After 30 years as spirited and often ferocious rivals, WBLS (107.5 FM) and WRKS (98.7 FM, Kiss-FM) will become one.

In a turn as sudden and stunning as the Yankees merging with the Mets, the city's two adult urban radio stations announced in a joint press release Thursday that they will become "One Family, One Station."

Kiss and WBLS began simulcasting at 10 a.m. Thursday, starting with a tribute to the 30-year legacy of Kiss.

As of 12 a.m. Monday they will become a single station at 107.5 FM, under the WBLS call letters.

It is likely this news will not please all listeners, many of whom feel there are already too few black media voices in the city.

The merger is part of a major reshuffling triggered when Disney agreed to acquire 98.7 FM from Emmis.

The complicated $96 million deal essentially lets Disney lease 98.7 FM as of Monday morning, when it will start simulcasting ESPN radio there. ESPN radio is now heard on the weaker 1050 AM signal.

Disney had been thirsting for an FM signal so it can better challenge CBS Radio's all-sports WFAN (660 AM).

A key factor in this new deal is that WRKS and WBLS have both had financial problems, at the stations themselves and with their parent companies.

Emmis last year also sold its 101.9 FM frequency in New York.

WBLS was recently acquired by YMF Partners after its parent company Inner City Broadcasting went into bankruptcy. This had led to considerable speculation whether YMF would sell WBLS or change its format.

It was expected that any move to change the WBLS format to something other than urban, which launched in 1971, would have met strong community resistance.

In several ways Thursday's move is a classic case of two companies in a shaky financial position deciding they would be stronger if they worked together as one.

Still, the merger changes the landscape of urban radio dramatically, since adult urban listeners now have one station instead of two.

Both WBLS and WRKS have been the top-rated station in the city at various times, and even in low periods they have routinely averaged well over a million listeners apiece per week.

As for hosts, the merger will integrate them starting Monday.

Steve Harvey's syndicated show, now heard on WBLS, will continue in the morning.

Shaila from Kiss will do middays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Jeff Foxx from WBLS will do 3-7 p.m., and Lenny Green from Kiss will do 7 p.m.-midnight.

That means Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden of WRKS, among other hosts, will be gone.

Since the WRKS name is also disappearing, the two stations are jointly holding a "celebration of the legacy of Kiss-FM" all weekend.

Over the years Kiss has often emphasized the heritage of black music, and has hired hosts like Isaac Hayes. In the 1990s it launched a "classic soul" format that shot it to the top of the ratings for several years.

In recent years it has slumped, however, and Emmis Chairman Jeff Smulyan Thursday blamed some of that on Arbitron's switch to a new ratings system, the Personal People Meter (PPM).

PPM replaced the old "diary" system, where participants wrote down their listening, with an electronic recording device.

Almost all black and ethnic stations saw a dramatic drop in their ratings under the PPM system. A stream of protests and litigation have led to recent agreements that Arbitron would increase its efforts to reflect all listening fairly.

Meanwhile, however, many black and ethnic stations have warned that the lower ratings plus the general economic recession have decimated their ad revenue and put them in serious financial trouble.

Smulyan echoed that caution Thursday, saying in a release that "recent changes in the way radio ratings are measured made it very difficult for us to find success with Kiss FM."

Whatever the reasons, New York will wake up Monday morning with one fewer radio station serving urban listeners.

That's a shame.

BUT I'll be completely honest...I stopped listening to KISS a few years ago already.

PurpleJedi said:

That's a shame.

BUT I'll be completely honest...I stopped listening to KISS a few years ago already.

i only listened to kiss for baisden since Wendy left BLS for her tv show. why couldnt they just merger shot 97 with 105 since they both play the same music all day long

I'm only an online listener to both these stations, but even I feel a strong enough way about one station or the other to sense that it feels kinda weird to merge the two.

getxxxx said:

PurpleJedi said:

That's a shame.

