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WDMK

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WDMK
Broadcast areaMetro Detroit
Frequency105.9MHz(HD Radio)
Branding105.9 Kiss-FM
Programming
FormatUrban adult contemporary
SubchannelsHD2:Detroit Praise Network(Urban gospel)
Ownership
Owner
WCSX,WMGC-FM,WRIF
History
First air date
May 26, 1960;64 years ago(1960-05-26)
Former call signs
WDTJ (8/21/98-6/28/05)
WCHB-FM (8/23/96-8/21/98)
WJZZ (3/18/74-8/23/96)
WCHD (5/26/60-3/18/74)
Call signmeaning
WDetroit,Michigan'sKiss-FM
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID4597
ClassB
ERP20,000watts
HAAT221 meters (725 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
42°28′16″N83°12′3″W/ 42.47111°N 83.20083°W/42.47111; -83.20083
Translator(s)
  • HD2:98.3W252BX (Detroit)
  • HD2:99.9W260CB (Detroit)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Listen Live (HD2)
Websitekissdetroit
detroitpraisenetwork(HD2)

WDMK(105.9FM,"105.9 Kiss-FM" ) is acommercialFMradio stationinDetroit, Michigan.Owned byBeasley Broadcast Group,it broadcasts anurban adult contemporaryformat.Thestudiosand offices are on Radio Plaza inFerndale.[2]

The station broadcasts from atowerat 725 feet (221 m) inheight above average terrain(HAAT) with aneffective radiated power(ERP) of 20,000watts.The station'stransmitteris on Greenfield Road south of 10 Mile Road in the Detroit suburb ofOak Park.[3]WDMK broadcasts usingHD Radiotechnology. Its HD-2digital subchannelcarries anurban gospelformat known as "The Detroit Praise Network."That subchannel feeds twoFM translators:98.3W252BXand 99.9W260CBin Detroit.

History

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WDMK previous logo

WCHD

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105.9 FM has always been targeted at Detroit'sAfrican-Americancommunity, with various genres of black music. The stationsigned onthe air on May 26, 1960;64 years ago(1960-05-26).Its originalcall signwasWCHD,asister stationtoR&B-formattedWCHB.WCHB was Detroit's first Black-owned-and-operated radio station, then at 1440 AM (nowWMKM) before moving to 1200 AM (nowWMUZ-AM), now at 1340 AM (present dayWCHB,this station was known as WEXL from 1931-2017). WCHB had been founded by Dr. Wendell Cox and Dr. Haley Bell (hence the WCHB call letters).

WCHD was programmed separately from WCHB, airing aJazzformat. Early jazz announcers on WCHD included Ken Bradley, Jo Ray, and Ed Love (who later hosted a weekend jazz program onpublic radiostationWDET).

Jazz 106

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On March 18, 1974, WCHD changed its call letters toWJZZto emphasize its musical format. The station played a mix of traditional and contemporary jazz along with some soft R&B artists such asSade,Luther VandrossandAnita Baker,becoming a precursor of the format later known assmooth jazz.During the 1980s and early 1990s, WJZZ was one of the nation's most successful commercial jazz outlets and a reporter toRadio and Recordsmagazine's Jazz and later NAC/Contemporary Jazz airplay panels.

By this time, WJZZ and WCHB were owned by Bell Broadcasting. WJZZ was one out of four radio stations in the market (along with WMXD, WMUZ and WRIF) that was used on Barden Cablevision's character generated line-up throughout the 1980s and 1990s (which would later becomeComcast).

105.9 The Beat/105.9 Jamz

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At the end of 1995, WJZZ had gained a competitor in the smooth jazz format, with the formeralbum rockstation WLLZ flipping to the format asWVMV"V98.7" shortly before Christmas 1995. With WVMV taking a more mass-appeal approach to the smooth jazz format by playing more Soft AC and Urban AC vocals, Bell Broadcasting decided to take WJZZ in a different direction.

On August 23, 1996, WJZZ flipped toMainstream Urban.It took theWCHB-FMcall sign and the slogan "105.9 The Beat," in an attempt to go after longtime urban leaderWJLB.Radio Oneacquired WCHB-AM/FM in July 1998, and the following month, WCHB-FM becameWDTJ,"105.9 Jamz." WDTJ aired theRuss Parrmorning showsyndicatedfrom co-ownedWKYSinWashington, D.C."105.9 Jamz" did respectable in the ratings, but could not beat WJLB.

105.9 Kiss FM

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The station's current "Kiss-FM" format originated on 102.7 FM in 1999, where it aired for six years. (It originally transitioned from anadult contemporaryformat.)

On June 26, 2005, at 3 a.m., Radio One made a major change in its Detroit cluster. The company moved the "Old School"rhythmic oldiesformat of WDMK (102.7 FM) to 105.9; 105.9 took on theWDMKcalls and the "Kiss-FM" moniker, as the "Kiss" format was updated to a gold-based Urban AC.Detroit PistonsannouncerJohn Mason(formerly of WJLB), who had done mornings at 102.7, was switched to afternoondrive timeto accommodate the syndicatedTom JoynerMorning Show, on the new "105.9 Kiss-FM." (Joyner was previously heard onClear Channel-ownedWMXD.) The "105.9 Jamz"hip-hop musicformat moved to 102.7, which took on the new call lettersWHTDand the moniker "Hot 102-7."

