Date |
Event |
1 |
Two Knoxville stations change formats as WDLF and WYLV flip to K-LOVE (WDLF) and Air 1 (WYLV), and a few Pittsburgh station change formats, as ESPN Radio moves from WEAE to WBGG, and Radio Disney moves from WWCS to the renamed WDDZ, and CILK-FM/Kelowna joins EZ Rock as 101.5 EZ Rock. |
2 |
KELI/San Angelo flips from Adult Hits to AC as Magic 98.7; Urban AC WPHR-FM/Syracuse became News/Talk WSYR-FM[1] |
3 |
More post-New Year's Day format flips, with Spanish Christian KSAC-FM/Sacramento to a Business Talk format,[2] likewise with Talk sister station KVCE/Dallas-Ft. Worth,[3] Adult Top 40 WBZZ/Albany to 90s hits as "Crush 105.7,"[4] WMVX/Cleveland also dropping Adult Top 40 in favor of Adult Hits as "106.5 The Lake",[5] KCKC/Kansas City shedding Adult Contemporary for Classic Alternative as "Alice 102.1", KFYX/Texarkana flipping from CHR to Talk as Freedom 107, and Spanish Christian moving from WNSW/Newark to WNYH/Huntington as WNSW flips to Russian. |
4 |
Toyota unveils the Entune, a multimedia in-car communications and entertainment system that will be available on selected 2011 models. The device will feature Bing searching, Pandora, HD Radio, XM, and iHeartradio, as well as a CD player and Bluetooth and USB connectivity.[6] |
5 |
Inspired by a story that appeared in The Columbus Dispatch,[7] Top 40 WNCI morning hosts Dave Kaelin and Jimmy Jam help Ted Williams, a homeless man with a troubled past,[8] seek job offers and attract attention from the national media.[9] |
6 |
President Barack Obama signs into law The Local Community Radio Act, which paves the way for Low-power FM stations to start operations without unnecessary restrictions[10] |
Seven African-American account executives file a joint discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against Clear Channel/New Orleans, claiming that station management were giving them less pay and fewer sales leads while their White counterparts got more pay, better leads and better advertisers.[11] |
Classic Hits WQTX/Lansing flips to Country as "92.1 Big Country"[12][13] |
7 |
United States Congressman Doug Lamborn (R-Colorado 5th) introduces a bill that would eliminate all funding for NPR.[14] The news come a day after NPR SVP Ellen Weiss resigned in the wake of her decision to fire commentator Juan Williams in October 2010.[15] |
10 |
Australian Radio Network add On Air with Ryan Seacrest to its evening lineup, where it'll be heard on Adult Top 40 outlets Mix 106.5/Sydney and Mix 101.1/Melbourne;[16] TV/radio personality and singer Michelle Visage is named the new morning co-host at Rhythmic Hot AC WMIA/Miami[17] |
10 |
CBS Radio reacquired the WBZZ calls from WQSH and plans to use the calls to replace the WZPT calls in Pittsburgh, where the WBZZ calls were once heard. It will retain the Adult Top 40 direction once the calls return to Pittsburgh, as it has been making a transition since it merged the current format with WBZW's Top 40 format in 2010.[18] However, the WZPT calls could end up on another Pittsburgh station.[19] |
11 |
Clear Channel sells KUFX/San Jose to Entercom[20] |
12 |
After several years as a talk radio station, WQMR/Snow Hill, Maryland abruptly changes to adult hits without warning. |
13 |
In the wake of the tragic events in Tucson, Arizona, a series of outdoor ads from News/Talk KNST promoting Rush Limbaugh with the banner "Straight Shooter" riddled with bullets is removed by co-owned Clear Channel Outdoor. Ironically, one of the ads was located near the aforementioned crime scene.[21] |
14 |
CKRK/Edmonton protests a ruling from the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council by playing an unedited version of Dire Straits' 1985 song "Money for Nothing" every hour for a month after the CBSC ruled the song as too offensive for Canadian broadcasts.,[22][23] WWTJ flips to a simulcast of WCHV. |
17 |
Sirius XM Radio gets Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval to place 1,800 watt repeaters in Alaska and Hawaii, paving the way for the satellite service to now cover all 50 states.[24][25] The expansion in Alaska had been long opposed by Alaskan broadcasters, who fear that satellite radio would hurt their stations,[26] likewise with Hawaii.[27] |
18 |
WKJI/Long Island will flip to Country as My Country 96.1, and Talk KBYO/Monroe will flip to an undetermined format as Fun Radio 92.7; A duopoly is formed in Pittsburgh, with the owners of WYEP buying Duquesne University's WDUQ.[28] The University of San Francisco moves the Alternative format of KUSF/San Francisco to online and replacing it with programming from Classical Public Radio Network.[29] At the same, it was announced that Entercom has sold the format and intellectual property of KDFC to CPRN parent University of Southern California and make KDFC's 102.1 signal the new home of KUFX with KUFX's 98.5 signal a simulcast.[30] |
19 |
Bonneville International sells 17 stations to Hubbard Broadcasting. The deal means that Bonneville will exit the Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis and Washington, D.C. radio markets[31] |
21 |
Active Rock WLUP/Chicago evolves to Classic Rock[32] |
22 |
Clear Channel/Memphis GSM Jeffery Jones is arrested on extortion charges[33][34] |
24 |
WQJQ/Jackson, Mississippi drops Urban Oldies for Classic Hits and takes the call letters of its AM sister WJDX[35] |
26 |
KZMG/Boise drops Top 40/CHR for a simulcast of Sports Talk KTIK[36] |
28 |
The CRTC revokes the license of Ryerson University's campus radio station, CKLN-FM.[37] The station is later granted a court injunction on February 11, allowing it to remain on the air pending the results of an appeal to the Federal Court of Canada.[38] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
Rick Dees inks a deal with Westwood One to distribute his programs produced by his company Dees Entertainment, including his long-running countdown show "The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40." In addition to the deal, 25 Cumulus Media outlets will pick up most of Dees' shows to air on their stations.[39] |
KYLZ/Salt Lake City drops Triple-A to simulcast Sport Talk sister station KZNS.[40] and KGU/Honolulu drops Religious programming for Business Talk, joining sister stations KSAC and KVCE.[41] |
2 |
WPTR/Albany joins the Oldies fray as it drops Christian Contemporary to become "Legends 96.7.";[42] Top 40/CHR KDLW/Albuquerque replaces Regional Mexican sister station KLVO at the latter's 106.7 signal. KDLW's 97.7 signal will pick up a new format after it finishes its temporary simulcasts.[43] |
3 |
KOPA Pala, CA signs on as Pala Rez Radio 91.3.
