WKSL

WKSL (97.9 FM), also known as 97.9 Kiss-FM, is a commercial radio station located in Neptune Beach, Florida, broadcasting to the Jacksonville, Florida area on 97.9 FM. WKSL airs a Top 40 music format branded as "Kiss-FM", a brand name used on most sister iHeartMedia, Inc. 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 FM/Channel 249 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 FM with 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 from 1993 to 1995. In 1995, it flipped to Smooth Jazz as WFSJ-FM.

WFSJ to WFKS

WFSJ flipped formats to Rhythmic-leaning CHR at 3:00pm on March 17, 2000 as "97-9 Kiss FM." 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

Radio Now logo from 2011–2013

On July 1, 2011, at Noon, after playing "Just Dance" by Lady Gaga, Kiss FM launched into a "Flashback Weekend" playing hits that were popular from the station's 10-year existence, including 1990's songs, promoting "the end of Kiss" on the 5th at 9am. On that day, after playing the official last song on "KISS-FM", Bye Bye Bye by *Nsync, WFKS relaunched as "Radio NOW 97-9", with a much more mainstream direction. The first song on "Radio NOW" was "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down. 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, WNWW returned to its original branding as "97.9 Kiss-FM". The station still used the WNWW call letters until 2014 because sister station WFKS in Melbourne, Florida currently uses those calls. Instead, the callsign was changed to WKSL on August 1, 2014.

External links

• 2000 Debut of "97.9 Kiss FM"
• Official Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WKSL
• Radio-Locator information on WKSL
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WKSL
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W295AZ
• Radio-Locator information on W295AZ

Coordinates: 30°16′52″N 81°34′12″W / 30.281°N 81.570°W / 30.281; -81.570