WJKS (FM)

WJKS (104.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in the Champlain Valley of northern New England in the United States. WJKS broadcasts a country music radio format.

"Oldies 104.3" redirects here. For the Detroit radio station formerly known as Oldies 104.3, see WOMC.
WJKS
CityKeeseville, New York
Broadcast areaChamplain Valley
Frequency104.3 MHz
BrandingFroggy 104.3 & 100.9
SloganVermont's Country Superstation
Programming
FormatCountry (WWFY simulcast)
Ownership
OwnerJeffrey D. Shapiro
(Great Eastern Radio, LLC)
WWFY
History
First air date
March 15, 1992 (as WGLV)[1]
Former call signs
WVFA (1991)
WGLV (1991–2000)
WWOD (2000–2012)
WMXR (2012–2013)
WMVY (2013–2014)
WECM (2014-2015)[2]
Call sign meaning
W J KisS (previous format)
Technical information
Facility ID20606
ClassC3
ERP25,000 watts
HAAT88 meters (289 ft)
Links
Websitefroggy1009.com

In 2008, the station was granted a U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit to change its city of license from Hartford, Vermont to Keeseville, New York, increasing its effective radiated power (ERP) to 25,000 watts and decreasing its tower's height above average terrain (HAAT) to 88 meters/289 feet, using a directional antenna located in Au Sable, New York. WJKS serves the Burlington-Plattsburgh media market.

History
WWOD's logo from 2004 through 2012

Before it went on the air, the station first took the call sign WVFA on May 3, 1991 and changed to WGLV on June 14, 1991. It officially launched on March 15, 1992 with a religious format in Hartford, Vermont. On October 11, 2000, the station launched its WWOD call letters and changed its format to oldies as "Oldies 104.3". On May 22, 2012, WWOD, along with 28 other Nassau Broadcasting stations in Northern New England, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by Carlisle Capital Corporation, a company controlled by Bill Binnie (owner of WBIN-TV in Derry). WWOD and 11 of the other stations, were then acquire by Vertical Capital Partners, controlled by Jeff Shapiro. As this would put Shapiro over the Federal Communications Commission's ownership limits in the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction market, WWOD and WEXP were acquired by Electromagnetic Company, a company controlled by William and Gail Goddard.[3][4][5] This transaction was consummated on November 30, 2012, with the WWOD/WEXP portion of the purchase valued at $600,000.

On November 30, 2012, WWOD went silent and swapped call signs with WMXR Woodstock, Vt.[6] On July 9, 2013, the call letters were again changed, to WMVY.[7] WMVY returned to the air on October 30, 2013, still operating from the Hartford facility.[8] The call letters became WECM on June 9, 2014.[7]

On November 10, 2014, WECM began transmitting from its new Keeseville facilities stunting with Christmas music, branded as "Ho Ho 104". After the holiday season, the station continued to run the stunt.

Electromagnetic Company sold WECM to Jeffrey D. Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio, LLC in a transaction that was consummated on March 23, 2015. Electromagnetic received a 6.4% equity interest in Great Eastern Radio (valued at $250,000) in exchange.

On June 15, 2015 at Noon, after seven months of stunting, the station finally flipped to classic hip hop as "Kiss 104.3", with the new call sign WJKS.[9]

On June 15, 2020, WJKS changed their format from classic hip hop to a simulcast of country-formatted WWFY 100.9 FM Berlin, Vermont, branded as "Froggy 104.3 & 100.9".[10]

On-air staff

Oldies 104.3 used to broadcast oldies music with the following "Oldies Jox":

  • Shep Sutton
  • Art Steinberg
  • Leon Strong
  • Brett Adams
  • Matt Ryan
  • Tracy Thomas
  • Traci Fulton
  • Ken Webbley

Former staff
  • Warren Bailey
  • Ted Bilodeau
  • Heath Cole
  • Chris Garrett
  • Dru Johnson
  • Pauline Robbins
  • Parker Springfield
  • Kenn Hayes
  • Ronnie Lodge
  • Rick Watts
  • RJ Crowley
  • Gary James
  • Doug Welldon

Oldies 104.3 used to broadcast oldies and the following programs:

  • The Get Up & Go Morning Show
  • Middays With Art Steinberg
  • Top 4 at 4 w/Leon Strong
  • The Ride Home Reunion w/ Leon Strong
  • Brett Adams with Night Time Oldies

References
  1. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2010/D4-2010-BC-YB-7.pdf
  2. http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=20606&Callsign=WJKS
  3. "Carlisle Capital Corp. Wins Bidding For Rest Of Nassau Stations". All Access. May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  4. Venta, Lance (May 22, 2012). "Nassau Broadcasting Auction Results". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 16, 2012. (updated June 14, 2012)
  5. "Jeff Shapiro spins off two former Nassau FMs to "Electromagnetic"". Radio-Info.com. June 15, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  6. http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/79804/northern-new-england-change-rundown/
  7. "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  8. "Resumption of Operations". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
  9. Classic Hip Hop Kisses Vermont Radioinsight - June 15, 2015
  10. Kiss Classic Hip-Hop Away As Country Simulcast Moves Onto WJKS Radioinsight - June 15, 2020

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