WKSI-FM

WKSI-FM 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 iHeartCommunications, Inc.[3]

This article is about a radio station. For well-known, seasoned issuer of securities (WKSI), see shelf registration.
WKSI-FM
CityStephens City, Virginia
Broadcast areaNorthern Shenandoah Valley
Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia
Frequency98.3 MHz
(HD Radio)
BrandingKiss 98-3
SloganThe Valley's #1 Hit Music Station
Programming
FormatContemporary Hit Radio[1]
SubchannelsHD2: Classic Country 95-7 (Classic Country)[1]
AffiliationsAce & TJ
On Air with Ryan Seacrest
Ownership
OwneriHeartCommunications, Inc.
(iHM Licenses, LLC)
W239BV, WFQX, WMRE, WUSQ-FM
History
First air date
August 28, 1967[2]
Former call signs
WZFM (1967–1982)
WXVA-FM (1982–2003)
Call sign meaning
play on the word "Kiss"
Technical information
Facility ID26998
ClassA
Power1,750 watts
HAAT188 meters (617 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
39°10′38.0″N 78°15′53.0″W
Translator(s)HD2: 95.7 W239BV (Winchester)
Links
WebcastWKSI-FM Webstream
WebsiteWKSI-FM Online

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 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 late 1995.[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
Main article: W239BV

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]

References
  1. "Arbitron Station Information Profiles". Nielsen Audio/Nielsen Holdings. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 2010 (PDF). ProQuest, LLC/Reed Publishing (Nederland), B.V. 2010. p. D-571. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
  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. "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.
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