Kiss-FM's Last Song On 98.7?

[pjc1961]

"I had a feeling that was nothing but fluff about the "merger."  If it was all fluff about the merger you can be sure another radio operator will use the kiss moniker somewhere in the area. In due time!

The whole point of Emmis selling the intellectual property of KissFM to YMF Media (owner-designate of WBLS) is so that no one else can use it. I assume it's up to YMF Media if they want to use the Kiss name or put it in mothballs. I'm assuming they'll bury it for now.

KissFM New York's moniker was grandfathered in before the existence of Clear Channel and their CHR "Kiss" outlets.

The first time most of us heard about "intellectual property" was when David Letterman moved from NBC to CBS in 1993.
NBC claimed intellectual property rights to "The Top 10 List", the character Larry "Bud" Melman and sundry elements of Dave's "Late Night" show.

Also, I'm sure that Clear Channel would have something to say if unauthorized usage of their "Kiss" trademark made its way to a New York station - which won't happen since existing NYC owners are too smart for that...unless an owner like Merlin (WEMP) would like to stir the pot like they did with WINS in what was likely a publicity-seeking move.

[d21ofnj]

Crap they cut the stream before the song ended  how rude!

I thought it was just me at first then...

 

As soon as it cut, I quickly loaded WEPN-AM on.  Caught it on time 

[DToTheJ]

See the "Audio: 98.7 Kiss Fm..." thread for a full mp3 recording of the format switch from 11:42 pm during the last spot break to shortly after midnight ET after the switch was made to "ESPN NY 98.7 FM".

Or if you can't make it there, just click here  :
http://www.1027wnew.com/WRKS_Becomes_WEPNFM_987.mp3

[disney fanatic]

I have the same aircheck of the launch. It was on the AM side, but you can hear the last 25 minutes of the "Baseball Tonight" post-game until the station at 98.7 launch. The reason why is that I recorded it back late Sunday night on 1050 AM only, I live in Kingston, NY which is 90 miles north of the city and I can pick up ESPN loud and clear in the Hudson Valley listening area, but fortunatly, you can hear static during the launch. I'll post as soon as I'll do more from the last weekend of "Kiss-FM" later.

[DToTheJ]

I was hoping someone was recording ESPN New York in the moments before midnight... thanks!

[Barry]

Attached is a link to a very detailed article about the long running past rivalry between WBLS and Kiss-FM. It also describes how the deal went down which resulted in the leasing of 98.7 to ESPN, and the transfer of its intellectual property to WBLS. It asserts that Emmis made a bid to buy WBLS, using funds from the lease of WRKS to ESPN, but its owner YMF put too high a price on it for that to happen.

Lengthy History of WBLS vs. WRKS: http://newsone.com/2005493/long-kiss-goodbye-charnas-987-kiss-fm-wbls/