The call letters for WYSL were taken from a radio station in Buffalo which had used the same calls. Savage launched an all-news format in 1987 on 1030 kHz as a daytime-only station, but would later move to the 1040 frequency to broadcast 24 hours per day. Historically the station was an all-news radio format with both local content and programming from the Associated Press. The all-news format, however, would end in 2006 for a number of reasons. First, the Associated Press discontinued its radio services in July 2005. WYSL replaced the network with CNN Headline News, the only other national commercial all-news outlet available. After that, however, CNNHN decided to launch "Headline Prime," which effectively eliminated its viability as an all-news network between the hours of 7 PM and 2 AM ET. This left a large hole in the schedule. Third, the Rochester market's "second-tier" news talker, WROC 950, had been replaced by a progressive talk format and had locked up the area's CBS Radio Network affiliation. As a result, WYSL picked up conservative talkers Laura Ingraham and Bill O'Reilly from the former WROC lineup and added Rusty Humphries and Jerry Doyle from Talk Radio Network to fill in the late evening gap, thereby transforming the station into a news-talker. WYSL shares some news staff with another small station, WSPQ in Springville, which the station refers to as its "Western New York bureau." WYSL was affiliated with ABC News Radio and the Wall Street Journal Radio Network, but switched to the Salem Radio Network for newscasts in 2012, following what Savage described as an unacceptably pro-Democratic bias in ABC's reporting of the 2012 Republican presidential primaries. WYSL increased its daytime power from 2,500 watts to 20,000 watts in November 2006. It operates at reduced power at night to protect clear-channel stationWHO in Des Moines, Iowa.
Programming changes in 2007
WYSL continued to transition into a full-time talk radio station in 2007. Early in 2007, the station added its first local talk show, hosted by local attorney Bill Nojay, as well as picking up Dennis Miller in the afternoon drive time slot. The CNN Headline News affiliation was completely dropped by June 2007 and replaced by Jim Bohannon while Jim Quinn's syndicatedThe War Room with Quinn and Rose was picked up in the morning drive, thus eliminating the last "all news" programming block on the station, in October 2007. Nojay's show began syndication in 2008 on WLEA in Hornell as well as on WGVA and its numerous simulcasts in the Finger Lakes. WYSL is affiliated with WHEC-TV to simulcast that station's local newscasts. Savage is in the process of applying for a sister station for WYSL, which will operate at 1220 kHz and be licensed to Lakeville, New York. The new station will operate from the same tower site as WYSL. An FM translator, W221CL, went on the air in early 2010 which covers the city of Rochester and portions of Monroe County. The FM station is branded "FM TALK 92.1 WYSL", which simulcasts WYSL 1040 AM.
Savage has been a vocal opponent of the new HD Radio technology being used on the AM band, saying that the technology causes undue interference and unnecessary broadcast delay for minimal gain in quality. He has since filed a formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission over interference caused by WBZ's nighttime HD signal on the adjacent 1030 kHz frequency, from which Savage had moved many years earlier to avoid that interference when his station went to a 24-hour broadcast schedule.
The station sells its evening and weekend airtime for brokered programming. In addition to brokered shows, WYSL replays weekday hosts as noted above, and carries some local high school, college and minor league sports.
Former Programs
Attorney Bill Nojay hosted a daily hour-long program on WYSL for several years, prior to his election to the New York State Assembly as well as during his tenure in the legislature; Nojay's show was syndicated across two other radio stations in upstate New York. Nojay was still hosting the show when he committed apparent suicide in 2016. Nojay's time slot was filled by Shannon Joy until WYSL abruptly canceled the program in November 2018; Joy landed at WHAM shortly thereafter.
Slogans
The station uses the slogans "Whistle", a pun on its call letters, "News Power 1040" and "The News Station". The "News Power" Slogan was introduced in 2006.
