WXSS
LGBTQ dance music | |
Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
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Ownership | |
Owner |
|
History | |
First air date | January 1, 1961 |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | X represents a kiss, then the "SS" in kiss |
Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 27031 |
Class | B |
ERP | 19,500 watts |
HAAT | 257 meters (843 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°05′49″N 87°54′18″W / 43.097°N 87.905°W |
Translator(s) | HD2: 105.7 W289CB (Milwaukee) |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast |
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Website | (HD2) |
WXSS (103.7
WXSS is a
History
MOR and Progressive Rock (1961-1971)
The station
In March 1969, new owners switched the station's format to
Beautiful Music (1971-1993)
The inexperienced owners lost money with the rock format. In 1971, a new owner adopted a beautiful music format and the WEZW call sign.[3] The EZ stood for "easy listening" music. It played quarter hour sweeps of automated music, mostly instrumental cover versions of popular songs, along with Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.
WEZW was a ratings success for the following two decades. But as the audience aged, more vocals were added to the playlist and some instrumentals were removed from the format.
Adult Contemporary (1993-1995)
In an effort to keep the audience youthful, in 1993 WEZW transitioned to a
WEZW made a change in March 1995 in an effort to leave behind its "Easy Listening" past. It switched its call letters to WAMG and changed its branding to Magic 103.7 with the slogan "Continuous Soft Favorites".
Rhythmic (1996-1998)
WAMG was unable to compete with
The playlist featured
Top 40 (1998-present)
Throughout the mid-1990s, the Milwaukee market was left without a Top 40 station after WLUM-FM dropped its Top 40 format in late-1994. It wasn't until June 19, 1998, when Contemporary Hits made a comeback to the Milwaukee market. WAMG launched its current Top 40 (CHR) format under the call letters WXSS-FM. The station called itself 103.7 KISS-FM.
The first song was "
At Midnight on February 3, 2003, the station tweaked its playlist to
Competition
On May 28, 2010, WXSS got new competition. WRNW 97.3 FM ditched its 1980s Classic Rock format to go Top 40/CHR.[6] WRNW's parent company iHeartMedia (the former Clear Channel Communications) owns the rights to the "KISS-FM" branding. But when WXSS launched in 1998, Clear Channel was still in the process of acquiring their Milwaukee stations, and the strategy of expanding the KISS-FM branding across Clear Channel's stations nationwide had not yet been implemented. That allowed Entercom to claim the Kiss-FM name in the Milwaukee market. WRNW flipped to All-Sports in November 2018, after eight years and not-so-impressive ratings, as well as failing to overtake WXSS during its run.
On September 7, 2012, WXSS picked up new competition from 106.9
Following changes to Audacy-owned stations nationwide, many of WXSS's
Past personalities on KISS FM
Mornings
The Joe Show with Joe Caruso, Van "The Man" McNeal, and Ginger Jordan was the first morning show when the station signed on. The show later was helmed for a short time by Van and Ginger, after the departure of Caruso. Former KDWB afternoon jock Michael Knight then joined to form Knight In The Morning. Later, Van moved to nights on KISS and Michael and Ginger welcomed former KDWB production director Rahny Taylor as the third host and executive producer. Later, when Rahny and Michael were moved to clustermate Hot A/C WMYX and Ginger departed the station, KISS mornings were handled again by Van McNeal, this time with KISS production assistant Tony Zamboni as co-host. Just months later, Van moved to afternoon drive on KISS and Rahny Taylor returned to KISS FM, along with former KISS night and afternoon host Wes McKane, to form the "Wes & Rahny In The Morning". Later, former WIFC FM night jock Alley Faith joined Wes and Rahny, to form "Wes, Rahny, and Alley". In 2013 Rahny departed the station for K-Love/Air1 in Sacramento. Crosstown WRNW afternoon host, Riggs, replaced him to form "Wes, Riggs & Alley." In late 2015, Wes left Kiss to host mornings on sister station, WMYX. In September 2016, Ryan Gibbons joined the show from KZOK Seattle as full-time "Producer Gibbons". The show was then known as simply "Riggs and Alley". In October 2022, Riggs announced plans to depart the station.[10]
Middays
JoJo Martinez held the midday position for about nine of those years. During JoJo's short time away from the station, former Atlanta radio personality and current XM disc jockey PJ held the job. JoJo moved to sister station WMYX in the summer of 2010 and Leigh McNabb, formerly of WLRW, WZOK and WMYX, hosted middays until 2015. In the fall of 2015, current music director, Nathan Graham began hosting middays. In 2018, JMatt became the station's midday host. In 2021, the out-of-market personality Julia began airing in middays.[11]