BUT I'll be completely honest...I stopped listening to KISS a few years ago already.

i only listened to kiss for baisden since Wendy left BLS for her tv show. why couldnt they just merger shot 97 with 105 since they both play the same music all day long

Hot97 plays more hip-hop than either BLS or KISS.

I can't stand "shot" 97.

getxxxx said:

Did even read jedi, bls nor kiss are hip hop stations.

Wait? So you meant to say that you WANTED them to merge with Hot97 BECAUSE BLS and KISS are too similar???

See...it actually makes more sense to merge the SIMILAR stations (BLS & KISS) and keep the hip hop powerstation independent. If they'd merged BLS with Hot97 I'd probably stop listening to it altogether.

I *rarely* listen to the radio but I usually tuned in for Felix Hernandez' "Classic Soul on Sundays" on Kiss. I hope they keep that!

jone70 said:

I *rarely* listen to the radio but I usually tuned in for Felix Hernandez' "Classic Soul on Sundays" on Kiss. I hope they keep that!

Nah they are keeping Hal Jackson and the Sunday Classics. Felix can be heard on Sat on that NJ station 88.3 with his classic shows.

@jedi i was saying they could have merged shot 97 & power together we since they play the same music all day long... we need two r&b stations.

getxxxx said:

jone70 said:

I *rarely* listen to the radio but I usually tuned in for Felix Hernandez' "Classic Soul on Sundays" on Kiss. I hope they keep that!

Nah they are keeping Hal Jackson and the Sunday Classics. Felix can be heard on Sat on that NJ station 88.3 with his classic shows.

@jedi i was saying they could have merged shot 97 & power together we since they play the same music all day long... we need two r&b stations.

Sorry...I completely forgot about Power105...I re-read your post like 4 times and kept reading "107.5" in my mind...

...I need more coffee...

getxxxx said:

jone70 said:

I *rarely* listen to the radio but I usually tuned in for Felix Hernandez' "Classic Soul on Sundays" on Kiss. I hope they keep that!

Nah they are keeping Hal Jackson and the Sunday Classics. Felix can be heard on Sat on that NJ station 88.3 with his classic shows.

@jedi i was saying they could have merged shot 97 & power together we since they play the same music all day long... we need two r&b stations.

Hmm...I wonder how Hal Jackson's Sunday Classics is... I usually listen to Felix on 88.3 on Saturday and again on KissFM on Sunday afternoons. For several months, though, I couldn't get any signal from 88.3. I also listen to the classic soul channel through our cable TV; I prefer the radio though because they give you weather, news, traffic, etc.

jone70 said:

getxxxx said:

Nah they are keeping Hal Jackson and the Sunday Classics. Felix can be heard on Sat on that NJ station 88.3 with his classic shows.

@jedi i was saying they could have merged shot 97 & power together we since they play the same music all day long... we need two r&b stations.

Hmm...I wonder how Hal Jackson's Sunday Classics is... I usually listen to Felix on 88.3 on Saturday and again on KissFM on Sunday afternoons. For several months, though, I couldn't get any signal from 88.3. I also listen to the classic soul channel through our cable TV; I prefer the radio though because they give you weather, news, traffic, etc.

i enjoy Hals Sunday Classic but I listen to Felix on Sat since he came on at the same time as Hal on sundays.

http://wbls.com/pages/4173821.php

FAREWELL TO MY KISS FM FAMILY

A LETTER FROM MICHAEL BAISDEN

On July 14, 2003 I began my radio career on Kiss FM in New York. Thanks to Toya Beasley, who was the program director at the time, and Barry Mayo, who was the General Manager, who took a chance on a book author to sit in one of the most important time slots in all of radio. From day one the phone lines were on fire with people calling in to get in on the hot topics. Domestic Violence, Cheating Men, The Other Woman, Pimps in the Pulpit…you name it, we talked about it. The station soared from number 9 to number 1 in only two short months. A new era of afternoon radio had begun. A few months later I insisted on taking the show national, which happened on January 31 2005. Since then it’s been a non-stop ride from one station to nearly 80. And it all started at 98.7 Kiss FM

