WXSS
Encyclopedia
WXSS-FM is a top 40 (CHR)
radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. The station was created and is programmed by Brian Kelly. It is licensed to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
. They are known as "103.7 Kiss FM" and are owned by Entercom, along with WMYX-FM
and WSSP
. KISS FM has taken 3rd place for the past 4 quarters in the Arbitron Ratings for people 12 and over. The station is presently #1 with persons 18-34, women 18-34, and women 25-54.
was WTOS, a reference to its city of license, when it signed on in 1961 with a MOR
format. WTOS later flipped to a country music
format that also featured ethnic programming. In March, 1969, new owners switched the station's format to progressive rock
, going head-to-head with WZMF. The inexperienced owners lost money with the format, and in 1971, a new owner adopted a beautiful music
format and the WEZW call sign. WEZW was a huge ratings success for the following two decades.
As the format
withered away on radio dials across the country during the late 1980s and early 1990s, WEZW tweaked the format in 1993 by adding adult contemporary music with vocals. WEZW made an even more abrupt change in 1995 by changing its calls to WAMG and branding to Magic 103.7 with the slogan "Continuous Soft Favorites". Unable to compete with WLTQ, they flipped to a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
format in September 1996, keeping the Magic branding, but changing the slogan to "Rhythm & Romance".
By the fall of 1996, WAMG tweaked its format to Rhythmic AC, keeping the "Magic" name but changing the slogan to "Rhythm & Romance" The playlist featured rhythmic oldies
, current R&B and Pop/Dance in addition to soft AC. Much of the airstaff was changed, however some features including "Lovesongs" (with a different host) and "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" remained.
format and "103.7 Kiss FM" was born. The station debuted with 10,000 songs in a row without commercials, as many CHR stations have done, and was promoted and followed by a $10,000 giveaway. As the station added personalities, they did several remotes with T-Shirt giveaways. The station was branded as "The All-New, All Hit 103.7 KISS FM" from the time it started until February 2003.
In February 2003, the station tweaked its playlist to Rhythmic CHR and the branding to "103.7 KISS-FM, The #1 Hit Music Station", but by August 2003 the station began tweaking back to mainstream CHR. However by 2009, WXSS has shifted back to a Rhythmic-leaning direction with a heavy emphasis on R&B/hip-hop, dance and rhythmic pop hits while playing only the most popular rock music.
On May 28, 2010 WXSS got new competition when WRNW, ditched its '80s Classic Rock format to go Top 40/CHR. Ironically, WRNW's parent company Clear Channel Communications
also owns the rights to the "KISS-FM
" name.
, WZOK
and WMYX, currently hosts middays.
in afternoons. Following his exit, former KISS night jock and current morning host Wes McKane helmed PM drive. After Wes left to do nights at KDWB in the Twin Cities, Mat Mitchell, formerly nights at Mix93.3 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. Kraig currently hosts afternoons from 2-7pm each weekday.
. After his move HaZe, who formerly worked at KSLZ
St. Louis, took over the night slot at KISS.
All mixshows have been produced by former Production Coordinator/Primary Fill-In & Weekend Jock Will Calder. Despite his leaving the station in early 2009, he still continues to serve as mixshow producer under the JamTraxx "RadioMixes" brand of syndicated programming.
subchannel, which simulcast
s sister sports talk station WSSP
(1250) on WXSS-HD2. That subchannel formerly aired on WXSS-HD3 until August 2011, when it was moved down to replace the standup comedy format of the All Comedy Radio Network upon the expiration of ACRN's contract; that channel had aired since WXSS commenced HD Radio broadcasts.
(100.7 FM) WKKV. Both stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications
.
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. The station was created and is programmed by Brian Kelly. It is licensed to Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa, Wisconsin
Wauwatosa is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States, and was incorporated on May 27, 1897. As of the 2006 census estimate, the city's population was 44,798. Wauwatosa is located immediately west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is a part of the Milwaukee metropolitan area...
. They are known as "103.7 Kiss FM" and are owned by Entercom, along with WMYX-FM
WMYX-FM
WMYX-FM is a Hot AC formatted radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Identifying themselves on the air as "The Mix", WMYX-FM was the first station in the U.S. to use the "Mix" moniker. WMYX-FM has been airing roughly the same format since late 1981. The station is owned by Entercom, along with...
and WSSP
WSSP
WSSP is a Milwaukee-based sports talk station owned by Entercom.The station is the secondary home station for any play-by-play sports coverage on WTMJ-AM which conflicts with another event; for instance the Milwaukee Bucks air on WSSP if a Milwaukee Brewers game airs. If a Green Bay Packers game...
. KISS FM has taken 3rd place for the past 4 quarters in the Arbitron Ratings for people 12 and over. The station is presently #1 with persons 18-34, women 18-34, and women 25-54.
History
The original call signCall sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
was WTOS, a reference to its city of license, when it signed on in 1961 with a MOR
MOR
Mor or MOR may refer to:In publications:* Mathematics of Operations Research, a quarterly publication on the mathematics of operations research.In mechanics:...
format. WTOS later flipped to a country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format that also featured ethnic programming. In March, 1969, new owners switched the station's format to progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
, going head-to-head with WZMF. The inexperienced owners lost money with the format, and in 1971, a new owner adopted a beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format and the WEZW call sign. WEZW was a huge ratings success for the following two decades.
