The 101.9 FM frequency in New Bern signed on with an
Album-oriented Rock format in August 1977 as
WRBK ("K101"). Due to the nature of its frequency at 101.9 and the advent of digital tuners, the slogan was changed to "K102" in the summer of 1978. In August 1979, the station flipped to a
country music format, as
WAZZ ("Country Ways"). By 1986, the station would become "Kiss 102" with the
WIKS call letters and an
Mainstream Urban format. Transmitting power increased to 100,000 watts. Rap and
hip-hop music was introduced in the 1990s, as WIKS became a full modern
mainstream urban station by 1998. In 1997 WIKS picked up competition from the 92.3 frequency when
WQSL adopted a
rhythmic top 40 format as "The Beat of Carolina". WIKS responded by tweaking its format to
Urban Adult Contemporary station in 2003, though they eventually returned to their current format. On February 2, 2017,
Beasley Media Group announced that it would sell its six stations and four translators in the
Greenville-New Bern-
Jacksonville market, including WIKS, to
Curtis Media Group for $11 million to reduce the company's debt. The sale was completed on May 1, 2017. ==Translators==