Top 40/CHR WDOD/Chattanooga changes its moniker from "The Mountain" to "Hits 96."[44]
|
4 |
Four new Top 40s debut, with San Antonio picking up its fourth as KLTO drops Active Rock to become "Party 97.7," KHHM/Sacramento evolving from its longtime Rhythmic format to a Mainstream direction with a Rhythmic lean, KVLY/McAllen officially shifts to Mainstream after a long tenure as an Adult Top 40, and Edmonton adding a third as CFMG also shifts from Adult Top 40 to the "Virgin Radio" brand. But at the same, it loses another one as KQMQ/Honolulu drops the format and stunted with Bob Marley music until February 7, when it flipped to Traditional Hawaiian Music as "Na Mele 93.1," only to later reveal its true format, Reggae.[45] Meanwhile, the "Virgin Radio" brand that was used at Rock CKQB/Ottawa is dropped and reverts to its former branding "106.9 The Bear." |
6 |
WCHK-FM/Green Bay, Wisconsin announces it will counterprogram Super Bowl XLV with dead air. |
14 |
Suburban Los Angeles Adult Hits KJLL-FM rebrands from "92.7 Jill FM" to "Playlist 92.7."[46] |
15 |
Reports leaked out that Apple will include both terrestrial and satellite radio capabilities in the upcoming iPhone 5, which is due to debut later this year.[47][48] |
WUMT/Kane, Pennsylvania drops classic hits for talk radio as WVTT, fulfilling a plan to launch the station several years in the making. |
18 |
After two weeks of simulcasting KDLW, KLVO is relaunched as Christian Contemporary "Shine 97.7."[49] |
23 |
KCEZ, Chico, California drops Oldies for Rhythmic Top 40, branded as "Power 102". The station is patterned after its sister Rhythmic outlet KEWB/Redding.[50] |
Citadel Media announced that it will shorten the length of its syndicated "American Country Countdown" to three hours and go to a thirty song chart presentation.[51] |
24 |
Another station in Chico, California flips formats, as KEWE drops sports for Adult Top 40 as KCKS, "101.7 Kiss-FM"[52] |
28 |
WCTC lets go of the Classic Hits format in favour of the talk format.[53] |
Washington D.C.'s WJFK is the confirmed flagship for the Washington Nationals baseball team.[54] |
Jarad Broadcasting's WLIR-FM has sold to Livingstone Broadcasting of Hampton Bays for $650,000 in cash.[55] |
The FCC located a pirate station at a Wilshire Boulevard office building in Los Angeles. The station was operating on the 101.5 frequency. The owner of the building was sent notice of unlicensed operation.[56] |
COFETEL, Mexico's FCC counterpart, announces that IBOC HD Radio technology will be adopted for that country.[57] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
WXKS/Boston switches its branding from "Rush Radio 1200" to simply Talk 1200.[58] |
WIBX/Utica, New York cuts its CBS Radio Network affiliation in favour of Fox News Radio. The station had been affiliated with CBS since 1934.[59] |
2 |
Modern Rock KXOR-FM/ Thibodaux flips to Classic Rock as Rock Hits Radio LA106.3.[60] |
4 |
KINB/Kingfisher-Oklahoma City flips from Modern Rock to Adult Standards as 105.3 The Martini; WZLR/Dayton drops Bubba The Love Sponge to add more music in the mornings. |
KRVR/Modesto retires its Soft/Urban AC format in favour for Classic Hits.[61] |
9 |
NPR's President Vivian Schiller and fund-raising executive Ron Schiller (no relation) resign after controversial comments made by the latter Schiller about the Tea Party and Conservatives, which was caught on hidden camera by a group posing as a Muslim organization.[62] |
WSOS-FM traded in the soft adult contemporary for classic rock.[63] |
The University of Minnesota Golden Gophers and CBS Radio's WCCO part ways as the university signs a three-year contract with Clear Channel's KFAN/KTLK-FM. The university's football games will now be broadcast on KFAN/KTLK.[64] |
Soccer team Portland Timbers' games will be aired on KXTG during the team's inaugural season.[64] |
A man's body was found on the tip of CBS television station WWJ's tower. Police are currently investigating, reporting that the man seemed to have climbed up the tower and took his own life.[65][66] |
The FCC fined a Ft. Lauderdale businessman for unlawfully operating a radio station. After the man repeatedly ignored their warnings, the FCC fined him $40,000.[67][68] |
It was announced that Iowa governor Terry Branstad will host a call-in radio show on WHO once a month.[69][70] |
10 |
Cumulus Media announces that they have acquired Citadel Broadcasting for US$2.4 billion. The deal, pending FCC approval, will give Cumulus 572 stations in more than 120 radio markets.[71] |
KZWF/Des Moines' country format is put to a stop, as the station turns to the Rhythmic Top 40 format under the branding Hits 105.9. The move brings the Rhythmic format back to Des Moines after KDRB dropped it in April 2005.[72][73] |
11 |
WPEN-FM/Philadelphia on-air personality Mike Missanelli was heard on live air saying two obscenities during a commercial break. Missanelli quickly apologized for his language.[74] |
Canadian station CHAY-FM drops the Hot AC for adult contemporary.[75] |
13 |
KVIL in Dallas, Texas lets go of the Delilah syndicated radio show in favour of Donny Osmond's syndicated program.[76] |
14 |
Chicago's "Jack" station WJMK rebranded as K-Hits.[77] |
Carrabelle, Florida's WOCY traded the country format for CHR.[78] |
Washington D.C.'s WILC turns away from Spanish contemporary moving to Spanish adult contemporary.[79] |
15 |
KUFO/Portland's 21-year run as an Active Rock outlet comes to an abrupt end as it flips to a simulcast of News/Talk sister station KXL[80] |
15 |
It was announced that former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich and his wife will host Chicago AM station WLS for a day as fill-ins.[81] |
16 |
KSJO/San Jose drops Alternative for Multicultural programming. |
Politician Michael Powell, who served as FCC chairman, will head the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. Current chairman Kyle McSlarrow will step down in April.[82] |
KLCK-FM sheds its former KWJZ call letters, blooming into KLCK to fit their "Click" branding.[82] |
Talk on-air personality Glenn Beck suggested that the Japanese earthquake was a message from God.[83] Afterwards, talk show The View slammed him for his comments.[84] |
Dave Bestler has been named the new CFO of Hubbard Radio.[85] |
17 |
Los Angeles talk station KFI radio host Bill Handel underwent open heart surgery to have his aortic valve replaced. The following day, Handel reported that the surgery was "textbook perfect" and went faster than predicted.[86] |
18 |
At 5:00 PM ET, a burning smell was reported in the basement of Philadelphia's WIP studios, and the building was immediately evacuated. After firefighters arrived, there weren't any signs of fire.[87] |
Debut Broadcasting added three new syndicated programs to their portfolio. The shows include country program A Country Legend that will interview country musicians. A NASCAR program called Radio Racing Minute will be hosted by NASCAR commentator Todd Lewis. Another country music show called Boot Scooting '90s will focus on playing '90s country songs.[88] |
Tucson's ESPN AM station KFFN started airing on 104.9 FM using a translator, the station will broadcast in the northern side of Tucson.[89] |
FBI agents charged a man from Maine for making threats against two NPR radio personalities. According to the report, John Crosby threatened in an email that NPR host Melissa Block would be raped, tortured, and killed. Crosby then emailed radio host Guy Raz saying that Raz would be hanged.[90] |
