2017 in radio

List of years in radio (table)
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In music
2014
2015
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2017
2018
2019
2020
In television
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
In home video
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020

The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2017. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, and station launches, closures and format changes, as well as information about controversies.

Notable events

January

Date Event
1 After a nearly two-year run with Active Rock, WBGF Belle Glade, Florida/West Palm Beach flipped to Oldies, a move that also ends its affiliation with Bubba the Love Sponge's syndicated morning program in the market.[1]
2 KJWL Fresno makes the flip to Top 40/CHR, filling the void that has been left open for nearly 10 years as well as new competition for Rhythmic rivals KBOS-FM and KSEQ. KJWL's Adult Album Alternative format adjusts to Soft AC and moves over to sister station KJZN, effectively dropping their Classic Hip-Hop format after nearly two years.[2]
After a six-month run with Dance/Rhythmic Top 40, only to see its sale to new owners fall through due to financial problems, WZDJ Fernandina Beach, Florida/Jacksonville flips to Country under the original ownership for the time being.[3]
3 Entercom splits up the Active Rock simulcast of Boston's WAAF Westborough, Massachusetts and WKAF Brockton, Massachusetts, with the latter flipping to Urban AC as "The New 97.7", returning the format to the market for the first time since 2006, when Entercom bought then-WILD-FM from Radio One and flipped it to the WAAF simulcast.[4]
5 After a 13-year run with both a Rhythmic and Mainstream direction (under the "Wired" and "AMP" brandings), CBS Radio Top 40/CHR station WZMP Philadelphia flipped to AC as "Today's 96.5" (with new calls WTDY-FM) due to lackluster ratings while using it as a flanker for Oldies sister WOGL to dethrone WIOQ and compete against Hot AC WISX and the top-rated AC WBEB.[5]
Radio One's Cincinnati outlets WOSL and WDBZ/W268DM make format changes. WOSL shifts from Urban Oldies to Urban AC as "100.3 R&B", while the former format replaces WDBZ's Gospel presentation, branded as "Soul 101.5 & 1230."[6]
After stunting with Christmas music, and afterwards with a Donald Trump-themed presentation, WBRN-FM Tampa flipped to AC as "B98.7." The station will take on the Cox Media Group siblings of Mainstream AC WWRM and Soft AC WDUV.[7]
Just six days after KKHH Houston flipped to Adult Hits, Radio One dropped KROI's pioneering Classic Hip-Hop presentation to pick up the Top 40/CHR format KKHH dropped, billing itself as "92.1 Radio NOW."[8]
18 Redding, California picked up its second Rhythmic Top 40, as KQMS-FM dropped its simulcast of its News/Talk sister and became "Wild 99.3," using the new calls KWLZ.[9]
19 KFTE Abbeville, Louisiana shifts from Active rock "Planet Radio" to Classic rock with the branding "Classic Rock 105.1."[10]
25 The Top 40 battle in Salt Lake City increased to four, as KENZ dropped Classic Hip-Hop and launches as "Power 94.9". The flip brings the format back to the 94.9 frequency for the first time in 13 years, as it was the former home of one of the two Mainstream Top 40/CHRs it will take on, KZHT.[11]
30 CKBD-FM Lethbridge, Alberta flips from Modern rock to Modern AC while retaining their "Bridge" branding.