To all of my New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut listeners, I want to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart, we have been through everything from the city councilman being shot at city hall, to the big black out in 2003, to civil rights marches, and yes, we’ve gotten our party on too. I’ve learn more about being a good radio jock being on Kiss FM than I could have in any school of broadcasting, New Yorkers will check you in a minute. lol

To the Kiss FM staff old and new, there are no words for my love and gratitude for allowing me to bless the airwaves in the largest radio market in the country. 98.7 has so much history, as does the radio jocks who’ve come out of New York like the legendary Frankie Crocker. I want you to know that I served you with all my heart and with as much passion as I could every single day….every hour. Not only did I want to play the best music and entertain, but to serve my community and sound the alarm when we needed to pull together. I want to be remembered as a man who stood for something and a man who put his money where is mouth was. I love you and I’m going to miss you.

Lastly, to Shaila, Jeff Fox, Talent, Bob Slade, and my buddy Lenny Greene, Good luck and continue to serve those thick skin New Yorkers through the airwaves. They are one of the toughest audiences in the world, but no one will ever love you more than the Kiss FM family. I’ll miss you, but make no mistake, I’ll be around if you need me.

Thanks again for the love, support, and the lessons.

Your Truly,

Michael Baisden

P.S. There will not be any public announcement over the air due to our contracts with our Network and Affiliates. The powers that be elected not to allow me to say good-bye on Kiss FM, so this will be my farewell. It sucks not to be able to say goodbye in person, but that’s the business. I’ll continue to reach out to you on Facebook and Twitter at BaisdenLive and of course you can listen on iheart radio and TuneIn radio by searching Michael Baisden Show. The show must go on!

[Edited 4/27/12 12:03pm]

as much as i may listen espn radio, this shit pisses me off cause in new york, there is no jazz station anymore, and now the merging of wbls and kiss fm is horrendous but yet two bullshit hip hop stations remain ..oh and z 100!

fucking bullshit!

L4OATheOriginal said:

as much as i may listen espn radio, this shit pisses me off cause in new york, there is no jazz station anymore, and now the merging of wbls and kiss fm is horrendous but yet two bullshit hip hop stations remain ..oh and z 100!

fucking bullshit!

...and there it is.

For an old-timer like me who's listened to KISS since its inception, this is sad news. But this is a business, and all that counts is the bottom line.

My mom is gonna be pissed when I tell her they're taking out Baisden and Tom Joyner.

But people and their greed for money and power has always been fucking a good thing up since the beginning of time. I'm gonna miss 98.7 KISS FM.

L4OATheOriginal said:

as much as i may listen espn radio, this shit pisses me off cause in new york, there is no jazz station anymore, and now the merging of wbls and kiss fm is horrendous but yet two bullshit hip hop stations remain ..oh and z 100!

fucking bullshit!

I was scanning thru channels a few days ago and came across a station playing jazz.

I meant to note the channel but didn't.

CD101.9 used to be good, but towards the end of their run it seemed like every song they played was the same. No variety.

PurpleJedi said:

L4OATheOriginal said:

as much as i may listen espn radio, this shit pisses me off cause in new york, there is no jazz station anymore, and now the merging of wbls and kiss fm is horrendous but yet two bullshit hip hop stations remain ..oh and z 100!

fucking bullshit!

I was scanning thru channels a few days ago and came across a station playing jazz.

I meant to note the channel but didn't.

CD101.9 used to be good, but towards the end of their run it seemed like every song they played was the same. No variety.

i still remember the commercial for cd101.9 with miles davis ..cd 101 .9 very cool ..like me!

L4OATheOriginal said:

PurpleJedi said:

I was scanning thru channels a few days ago and came across a station playing jazz.

I meant to note the channel but didn't.

CD101.9 used to be good, but towards the end of their run it seemed like every song they played was the same. No variety.

i still remember the commercial for cd101.9 with miles davis ..cd 101 .9 very cool ..like me!

...yeah...I think I remember that one as well...