WFJO in Folkston, Georgia flipped from Classic Hits to Gospel music.[91] |
21 |
Another Chico, California outlet, KQPT, makes a shift from Modern AC to Top 40/CHR, bringing the number of Top 40s in this market to three, all having launched this year.[92] |
WLOW slightly changes from soft adult contemporary to Hot AC.[93] |
22 |
Greensboro's WBRF changes back to classic country from contemporary country after displeased listeners started calling the station about the new format.[94] |
Sheboygan, Wisconsin's AM sports station WCLB drops ESPN sports programming, replacing them with Fox Sports. The station also chose "The Game" as their new branding.[95] |
Howard Stern and his radio production company announced they are filing a lawsuit towards Sirius XM for unpaid stock shares. Stern also recently extended his Sirius XM contract until 2015.[96][97] |
London, Ohio low-power station WCYC announced that thieves took their equipment, everything from microphones to monitors. Police reported that some of the equipment was recovered. The station will no longer be broadcasting until everything is retrieved.[98] |
A mentally sick man with a gun entered Canadian station CKKQ threatening staff members. Although the gun looked real, it was revealed it was a toy. The man was not charged and explained that he did it attempting to win on another local station's contest.[99] |
KGEX/Kansas City becomes the latest casualty of the "Gen X" format, as it flipped to "Bright AC" as "99.7 The Point."[100] |
23 |
Eau Claire, Wisconsin's country station WAXX was on dead air when their 2,000-foot tower fell due to a severe storm. The station also served television station WEAU-TV. The station announced that they would now be heard on sister station WECL or online.[101][102] |
It was announced that Clear Channel sought to buy Playlist.com, no further details were given. Last August, Playlist.com filed for bankruptcy protection.[103] |
Apple Inc. announced that their music storage device Cloud will debut in April. The device will allow users to access their saved music from any mobile device.[104] |
London, Ohio station WCYC said in a statement that all their stolen equipment had been recovered and they were back on the air. Police said the station gear was found in a London apartment.[105] |
Fisher Communications said in a press release that they were looking to increase their Fisher Plaza building's value and sell it.[106] |
Slacker Radio announced a deal with ESPN Radio to feature ESPN programming on Slacker channels.[107] |
KVFX dropped classic rock for Top 40/CHR, adopting "Hot 101.7" as the station's new branding.[108] |
24 |
AM talk station KMBZ announced that it will simulcast on KUDL, ending that station's AC format.[109] |
Talk host Don Imus announced that he has signed ten AM and FM affiliates to his line-up. They include: WGVA, WPKZ, WAUB, WSNO, WJMX, KQEW, WJAT, WTHQ, KWKC, KNKI.[110] |
Salisbury, Maryland's WSCL went off the air when their tower was damaged due to lightning. The station planned to resurface on a "stand-by" tower by next Thursday.[111] |
The radio wing of Univision welcomed a new president today, Jose Valle. Valle has worked at both Univision radio and television stations.[112] |
25 |
A series of format flips taking place: WKSW/Dayton drops Country (and moves down a frequency from 101.7 to 101.5) to become Modern AC "Click 101.5." They are the second station this year to adopt the "Click" branding, following KLCK/Seattle. And in Edmonton, CKEA drops Triple-A for AC as "95.7 Lite FM".[113] |
28 |
Clear Channel Communications purchased an FM translator for Savannah, Georgia AM talk station WTKS allowing the station to be heard on 97.7 FM.[114] |
Seattle FM talk station KIRO hosts Ron Upshaw and Don O'Neill inaugurated their program "Ron & Don's Operation: Airlift Japan" hoping to provide Japanese orphans with supplies.[115] |
It was announced that former classical radio station K-Mozart fans would hear classical music again on the Los Angeles dial. Beginning April 4, AM talk station KGIL will air classical music again. The station said that the music presentation would be different from public classical station KUSC.[116] |
It was announced that syndicated morning host Kidd Kraddick renewed his contract with KHKS's parent company Clear Channel Communications, where he has been working since 1993. Kraddick also introduced his new syndicated countdown show The Hollywood 5, with KHKS being one of those stations.[117] |
Huntington, Virginia's WXBW put an end to their variety hits format in favor of classic country.[118] |
29 |
KTMT/Medford, Oregon makes a return to its former Rhythmic Top 40 format as "93.7 The Beat" after spending time as an Adult Top 40. |
30 |
Sports station WXFN in Muncie, Indiana announces they won't be renewing their contract with ESPN Radio, choosing to start airing Fox Sports.[119] |
Salt Lake City AM talk station KSL fell victims to copper thieves when $30,000 worth in goods were taken. The radio station's cameras recorded the theft.[120] |
31 |
Norfolk's WKUS started airing rhythmic AC, dropping their former urban AC format, assuming the branding "Movin' 107.7" and call letters WMOV-FM;[121] Portland's KKOV shed the standards format in favor of talk.[122] |
Musician Kenny G announced that he would be hosting a radio show on Los Angeles classic jazz station KKJZ Sundays 7pm to 9pm. The show will play music varying classic jazz to modern jazz.[123] |
San Francisco country station KBWF was signed as the Oakland A's flagship station for their 2011-2012 season.[124] |
Dallas-Fort Worth station KDMX introduced a Classic Hits/Lite AC format on their HD-2 channel calling it Sunny 102.9.[125] |
Boston talk station WTKK lets go of host Jay Severin after he said racial remarks against Mexican immigrants on the air. In 2009, Severin was let go for ranting that Mexican immigrants were "leeches and lowest of primitives", which he later apologized for.[126] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
Philadelphia classic hits station WOGL unveiled a 24/7 HD channel focusing on the MLB team Philadelphia Phillies. The HD-4 channel will air Phillies-themed music, live games, and Phillies talk and player interviews.[127] |
It was revealed that sexual harassment complaints were also the reason WTKK talk show host Jay Severin was relieved of his on-air job. Severin implied that it is a person's privilege to sleep with his co-workers and explained that he would hire strictly female colleagues.[128] |
It was announced that Orlando PBS affiliate WMFE-TV would be sold after being on the air for 46 years. The station wouldn't explain who the buyer was, only saying that they wished to pursue a stronger role in radio.[129] |
Daytona Beach AM talk station WNDB's transmission tower was stripped of its copper, keeping the station from broadcasting for longer than eight hours. The copper stripping cost the station $20,000 in damages, the station also said in a statement that it will take $10,600 to repair the tower.[130] |
Talk show host Joyce Kaufman has announced that she's running for Congress.[131] |
2 |
Univision's CEO Joe Uva stepped down, commenting that he wanted to seek other opportunities, according to a Univision statement.[132] |