After WMXD dropped the syndicatedMichael Baisdenshow in late 2009, WDMK added the show for afternoons.

John Mason, WDMK's former afternoon drive personality, left the station in September 2006 and shortly afterward announced that he would be looking to syndicate his own morning show, most likely based at independently owned Detroit urban AC outletWGPR.After Radio One successfully took Mason to court to uphold a non-compete clause, Mason began broadcasting on WGPR. After that station was taken over by Radio One in 2011, Mason hosted early evenings on WCHB. In addition, the station reduced its frequent playing of R&Boldiesby playing more currents and recurrents.

Radio One flips several stations

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In August 2011, WDMK was the only Radio One FM outlet that was not affected by WHTD moving its format to WGPR which Radio One began to operate via alocal marketing agreement(LMA) agreement with the Masons. The switch was made to accommodate the launch of anurban gospelformat onWHTD.In August 2013, following the cancellation of the Michael Baisden show by his distributorCumulus Mediathat March, and the interim of Skip Murphy, WDMK became the Detroit affiliate of TheD.L. Hughleyshow. In February 2014, WDMK moved the Tom Joyner Morning Show to WCHB and allowed John Mason to return to morning drive, adding former WJLBDJCoCo as well.

In April 2018, after a four-year hiatus, WDMK returned to airing theTom Joyner Morning Showafter the cancellation ofMason and CoCo in the Morning.Mason moved to the midday slot, hosting the only locally originating weekday daytime airshift. WDMK carried syndicated programming, Joyner, Hughley, and "Love and R&B" evenings with recording artistAl B. Sure!,in all other dayparts except overnights, which were locallyautomated.Joyner retired in December 2019, with Mason moved back to the morning slot hosting "Mason & Starr" with Angie Starr.

Former logo

Beasley Broadcasting

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On June 10, 2019,Beasley Broadcast Groupannounced that it would acquire WDMK and the threeDetroit Praise Networktranslators for $13.5 million. The purchase made the station a sister to Beasley'sclassic hip-hopoutletWMGC-FM.The stations would continue to carry Urban One's syndicated programming under an agreement with the broadcaster.[4][5]

The sale closed on September 4, 2019. WDMK retained its Urban AC format since the sale, but with a few tweaks during locally originating programming, with many hip-hop titles removed to avoid overlap with WMGC, and placing a greater emphasis on R&B hits and "slow jams" from the 1980s and 1990s.

HD Radio

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WDMK broadcasts usingHD Radiotechnology. In November 2010, the station added an HD2 subchannel with a simulcast of sister station WHTD on its HD2, but this was soon dropped. In September 2011, the HD2 subchannel returned, and began airing a simulcast of then-sister stationWCHB.The HD2 signal was used to feed translator 99.9W260CB.[6]The HD2 sidechannel has continued to feed the 99.9 translator since WCHB was sold to Crawford Broadcasting.

In May 2018, Urban One announced that the company would be selling then-sisterWPZRto theEducational Media Foundation.EMF planned to flip WPZR to theK-LoveContemporary Christiannetwork. In return, EMF would sell three translators to Urban One. At that time, WDMK-HD2 dropped its "Soul 99.9" urban oldies format and began simulcasting WPZR.

On August 9, 2018, the urban gospel format from WPZR officially moved to WDMK-HD2 and rebranded as theDetroit Praise Network,simulcast on three translators: W228CJ (93.5 FM), W252BX (98.3 FM) and W260CB (99.9 FM).[7]On August 30, 2021, W228CJ flipped toFox Sports Radioas "The Roar", and is now fed byWCSX-HD2. In September 2023, WCSX's HD2 sub-channel flipped to "Podcast Radio US", airing an all-podcastsformat. Two months later, W228CJ again flipped, this time to a simulcast of sister stationWMGC-HD2,which airs atropical musicformat called "Playa". Both formats are presented by Beasley in select markets across the country, on translators and HD radio subchannels.[8][9]

References

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  1. ^"Facility Technical Data for WDMK".Licensing and Management System.Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^KissFMDetroit /contact-us
  3. ^Radio-Locator /WDMK
  4. ^"Urban One Sells WDMK (105.9 Kiss FM)/Detroit, Three Translators To Beasley".All Access.Retrieved2019-06-10.
  5. ^"Beasley Acquires WDMK & Three Translators In Detroit; Radio One To End WGPR LMA".RadioInsight.2019-06-10.Retrieved2019-06-10.
  6. ^https://hdradio /station_guides/widget.php?latitude=42.322261810303&longitude=-83.176307678223HD Radio Guide for Detroit
  7. ^"WPZR Completes Rebrand As Detroit Praise Network As EMF Closes On 102.7 Purchase".RadioInsight.2018-08-09.Retrieved2019-06-12.
  8. ^"Brands".BBGI.COM.Retrieved2024-02-22.
  9. ^Venta, Lance (November 15, 2023)."BEASLEY LAUNCHES PLAYA ON AM IN ATLANTA AND HD IN FIVE MARKETS".Radio Insight.Retrieved21 February2024.
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