Unfortunately (for me at least) it seemed like the music they were playing became monotonous. Every song had the same beat and the same "sound". With SO MUCH good jazz out there, of different styles & such, I got tired of it. I even sent them a request once for them to play something from N.E.W.S.

PurpleJedi said:

L4OATheOriginal said:

i still remember the commercial for cd101.9 with miles davis ..cd 101 .9 very cool ..like me!

...yeah...I think I remember that one as well...

Unfortunately (for me at least) it seemed like the music they were playing became monotonous. Every song had the same beat and the same "sound". With SO MUCH good jazz out there, of different styles & such, I got tired of it. I even sent them a request once for them to play something from N.E.W.S.

they did play candy a lot tho and i remember that they even played brian gallagher's version of tmbgitw

haven't listened in a while, but this did catch me off guard.. felt/feelin' sad (listening to final weekend off & on this weekend via their website)

I used to tape (haha) KISS & Z-100 on my "boom box" in the mid/late '80s

yet another part of my childhood bites the dust..

getxxxx said:

FAREWELL TO MY KISS FM FAMILY

A LETTER FROM MICHAEL BAISDEN

On July 14, 2003 I began my radio career on Kiss FM in New York. Thanks to Toya Beasley, who was the program director at the time, and Barry Mayo, who was the General Manager, who took a chance on a book author to sit in one of the most important time slots in all of radio. From day one the phone lines were on fire with people calling in to get in on the hot topics. Domestic Violence, Cheating Men, The Other Woman, Pimps in the Pulpit…you name it, we talked about it. The station soared from number 9 to number 1 in only two short months. A new era of afternoon radio had begun. A few months later I insisted on taking the show national, which happened on January 31 2005. Since then it’s been a non-stop ride from one station to nearly 80. And it all started at 98.7 Kiss FM

To all of my New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut listeners, I want to say, thank you from the bottom of my heart, we have been through everything from the city councilman being shot at city hall, to the big black out in 2003, to civil rights marches, and yes, we’ve gotten our party on too. I’ve learn more about being a good radio jock being on Kiss FM than I could have in any school of broadcasting, New Yorkers will check you in a minute. lol

To the Kiss FM staff old and new, there are no words for my love and gratitude for allowing me to bless the airwaves in the largest radio market in the country. 98.7 has so much history, as does the radio jocks who’ve come out of New York like the legendary Frankie Crocker. I want you to know that I served you with all my heart and with as much passion as I could every single day….every hour. Not only did I want to play the best music and entertain, but to serve my community and sound the alarm when we needed to pull together. I want to be remembered as a man who stood for something and a man who put his money where is mouth was. I love you and I’m going to miss you.

Lastly, to Shaila, Jeff Fox, Talent, Bob Slade, and my buddy Lenny Greene, Good luck and continue to serve those thick skin New Yorkers through the airwaves. They are one of the toughest audiences in the world, but no one will ever love you more than the Kiss FM family. I’ll miss you, but make no mistake, I’ll be around if you need me.

Thanks again for the love, support, and the lessons.

Your Truly,

Michael Baisden

P.S. There will not be any public announcement over the air due to our contracts with our Network and Affiliates. The powers that be elected not to allow me to say good-bye on Kiss FM, so this will be my farewell. It sucks not to be able to say goodbye in person, but that’s the business. I’ll continue to reach out to you on Facebook and Twitter at BaisdenLive and of course you can listen on iheart radio and TuneIn radio by searching Michael Baisden Show. The show must go on!

[Edited 4/27/12 12:03pm]

I didn't know he had a radio show for that long. I remember that damn blackout in '03.

KidaDynamite said:

My mom is gonna be pissed when I tell her they're taking out Baisden and Tom Joyner.

But people and their greed for money and power has always been fucking a good thing up since the beginning of time. I'm gonna miss 98.7 KISS FM.

Tom Joyner was on KISS syndicated before he was dropped and added back... i think he does not fit the NYC market at all since he is based in Texas and it just doesnt sound right to me. It sounds better in southern markets.