February

Date Event
1 Citing a lack of available progressive talk programs for syndication, WNYY Ithaca, New York drops the longtime progressive talk radio format it has held for 12 years and return to its previous oldies format.[12]
In Milwaukee, Michael Crute, the host of the syndicated Devil's Advocate Radio, will take ownership of ESPN Deportes affiliate WRRD and flip it to progressive talk radio, its first in the market.[13]
After a 24-year run in both mornings and up until January 27 in afternoons, Bobby Rich is released by AC KMXZ-FM Tucson after he made comments during his program that station management saw as offensive but didn't specify, for which Rich apologized on his Facebook page.[14]
Buck Sexton replaces Meghan McCain as host of Premiere Networks' evening program, America Now. The move presumably ends his existing program on TheBlaze Radio Network.[15]
CJXL-FM Moncton, New Brunswick rebrands from XL96 to New Country 96.9 but continues with the country music format.
2 CBS Corporation unveiled plans to merge its CBS Radio division with Philadelphia-based Entercom, giving that company 244 stations and national reach across major markets, including CBS Sports Radio and News Radio, in a tax-free deal to CBS shareholders through a complex process known as a reverse Morris trust, which begins with an offer to existing CBS Corp. shareholders to exchange their stock for shares in Entercom. The enlarged company will take the Entercom name.[16] The deal however will also see CBS and Entercom spinning off stations in Los Angeles (one FM), San Francisco (four FMs, including San Jose), Boston (three FMs), Seattle (two FMs), Sacramento (four FMs), and San Diego (two FMs)[17]
13 KTSR Lake Charles, Louisiana drops Top 40/CHR for Classic Rock.[18]
17 CFJL-FM Winnipeg drops AC for 1990s' Hits as "Hot 100.5"[19]
21 Due to having flipped sister station WXZX from Alternative to Sports and moving Fox Sports Radio programming to the aforementioned outlet, WYTS/W287CP Columbus, Ohio flips to Urban AC as "Vibe 105.3."[20]
24 Top 40/CHR CHBN-FM Edmonton retired "The Bounce" moniker after 13 years, as it rebrands to parent owner Rogers Media's "Kiss" moniker.[21]

March

Date Event
1 WRSJ in San Juan, Puerto Rico switched from a Tiva TV simulcast to a News radio format, to become "IBC News Network", broadcasting international news around the clock, with an alliance between International Broadcasting Corporation, France 24 & VOA News.
Wifredo G. Blanco Pi, the owner of radio stations WAPA in San Juan, WISO in Ponce, WVOZ in Morovis and WGYA in Guayama acquires WMIA in Arecibo for $250,000. The regular programming continued until transaction closes and was completed on April 14, 2017. Beginning on May 1, WMIA will become a repeater of the "WAPA Radio" News Network, covering across the island.
2 Riverside-San Bernardino picks up a R&B/Hip-Hop outlet, as KDEY-FM breaks away from its simulcast of Classic Hip-Hop sibling KDAY to become "Wild 93.5." The "Wild" brand was last used at KRQB from 2004 to 2007.[22]
6 Springfield, Illinois becomes the latest market to pick up a Hot AC outlet, as WXAJ drops its longtime CHR format to become "99.7 THE MIX". The switch puts it in direct competition with WNNS.[23]
7 KURK Reno ends its run with Mainstream Rock, as it flips to AC as "Fun 101" and changes calls to KRFN. The move puts them in competition with rival KRNO for listeners.[24]
17 Eau Claire, Wisconsin becomes the latest market to pick up a Rhythmic Top 40 format, as WEAQ drops Oldies to become "95.9 Jamz" (utilizing the FM translator W240DC Chippewa Falls) to counter iHeartMedia's Top 40/CHR rival WBIZ-FM while serving as a flanker for Adult Top 40 sibling WIAL and Country sister WAXX.[25]
24 After three years as Nash Icon station, WZAT Savannah flipped to Adult Top 40 as "102.1 The Sound." The flip brings the format back to WZAT, having utilized it from 2008 to 2010 when it was "Z102" after transitioning from Top 40/CHR.[26]
30 Citing tough competition to attract American advertisers, Bell Media announced that it would close the US-based sales office of Alternative CIMX-FM Winsdor, Ontario, Canada, which is based in Bingham Farms, Michigan; the station covers the Detroit market. It also canceled CIMX-FM's morning show "Cal & Co.", and laid off around a dozen people as part of a restructuring of its Windsor cluster. Despite the changes, CIMX-FM and its sister stations will retain their respective formats.[27]

