[5] In its early years, it simulcast co-owned WHIO; as network programming moved from radio to television, WHIO-AM-FM switched to a full service middle of the road format (MOR) of popular music, news and sports.

It played quarter-hour sweeps of instrumental cover versions of popular songs, along with Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.

It used a "live assist" system, where announcers listed the songs and gave news briefs and weather updates, but only talking briefly between the music.

The 25-54 demographic, most sought after by advertisers, were slipping, so management decided to add more modern vocals, in an attempt to find younger listeners.

When this tactic failed, Cox Broadcasting decided to research the market for a format that Dayton listeners would respond to.

On March 17, 1989, the station switched its call sign to WHKO, and the format abruptly changed from easy listening to country music.

The station received hundreds of complaint letters and numerous phone calls demanding to know why "FM 99" was playing country music.

[9] In November 2006, the WHIO-FM call sign returned to the Dayton area at 95.7 FM in Piqua (formerly WDPT) as a simulcast of WHIO's news/talk format.

The 95.7 facility had previously sought to capture the original WHIO-FM's audience when it abandoned the beautiful music format, converting from WPTW-FM to "Clear 95" with the call letters WCLR.