WLYK

WLYK (102.7 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Cape Vincent, New York. Owned by Border International Broadcasting and operated by Rogers Radio, a division of Canadian broadcaster Rogers Sports & Media, it broadcasts a CHR/Top 40 radio format branded as KiSS 102.7. Although licensed in the United States, KiSS 102.7 primarily targets the larger neighboring Canadian radio market of Kingston, Ontario, where Rogers owns CKXC-FM and CIKR-FM. It is a member of Nielsen BDS' Canadian Border Stations Airplay panel.

WLYK
CityCape Vincent, New York
Broadcast areaKingston, Ontario
Frequency102.7 MHz (FM)
BrandingKiSS 102.7
Programming
FormatCHR/Top 40
Ownership
OwnerBorder International Broadcasting, Inc.
OperatorRogers Sports & Media
CKXC-FM, CIKR-FM
History
First air date
January 23, 1989 (as WKGG)
Former call signs
WKGG (1989-1997)
WBDR (1997-2006)
WXKK (2006)
WBDR (2006-2008)
Call sign meaning
Sounds like "lake" (former branding)
Technical information
Facility ID8567
ClassA
ERP6,000 watts
HAAT100 meters
Transmitter coordinates
44°06′58″N 76°20′21″W
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitekiss1027.fm

WLYK has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 3,000 watts. The transmitter is on Route 6 at Stone Quarry Road in Cape Vincent, near the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.[1]

History

AC and Country

On January 23, 1989, the station signed on as WKGG. It simulcast the adult contemporary format heard on 103.3 WTOJ in Watertown, but with commercials aimed at listeners in Kingston. In late 1993, the station went silent.

In 1997, Garry MC Colman returned the station to the air. Its call sign was WBDR and it aired a CHR/Top 40 format as The Border. In late 1997, 102.7 started simulcasting on 106.7 to better serve Watertown. After the split of the "Border" simulcast in August 2006, it flipped to country music after Kingston station CFMK-FM changed formats to adult hits, with 106.7 continuing the "Border" format. It began calling itself KIX-FM, using the call letters WKXX.

The Lake and Kiss

In December 2007, the station began stunting with all-Christmas music. This lasted until January 2, 2008, when the station switched to adult standards. The "KIX-FM" country format moved to CKXC-FM at the same time.

On February 26, 2008, WBDR changed its call sign to WLYK.[2] In September 2012, WLYK flipped to adult contemporary music, maintaining its prior branding as The Lake.[3]

On September 12, 2013, WLYK flipped to a CHR/Top 40 format branded as KiSS 102.7, adopting the Kiss branding used by most of Rogers' Top 40/CHR outlets.[4]

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%).[5] Harris also resides in the U.S. but currently lists his citizenship as Canadian.[5][nb 1]

In 2004, 20% of Border International Broadcasting was acquired by a Kingston-based numbered company.[6] 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.[6] 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;[7] 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.[5] WLYK's website has since been updated to indicate Rogers's current management of the station.

WLYK is also not subject to the CRTC's Canadian content requirements for music radio stations, however, they are required to legally identify themselves like any other American-licensed radio station per FCC rules.

Footnotes
  1. This may have been a typo as Harris had indicated U.S. citizenship on past ownership reports.[6]

References
  1. Radio-Locator.com/WLYK
  2. Fybush, Scott (2008-03-03). "This Week's Bloodbath: Citadel". NorthEast Radio Watch.
  3. "WLYK Relaunches As Adult Contemporary". RadioInsight. 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  4. "WLYK Shifts To CHR". RadioInsight. 2013-09-13. Retrieved 2020-03-09.
  5. "FCC Form 323 (Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations) for Border International Broadcasting Inc". Federal Communications Commission. 2011-10-28. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  6. "FCC Form 323 (Ownership Report for Commercial Broadcast Stations) for Border International Broadcasting Inc". Federal Communications Commission. 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
  7. Rogers press release, November 28, 2008
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