Clear Channel's AM News/Talkers KEX/Portland and WIOD/Miami announced that they have added FM translator simulcasts. This in exchange for allowing WAY-FM to rebroadcast on KFBW's HD3 subchannel and Reach fm to rebroadcast on WMGE's HD2 subchannel. KEX's simulcast began immediately after the deal was announced[133] |
4 |
As announced on March 28, Los Angeles radio station KGIL switched to classical music approximately two minutes after midnight. |
Non-profit health care provider HealthPartners cut its advertising deal with Twin Cities station KDWB after the CHR station aired a lyrical parody of the Eric Clapton song Heaven in Tears. The parody poked fun at Hmongs frequently getting pregnant at a young age.[134] |
Entercom Communications shuffles its Buffalo stations. WBEN begins simulcasting on WLKK/Wethersfield; WLKK's previous automated classic-AAA format, "107.7 The Lake," moves to HD2 in the process.[135] |
5 |
It was announced that Nick Cannon would be presented with his own show called "Cannon's Countdown" debuting on CBS Radio and Citadel radio stations on April 23.[136] |
KPLV/Las Vegas officially transitions from Adult-leaning Rhythmic Top 40 to Top 40/CHR. |
WQHT DJ Calvin Lebrun aka Mister Cee was arrested by NYPD officers for a public lewd sexual act after he was caught engaging in oral sex with another man in a car. The two men are due in a New York court in June.[137] |
6 |
Milwaukee talk station WISN announced that beginning April 17, they have parted ways with airing Glenn Beck. The station will fill the time in with Jay Weber from 6 to 10:00 am, expanding Weber's previous time of 5 to 8:00 am.[138] |
Basketball team Minnesota Timberwolves switched to KFAN from WCCO, along with hockey team Minnesota Wild taking leaving KFAN and moving to WCCO.[139] |
Los Angeles CHR KIIS announced they have signed a deal with gossip website JustJared, agreeing to air JustJared entries.[140] |
Glenn Beck announced that his Fox News television program would be coming to an end in December when his contract expires, Beck continued saying that he would continue to associate himself with Fox News. (The TV show is carried on Sirius-XM's Fox News Talk channel; Beck's terrestrial radio show, which is not associated with Fox, will continue unaffected.)[141] |
7 |
Miami AM talk station WIOD debuted on 100.3 thanks to a translator in Broward County.[142] |
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced they will be investigating the mysterious fire of Little Rock public radio station KUAR, saying that a sniffing police dog discovered fire accelerant near the transmitter tower. The tower damage is estimated to be $200,000.[143] |
It was announced that the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild are heavily discussing merging into one. The two groups have previously tried merging but never completed due to disapproval from the SAG.[144] |
New York Police announced that they arrested two men who are believed to be responsible for the slaying of Corey McGriff aka "DJ Megatron," providing a video where Richard Cromwell, 20 and William Williams who is 21 admit to killing the disc jockey.[145] |
8 |
KKSF/San Francisco shifts from Classic Rock to Classic Hits as "Oldies 103.7";[146] WROX/Norfolk evolves from Alternative to Modern Hot AC[147] |
Salisbury, Maryland's WQJZ traded in their Soft/Urban AC format after 15 years for classic hits adopting "The Wave" as their new branding.[148] |
It was announced that Washington D.C. hip-hop/R&B station WPGC would go into a shutdown mode as a stunt over the weekend after an agreement over contest prize money failed. The station said they would still play music over the weekend.[149] |
Adult standards WBBD in Wheeling, West Virginia rebranding themselves as "Wheeling's Real Oldies" and adopting the classic hits format.[150] |
Seattle's classical station KING announced that they would go from being a commercial to a public station, two weeks early as planned. The station explained that transitioning to public would allow them to play more classical music and would depend on listener contributions.[151] |
An Ottawa court found a 15-year-old boy whose named was not released guilty of many harassment charges including threatening to slay DJ Ryan Lindsay. The boy is also responsible for harassing an Industry Canada investigator Mylène Quesnel and DJ John Miekle.[152] |
Radio personality Tom Leykis said that he would donate $50,000 to help catch the people responsible for beating San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow at Dodger Stadium, calling the event shocking. The fan was in critical condition at Los Angeles-USC Medical Center with a fractured skull.[153] |
9 |
The late Nashville radio personality Coyote McCloud's memorial service was set for Sunday, April 10 at the Hard Rock Café in Nashville.[154][155] |
11 |
Public radio station WITC in Cazenovia, New York was back on the air thanks to a borrowed transmitter from fellow public station Hobart and William Smith Colleges-owned WHWS-LP.[156] |
Clarksville, Tennessee religious station WQZQ debuted airing on the 830 AM frequency.[157] |
12 |
The CRTC approved the merger between Sirius Canada and XM Radio Canada. Both companies will become Sirius XM Canada under the ownership of Canadian Satellite Radio Holdings.[158] |
Cumulus Media announces that 14 Cumulus and Citadel stations will be spun off to comply with FCC rules as part of their purchase of Citadel Broadcasting.[159] |
It was announced that Sirius XM would move their headquarters to 100 Church Street in Lower Manhattan. When asked for a statement, the building's owners refused to comment on the subject.[160] |
Clear Channel-owned gospel station KHLR was sold to Signal Media for 200,000,000.[161] |
13 |
The tower for Nashville country music station WSM which has stood since 1932 has been recognized as a national landmark by the National Register of Historic Places. The National Register of Historic Places commented that the station "assisted our military's defense efforts" in the Cold War era.[162] |
The Yolanda Adams Show announced that they raised $1,109,351 in donations for the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The Yolanda Adams show has been raising money for the hospital since 2008, and has received more than $400,000,000 in donations.[163] |
Two native Texas maintenance workers fell 340 feet while developing another segment for the tower with two other employees. The workers were identified as Laredo native Ernesto Garcia and Paul Aliss from Mesquite.[164][165] |
A management team led by Magic Johnson and Yucaipa Companies acquire Phoenix radio outlets KVIB, KKFR and KEXX. The three outlets will continue to operate under the name of its former parent company Riviera Broadcast Group.[166] |
15 |
San Francisco country music station KBWF turns from country music to sports, assuming “SportsRadio 95.7” as their new branding. This follows after the station's parent company stated that the Oakland A's games would air on the station.[167] |
Washington, D.C. news station WAGE reformatted themselves as an Asian-language station, moving from the 1200 frequency to the 1190.[168] |
Fredricksburg, Virginia news/talk station WFVA switches gears to adult standards, adopting "The Songs You Remember" as their branding.[169] |
18 |
Baton Rouge WTGE drops country music and switches to talk. Local station KYPY switched subsequently switched to country music after WTGE retired playing country.[170] |
