WKLB-FM
| File:WKLB.png | |
| Broadcast area | Lowell/Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 99.5 (MHz) |
| Branding | Country 99.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Country music |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Greater Media |
| History | |
First air date | 1947 (as WLLH-FM) |
Call sign meaning | The Country KLuB (referring to a WKLB slogan while the format was on 105.7) |
| Links | |
| Website | www.wklb.com |
WKLB-FM is a radio station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts. It broadcasts on 99.5 MHz. It currently has a country music radio format. It is known as "Country 99.5 WKLB".
History
99.5 started out in 1947 as WLLH-FM, the FM counterpart to WLLH, programming a full-service format to the Merrimack Valley.
During the 1970s, 99.5 became WSSH (for "Wish 99.5"), which programmed a format of chiefly soft instrumental renditions of pop tunes with a few vocalists an hour, consisting of soft AC and standards cuts. In 1982 WSSH, evolved to a soft AC format gradually eliminating the instrumental renditions and became home to popular nighttime radio personality Delilah before she became nationally syndicated. Ratings were very high through the 80's and WSSH often led other AC stations. By then, the station was seperated from WLLH, but later gained a sister station on 1510 (now WWZN).
However, WSSH struggled from poor ratings in the early 1990s, largely in part to its image of being an elevator music station. During this time period, the station modified their soft AC format by 1991, adding current product and some up tempo AC tunes, evolving to a mainstream AC format. WSSH became the third place adult contemporary radio station, below WMJX and WVBF (who subsquently became sister stations to 99.5). So, in 1995, the owner of WSSH, Granum Communications, changed the format to smooth jazz, under the branding of WOAZ ( "99.5 The Oasis"), mirroring Granum's KOAI in Dallas, Texas.
In 1997, Granum sold WOAZ and WBOS to Greater Media, which already owned WMJX, 96.9 (the incarnation of WKLB at that time) and WROR (the former WVBF, and another previous location of WKLB). On August 22, 1997, Greater Media swapped the frequencies of WOAZ and WKLB in a move where the format and personalities of WOAZ moved to 96.9 (but adopting the call sign WSJZ), while WKLB moved to 99.5 and became "Country 99.5 WKLB", where it remains today. Greater Media noted that the move was made as the 99.5 signal is stronger than 96.9 in Essex County, home to many country music listeners.
The station was recently rumored to be spun off as a consequence of a deal where Greater Media will acquire WCRB, with 102.5 adopting the WKLB format and call sign. As of December 2005, no buyer has been found yet.