Broadcast area Grand Strand Slogan The Big Station First air date 1990 | Branding 985 Kiss FM Frequency 98.5 MHz | |
City Pawleys Island, South Carolina | ||
WDAI "985 Kiss FM" is an urban contemporary radio station licensed to Pawleys Island, South Carolina and serves the Grand Strand area. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast at 98.5 MHz with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 6,100 watts.
History
98.5 signed on in the early 1990s with an adult contemporary and sports talk format. It became the market's first urban contemporary FM after a couple of years. By 1996, WDAI was the number one station in the market. WDAI dropped to third in Fall 1998 but regained its position in Spring 1999, losing the top spot to WJYR in Fall 1999. The drop in ratings came after a move toward more adult music, with 34-year-old women the target audience, after program director Ernie D. moved to WCMG and Chris Clay replaced him. More rap was added in the 2000s (decade). WDAI leaned more adult after the 2009 debut of Power 100.3, a hip-hop music station also owned by Cumulus Media.
The station aired the Tom Joyner Morning Show for many years. The station went by the name 98.5 Kiss FM and the format was Urban Adult Contemporary with the slogan "Today's Smooth R&B and Soul Music"
In January 2010, Cumulus Media hired a market veteran, Craig Russ, as its new Operations Manager. Personalities on the station included Monique from 10am to 3pm. Michael Baisden aired from 3pm to 7pm. Doug Davis was heard weekends on the station.
In July 2010, WDAI changed from Urban Adult Contemporary to Urban contemporary, replacing a similar format Cumulus had aired on WSEA for a year before switching that station to CHR. WDAI also took the syndicated morning show from WSEA; Rickey Smiley which replaced Tom Joyner In The Morning.