WKSL
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (February 2013) |
| File:97.9 KISS Jacksonville.jpg | |
| Broadcast area | Jacksonville metropolitan area |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 97.9 MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 97-9 KISS FM |
| Programming | |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) HD2: Active rock "97.3 Planet Radio" |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | August 1965 (as WFOY-FM at 97.7) |
Former call signs | WFOY-FM (1965-1984) WUVU (1984-1992) WSTF (1992-1995) WFSJ-FM (1995-2000) WFKS (2000-2011) WNWW (2011-2013) |
Former frequencies | 97.7 MHz (1965-1992) |
Call sign meaning | W KisS JacksonviLle |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 67243 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 12,500 watts |
| HAAT | 302 meters (991 ft) |
| Translator(s) | 97.3 W247CF (Orange Park, relays HD2) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live Listen Live (HD2) |
| Website | 979kissfm.iheart.com 973planetradio.iheart.com (HD2) |
WKSL (97.9 MHz) is a commercial radio station located in Neptune Beach, Florida, broadcasting to the Jacksonville, Florida area on 97.9 FM. The station is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. WKSL airs a Top 40 music format branded as "KISS FM", a brand name used on most of its sister Top 40/Pop stations. The station's studios are located on Central Parkway in Jacksonville's Southside section, and the transmitter is in the Arlington section.
History
Early history
The station was originally licensed to St. Augustine, Florida as WFOY-FM on 97.7 MHz simulcasting WFOY. In 1984, Shull Broadcasting bought WFOY-AM-FM and changed the FM to Hot AC WUVU "The View 97.7." In 1992, WUVU moved to 97.9 MHz, upgraded its power to 50 kW, and was sold to Paxson Broadcasting, which switched WUVU to WSTF (the former calls of what is now WJRR in Orlando) with an oldies format. On February 2, 1995, it flipped to Smooth Jazz as WFSJ-FM.[1]
WFKS "97.9 KISS FM"
WFSJ flipped formats to Rhythmic-leaning CHR at 3 p.m. on March 17, 2000 as "97-9 KISS FM."[2] For a short time it used the calls WGNE-FM. On July 3, 2000, the call letters changed to WFKS.
From 1994 to 2000, the WFKS calls were used on 99.9 FM in Palatka, as CHR/Hot AC "99.9 Kiss FM." That station became country WGNE-FM in 2000 and was moved into the Jacksonville market by Renda Broadcasting in May 2005. It is now "99.9 Gator Country," competing with the current WKSL-FM's sister station, WQIK-FM.
Radio Now 97.9
On July 1, 2011, at Noon, after playing "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, WFKS launched into a "Flashback Weekend", playing hits that were popular from the station's 10-year existence, including 1990s songs, promoting "the end of Kiss" at 9 a.m. on the 5th. At that time, after playing Bye Bye Bye by *Nsync, WFKS relaunched as "Radio NOW 97-9", while tweaking its format to a more mainstream CHR. The first song on "Radio NOW" was "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down.[3][4] On July 14, WFKS changed their call letters to WNWW to go with the "Radio NOW" branding.
Return to "KISS FM"
On November 1, 2013, after playing "We Are Young" by Fun, WNWW returned to its previous branding as "97.9 KISS FM".[5] The station still used the WNWW callsign until 2014 because sister station WFKS in Melbourne, Florida currently uses those calls. Instead, the callsign was changed to WKSL on August 1, 2014.
References
External links
- Official Website
- 2000 Debut of "97.9 KISS FM"
- Facility details for Facility ID WKSL ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Template:FMQ
- W247CF at FCCdata.org