April

Date Event
1 WBYM in Bayamon switches from Spanish Variety to Jazz, becoming the third radio station broadcasting Jazz in Puerto Rico (the others are WVID in Añasco and WIPR-FMHD2 in San Juan). Also it would drop the "Metro Radio" moniker after two years under a time brokerage agreement with Juan Papotito Rosario (owners of WJIT "Radio Hit" in Vega Alta and WOLA "Radio Procer" in Barranquitas) and replaced by "Radio Jazz 1560". Also it seeks to reacquire the station from the IBC Divesture Trust to International Broadcasting Corporation.
Two Puerto rican radio companies, International Broadcasting Corporation and RAAD Broadcasting Corporation now operates under a Joint sales agreement on radio stations WIOA "Fresh" (99.9 FM) in San Juan, WXYX "La X" (100.7 FM) in Bayamon, WQBS "Mix" (107.7 FM) in Carolina, WIOC "Fresh" (105.1 FM) in Ponce, WXHD "La X" (98.1 FM) in Santa Isabel, WELX "La X" (101.5 FM) in Isabela, Puerto Rico and WXLX "La X" (103.7 FM) in Lajas, Also the stations offering radio products including its AiLive and La X Radio Visual mobile apps, and digital platforms under the alliance. Also on April 22, WXLX becomes the repeater of the "Fresh" CHR radio network.
3 The competition among Rock-formatted stations in Sacramento is about to increase to three, as iHeartMedia's KQJK announced that they're dropping the "Jack FM" Adult Hits format to become "93.7 The River." The move brings the format back to the station after 11 years, when it was Classic Alternative.[28]
17 After a five-year stint with Alternative rock, WJSE reverts to Classic Hits as "106.3 The Shore."[29]
After 30 years with Country, WHLZ Florence, South Carolina flips to Adult Top 40 as "Q100.5," and takes the new calls WQPD. The flip puts the station, once known as "Wheelz 92.5" (later "Wheelz 100.5" in 2003 after the 92.5 frequency was relocated to Charleston) and previously "100.5 Nash FM" after parent owner Cumulus Media's rebranding of its Country outlets in 2013, up against iHeart Media Top 40/CHR WJMX-FM and rival Adult Top 40 WSIM.[30]
19-21 A series of format flips takes place in San Antonio. On April 19, iHeartMedia's KZEP-FM dropped Rhythmic Top 40 to become Spanish Top 40 "104.5 Latino Hits" at 5:30 PM (CDT), which was moved up by a day after rival Univision countered that upon learning of the flip by dropping KMYO's Classic Hip-Hop format to return to the aforementioned format after it was dropped in December 2014 and reclaimed its "95.1 Latino Mix" branding by launching it in response at 5PM (CDT).[31] The flip of the two stations paved the way for Alpha Media's KTFM-HD2/K277CX to drop Alternative "103.3 The App" to pick up the Classic Hip-Hop format that was dropped by KMYO, launching as "G103.3." The flip also comes as the ratings for the Alternative format failed to attract listeners, posting a 0.8 in the March 2017 Nielsen Audio book.[32]
20 Radio One acquires ESPN Radio affiliates WWXT Prince Frederick, Maryland and WXGI Richmond from Red Zebra Broadcasting. WWXT will become a simulcast of Urban AC WMMJ (Washington, D.C.) on May 1, while WXGI will retain their current format and simulcast sister station WTPS/W274BX under the "Richmond ESPN Radio" branding.[33]
26 Lansing, Michigan picks up a second Top 40/CHR, as WLMI dropped Classic Hits to become "i92.9." The flip will give rival WJIM-FM new competition for listeners[34]
WSNE-FM in Taunton, Massachusetts tweaks its format from adult top 40 to a rhythmic adult contemporary-leaning hot adult contemporary station, while sticking with the "Coast 93.3" moniker and changing its slogan from "Southern New England's Hit Music Station" to "Throwbacks and Hits from the 90s, 2000s and Today". Additionally, WSNE dropped the syndicated shows Most Requested Live and Club Kane (which were made with contemporary hit radio stations in mind) to local programming in order to match the new, more gold-heavy hot AC format.

