WIDE-FM became WBYC ("We're Beautiful York County") on March 1, 1981, with a beautiful music format. The station was mostly automated and played quarter hour sweeps of instrumental cover versions of pop hits, Broadway and Hollywood show tunes. On December 2, 1985, WBYC became WYJY playing soft adult contemporary music as "Joy 94.3". WYJY changed its call letters to WSTG on January 28, 1991, moving to a bit more upbeat adult contemporary format as "Star 94.3".
On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 Cumulus Media stations, including WCYY, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management.[3][4][5] The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.[6]
WCYY is one of six alternative stations under Townsquare Media (another being Hudson Valley's WRRV, also acquired from Cumulus Media).
The simulcast coincided with the syndication launch of Toucher and Rich from WBZ-FM in Boston. The three WCYY stations, along with Bangor sister station 92.9 WEZQ, became the program's first four affiliates.[7] WCYY and WPKQ dropped Toucher and Rich in October 2023, returning to a locally-originated music-focused morning show.[9]
Notes
^In May 2023, Townsquare took WJZN silent for economic reasons.[8]