Pamal Broadcasting announced that they would be selling seven of their Gainesville-area stations, including WTMG, WHHZ, WKZY, WDVH-FM, WDVH (AM), WRZN, WTMN to MARC Radio.[171] |
Nashville classic hits station WVOL announced that they had been vandalized for the second time in three months, ringing up one million dollars in damages. The vandals smashed the station van's windshield.[172] |
Talk host Glenn Beck announced that he had put his New Caanan, Connecticut mansion on the market, explaining that he's eager to leave New York.[173] |
Charleston-Myrtle Beach station WWIK retired their Hot AC in favour for classic hits, assuming "Fun FM" as their new branding.[174] |
19 |
Tallahassee Catholic AM station WCVC announced that they were vandalized causing the station to go off the air over the weekend and that their mixing board and digital satellite receiver were missing. On Tuesday morning, WCVC informed listeners that they resurrected on the air.[175] |
Recent tornados in North Carolina caused the transmitter for AM stations WCLY and WQDR to crash down.[176] |
20 |
After a two-year absence away from the Los Angeles airwaves, Rick Dees is rehired by Clear Channel/Los Angeles (he last worked for them as the morning host at Top 40 KIIS-FM until 2004) to be the new morning host at Rhythmic AC KHHT. He'll start May 4.[177] |
The White House announced Washington Hot AC WIAD on-air personality Tommy McFly as the emcee for the 133rd 2011 White House Easter Egg Roll.[178] |
21 |
Two stations debut in Detroit, 104.7 The Oasis, using a translator to simulcast the smooth jazz format on WGPR's HD2 station[179] The second one is 94.3 The Bone, through another translator simulcasting an alternative rock format on the HD3 Channel. Both are owned by Martz Communications Group, based in San Francisco.[180] |
22 |
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission gave Haliburton the green light to debut an A/C station on the 95.7 dial.[181] |
25 |
Two more stations join the FM News/Talk bandwagon: WKIM/Memphis[182] and WPHR-FM/West Palm Beach.[183] |
New York City AM news/talk station WCBS's meteorologist Craig Allen hit a milstone, celebrating 30 years as the lead weather anchor. Back in February, Allen inked a three-year extension for the CBS radio station.[184][185] |
Jacksonville station WSJF ends its run with album adult alternative, choosing to air classic hits instead. The station will assume the call letters WYRE-FM.[183] |
Orlando AM news/talk station WDBO announced they will upgrade their FM frequency from 95.7 to 95.9. Currently the station's translator is reaching 376 feet, after the upgrade the station will measure at 680 feet.[186] |
The FCC announced that they are auctioning a 92.7 in Lawrence Park Township, Pennsylvania with the bid starting at $100,000.[187] |
26 |
Minnesota WGVX/KQRS sales manager Daniel McKeague was announced as Gilbert Gottfried's replacement as the Aflac Duck.[188][189] |
28 |
Los Angeles news/talk station KNX was fined $10,000 for failing to replace their NOTAM tower light.[190] |
29 |
Westwood One sells Metro Traffic to Clear Channel.[191][192] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
Rhythmic Top 40 KDPM/Eugene went silent as the station was sold to a catholic group.[193] |
2 |
Madison, Georgia adult standards station WYTH's transmission was damaged, it had been used since 1955. The station is back on the air through a different antenna.[194] |
After announcing back in April, Seattle classical station KING-FM shifted from commercial to non-commercial at midnight, aired with "Ode to Joy" by Beethoven.[195] |
4 |
Sirius XM revamped its entire lineup, with all the separate channels on Sirius and XM corresponding on the same channel, with some exceptions, on both services.[196] |
KEZE/Spokane returned to the Rhythmic Top 40 format after spending nearly 3 years in Country and Triple-A, respectively. The move brings the number of Top 40s in Spokane to three, as they take on rival Rhythmic KGZG-FM and mainstream KZBD.[197] |
5 |
Oshkosh, Wisconsin classic hits station WISS replaces the format with news/talk signing up as a Fox News Radio flagstation.[198] |
Gabriel Garcia who was operating an unlicensed station, KNRG was fined $25,000 after repeatedly resurrecting the station despite FCC warnings.[199] |
9 |
The "golden voice" announcer, Ted Williams announced he would be returning to rehab for emotional reasons. Williams' show and book plans were placed on hold following the news.[200][201] |
14 |
Political activist and radio host Herman Cain announced he would be participating in the 2012 presidential election.[202][203] |
16 |
Despite a forest fire that burned down their transmitter and studios, Slave Lake CHSL-FM has maintained feed through their Facebook page and website. The station's owner commented that plans were already set for a new studio.[204] |
18 |
CHSL-FM announced that they returned to the airwaves.[205] |
20 |
After a 13-year run, the Ace & TJ Show abruptly comes to an end after its two hosts announced that they decided not to renew their contract with flagship station WNKS/Charlotte[206] |
WNNF/Cincinnati drops Triple-A for Adult Top 40 as "Journey 94.1."[207] |
21 |
AM daytimer WPYT/Pittsburgh flips from Talk to Urban as "WAMO 100.1," using the legendary call letters that were used in Pittsburgh from 1960 to 2009. The station will use a 99 watt FM translator to cover the area.[208] |
24 |
WPRT/Nashville flips from Rhythmic Top 40 to Hot AC, but continues to use "The Party" moniker.[209] |
Clinton, Tennessee country AM station WYSH announced they would install solar panels on the station's roof, allowing them to be the first solar powered radio station.[210] |
25 |
Portland sports station KXTG moved from the FM frequency 95.5 to AM 750 at 5PM.[211] The 95.5 frequency then flipped to female-targeted Adult Top 40 as "Live 95.5" and changed call letters to KBFF[212] |
27 |
Top 40 WDKF and AC sister station WLQT/Dayton swap signals. WDKF goes from 94.5 to 99.9, while WLQT moves from the latter to the former.[213] |
31 |
WIHB/Charleston drops its year-old Urban format to become the new home for sister station WIOP's Country format. After a week of simulcasting, WIOP replaced the Country format with Adult Contemporary as "Lite 95.9".[214] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
Triton Media Group, parent company of Dial Global, announces that they will acquire Westwood One for $250 million.[232] When the deal is closed in late October, the combined company mostly retires the "Westwood One" name in favor of "The Dial Global Radio Networks"; a notable exception includes the onetime "CBS Radio Sports" programming and play-by-play packages, including The NFL on Westwood One. |
Sporting News Radio announces it will rebrand as Yahoo! Sports Radio. |
3 |
Univision Radio unveils its app for its radio stations to smartphone users.[233] |
Smooth Jazz is silenced in Orlando, as new owners flip WLOQ to Spanish Top 40 as "KQ103," modeling its format after WKAQ/San Juan. The calls WHKQ went into effect on August 1.[234] |
4 |
CBS Radio announces WKRK/Cleveland will end its automated Alternative Rock format on August 29, and will flip to sports talk as "92.3 The Fan." Adam "The Bull" Gerstenhaber, weekend/swing host at WFAN in New York, signs on as afternoon co-host, and former Fox Sports Radio personalities Kevin Kiley and Chuck Booms reunite for morning drive.[235] |