May

Date Event
1 Amarillo picks up a Rhythmic Hot AC as KQFX debuts "Wild 104.3." The station will challenge Rhythmic Top 40 rival KQIZ-FM and Top 40/CHR KXSS-FM for listeners in the North Texas market.[35]
5 After a 4-year run with AC, iHeartMedia's WLQB Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina (serving Myrtle Beach, South Carolina) flips back to Regional Mexican as "El Patron 93.5." Prior to its flip to AC, it was previously known as "La Que Buena" under original owners Quantum Communications from 2005 to 2013.[36]
9 After 32 years of ownership, Emmis Broadcasting sells Rhythmic Top 40 KPWR Los Angeles to a affiliate of The Meruelo Group for $82.75 million. The announcement comes after Emmis, who exits the nation's second-largest radio market, made a deal in April with its lenders to seek $80 million worth of divestments by January 2018 to amend its credit agreement. As part of the deal, Meruelo will begin operating KPWR via LMA following the expiration or early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act. KPWR will now be paired with Classic Hip-Hop KDAY and Riverside-San Bernardino targeted Rhythmic Top 40 KDEY-FM effective with the deal.[37]
10 Morgan Murphy Media acquires CBS affiliate KOAM-TV Pittsburg, Kansas and ABC primary affiliate KAVU/Victoria, Texas (including its CBS, NBC, and Univision subchannel/LD-TV outlets) from Saga Communications, who is exiting the television business to focus on its radio outlets, in a $66.6 million deal, which includes a option to acquire Surtsey Media’s Fox affiliate KFJX Joplin, Missouri and KAVU LMA partner, SagamoreHill Broadcasting's Fox affiliate KVCT, which Saga operates. Saga will use the sale of the television assets to acquire stations from Apex Media, who is selling their radio stations in Charleston (WCKN, WMXZ, WXST, WAVF and WSPO/W257BQ/W261DG) and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina (WVSC, W256CB/106.5 W293BZ/WVSC-HD2, WLHH, and WALI), but will keep WALJ in Tuscaloosa.[38]
19 JVC Media has sold Oldies WBGF Belle Glade, Florida/West Palm Beach to ANCO Media Group. Upon its completion of its transmitter move to properly serve the West Palm Beach area, the station will flip to Dance and adopt the "Revolution 93.5" branding to mirror South Florida simulcast sister WZFL-W228BV-W228BY/WHYI-FM HD2. JVC will move the Oldies format to 92.5 W223CJ.[39]
26 For the first time since it flipped from Top 40/CHR to Modern AC in 2004, KQKQ-FM Council Bluffs-Omaha brings back the "Sweet 98.5" moniker, this time repositioning as "Omaha’s Sweetest Variety" due to its shift to a more current-based Adult Top 40 presentation.[40]
Another familiar radio moniker returns as well, this time in St. Louis, where at 10:37 AM (CDT) iHeart Media flipped KLOU-HD2/W279AQ from Christian Contemporary as "UP! 103.7" after 17 months to Urban AC as "Majic 103.7." The flip brings the branding back into the iHeart St. Louis roster, where it had history that began in 1979 at 107.7 before moving to 104.9 in 1997 and then to 100.3 in 2012 until its flip to Classic Hip-Hop in November 2014, and where the current KMJM calls reside.[41]
iHeartMedia also makes changes in Jacksonville and Detroit, where both "Jack FM" branded WWJK and Mainstream Rock WDTW-FM shift to Variety Hits. WWJK adopts "107.3 The River" for its branding,[42] while WDTW retains "106.7 The D" for theirs.[43]
In Nashville, WPRT-FM HD2/W271AB drops Urban Gospel (and after five days of stunting with "Macarena" by Los Del Rio) for R&B Oldies, branding itself as "102.1 The Ville."[44]

