WDAI

WDAI
Pawleys Island, South Carolina;
Broadcast area	Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Frequency	98.5 MHz
Branding	98.5 Kiss FM
Programming
Format	Mainstream urban
Affiliations	Premiere Networks; Westwood One;
Ownership
Owner	Cumulus Media; (Cumulus Licensing LLC);
Sister stations	WAYS, WSEA, WSYN, WLFF
History
First air date	October 1, 1993
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	59490
Class	C3
ERP	6,100 watts
HAAT	203 meters (666 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	33°35′27.00″N 79°2′55.00″W / 33.5908333°N 79.0486111°W
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live
Website	985kissfm.net

WDAI (98.5 FM, "98.5 Kiss FM") is a mainstream urban radio station licensed to Pawleys Island, South Carolina, and serves the Grand Strand area. The Cumulus Media outlet is licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to broadcast with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 6,100 watts. Its studios are located on U.S. Highway 17 in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, and its transmitter is located a mile west of the studios.

History

WDAI signed on October 1, 1993, with an adult contemporary and sports talk format.^[2] It moved to an urban adult contemporary format as "98.5 Kiss FM", featuring the Tom Joyner Morning Show, in January 1995.^[3] By 1996, WDAI was the number one station in the market.^[4] WDAI dropped to third in fall 1998 but regained its position in spring 1999,^[5] losing the top spot to WJYR in Fall 1999.^[6] The drop in ratings came after a move toward more adult music, with 34-year-old women the target audience, after program director Ernie D. moved to WCMG and Chris Clay replaced him.^[7] More rap was added in the 2000s. WDAI leaned more adult after the 2009 debut of Power 100.3, a hip-hop music station also owned by Cumulus Media.

In January 2010, Cumulus Media hired a market veteran, Craig Russ, as its new Operations Manager. Personalities on the station included Monique, Michael Baisden, and Doug Davis.^{[citation needed]}

In July 2010, WDAI changed from urban adult contemporary to mainstream urban, replacing a similar format Cumulus had aired on WSEA for a year before switching that station to CHR. WDAI also took the syndicated morning show from WSEA; Rickey Smiley, replacing Tom Joyner.^[8]

On January 9, 2020, it was announced that WDAI had added Premiere Networks' The Breakfast Club to mornings.^[9]

References

^ "Facility Technical Data for WDAI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ Eddings, Toby (October 1, 1993). "You've come a long, long way, Waccamaw". Sun News. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. p. 4B. Retrieved February 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Format Changes & Updates" (PDF). The M Street Journal. January 25, 1995. p. 2. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
^ Toby Eddings, "Area Radio Gets Surveyed Twice," The Sun News, June 9, 1996.
^ Toby Eddings, "WDAI returns to top of radio ratings," The Sun News, August 22, 1999.
^ Dawn Bryant, "NextMedia to Buy Seven MB Radio Stations," The Sun News, February 29, 2000.
^ Toby Eddings, "Holli Heart wins national award," The Sun News, March 14, 1999.
^ "Radio stations change formats". The Sun News. July 7, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2010.
^ "Premiere Networks 'The Breakfast Club' Adds 10 New Affiliates".