressive format would become a huge success.

Initially, the Top 40-formatted WOR-FM played new songs but in less of a rotation than WABC, which was then New York's big Top 40 station. WOR-FM played more oldies from the 1950s and early '60s than its competitors. Some of their notable early personalities included Bill Brown (who left for WCBS-FM in 1969), Joe McCoy (who would eventually run WCBS-FM for 23 years), Johnny Donovan (who would go to WABC in 1972), Tommy Edwards, and Al Brady (who would program WABC in 1979) among others. As time progressed, WOR-FM played too many oldies to justify being called a Top 40 station. By 1972 the station eliminated 1950s and early 60s music almost completely, and by 1973 they focused on a playlist spanning 1964 to the then-present.

As WXLO

File:WXLO 99X radio logo.jpg
The 99X logo used from the 1970's.

On October 23, 1972, RKO General changed the station's call letters to WXLO and starting in April 1974 became known as "99X," a reference to the WXLO frequency's close proximity on the FM dial to 99 Mhz. This was a version of what was known as the "Q" format, so named because it was modeled after station KCBQ in San Diego. The format featured a very tight playlist, often just 10-15 currents, with a heavy emphasis on constant contests and promotions. Still, it was considered Adult Top 40, similar to what WNBC evolved to. WXLO held on to this Adult Top 40 format and the "99X" moniker until 1980, when it became "FM 99." This iteration had decent ratings for a while, but by 1981, the ratings fell dramatically. RKO General phased out the Top 40 format, and brought in new Program Director Don Kelly from successful sister soft adult contemporary WFYR in Chicago in an attempt to duplicate that format's success on WXLO. The station at first attempted a call letter change back to WOR-FM, but an FCC challenge from competing crosstown WRFM (now WWPR-FM) prevented the call letter change from happening. Still, Kelly attempted to make the station the same soft adult contemporary format he had in Chicago. These changes did not gain any new listeners for WXLO, and ratings sank even lower. Later, Kelly adjusted the music and very slowly and gradually began mixing more disco and soul into the format. In the Fall of 1980.Kelly, in counseltation with RKO General, decided to go after WBLS-FM's urban audience by bringing in new music director Barry Mayo. Mayo shortly before his arrival, suggested a new format for the station to Kelly and then-general manager Lee S. Simonson after he received a surprising lambasting from his idol, WBLS Program Director Frankie Crocker (who would later become his rival). Mayo would later become WXLO's Program Director when Kelly left to start his own consultancy.

By May 1981, WXLO was nearly all rhythmic, playing almost all disco, soul, and rhythmic-friendly pop. Almost all the rock and AC crossovers were gone. By today's standards, this station would be called "Rhythmic CHR", but that term did not exist back in 1981. Therefore, the station was classified as "Urban Contemporary" (which today would be considered as a strictly R&B-type format whether Rap or Soul).

WXLO once held an all-Elton John weekend. Listeners had to count how many Elton songs were played and win his Greatest Hits Vol. 1 album. Another weekend they held a "No Bee Gees" weekend, where they asked their listeners to request Bee Gee songs that they didn't want played. "I'll be sure to not get that on the air for you" a DJ said on that weekend.

The WXLO call sign now belongs to a station in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, chosen in tribute by station management.

As WRKS-FM (urban music years)

File:WRKS-FM 2007 radio logo.png
Kiss FM Logo

In June 1981, the station was known on-air as "FM 99 WXLO making its move to 98.7". By the end of the month, the station's call letters changed to WRKS-FM (the meaning of which originally referred to its being an RKO Station) and the station was called "98.7 Kiss FM", as the station's transition to this new urban contemporary format was completed by that August. Early on, Kiss-FM played a great deal of R&B and dance music, and became an almost instant hit with listeners, as its ratings skyrocketed from 22nd place to third. Notable Kiss FM Mixmasters at the time were Shep Pettibone and the Latin Rascals, who relied heavily on freestyle music. Longtime urban contemporary leader WBLS was caught off-guard by the sudden rise of the new station, which represented its first direct competition in that format.

WRKS logo from 1981 to 1994

Around mid-1983, Kiss-FM approached Afrika Bambaataa about an underground rap music show. He liked the idea and appointed DJ Jazzy Jay, a fellow member of Zulu Nation. He then passed the gig on to his cousin, DJ Red Alert. In Fall 1983, Kiss FM became the first station in the United States to play rap regularly. Also in 1983, non-R&B dance music and disco were phased out, as the station played strictly music catering only to an African-American audience. WBLS responded by hiring Mr. Magic to conduct a weekend rap show, which helped WBLS reach number-three in the ratings that year, beating out Kiss FM.

By 1984, the station had promoted Barry Mayo as the first black general manager in the RKO radio chain. Kiss FM would incorporate rap artists such as Kurtis Blow, Run DMC, the Fat Boys, Newcleus, and LL Cool J into the same rotation as such established acts as Ashford & Simpson, Kool and the Gang, and Gladys Knight. In 1986, Emmis Broadcasting launched WQHT-FM, which had a huge emphasis on dance music. Kiss FM and rival WBLS then each added more dance music to their playlists again. In 1988, Mayo left to organize a new broadcasting company with Lee S. Simonson and Bill Pearson, and RKO appointed Charles Warfield (former general manager of WBLS) as the new general manager of Kiss FM. During his tenure, the station reached first place for six years.