June

Date Event
2 KCCT Corpus Christi drops its Americana/Texas Country format for rhythmic-leaning classic hits as "Retro 104.1", going up against the more traditional rival in the format, KMXR.[45]
5 KFLY Eugene drops its AAA after two years for country as "US 101". The new station will have a battle between long-dominant KBUL-FM.[46]
9 Los Angeles adds another Country outlet, as Pasadena-licensed Radio Disney flagship KDIS changed call letters to KRDC and flipped to a country format as "Radio Disney Country", becoming the first terrestrial radio station carrying the formerly online-only platform. KRDC also added a translator, 99.1 K256CX, which broadcasts from KRDC's transmitter in Irwindale. The children's radio/contemporary hit radio hybrid continues in the market on KRTH's HD2 subchannel. The move also officially ends Radio Disney's coverage on analog AM/FM radio.[47]
12 Univision sells one of its Phoenix rimshots, KKMR Arizona City, Arizona (a simulcast of Spanish AC KOMR Sun City), to Educational Media Foundation. KOMR will become a Air1 station and part of a simulcast with KZAI Superior, K243BN Laveen, and KESZ-HD3/Phoenix.[48]
14 Univision sells its Albuquerque/Santa Fe radio cluster of Rhythmic Top 40 KKSS, Classic Rock KIOT, and Classic Hip-Hop KKRG to American General Media, who in turn will divest the following properties to comply with FCC ownership rules to new owners: Classical KHFM to KHFM Community Partners, who will convert the station to non-commercial status, Modern AC KAGM to VCY America, who will also convert to non-commercial and drop the format for Religious programming, and Top 40/CHR KDLW to BB Broadcasting. AGM will also acquire and sell Univision's Regional Mexican KJFA-FM to Vanguard Media.[49]
15 Ft. Myers picks up a new competitor for Rhythmic Top 40 WBTT, as WLVO changed their format from Spanish Christian (due to its sale to Sun Broadcasting) to urban contemporary, branded as "Fly 98.5" under new WFFY calls.[50]
19 Cumulus Media shuffles the formats of its New Orleans outlets, as Alternative WZRH and Nash FM-formatted Adult-leaning Country WRKN swap frequencies. WZRH moved to 92.3 and rebrands as "ALT 92.3," while WRKN takes over the 106.1 signal and moves from a recurrent-focused approach to a current-based direction.[51]
21 In a three-way swap, WTIL 1300 AM "Radio Util" in Mayaguez sells for a transaction from La Mas Z Radio to Wifredo G. Blanco Pi, WBYM 1560 AM "Radio Jazz" in Bayamon acquires the station from IBC Divesture Trust to La Mas Z Radio, and also involves International Broadcasting Corporation, receiving land and equipment at the site of WAPA 680 AM in Carolina, PR from Blanco Pi and permission to relocate WGIT "Faro de Santidad" 1660 AM in Canovanas to that site and build a transmitter building, and IBC may sell or rent at $600 a month the WBYM transmitter site to La Mas Z Radio.
26 Summit Media pulls the plug on Top 40/CHR W261CL & WURV-HD2 Richmond and redirected its listeners to Adult Top 40 sister WURV after six years (it originally launched as a Rhythmic at 100.9 before relocating in 2014). On June 27, the station flipped to Sports, giving Richmond its third outlet with the format, joining Fox Sports Radio affiliate WRNL and the ESPN Radio simulcasts of WXGL/W274BX.[52]
After a year of programming a Mainstream Rock format, WUSH-HD2 & W243DJ Poquoson/Norfolk (serving the Hampton Roads area) flipped to soft oldies, branded as "Vintage 96.5".[53]
Classic Hits KOOI (Jacksonville/Tyler/Longview, Texas) changed their format after nearly 3 years to current-leaning variety hits, branded as "106.5 Jack FM".[54]
iHeartMedia pulls the plug on another "UP!" branded Christian Contemporary outlet, as K297AK & KXBG-HD2 Loveland, Colorado begins stunting with Christmas music. On June 30, the station flipped to iHeartRadio's All-90s format.[55]
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's WUMD signs off at Noon following selling the station to Rhode Island Public Radio. The 89.3 license is moved to Newport, Rhode Island to relay the public radio network whilst WUMD transitions to online-only broadcasting.
27 St. Cloud, Minnesota picks up a Classic Hits outlet, as KZRV drops Active Rock "Rev 96.7" after nearly 10 years to become "96.7 The River."[56]
28 Amarillo sees another station make a format change, as KPRF drops Variety Hits "98.7 Jack FM" after nearly 10 years and began stunting with random current hits from various music genres. On June 30, KPRF flipped to Classic Rock, branding as "Lonestar 98.7."[57]
29 Adult Top 40 WISX Philadelphia dropped the format after nearly seven years and flipped to a more classic hip hop-leaning Rhythmic AC format as "Real 106.1". In response to the change, Mario Lopez and Ryan Seacrest left the station, but Chio continues as morning host. The flip returns the latter format to the market for the first time since 2010, when WISX evolved to its now-defunct Adult Top 40 format; in addition, the classic hip hop format makes a comeback for the first time since the previous September, when WPHI-FM swapped frequencies with WPPZ and shifted to urban.[58]
30 San Antonio sees yet another station shakeup, as iHeartMedia's Top 40/CHR KXXM drops "Mix 96.1" for "96.1 NOW." The move brings the formerly Adult-skewed station to a more current direction closer to Rhythmic-leaning rival KTFM.[59]
iHeartMedia also shifts its Adult Alternative-leaning Modern Hot AC WDVI Rochester, New York to Adult Top 40, returning to a brand it used 11 years prior as "Mix 100.5."[60]
iHeartMedia also pulls the plug on Oldies WDIZ/W242BF Panama City, Florida, as that station flips to Active Rock as "96 Rock."[61]
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth's radio station WUMD signs off after 42 years, transitioning to online-only broadcasting. The station's license is bought by Rhode Island Public Radio, which changes the station to WXNI to rebroadcast their feed, and changes the community of license to Newport, Rhode Island.[62]
Providence, Rhode Island CCM WSTL/W229AN leaves the air.[63]