Magic 103.7
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
withered away on radio dials across the country during the late 1980s and early 1990s, WEZW tweaked the format in 1993 by adding adult contemporary music with vocals. WEZW made an even more abrupt change in 1995 by changing its calls to WAMG and branding to Magic 103.7 with the slogan "Continuous Soft Favorites". Unable to compete with WLTQ, they flipped to a Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic Adult Contemporary
Rhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
format in September 1996, keeping the Magic branding, but changing the slogan to "Rhythm & Romance".
By the fall of 1996, WAMG tweaked its format to Rhythmic AC, keeping the "Magic" name but changing the slogan to "Rhythm & Romance" The playlist featured rhythmic oldies
Rhythmic oldies
Rhythmic Oldies is a radio format that concentrates on the rhythmic, disco or dance genres of music. Playlists may span from the 1970s through the early 1990s...
, current R&B and Pop/Dance in addition to soft AC. Much of the airstaff was changed, however some features including "Lovesongs" (with a different host) and "The Sunday Jazz Brunch" remained.
103.7 Kiss FM
On June 19, 1998, the station launched its current CHRContemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format and "103.7 Kiss FM" was born. The station debuted with 10,000 songs in a row without commercials, as many CHR stations have done, and was promoted and followed by a $10,000 giveaway. As the station added personalities, they did several remotes with T-Shirt giveaways. The station was branded as "The All-New, All Hit 103.7 KISS FM" from the time it started until February 2003.
In February 2003, the station tweaked its playlist to Rhythmic CHR and the branding to "103.7 KISS-FM, The #1 Hit Music Station", but by August 2003 the station began tweaking back to mainstream CHR. However by 2009, WXSS has shifted back to a Rhythmic-leaning direction with a heavy emphasis on R&B/hip-hop, dance and rhythmic pop hits while playing only the most popular rock music.
On May 28, 2010 WXSS got new competition when WRNW, ditched its '80s Classic Rock format to go Top 40/CHR. Ironically, WRNW's parent company Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
also owns the rights to the "KISS-FM
KISS-FM (brand)
KISS-FM is the brand name of a Top 40 music format heard on FM radio stations in many cities in the United States . Clear Channel Communications claims ownership of the KISS-FM brand and operates most KISS-FM formatted stations, though not KISS-FM in San Antonio, Texas itself .-Origin and...
" name.
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 the current morning show on the station, "Wes, Rahny, and Alley".Middays
KISS Fm has had only three midday personalities in its 10 years, with JoJo Martinez (also the station's music director) holding the job 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 WLRWWLRW
WLRW is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Champaign, Illinois, USA, the station serves the Champaign, Decatur area. The station is currently owned by Saga Communications of Illinois, LLC and features programing from CNN Radio...
, WZOK
WZOK
WZOK is a radio station serving the Rockford, Illinois area with a Top 40 format. It broadcasts on FM frequency 97.5 MHz and is under ownership of Cumulus Media.-Programming:...
and WMYX, currently hosts middays.
Afternoons
The station signed on with former Jacksonville and Denver radio personality Greg TannerGreg Tanner
Greg Tanner is a Television producer and presenter from London, England. He is most known for fronting basketball programmes and is the editor of FadeAway magazine.-Producing and directing:...
in afternoons. Following his exit, former KISS night jock and current morning host Wes McKane helmed PM drive. After Wes left to do nights at KDWB in the Twin Cities, Mat Mitchell, formerly nights at Mix93.3 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. Kraig currently hosts afternoons from 2-7pm each weekday.
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, WA, 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, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
. After his move HaZe, who formerly worked at KSLZ
KSLZ
KSLZ, "Z107.7", is a Top 40 Mainstream FM radio station in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. The Clear Channel Communications outlet broadcasts at 107.7 MHz with an ERP of 100 kW. Its transmitter is located in Shrewsbury, a suburb of St...
St. Louis, took over the night slot at KISS.
Overnights
Current overnight host is Alex Mason. there have been many overnight hosts throughout the years.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).All mixshows have been produced by former Production Coordinator/Primary Fill-In & Weekend Jock Will Calder. Despite his leaving the station in early 2009, he still continues to serve as mixshow producer under the JamTraxx "RadioMixes" brand of syndicated programming.
HD Radio
The station has one HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
subchannel, which simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
s sister sports talk station WSSP
WSSP
WSSP is a Milwaukee-based sports talk station owned by Entercom.The station is the secondary home station for any play-by-play sports coverage on WTMJ-AM which conflicts with another event; for instance the Milwaukee Bucks air on WSSP if a Milwaukee Brewers game airs. If a Green Bay Packers game...
(1250) on WXSS-HD2. That subchannel formerly aired on WXSS-HD3 until August 2011, when it was moved down to replace the standup comedy format of the All Comedy Radio Network upon the expiration of ACRN's contract; that channel had aired since WXSS commenced HD Radio broadcasts.
Competitors
WXSS's main competitors in Milwaukee are rival Top 40/CHR newcomer (97.3 FM) WRNW and Urban ContemporaryUrban contemporary
Urban contemporary is a music radio format. The term was coined by the late New York DJ Frankie Crocker in the mid 1970s. Urban contemporary radio stations feature a playlist made up entirely of hip hop/rap, contemporary R&B, pop, electronica such as dubstep and drum and bass and Caribbean music...
(100.7 FM) WKKV. Both stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
.