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| Broadcast area | Jacksonville metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 97.9MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 97.9 KISS FM |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Format | Contemporary hit radio |
| Subchannels | HD2:WFXJ simulcast (Sports) |
| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WQIK-FM,WFXJ,WJBT,WPLA,WSOL-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | August 1965; 60 years ago (1965-08) |
Former call signs |
|
Former frequencies | 97.7MHz (1965–1992) |
Call sign meaning | Kiss Jacksonville |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 67243 |
| Class | C2 |
| ERP | 12,500 watts |
| HAAT | 302 meters (991 ft) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaiHeartRadio) |
| Website | 979kissfm |
WKSL (97.9FM) is acommercial radio stationlicensed toNeptune Beach, Florida, and serving theJacksonville metropolitan area. The station is owned and operated byiHeartMedia, Inc. WKSL airs acontemporary hit radio format. WKSL carries two weekdaysyndicated programs, withElvis Duran and the Morning Show fromWHTZ New York City, and in middays, WKSL carriesOn Air with Ryan Seacrest based atKIIS-FM Los Angeles.
WKSL's studios and offices are located on Belfort Parkway in Jacksonville's Southside neighborhood. Itstransmitter is in the Arlington neighborhood, on Hogan Road nearPottsburg Creek.
WKSL broadcasts in theHD Radio hybrid format. The HD2 subchannel, which is simulcast on sister stationWFXJ, carries asports talk format known as "Fox Sports Jacksonville". The HD3 subchannel, which was simulcast on FM translator W300CU (107.9 MHz), formerly carried anurban gospel format known as "Praise 107.9". The HD3 subchannel has since been turned off.
The station was originally licensed toSt. Augustine, Florida as WFOY-FM on 97.7 MHz, simulcastingWFOY. 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, upgrading its power to 50,000 watts. It was sold toPaxson Broadcasting, which switched WUVU to WSTF (the formercall sign what is nowWJRR in Orlando) with anoldies format. On February 2, 1995, it flipped tosmooth jazz as WFSJ-FM.[2]
WFSJ switched formats torhythmic-leaning CHR at 3 p.m. on March 17, 2000, calling itself "97-9 KISS FM".[3] For a short time it used the call sign WGNE-FM. On July 3, 2000, the call letters changed to WFKS.
From 1994 to 2000, the WFKS call sign was used on 99.9 FM inPalatka, as CHR/Hot AC "99.9 Kiss FM". That station becamecountry musicWGNE-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 WKSL's sister station,WQIK-FM.
On July 1, 2011, at Noon, after playing "Just Dance" byLady Gaga featuringColby O'Donis, WFKS launched into a "Flashback Weekend", playing hits that were popular from the station's 10-year existence, including 1990s songs. The station began promoting "The End of Kiss" at 9 a.m. on the 5th. At that time, after playing "Bye Bye Bye" byNSYNC, WFKS relaunched as "Radio NOW 97-9", while tweaking its format to a more mainstream CHR. The first song on "Radio NOW" was "Kryptonite" by3 Doors Down.[4][5] On July 14, WFKS changed its call letters to WNWW to go with the "Radio NOW" branding.
On November 1, 2013, after playing "We Are Young" byFun featuringJanelle Monáe, WNWW returned to the "Kiss" branding as "97-9 KISS FM", relaunching with a similar "Flashback Weekend" to the one that signed off "Kiss" two years prior.[6] For a short time it kept the WNWW call letters. On August 1, 2014, WNWW changed call letters to WKSL which were originally used on sister station WNCB-FM in Raleigh, North Carolina.
30°16′52″N81°34′12″W / 30.281°N 81.570°W /30.281; -81.570