Afternoons
The station signed on with former Jacksonville and Denver radio personality Greg Tanner in afternoons. Following his exit, former KISS night jock and current morning host Wes McKane held down PM drive. After Wes left to do nights at KDWB in the Twin Cities, Mat Mitchell, formerly nights at Mix 93.3 in Kansas City, held down afternoons. When Mat left to do mornings at Channel 963 in Wichita, then night host Van McNeal did afternoons. Van later left to do the same shift on sister station WMYX, which opened the door for Kraig Karson, the station's first night host, to do afternoons. In 2022, the out-of-market personality Josh "Bru" Brubaker began airing in afternoons.[12]
Nights
When KISS signed on, current afternoon jock Kraig Karson served as the first night show host. When Kraig left for afternoons at the now defunct 103.5 The Beat in Chicago, current morning show host Wes McKane became the station's second night jock, coming from a similar role at 95.5 WIFC FM in central Wisconsin. After Wes moved to afternoons, former KDWB jock Zanny K. enter for a very short stint as the night time host. Zanny was followed by Van McNeal, who shifted into nights from mornings. Van's move back to mornings made way for B-Dub, who was inbound from HOT 104 in Mobile, AL. After about one year, B-Dub left for afternoon drive at Q102 in Philly and was replaced by Kracker, a.k.a. Pat Clark, who moved from a similar job at U92 in Salt Lake City. Upon Kracker's departure for mornings in Seattle at KQMV, former KISS part-timer Brett Andrews returned for the night slot, coming from HOT 97 in Las Vegas, where he hosted afternoons. Brett Andrews was the night host until May 2010, when he took another job in Portland, Oregon. After his move, HaZe, who formerly worked at KSLZ St. Louis, took over the night slot at KISS. After Haze left the station in 2011, Michelle McKnight stepped in. She left the station in the spring of 2014 for KTFM in San Antonio. Nathan Graham came to KISS to host nights in the fall of 2014. After segueing up to middays, he was replaced by longtime Milwaukee radio staple, DJ Gee-A. In 2022, the out-of-market personality Sean "Sonic" Leake began airing in evenings.[13]
Overnights
Current overnight host is Z, who also works as Assistant Production Director for Entercom Milwaukee. Previous overnight hosts included Dave Michaels (Currently nights on WRIT-FM), Brett Andrews did fill in overnights in 2002 (Currently Program Director and Morning Show host at WRIT-FM), Jake Evans (Left for WLUM-FM in 2002)
Klub KISS
Klub KISS, created in 2003, is a dance club mixshow featuring most of the songs played in regular rotation in remixed/dance mix form. It was so popular that in 2005 it spawned the 5 O'Clock Traffic Jam and PJ's Party Jam (later renamed Jojo's Party Jam upon Jojo's return to the Midday slot).
Klub KISS is currently produced and hosted by night personality, DJ Gee-A.
HD Radio
The station has two
In the spring of 2019, WXSS-HD3 was launched to carry "The Oasis", an '80s-heavy adult contemporary playlist branded as "Relaxing Radio"; in mid-August 2019, it was switched to the LGBTQ+ network Channel Q.
On October 5, 2020, WXSS-HD2/W289CB dropped the simulcast of WSSP and flipped to urban contemporary, branded as "Hot 105.7".
References
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WXSS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WXSS
- ^ "Billboard". 1971-03-13.
- ^ "WAMG Drops Soft For Rhythmic AC" (PDF). Radio & Records. 1996-09-06. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ "Milwaukee's WAMG Flips To CHR/Pop" (PDF). Radio & Records. p. 14. Retrieved 2023-09-11.
- ^ Ross, Sean (June 10, 2010). "Punch Wars #5 – Milwaukee's New CHR Battle". Radio-Info.com.
- ^ "Saga Gives Milwaukee An Energy Boost" from Radio Insight (September 7, 2012)
- ^ "Pure Oldies 106.9 Debuts In Milwaukee" from Radio Insight (April 1, 2021)
- ^ "The New Audacy CHR Lineups - RadioInsight". 16 July 2021.
- ^ "Riggs to Depart Mornings at 103.7 Kiss-FM Milwaukee - RadioInsight". 31 October 2022.
- ^ "The New Audacy CHR Lineups - RadioInsight". 16 July 2021.
- ^ "The New Audacy CHR Lineups - RadioInsight". 16 July 2021.
- ^ "The New Audacy CHR Lineups - RadioInsight". 16 July 2021.
- ^ Entercom Brings Hip Hop Hot 105.7 To Milwaukee Radioinsight - October 6, 2020
External links
- Official website
- WXSS in the FCC FM station database
- WXSS in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- W289CB in the FCC FM station database
- W289CB at FCCdata.org
- Milwaukee radio: a retrospective