5 |
Connoisseur Media sells their Des Moines radio outlets KZHZ and KZHC to Iowa Public Radio, who will convert the two stations into non-commercial outlets. As a result, KZHZ will become the second station in Des Moines to drop the Rhythmic format after its sale to IPR.[236] |
8 |
Townsquare Media announces the acquisition of Double O Radio.[237] |
11 |
KESS dissolves its "La Kalle" (Latin Pop) format for the simulcast of KDXX "Recuerdo" (Spanish Oldies) format. |
15 |
Sirius XM channel 15 becomes Studio 54 radio bringing back the classic dance format last heard on satellite radio as the strobe. This comes after BBC Radio 1 was dropped from the lineup, and moved online.[238] |
Univision sells KLTO/San Antonio to EMF, thus ending its Top 40 format after the sale is completed. |
17 |
CFUN Vancouver flips Classic Hits "Fun FM" to CHR "Sonic".[239] |
WMGM Atlantic City shifts Classic Rock "103.7 The Shark" to Mainstream Rock with the name "103.7 WMGM Rocks."[240] |
18 |
CBS Radio announces the move of Philadelphia Sportsradio 610 WIP to the FM dial replacing Classic Rock sister station WYSP. The switch took place on September 2.[241] |
19 |
WHTQ/Orlando drops its Active Rock format to become a simulcast of News/Talk sister station WDBO.[242] |
25 |
Radio One announces that starting September 1, Urban AC WRNB/Philadelphia will relocate from 107.9 to 100.3, replacing WPHI and its Urban Contemporary format.[243] WPHI moved over to WRNB's former frequency and relaunched their Urban format September 8.[244] |
26 |
CFLZ/Niagara Falls, Ontario drops Triple-A for Variety Hits as 105.1 ED FM |
29 |
Three stations make the flip to Sports: Adult Top 40 WPRT-FM/Nashville,[245] the Urban AC FM translator of WHGB/Harrisburg,[246] and the recently mentioned WKRK/Cleveland[247] |
30 |
Sister stations KZTQ and KWNZ/Reno swap signals, with KZTQ going from 97.3 to 93.7 and retaining its Adult Hits format, while Top 40/CHR KWNZ returns to its original home at the 97.3 signal and relaunches its former Rhythmic Top 40 format after seven years, taking the new moniker "Swag 97.3."[248] |
31 |
Sports FM comes to Biloxi, as WUJM drops the Classic Country format to become "The Champ." |
Just five years after selling it to Radio One, Davis Broadcasting reacquires WQNC and WPZS/Charlotte from the former. |
KYOT/Phoenix officially transitions from "The Coyote" to "Eva," completing its shift from Smooth Jazz to Gold-based Rhythmic AC. |
Date |
Event |
1 |
A pair of Cumulus Media outlets, Top 40/CHR WJLQ/Pensacola and Country WWFF/Huntsville, began stunting. Both stations flipped to the Hot AC "Journey" brand September 2[249] At the same in Pensacola, WRGV responded to WJLQ's format flip by shifting from Rhythmic to Top 40/CHR as "107.3 Hit Music Now!"[250] |
KYMV/Salt Lake City exits the MOViN' brand for 80s-based Variety Hits as "Rewind 100.7"[251] |
2 |
WTMP-AM & FM/Tampa's 57-year run as a Urban outlet came to an end as its new owers flipped the stations to a Spanish format[252] |
WLZT/Columbus began stunting in anticipation for a flip from Soft AC to Oldies on September 6.[253] |
WLND/Chattanooga flips from Soft AC to Variety Hits as "98.1 The Lake."[254] |
KBZC/Sacramento drops the All-90s format for Rhythmic AC, putting it in direct competition with KHYL. |
CKAC/Montreal drops its French Sports format for all-traffic, the second of its kind in Canada (after Vancouver) and the first French-language station to adopt the format. As a result of the flip, the station moved its broadcasts of Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Impact and Montreal Alouettes games over to CHMP.[255] |
6 |
Another Montreal outlet makes a format adjustment, as CFQR flips from AC to Rhythmic Hot AC as "9-2-5 The Beat." They also retire the CFQR calls on September 9 after 45 years to take the new calls CKBE to match "The Beat" handle[256] |
8 |
WARM/York shifts from AC to Adult Top 40 and adopts the "Wink" moniker, mirroring its sister station in Harrisburg[257] |
9 |
WPGC/Washington, D.C.'s HD2 subchannel, which had offered a Hip-Hop format featuring local artists, is replaced with a Dance Top 40 format.[258] |
WMKK/Boston drops Variety Hits for a simulcast of sister Sports Talk WEEI.[259] |
12 |
KRXV-KHWY-KHYZ/Barstow-Mountain Pass, California-Las Vegas drops Hot AC and their 31-year-old "Highway Radio" slogan for Dance Hits and takes the "Vibe" moniker, which was formerly used at Las Vegas' KVBE.[260] |
Another format flip takes place in Reno, as longtime Alternative KRZQ switches to Adult Top 40 as "Mix 100.9."[261] Also joining the Adult Top 40 fray was KLZK/Lubbock, who traded in AC to become "Yes 97.3."[262] |
16 |
WGMY/Tallahassee drops Adult Top 40 for Top 40/CHR as "107.1 Hit Music NOW!"[263] |
Another format shift takes place in Columbus, Ohio, as Urban AC WXMG relocates from 98.9 to 106.3, replacing WJYD and its Gospel format. WXMG's former frequency is then launched as Adult Hits "98.9 Jack FM."[264] |
Cumulus Media acquired Citadel Broadcasting and its assets. |
19 |
WVRX Washington, D.C. departs the classic rock format once again, becoming a simulcast of talk station WMAL.[265] |
26 |
KZDX/Twin Falls, Idaho drops its long running CHR/Active Rock hybrid format as 99.9 the buzz for a more conventional Adult top 40 as Hot 100. |
27 |
Cumulus takes back ownership of KMJK/Kansas City due to the market now gaining another FM signal, thus allowing the limit of how many stations one can own in Kansas City has now been increased.[266] |
30 |
WJOE/Ft. Wayne drops News/Talk for an interactive R&B/Hip-Hop format, billed as "ClickHop.com"[267] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
KSKR Roseburg flips from sports to CHR, under the branding Jelli.[268] |
5 |
A shakeup at Rhythmic Oldies KGMG/Tucson takes place as the entire airstaff and PD are fired. It is expected that the station will flip to a Rhythmic AC format.[269] |
12 |
Clear Channel and EMF announces that K-Love and Air1 have been added to Clear Channel's iHeartRadio platform, starting October 17.[270] |
17 |
WEZW/Cape May, New Jersey becomes the first station in the United States to flip to Christmas music for the 2011 holiday season.[271] |
WPTY/Long Island flips from Rhythmic/Dance Top 40 to Gold-leaning Rhythmic AC.[272] |
18 |
The FCC orders Martz Communications Group to take W284BQ/Detroit, a translator broadcasting a Smooth Jazz format, off the air after it received complaints from Clear Channel Communications that the 104.7 frequency signal and coverage was interfering with the latter's Toledo outlet, WIOT, who also resides at the same frequency.[273] |
19 |
WVTT/Kane, Pennsylvania swaps with WBYB/Portville, New York so that WVTT now is on 96.7 in Portville while WBYB takes over 103.9 in Kane. At the same time, the 96.7 frequency switches to a simulcast of the talk format on 103.9, displacing the country music format on that channel to low-power translators and HD radio. |
20 |
KVGS/Las Vegas drops Alternative for Adult Hits as "107.9 Bob FM."[274] |
24 |
After 47 years of being owned and operated by The International Free and Accepted Modern Masons, WGPR/Detroit is LMAd to Radio One, where it replaced the Urban AC format with WHTD's current Urban format. WHTD would flip to Gospel as "Praise 102.7."[275] |
26 |
After 8 years as an Urban station, Columbia, South Carolina's WXBT dropped its format at 1 P.M. and started simulcasting sister station AM news/talk WVOC.[276] |
