Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 6, 2026

WKSE

WKSE branded Kiss 98.5, is a commercial radio station licensed to Niagara Falls, New York, and serving the Buffalo metropolitan area. It airs a contemporary hit radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station's studios are located on Corporate Parkway in Amherst, New York.

Last revised
Jul 6, 2026
Read time
≈ 3 min
Length
613 w
Citations
9
Source
Wikipedia ↗
WKSE
Broadcast area
Western New York
Frequency98.5 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingKiss 98.5
Programming
LanguageEnglish
FormatContemporary hit radio
Subchannels
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
January 1, 1946 (1946-01-01)
Former call signs
  • WHLD-FM (1946–1980)
  • WZIR (1980–1984)
  • WRXT (1984–1985)
Call sign meaning
"Kiss"
Technical information1
Licensing authority
FCC
34384
ClassB
ERP46,000 watts
HAAT128 meters (420 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
43°00′18″N 78°59′35″W / 43.005°N 78.993°W / 43.005; -78.993
TranslatorHD2: 104.7 W284AP (Buffalo)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live (via Audacy)
Websitewww.audacy.com/kiss985

WKSE (98.5 FM) branded Kiss 98.5, is a commercial radio station licensed to Niagara Falls, New York, and serving the Buffalo metropolitan area. It airs a contemporary hit radio format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station's studios are located on Corporate Parkway in Amherst, New York.

WKSE has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 46,000 watts. Its transmitter is off Staley Avenue on Grand Island, New York. WKSE broadcasts using HD Radio technology; its HD2 and HD4 digital subchannel simulcasts co-owned WGR's sports radio programming, while the HD3 subchannel simulcasts co-owned WBEN.

History

Nicholas Picholas DJing at an SPCA Wine and Wags festival in West Seneca, NY in June 2022. source ↗

The station signed on the air as WHLD-FM on January 1, 1946.2 It was the FM counterpart to WHLD and largely simulcast the AM station's programming in its early years. In the late 1960s, it switched to a beautiful music format with some classical music programming as well.

The station changed its call sign to WZIR in 1980, adopting a progressive/underground rock format that lasted roughly a year as "The Wizard." By 1984, it was a rock format as WRXT; the current Top 40/CHR format has been in place since September 1984, with the WKSE calls in place by 1985. Much of its playlist overlapped that of then-sister station Star 102.5 at times. (The two stations' programming eventually fully merged onto WKSE's signal in June 2023 as 102.5 was sold off that month.3) WKSE carried the syndicated weekly show The Rockin' America Top 30 Countdown with Scott Shannon throughout the 1980s. Rocky Allen served as the station's morning host in the late 1980s.4

Morning host Janet Snyder joined the station since 1994,5 paired with sidekick Nicholas Picholas for most of that time. Snyder announced her retirement effective May 2026, in a statement released in March of that year.6 Afternoon host Sue O'Neill had previously held the same position on Star 102.5 until 2023.7 The remainder of the lineup consists of voice-tracked hosts with generic mononyms, "Julia" (whose show ended in January 20268) and "Bru."

WKSE sold its broadcast tower to Vertical Bridge in March 2019. WKSE continues to use the tower under a leasing arrangement.9

References

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WKSE". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1974 page B-144, Broadcasting & Cable
  3. Venta, Lance (June 12, 2023). "FM100 Memphis Bids Farewell As 99.7 The Wolf Moves In". RadioInsight. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  4. "Radio Remembers Rocky Allen". RadioInsight. June 4, 2026. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  5. Sweeney, Joe (December 2006). "Kiss of the Snyder woman: Janet Snyder, disc jockey". Buffalo Spree. Retrieved December 13, 2025.
  6. "Janet Snyder To Conclude 32 Years In Mornings At WKSE". RadioInsight. March 19, 2026. Retrieved March 19, 2026.
  7. Pergament, Alan (June 8, 2023). "Star 102.5 will sign off Friday after sale to religious broadcaster". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
  8. "Julia Departs Alt 98.7 Detroit & Nine Audacy CHRs - RadioInsight". radioinsight.com. January 9, 2026. Retrieved January 11, 2026.
  9. James Fink (March 7, 2019). "Real estate notes: WKSE-FM tower sells for $1.47 million". Buffalo Business First. Retrieved February 12, 2023. (subscription required)
External links