By the late 1980s, however, RKO General was forced out of the broadcasting business when the FCC began revoking its licenses to its stations in New York, Boston and Los Angeles because of gross misconduct by its corporate parent, the General Tire and Rubber Company and by RKO General's lack of candor with the FCC about its corporate parent.[1] RKO General—having been stripped in 1980 of its license to WNAC-TV in Boston[2] -- owned three stations in New York that would be sold to different companies. In 1987, WOR-TV would be sold to MCA (and renamed WWOR-TV). On June 26, 1989, RKO sold Kiss FM to the Summit Communications Group of Atlanta. Around the same time as Kiss FM's sale, WOR was sold to Buckley Broadcasting. Several radio stations in other radio markets began to use the moniker "Kiss FM" name as well as the format or a different one. (In the case of WRKS, the branding was grandfathered even as Clear Channel Radio trademarked "Kiss FM" for its use on its mainstream top 40 pop stations in the late 1990's.) For years Kiss FM was number one on the Arbitron ratings due to its hip hop-influenced format. That same year, WBLS lured on-air personality Mike Love (formerly of the original Kiss Wake-Up Club) to their morning drive time. Kiss immediately formulated a new morning show featuring Ken Webb and Jeff Foxx along with then-unknown Wendy Williams. The show became a hit.

In 1994, WQHT-FM ("Hot 97") changed formats from dance music to strictly rap, thus competing directly with Kiss FM. The station responded by adding Mixmaster shows, producing remixes unheard on other urban stations and formulating a new morning show featuring Wendy Williams. Emmis Broadcasting, which owned Hot 97 agreed to purchase Kiss FM from Summit in December 1994, forming the market's first FM duopoly. Notable DJ's such as Wendy Williams and Red Alert (previously returned to Kiss and now heard on WWPR-FM) moved from Kiss FM to Hot 97, which continued with its new format; Kiss stopped playing rap and focused on an Urban Adult Contemporary (Urban AC) format using the slogan "Smooth R&B and Classic Soul".

In 1999, Kiss FM switched from a classic soul-music format to current R&B. That same year Frankie Crocker (formerly of rival station WBLS) was hired as an announcer and a weekend DJ. The station slowly began to reintroduce rap back on its playlists in 2000. When WWPR-FM was launched in March 2002, the station slightly switched back to classic soul. In 2003, Barry Mayo briefly returned as general manager for Kiss FM, Hot 97 and WQCD-FM.

In the early 2000's, WRKS was the New York home for the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show]] but was soon dropped due to a lack of popularity, although it was brought back in 2011. In 2003, it was the launching pad for the afternoon program hosted by Michael Baisden, which became syndicated to other major radio outlets in January 2005.[3]

In early September 2010, the slogan for the station, "Old School & Today's R&B," changes to "'80s, '90s & Today's R&B" without '70s product.

As ESPN Radio

While WRKS has had a long standing repertoire among listeners in the African American community alongside WBLS, it has suffered an advertising revenue setback in recent years due in part to Arbitron switching from diary keeping to PPM to monitor ratings around 2010, which caused controversy among urban radio advertisers in major markets. An increasing debt load at the corporate level which forced the company to sell 80% of WRXP to Merlin Media was also a major factor for the company entering into negotiations with ESPN for the LMA. In late April 2012, Emmis announced a merger of sorts of WRKS' radio staff with that of WBLS.

The incoming owners of WBLS, YMF Media (which is acquiring the bankrupt Inner City Broadcasting Corporation) also acquired the intellectual property and trademarks of WRKS, as well as the New York City market rights to "Kiss-FM".[4]. ESPN Radio began broadcasting on 98.7 FM on April 30, 2012 under a local marketing agreement with The Walt Disney Company[5], currently simulcasting WEPN (the current ESPN owned-and-operated station) through September 2012, at which time WEPN will end the simulcast to carry ESPN Deportes Radio fulltime.[6][7]

Notable station radio personalities (Kiss-FM era)

References

  1. ^ RKO General, Inc. v. FCC (1981)—II. Invalid Bases of the FCC Decision; III. RKO's Lack of Candor. Retrieved 11/27/06.
  2. ^ RKO General, Inc. v. FCC (1981)—(Intro) Opinion. Retrieved 12/09/06.
  3. ^ http://204.12.126.42/assiwebsites/site409/interior.cfm?itemCategory=39356&siteid=409&priorId=0&CFID=36148756&CFTOKEN=20349512 Farewell to Kiss - Michael Baisden
  4. ^ http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n24588
  5. ^ http://news.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/headline_id=n24584 ESPN Goes FM in New York April 30 on Emmis WRKS - Radio Online
  6. ^ http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/espn_radio_confirms_move_to_fm_Uhp5JffAjjSbZMAedV2PqI ESPN Radio Confirms Move To FM
  7. ^ http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/WRKS-987-FM-Radio-Lease-ESPN-Sports-Talk-Radio-Rivalry-WBLS-1075-Over-149134985.html Format Changes Bring End to NYC Radio Rivalry - NBC New York

40°44′53″N 73°59′10″W / 40.748°N 73.986°W / 40.748; -73.986

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