City Cape Vincent, New York Branding Kiss 102.7 | Broadcast area Kingston, Ontario Frequency 102.7 MHz | |
Slogan Kingston's #1 Hit Music Station First air date January 23, 1989 (as WKGG) | ||
WLYK (102.7 FM) is a radio station licensed to Cape Vincent, New York. Owned by Border International Broadcasting and operated by Rogers Radio, a division of Canadian broadcaster Rogers Media, it broadcasts a contemporary hit radio format branded as Kiss 102.7. Although officially licensed to a community in the United States, the station primarily targets the larger neighboring Canadian market of Kingston, Ontario (where Rogers owns CKXC-FM and CIKR-FM), and is a member of Nielsen BDS' Canadian Border Stations Airplay panel in Watertown.
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History
WLYK signed on January 23, 1989, as WKGG, a repeater for WTOJ in Watertown, but with a Kingston focus. In late 1993, the station went silent. In 1997, Garry MC Colman returned the station to air with a CHR format as "The Border". In late 1997, 102.7 started simulcasting on 106.7 FM to better serve Watertown. After the split of the "Border" simulcast in August 2006, it flipped to country music as "KIX-FM" after Kingston station CFMK-FM changed formats from country to adult hits, with 106.7 continuing the "Border" format.
In December 2007, WBDR began stunting with all-Christmas music. This lasted until January 2, 2008, when the station switched to adult standards. The "Kix" country music format moved to CKXC-FM at the same time. On February 26, 2008, WBDR changed their call letters to WLYK.
In September 2012, WLYK completed the evolution of its format from its former "Timeless Favourites" middle of the road/adult standards sound to mainstream adult contemporary as "Kingston's Lite Hits", and retained the "Lake" moniker. On September 12, 2013, WLYK flipped to a contemporary hit radio format branded as Kiss 102.7, using the Kiss branding adopted by most of Rogers' CHR outlets.
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%). Harris also resides in the U.S. but currently lists his citizenship as Canadian.
In 2004, 20% of Border International Broadcasting was acquired by a Kingston-based numbered company. 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. 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; 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. WLYK's website has since been updated to indicate Rogers's current management of the station.