a weekend DJ. The station slowly began to reintroduce rap in 2000. When WWPR-FM was launched in March 2002, the station shifted back to classic soul. In 2003, Barry Mayo briefly returned as general manager for WRKS, WQHT and jazz-formatted WQCD (now WFAN-FM), and WRKS returned to its full-fledged Urban AC format. In April 2001, WRKS became the New York home for the nationally syndicated Tom Joyner Morning Show, as Isaac Hayes chose not to renew his contract with the station; he remained for a few months to host the local segments within the program (known on the station as The Tom Joyner Morning Show with Isaac Hayes). Joyner's first stint on WRKS lasted only two years; the station picked up his program again in the Spring of 2011. In 2003, author and "relationship expert" Michael Baisden became host of the afternoon show, which later became syndicated nationally in January 2005. In early September 2010, the slogan for the station, "Old School & Today's R&B," changed to "'80s, '90s & Today's R&B," which included dropping most pre-1979 titles. This would later change to "Classic Soul & Today's R&B," which would last until the station's demise in 2012. Notable station radio personalities during the KISS-FM years included: Barry Mayo (1981) Shep Pettibone (Mastermixer) (1981–1984) DJ Chuck Chillout (1982–1989) Tony Humphries (1982–1994) Jazzy Jay (1983) DJ Red Alert (Mastermixer) (1983–1994; 2007–2012) Wendy Williams (1989–1994) Roberta Flack (1995–1999) Ashford & Simpson (1995–1999) Isaac Hayes (1996–2001) Tom Joyner (2001–2003; 2011–2012) Michael Baisden (2003–2012) D. L. Hughley (2009–2010) Ed Lover (2011–2012) DJ Cocoa Chanelle (Mastermixer) (2011–2012) Lil Nat (2010–2012) While WRKS had a long-standing repertoire among listeners in the African-American community alongside WBLS, it suffered an advertising revenue setback in later years. This was due in part to Arbitron switching to the portable people meter system to monitor ratings around 2010, which caused controversy among urban radio advertisers in major markets. In addition, an increasing debt load at Emmis's corporate level which forced the company to sell 80 percent of WRXP to Merlin Media in 2011 was also a major factor. Transition to ESPN Radio (2012) On April 26, 2012, the Walt Disney Company and Emmis Communications agreed to a 12-year-lease of the 98.7 FM frequency for an undisclosed price. YMF Media (which acquired WBLS' parent Inner City Broadcasting Corporation) acquired the intellectual property and trademarks of WRKS, primarily the New York City market rights