Clear Channel Communications eliminates hundreds of positions as part of an effort to streamline their operations.[277] |
27 |
Saga Communications quietly acquires the format and intellectual property of Rhythmic Top 40 KZHZ/Des Moines from Connoisseur Media and relaunches the format on both KIOA 93.3-HD2 and on translator K260AM as "Hits 99.9," upon the closing of KZHZ's sale to IPR.[278] |
Portage, Wisconsin news/talk station WPDR changed to oldies.[279] |
28 |
Radio One announces that they will drop the Gospel format of KROI/Houston for an all-news format. The flip took place on November 21, and the Gospel format moved over to the HD2 subchannel of sister station KMJQ.[280] |
KSGX Seattle stunts with Halloween music as "Freddy 104.9". The station would flip to Active Rock on November 1.[281] |
WMGC in Detroit began stunting with Christmas music. It was speculated that the station was expected to flip to a sports format, but on December 26, it returned to AC, rebranded as "Soft Rock 105.1."[282] |
31 |
WRNX/Springfield, Massachusetts' 21-year run as a Triple-A outlet comes to an end as it flips to Country[283] |
Date |
Event |
4 |
Two Clear Channel O&Os flip formats; Top 40/CHR WDTW/Detroit to Classic Rock,[284] and Country KNBQ/Seattle to a Sports simulcast of KJR-AM[285] |
5 |
The original transmission towers for WBZ, atop the Westinghouse Electric factory in East Springfield, Massachusetts, are taken down, 90 years after the station signed on from the towers. They had not been used since the 1962 closure of synchronous repeater WBZA (which had been located there after WBZ's move to Boston in 1931).[286][287] |
7 |
Another Clear Channel outlet adjusts format, with KUSS/San Diego dropping Country to simulcast News/Talk KOGO[288] |
In Weslaco, Texas, thieves took the KBFM van from a restaurant parking lot and torched it after stripping the vehicle of its equipment.[289] |
9 |
Sacramento, California sports station KHTK rebrands from Sports 1140 to Sports Radio 1140 The Fan.[290] |
12 |
Flagstaff, Arizona Hot AC station KFSZ changes to CHR and assume "Hits106" as its branding.[291] |
14 |
Grand Rapids, Michigan Spanish pop station WNWZ changed to a comedy format.[292] |
16 |
CBS Radio acquires WFSI/Annapolis from Family Radio. CBS then relocated WLZL's Spanish format to WFSI's 107.9 frequency on December 1, paving the way WLZL's 99.1 signal to be launched as an all-news station serving both the Washington, D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas starting in January 2012.[293] |
18 |
Clear Channel station KWMT-FM Tucson flips Modern AC "The Mountain" for Hot AC as "My 92.9."[294] |
21 |
WBBB Raleigh rebrands "96 Rock" and becomes "Radio 96.1."[295] |
22 |
KSMJ/Bakersfield adds an FM simulcast of sister news talk station KNZR, replacing adult contemporary "Mix 97.7."[296] |
23 |
WDAS-AM returns to Philadelphia after a four-year absence, this time as an urban oldies station.[297] |
26 |
CHNK/Winnipeg shifts from mainstream rock to Christmas music as "The Lounge". They also retire the CHNK calls to take the new calls CFJL. On December 26, the station switched to Soft AC "The Breeze."[298] |
28 |
Austin Christian station KNLE caught fire after an electrical malfunction in the building's attic, causing $11,000 in equipment and building damage.[299] |
Date |
Event |
1 |
Two more Clear Channel outlets flip formats: KGBY/Sacramento from Adult Top 40 to a simulcast of News/Talk sister KFBK,[300] and KDZA/Colorado Springs from Active Rock to Classic Rock[301] |
Hawaiian AC KINE/Honolulu becomes the first station in the United States to adopt a Christmas music format based around Hawaiian music.[302] |
5 |
Ridgecrest, California country station KZIQ changes from country to Hot AC.[303] |
Cumulus Media and Clear Channel announces a deal that brings all of Cumulus' radio stations onto the iheartradio platform.[304] |
6 |
Merlin Media acquires WKDN Philadelphia from Family Radio.[305] |
9 |
Following the abrupt flip of Hot AC station KGBY to a simulcast of KFBK, Entercom/Sacramento flipped the format of KBZC from Rhythmic Hot AC "The Buzz" to Hot AC as "Star 106.5."[306] |
12 |
Chicago Spanish AC simulcast stations WVIV-FM and WVIX will be rebranded as Maxima 93.5/103.1.[307] |
KORL-FM/Honolulu becomes the first station in the US to use all four of its HD radio signals. The main signal flipped from Smooth Jazz to Hot AC, the Smooth Jazz format moves over to its HD2 subchannel, the HD3 channel debuts with a Korean Pop ("K-Pop") format and the HD4 channel is launched with a Japanese Pop ("J-Pop") format. In addition, the three HD subchannels will also be heard on their FM translators as well.[308] |
15 |
Progressive Talk comes to Milwaukee, as WXXM/Madison begins simulcasting on Urban sister station WKKV's HD3 subchannel.[309] |
16 |
WSNQ/Cape May Court House, New Jersey breaks away from simulcasting Rhythmic sister station WZBZ after four years to broadcast a Classic Hits format as "Sunny 105.5."[310] |
19 |
Smooth AC returns to Cleveland as WNWV reverts to "The Wave" upon the station's sale from Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting to the Akron, Ohio-based Rubber City Radio Group. This came after WNWV spent two years as a AAA station.[311] |
After spending a year with a Gen-X format, WCGX/Columbus, Ohio returns to its former Alternative format and rebills itself as "X106.7."[312] |
Astral Media acquires CHHR/Vancouver for $13.4 million(CDN)[313] |
21 |
Harvard Broadcasting acquires Rhythmic Top 40 CJNW/Edmonton from local owner John Charles Yerxa, who decided to sell the station due to health issues[314] |
22 |
WPGC/Washington fires Big Tigger after 18 years with the station. The firing comes on the same day as his 39th birthday.[315] |
25 |
Minneapolis-St.Paul gets another Country outlet, as WLTE drops AC to become "Buz'n 102.9." The AC format moved over to the HD2 subchannel of Adult Hits sister KZJK.[316] |
26 |
WLTQ-FM Sarasota shifts to Adult contemporary as "92.1 The Coast".[317] |
WGEX Albany, Georgia loses its "Gen-X" format for Top 40, going as "97.3 Hit Music Now."[318] |
27 |
WLJY/Wausau, Wisconsin drops AC for Top 40/CHR as "Hot 96.7"[319] |
KKMY/Beaumont, Texas drops AC for Rhythmic Top 40 as "104.5 KISS-FM"[320] |
WMT-FM/Cedar Rapids drops their Adult Top 40 format and starts simulcasting sister Country KKSY. KKSY flipped to News/Talk sister station WMT-AM on January 2, 2012, and eventually takes the KWMG call letters; WMT-FM then becomes KKSY-FM.[321] |
Date |
Event |
January 21 |
Fred Thompson leaves Westwood One, to be replaced by Douglas Urbanski. |
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation shuts down all of its remaining Digital Audio Broadcasting channels. |
January 28 |
Entercom Communications ends the syndicated country music program hosted by Alan Kabel. |
February 23 |
The John and Jeff Show airs its last broadcast. |
March
(date unknown) |
WZUM in Carnegie, Pennsylvania formally forfeits its license. The station has been off the air since at least 2010 and is in the process of being dismantled. |
March 16 |
Garrison Keillor announces he will retire from A Prairie Home Companion in 2013. He intends to find a replacement host. (Keillor would not announce his replacement, Chris Thile, until 2015, and eventually postponed his retirement to 2016.) |
March 31 |
Rollye James ceases satellite radio broadcasting after the expiration of her contract. She had previously discontinued terrestrial broadcasts in March 2008. |
