Today, some interesting news dropped in New York that ESPN is giving up its 98.7 FM signal in the area to focus on distribution of its biggest programs through its digital platforms and 1050 AM.
So starting on September 1st, 2024, ESPN will no longer exist on FM in the area anymore.
While sports fans might be upset with the decision, this is the perfect opportunity for Black media to pounce, take back the signal that was once theirs for over 30 years and bring back the iconic 98.7 Kiss FM brand.
From 1981 through 2012, 98.7 Kiss FM and 107.5 WBLS were the two Black Top 40 FM stations in the city that were sources of music, news and community and connectivity for Black and Brown communities across the five boroughs.
Kiss was the place where programming director Barry Mayo gave Hip-Hop an on-air launching pad through the likes of early Hip-Hop legends Run DMC, DJ Red Alert, Chuck Chillout and eventually Funk Master Flex. It was where the legendary Kiss Card was introduced and New York After Dark with Yvonne Mobley was born.
While WBLS was the original Black owner, operated and formatted station, Kiss FM flourished in the ratings battle once it put Hip-Hop on air, something WBLS refused to do until it had no choice after getting trounced in the ratings in the 80s and 90s.
Kiss FM continued its domination as Hip-Hop grew, eventually adding nationally syndicated host Tom Joyner in the morning and Michael Baisden in the afternoon. It was a powerhouse station that was the home for Hip-Hop heads and community news and events.
But after 30 years of impact and entertainment, Emmis Communications decided to lease the signal to Disney/ESPN in a multi-year deal for $96 million. And so, on the night of April 29th, 2012, legendary Kiss FM hosts joined ESPN personality and Queens native Stephen A. Smith to bring the legendary Kiss FM to an end and usher in the change in format from urban music to sports at midnight on April 30th.
I stayed up to listen to that final show, for I grew up on Kiss FM from when it first transitioned from rock station WXLO to Black urban contemporary radio station WRKS FM in 1981. I had a Kiss card and I recorded Red Alert almost every Friday night on my Panasonic boombox (and I still have most of those cassette tapes as well). Thanks to Red Alert, Chuck Chillout, Ralph McDaniels and many others who hosted shows on the station, I fell in love with Hip-Hop and R&B.
Then, on April 30th, as the format changed and hosts went from Kiss to WBLS, a part of my childhood died and an era came to an end.
But now is a chance to revive the once-great Kiss FM and make it better than it was before.
With ESPN relinquishing the signal, Black media should come together to purchase the signal from Emmis, which the NY Post estimates to be in the $50 million range.
Audio content continues to be strong, with podcasting, syndication and local programming continuing to attract advertisers and ratings.
That means that the opportunity for success exists, especially with the right type of programming line-up.
Being Black radio doesn’t mean it has to be solely music-focused. Black audiences want to be entertained, informed, educated and inspired by those who understand the community, content, market and news. This is why Karen Hunter has had such success on Sirius XM with Urban View channel 126. She focused on building a community through voices that inform and promote action, regardless of the topic.
This can be the new Kiss FM’s format, a place for the Tri-State’s Black and Brown communities to come together and listen, learn, celebrate and discuss.
Continue reading over at First and Pen.
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