WLYK

WLYK (102.7 FM) is a radio station in Cape Vincent, New York owned by Border International Broadcasting but managed by Canadian company Rogers Broadcasting under a local marketing agreement. The station airs a Contemporary hit radio format branded as Kiss 102.7 (stylized KiSS 102.7).

Although officially licensed to a community in the United States, the station primarily targets the larger neighboring Canadian market of Kingston, Ontario, and is a member of Nielsen BDS' Canadian Border Stations Airplay panel in Watertown.

The callsign meaning on these stations: WBDR 102.7, WBDI 106.7 and 92.7 WBDB stood for "The Border", which was a contemporary hit radio format as "The Border 102-7, 106-7", also simulcast with 92.7 FM. Both 92.7 and 102.7 FM have since separated into other formats (in 2007 and 2004, respectively), leaving 106.7 FM as the only Border Top 40 station left.

History

The original on-air date of the radio station signal at 102.7 FM was January 23, 1989, as WKGG as a repeater for 103.1 WTOJ Watertown, NY, but with Kingston news. Around 1993-1994 it went silent. In 1997, (aka Big G) Garry MC Colman returned the station to air with a CHR format as "The Border". At the time 106.7 WBDR was AOR. In 1997-98 106.7 started simulcasting 102.7 to serve Watertown,NY After the split of the "Border" simulcast in August 2006, it flipped to country music as "KIX-FM" after Kingston station 96.3 CFMK changed formats from country to Joe-FM.

In December 2007, WBDR began stunting with an all-Christmas music format. This lasted until January 2, 2008, when the station switched to adult standards. The "Kix" country music format moved to CKXC at the same time. On February 26, 2008, WBDR changed their call letters to WLYK.^[1]

In September 2012, WLYK completed the evolution of its format from its former "Timeless Favourites" middle of the road/adult standards sound to mainstream adult contemporary as "Kingston's Lite Hits", and retained the "Lake" moniker. On September 12, 2013 WLYK flipped to Top 40, branded as Kiss 102.7.

Ownership and management

Ownership of Border International Broadcasting is currently divided between four shareholders: U.S. citizens John Clancy and David Mance (34% each), Rogers Broadcasting (20%), and Craig Harris (12%).^[2] Harris also resides in the U.S. but currently lists his citizenship as Canadian.^{[2][nb 1]}

In 2004, 20% of Border International Broadcasting was acquired by a Kingston-based numbered company.^[3] The same company also secured a local marketing agreement to operate the station, which led to WLYK sharing operations with Kingston stations CIKR-FM and (later) CKXC-FM.^[3] In late November 2008, Rogers Broadcasting announced it would acquire the remainder of K-Rock 105.7 Inc., owners of CIKR and CKXC, of which it already owned 25%, pending CRTC approval;^[4] the transaction was completed the following May. Following the transaction, WLYK's website was not updated to follow the standard Rogers radio station template and referred to its operator as simply "The Radio Group"; however it did continue to feature the logos of CIKR and CKXC, and continued to list the same studio address as the Rogers stations.

Rogers ultimately also acquired the Kingston company's interest in the station in February 2011.^[2] WLYK's website has since been updated to indicate Rogers's current management of the station.

Footnotes

References

External links

• KiSS 102.7 WLYK official website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WLYK
• Radio-Locator information on WLYK
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WLYK