April 4 |
KJCB/Lafayette, Louisiana is forced off the air after the FCC cancels their license and losing their transmitter lease. The owners are vowing to fight this setback.[331] |
April 12 |
Tom Bigby, vice president of CBS Strategic Programming, announced he would be retiring after 23 years. He commented that he would still consult stations on programming strategy. Bigby first joined Infinity Broadcasting (later called CBS Radio) in 1989 at AM sports station WIP.[332] |
April 18 |
Toronto public station CKLN-FM went off the air after 28 years when their license was pulled following numerous broadcasting violations including quality issues.[333] |
April 19 |
Broadcasting school Columbia Academy of Vancouver shut its doors after running for 45 years citing financial issues. The school had recently been sold in autumn 2010.[334][335] |
May 6 |
Charles McCord retires from radio after 48 years, 40 of which were at the right hand of Don Imus for Imus in the Morning.[336] |
May 10 |
Bob Allen announced that he was retiring after 51 years in both radio and TV, Allen continued saying that although he would retire from KUVA, he would remain working as a consultant.[337] |
May 16 |
K.T. Mills ended a 20-year run with WALK-FM.[338] |
May 27 |
Char Binkley will retire after 35 years at Christian station WBCL.[339] |
May 31 |
Tom Sheldon will retire from WFIN after 45 years in radio.[340] |
WDOD/Chattanooga, Tennessee leaves the air after 86 years due to the sale of its transmitter site to the Baylor School; the license is surrendered to the FCC.[341] |
June 3 |
WPAY/Portsmouth, Ohio signs off the air after 78 years, due to the loss of its staff following the sale of its FM sister station to Western Kentucky University.[342] |
June 11 |
The Other Side With Steve Godfrey ends production of live episodes. |
July 1 |
New Jersey Network signed off at Midnight. NJN's nine public radio stations are sold off, four of them becoming New Jersey Public Radio, affiliated with WNYC, and five going to WHYY-FM.[343] |
July 13 |
Boise State University sells KBSU/Boise to Impact Radio (who will take full ownership through a LMA prior to completion of the sale), ending its status as the market's only non-commercial outlet on the AM band.[344] |
August 1 |
Smooth jazz is no longer heard on Canadian terrestrial radio, after the last station carrying the format, CIWV, changes to country music as CHKX. |
August 25 |
WNCX/Cleveland drops The Maxwell Show, hosted by Benjamin "Maxwell" Bornstein, after less than ten months due to low ratings.[345] Morning drive is temporarily filled by Dominic Nardella (in an uncredited role), formerly the program director of sister station WKRK-FM - which itself changed formats to sports talk. |
September 1 |
Steve Malzberg is dismissed from his nationally syndicated show on WOR Radio Network; David Paterson will replace Malzberg on flagship station WOR, whose show will not be syndicated. |
September 11 |
Americana broadcasts its final episode on BBC Radio 4. |
October
(Date unknown) |
KTRS general manager and co-owner Tom Dorsey will step down as GM after 35 years. He will continue to hold ownership of the station, despite his leave.[346] |
October 26 |
Longtime on-air personality Porky Chedwick announced he would retire after 63 years in the radio business, citing lack of sponsors the cause of his retirement.[347] |
December 5 |
WSTV/Steubenville, Ohio shuts down after 71 years.[348] |
December 6 |
Cogeco shuts down CJTS-FM/Sherbrooke after failing to find a buyer as required in its purchase of Corus Québec.[349] |
December 16 |
Longtime Minneapolis-St. Paul GM Marc Kalman will retire after 40 years in the radio business.[350] |
December 20 |
WAY-FM takes Urban WWPW/Louisville off the air after Radio Multi-Media, the company that was leasing the station under a LMA, files for bankruptcy.[351] |
Date |
Name |
Age |
Notability |
Source |
January |
Doug Hoerth |
66 |
Talk radio host at WTAE, KDKA, WWSW and WPTT in Pittsburgh; Died "several days" prior to January 25 |
|
January 11 |
David Nelson |
74 |
American television/radio actor and producer |
[352] |
January 15 |
Royal Marshall |
43 |
Producer and sidekick for nationally syndicated host Neal Boortz |
[353] |
January 20 |
Liz Dribben |
73 |
Radio and television host in Buffalo and New York City |
[354][355] |
February 10 |
Jon Petrovich |
63 |
Former executive with the Associated Press broadcast unit and with CNN |
|
February 11 |
Ludlow Porch |
76 |
American radio humorist |
|
March 11 |
Danny Stiles |
87 |
American radio host; was on four stations at the time of his death |
|
March 12 |
Derry Brownfield |
79 |
Agriculture-oriented radio host and businessman |
[356] |
March 17 |
Terry Preston |
85 |
1940s and 1950s era DJ in Bakersfield, California and in Missouri; better known as a country singer under his birth name, Ferlin Husky |
|
March 26 |
Corey McGriff |
32 |
Radio DJ/Remixer and former airstaffer at WQHT/New York City who went by the alias "DJ Megatron" |
[357] |
March 31 |
Tom Whalen |
88 |
Longtime broadcaster at WBEN |
[358] |
April 7 |
Coyote McCloud |
68 |
Nashville radio host |
[359] |
April 27 |
Joseph Mazza |
68 |
Nationally syndicated overnight radio host |
[360] |
April 21 |
Dave Michaels |
60 |
Midday host/program director on the Classic Hits (Citadel radio network) |
[361] |
April 27 |
Jim Mandich |
62 |
Miami Dolphins player, sportscaster |
[362] |
May 1 |
Osama bin Laden |
54 |
Saudi-born leader of the al-Qaeda terrorist organization responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks, including the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City, which resulted in several radio and television broadcasting antennas being destroyed along with the buildings in the attacks; Killed by Navy SEALs; Bin Laden's death was an immediate topic on most radio shows in the United States |
|
May 8 |
Charles McPhee |
49 |
Syndicated radio host "Dream Doctor" who was known to help people understand their dreams |
[363] |
May 20 |
John Cigna |
74 |
Former KDKA on-air host for 30 years |
[364] |
May 26 |
Tom Land |
51 |
VP/Programming for Journal Communications |
|
June 3 |
Papa Joe Chevalier |
62 |
Las Vegas-based sports talk radio host |
|
July 31 |
Rick Buckley |
unknown |
Owner of Buckley Broadcasting |
|
August 1 |
Jevon "Hollywood" Hotchkiss |
34 |
On-air personality at WDTW/Detroit |
[365] |
August 6 |
Fred Imus |
69 |
Host of the "Trailer Park Bash" on Sirius XM Radio, brother of Don Imus and frequent guest on Imus in the Morning |
|
September 22 |
Chuck Collier |
64 |
Radio personality best known for years in Cleveland, Ohio on WGAR (AM) from 1970–1990 and WGAR-FM from 1986–2011; Originally an adult contemporary host on a lineup that had Don Imus, "Emperor Joe" Mayer, Bob Vernon and Norm N. Nite, he stayed with WGAR (AM) after a 1984 format switch to country music; Inducted into the Country Music Radio Hall of Fame in 2009. Also voice-tracked middays at sister classic hits WMJI, and did work for WCBS-FM in New York in the late 1970s |
[366] |
October 30 |
Tom Keith |
64 |
Public radio sound effects man for A Prairie Home Companion |
November 4 |
Andy Rooney |
92 |
Radio and television writer, commentator and humorist |
|
December 24 |
Lynn Samuels |
69 |
Pioneering liberal talk radio host; originally at WABC, then later with Sirius XM Radio |
|