WKSF
 |
|
| City | Old Fort, North Carolina |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
Western North Carolina Upstate South Carolina Eastern Tennessee |
| Branding | 99.9 Kiss Country |
| Slogan | Today's Hit Country |
| Frequency | 99.9 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| Translator(s) | 97.7 W249AR (Asheville, relays HD2) |
| First air date | August 1947 (as WLOS-FM) |
| Format |
Country HD2: Adult Hits "97.7 The Brew" |
| ERP | 48,000 watts |
| HAAT | 799 meters |
| Class | C |
| Facility ID | 2947 |
| Callsign meaning | KisS FM |
| Former callsigns | WLOS-FM (1947-1984) WRLX-FM (4/1984-9/1984) |
| Owner |
iHeartMedia, Inc. (Capstar TX LLC) |
| Sister stations | WQNQ, WQNS, WWNC, WPEK, WMXF |
| Webcast |
Listen Live Listen Live (HD2) |
| Website |
99kisscountry.com 977thebrew.com (HD2) |
WKSF ("Kiss Country") is a country music station licensed to serve Old Fort, North Carolina. The iHeartMedia, Inc. station broadcasts from a tower on Mount Pisgah, southwest of Asheville at 99.9 FM with an ERP of 48 kW, and a 6 bay (element) antenna. The tower is shared with former sister station WLOS-TV (ABC) and WUNF-TV (PBS).
This station originally launched by Skyway Broadcasting Corporation in 1947 as WLOS-FM, and simulcasted its AM sister station (today's WKJV) before adopting an individual format of beautiful music by the mid-1960s. Skyway sold WLOS-AM-FM and its sister TV outlet to Wometco Enterprises in 1958. The station dropped the -FM suffix from its call sign after the sale of the AM station in 1969, remained a Wometco property until 1984. During the mid-1980s, the station was briefly known as WRLX. It was 99.9 KISS-FM playing Top 40-Rock in the mid eighties to early 90s and country since. KISS-FM was most known for its big top-40 days, with many tempo DJs, including John Stevens, Dawn Creasman, Chuck Finley, Brother Bill, GT, Radar and Pat Garrett. It was quite common for "Kiss" to pull huge ratings at that time. A 30 share was very common.
When the station was acquired by Osborn Communications in 1993, the station flipped format from Top 40 Pop to Country April 2, 1994. The Mid-Day talent and Music Director at the time, Nikki Thomas, was a holdover from the Top 40 station and was instrumental in the flip to country. Thomas and then Overnight host Eddie Foxx were the only two staffers that remained after the flip. Scott McKay, Bill Kachur, Todd-Zilla and JJ Cook left the station. The station stunted with a non-stop 30-hour broadcast with Thomas that culminated at a Vince Gill concert at the Asheville Civic Center. Thomas took the stage with WWNC's Frank Byrd and together they introduced the New KISS Country to the sold out crowd. Bruce Buchanan was named PD and morning man during the first rating period which started the day of the format change. In spite of no promotion monies the ARB debut was 31.6 18-34, and 17.9 12+.
The initial plan was to just run music with sweeps between the songs until a full staff could be pulled together, but after the incredible response at the Vince Gill concert, Osborn rethought their plan and had Thomas to hit the air the following Monday in Afternoon Drive. Nikki Thomas was moved to mornings, after Buchanan was terminated a few hours before the ARB numbers were released,as the lead host on the show in 1994 with WTQR and WQYK's, Dale Mitchell and Steve Lewis who came from Denver's KYGO and upon his return, was paired with Chuck Finley.
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