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WAEV

Savannah, Georgia
Broadcast area	Savannah metropolitan area - Hilton Head
Frequency	97.3 MHz
Branding	97.3 Kiss FM
Programming
Format	Top 40 (CHR)
Affiliations	Premiere Networks Westwood One
Ownership
Owner	iHeartMedia, Inc. (iHM Licenses, LLC)
Sister stations	WLVH, WQBT, WSOK, WTKS, WYKZ
History
First air date	February 4, 1969; 55 years ago (1969-02-04)
Former call signs	WXLM (1969-1980)
Call sign meaning	Corruption of wave (previous branding)
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	50403
Class	C0
ERP	100,000 watts
HAAT	396 meters (1,299 ft)
Links
Public license information	Public file LMS
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	973kissfm.iheart.com

WAEV (97.3 FM, "97.3 Kiss FM") is a commercial radio station in Savannah, Georgia. Owned by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a Top 40 - CHR format. It carries two nationally syndicated programs on weekdays: The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show in AM drive time and On Air with Ryan Seacrest in middays. The studios and offices are on Alfred Street in Garden City, using a Savannah address.

WAEV is a Class C0 FM station. It has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, the maximum for most FM stations. The transmitter is amid other towers for local FM and TV stations, along Fort Argyle Road (Georgia State Route 204) near Bloomingdale, Georgia.

History

The station signed on the air on February 4, 1969; 55 years ago (1969-02-04). The original call sign was WXLM. It played an easy listening format, a mix of instrumental cover versions of popular hits along with soft vocals. It was largely automated. WXLM was a rare stand-alone FM station, with no co-ownership with an AM station, television station or newspaper.

In September 1977, the station flipped to Album Rock in response to rival station WTOC starting a highly successful overnight album rock program in 1976. Before this, Savannah had been without a rock station since WEAS-FM flipped in the early 1970s. WXLM 97.3 went by the name "97 Rock." The station played long sets of rock music, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival and The Who.

In 1980, the station flipped to adult contemporary music, calling itself "Wave 97". It took new call letters, WAEV. When "WXLM 97 Rock" left the air, Savannah did not have a rock station until WIXV picked up the format in 1986. WAEV picked up the tempo and evolved into a hot adult contemporary station as "Mix 97.3" in 1993.

After several years of falling ratings and revenue in the early 2000s, the station rebranded to a Top 40—Contemporary Hits sound. It began using the KISS-FM branding in December 2001, common on other Clear Channel Communications FM stations such as KIIS-FM Los Angeles and KHKS Dallas. It picked up The Kidd Kraddick Morning Show from KHKS for its wake up program. After several months of further format "tweaking", the station moved into a mainstream mix of Top 40 hits.

References

1. "Facility Technical Data for WAEV". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
2. FCC.gov/WAEV
3. Broadcasting & Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 page B-71. Retrieved Dec. 31, 2024.

External links

• Official website
• Facility details for Facility ID 50403 (WAEV) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
• WAEV in Nielsen Audio's FM station database

32°02′46″N 81°20′26″W / 32.046028°N 81.340667°W / 32.046028; -81.340667

• Radio stations in Savannah, Georgia
• Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States
• Radio stations established in 1976
• 1976 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state)
• IHeartMedia radio stations