WUKS

Infobox Radio station
name = WUKS


city = St. Pauls, North Carolina
area = Fayetteville, North Carolina
branding = Kiss 107.7
slogan = Smooth R&B and Classic Soul
airdate = 1997
frequency = 107.7 MHz
format = Urban Adult Contemporary
power = 5,200 watts
haat = 200 meters
class = C3
facility_id = 39239
coordinates = coord|34|52|17|N|79|08|49|W|type:landmark
callsign_meaning =
former_callsigns =
owner = Beasley Broadcast Group
licensee =
sister_stations = WAZZ, WFLB, WKML, WZFX
webcast = [http://www.kiss1077.com/tunerad.php listen live]
website = [http://www.kiss1077.com www.kiss1077.com]
affiliations = ABC Radio

WUKS (107.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Urban Adult Contemporary format. [ cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WUKS |title=WUKS Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division ] Licensed to St. Pauls, North Carolina, USA, the station serves the Fayetteville area. The station is currently owned by Beasley Broadcast Group and features programing from ABC Radio . [ cite web|url=http://www.arbitron.com|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron ]

History

On October 14, 1994, Lumbee Regional Development Association, owner of gospel station WYRU in Red Springs, added a 6500-watt FM station called WLRD. With 100,000-watt WZFX the only urban contemporary station in the Fayetteville market since 1990, "The Flava" would play the hottest new artists mixed with old school. [Michael Futch, "'David and Goliath' Do Battle on the Airwaves," "The Fayetteville Observer", October 14, 1994.]

By Spring 1997, WLRD ranked third, behind WZFX and WKML, in the Arbitron ratings. Later that year, Beasley Broadcasting purchased WYRU and WLRD from Lumbee Regional Development Association for about $1.2 million. The company had also purchased WZFX, and briefly aired that station's programming on WLRD. [Michael Futch, "Beasley Group Buys 2 More Stations," "The Fayetteville Observer", July 31, 1997.]

On August 11, WLRD became Kiss 107.7, playing a more adult version of urban contemporary known as "The Touch," with artists such as Al Green, Whitney Houston, Patti Labelle, and Earth, Wind and Fire. [Michael Futch, "Format Change Gives WLRD, 'Kiss 107.7,' a Woman's Touch," "The Fayetteville Observer", August 24, 1997.] The station changed its call letters to WUKS, increased its power to 25,000 watts, and added Tom Joyner in the mornings. Later, Kiss added live DJs and, for a while, moved more in an adult contemporary direction with George Michael, Dave Koz, The Temptations, Bobby Womack, The Chi-Lites, Babyface, and Kenny G. [Michael Futch, "Kiss Makes Its Niche with Love Songs," "The Fayetteville Observer" May 21, 2000.]

References

External links

*FMQ|WUKS
*FML|WUKS
*FMARB|WUKS