The station first signed on the air as WRC-FM in June 1947; 77 years ago (1947-06). It was launched alongside its television partner, WRC-TV (originally as WNBW). Both were built from the ground up by NBC, which put WRC980 AM on the air 24 years earlier. The call sign represents the name of the parent company, The Radio Corporation of America or RCA. During its early days, WRC-FM simulcast most of WRC's programming with some jazz music also played.
In the late 1960s, FM stations in larger cities were no longer permitted to simulcast most of their programming. FM 93.9 began an automatedbeautiful music format, largely soft instrumental songs played in quarter-hour sweeps. At the same time, 980 WRC was airing a Top 40 format, playing current hits for young listeners. In 1974, 93.9 switched its call letters from WRC-FM to WKYS, standing for "Kiss-FM."
Top 40 and Disco
The transition to what is now WKYS occurred when NBC moved the Top 40 format that was on WRC to the FM station. That was to make way for an all-news format being launched on the AM station. For a short time in 1975, the two stations simulcast Top 40 music as listeners were redirected to 93.9 FM.
Shortly after the simulcast was discontinued, WKYS decided to modify its Top 40 sound. Instead of a blend of rock, pop and R&B hits, all popular on Top 40 stations, management noticed the coming boom in disco music.[5] The FM station became "Disco 93.9."[6]DJs during the disco era included Donnie Simpson, Jack Harris, Stoney Richards, Joe Cipriano, Eddie Edwards, Barry "Reazar" Richards, Bill Bailey, Jeff Leonard, Chuck Davis, Candy Shannon and Max Kinkel.
Urban contemporary
The disco format eventually evolved into the present urban contemporary format as "93.9 Kiss FM." DJ Donnie Simpson became Kiss-FM's program director.[7]
In the mid-1980s, WKYS gained competition from 102.3 WMMJ and 95.5 WPGC-FM. While that caused a setback in its dominance, WKYS did not suffer a huge of a threat to its ratings and audience share. It later began competing with 96.3 WHUR-FM, which converted its jazz format to Urban Adult Contemporary in 1993. (Washington D.C. is one of the few large radio markets to have multiple urban stations on the FM dial for a long time.)
Changes in ownership
When NBC divested all of its radio properties in 1988, WKYS was sold to Albimar Communications. In the 1990s, Albimar ran into financial difficulties. In 1995, the station was sold to Radio One (the original name for current owner Urban One).
In the mid-1990s, WKYS was forced to drop the "Kiss FM" name and changed it to "93.9 WKYS" due to Clear Channel acquiring the rights to the KISS-FM branding. Clear Channel chose to enforce its trademark rights nationwide. However, WKYS reintroduced the "Kiss FM" name for a period of time and Clear Channel did not make further claims of legal action. WKYS later retired the "Kiss FM" moniker and simply began calling itself "93.9 WKYS".
Past shows
From 1977 to 1993, WKYS was home to radio and TV personality Donnie Simpson. The station was also once the flagship station of the nationally syndicatedRuss Parr Morning Show. In January 2016, Parr moved to sister station WMMJ to take over after Tom Joyner left. Parr was replaced on WKYS by "The Fam in the Morning". The current wake-up show is "The Morning Hustle."
From 1983 to 1990, Kevin "Slow Jammin" James hosted his "Slow Jam" radio show from 7 p.m. to midnight, on Saturdays and Sundays.[8]
