KISS-FM switches to Top 40 format

By Tim Clodfelter | Journal Reporter

Published: May 23, 2009

Radio station WMKS-FM (105.7) has changed formats.

At 5 p.m. yesterday, the station dropped its format of urban adult contemporary music and its "KISS-FM" slogan in favor of a Top 40 format and a new slogan, "Hit Music Now."

This is the station's third format in recent years. Before 105.7 switched to the urban format in 2006, the station was known as WFMX and played country music.

In the first quarter of 2009, WMKS ranked ninth in the Arbitron ratings, well behind rival station WQMG-FM (97.1), which was ranked second. The top-rated station in the market is WJMH-FM, known as 102 JAMZ, which plays R&B and hip-hop.

"Being a third entry into that format, the amount of listeners and advertisers weren't there," said Kim Pyle, the vice president and market manager of Clear Channel Greensboro, which includes WMKS and four other local stations.

"I'm sorry that we're going to be losing some listeners," she said. "You always think very hard about that, but you have to make a business decision as well."

Switching to the Top 40 format puts the station up against only one other station in the market, WKZL-FM (107.5).

In April, WMKS laid off three local on-air personalities. With the format change, WMKS is dropping its syndicated programs starring Steve Harvey, Michael Baisden and Keith Sweat. There is no word if those programs will find another home in the market.

Pyle said she anticipated adding some local on-air talent down the road.

As part of its effort to introduce listeners to its format change, WMKS is broadcasting 10,000 songs in a row without commercials.