Nikki Preston Joins Kiss 98.5 Morning Show
Preston takes the morning slot formerly held by Janet Snyder on WKSE Buffalo.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Openings & Closings
Audacy launched Nick & Nikki with Wease in the Morning on Kiss 98.5 WKSE Buffalo, with Nikki Preston joining Nicholas Picholas and producer Wease. Preston replaces Janet Snyder, who held the morning slot for 32 years before retiring in May.
Why it matters
The change marks a new morning lineup for Buffalo listeners after Snyder's long tenure ended. Preston brings a background spanning several Southern California and Nevada markets.
Preston spent eight years hosting middays at Rock 96.7 KCAL-FM in Riverside, CA, while Snyder held the Buffalo morning slot for 32 years. The stub does not report ratings, revenue, or staffing figures tied to the launch.
The players
Nikki Preston
Preston is a radio host and Rochester native whose career includes work at several Southern California, Las Vegas and San Diego stations.
Janet Snyder
Snyder was a longtime Buffalo radio personality who held the WKSE morning slot for 32 years before retiring.
Audacy
Audacy is a radio company that owns and operates Kiss 98.5 WKSE in Buffalo.
The details
Preston is a Rochester native who began her career at 94.1 The Zone WZNE and has since worked at CHR 98.5 KLUC Las Vegas, Classic Hits 99.9 KOLA-FM Riverside and Alt 94.9 KBZT San Diego. Anaheim Broadcasting cut all talent at Rock 96.7 KCAL-FM this summer, the period before her move to Buffalo.
Timeline
Summer 2026: Anaheim Broadcasting cuts all talent at Rock 96.7 KCAL-FM.
May 2026: Janet Snyder retires from the station.
November 3, 2026: Nick & Nikki with Wease in the Morning launches on WKSE.
Market Landscape
Preston's move from Anaheim Broadcasting's Rock 96.7 KCAL-FM, which cut all of its talent this summer, to Audacy's Kiss 98.5 WKSE shows talent shifting between radio companies after station-level staff reductions. The change places Audacy's Buffalo morning show in a competitive FM market.
Buffalo listeners who tune into Kiss 98.5 will hear a new morning team beginning November 3, 2026. The change affects the daily routine of morning commuters who follow the WKSE program.
The takeaway
A change in the morning slot can reset a station's daily audience habits, so listeners who want to follow the new show should check WKSE's schedule as it takes effect.
Further reading
For more on local business changes, see Openings & Closings in Buffalo.