July

Date Event
1 Ackley Media Group shuffles the formats of its US Virgin Islands outlets, as American CHR WIVI and Urban Contemporary WWKS swap frequencies. WIVI moved to 101.3 and rebrands as "Pirate Radio 101.3," while WWKS takes over the 96.1 signal and moves from a recurrent-focused approach to a current-based direction, rebranded as "Kiss 96.1".
3 A swap takes places in Branson, Missouri, as siblings KRZK and KCAX/K251BX exchange formats. KRZK takes back its Classic Country format after having dropping it for News/Talk in 2012 from KCAX, who picks up KRZK's Classic Hits format.[64]
Bloomberg Radio makes changes among its Boston affiliations, as WRCA/W291CZ is announced as the new affiliate; current affiliate WXKS/WJMN-HD2 will continue carrying the network until a new format is announced.[65]
6 SiriusXM announced that it has fired Faction Talk personality Gregg "Opie" Hughes after it was learned that he recorded “a video made of an employee using the [SiriusXM studios'] bathroom.” In a statement about the action that led to Hughes' dismissal: “SiriusXM confirms it has terminated its relationship with Gregg ‘Opie’ Hughes, host of the ‘Opie Radio Show’ weekday afternoons on the Faction Talk channel. SiriusXM does not publicly discuss internal personnel issues.” The firing on this date incidentally comes on the third anniversary of the firing of Hughes' former “Opie and Anthony” co-host Anthony Cumia, who was terminated for a series of racially-charged derogatory and inflammatory tweets.[66][67]
10 Just seven years after a frequency move from 100.7 to 100.3 and after flipping to Classic Rock in 2013, WYDL Middleton, Tennessee (serving Corinth, Mississippi) returned to Top 40/CHR, branded as "Hot 100".[68]
Just nearly three months after The Benns Family announced that it was preparing to sign off and turn its license back in to the FCC after 56 years of ownership, Southern Gospel WFLI Lookout Mountain/Chattanooga, Tennessee was sold and return to the air with Conservative Talk.[69][70]
Another Amarillo station flips formats, as KBZD changed their format from Adult Top 40 to a simulcast of religious-formatted KRBG Umbarger, Texas.[71]
19 Northern Kentucky University announced that it has sold WNKN Middletown, Ohio (whose signal covers both Cincinnati and Dayton at 105.9) to Grant County Broadcasting, who plans to convert the station back to commercial status after six years. The sale mark NKU's exit from broadcasting due to budget cuts and potential loss of funding for colleges and universities from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. NKU had already sold flagship WNKU Highland Heights, Kentucky (serving Cincinnati) to Bible Broadcasting and WNKE New Boston, Ohio (serving southeastern Ohio and northeastern Kentucky) to Educational Media Foundation in February.[72]
24 Broadcasting & Programming Systems sells one of its Puerto Rico's Rock stations, WCAD "Alfa Rock" San Juan, to Educational Media Foundation. Alfa Rock's programming remains on the air until August 30. WCAD will become a K-Love station serving the entire island beginning in September.
After a year of AC, KXSN San Diego flips to Classic Hits, but retains its "Sunny 98.1" moniker. The move ends the competition it had with KYXY, who will become KXSN's sister station when the CBS/Entercom merger becomes final.[73]
27 After seven years as morning host, Carson Daly announced that he is vacating that position at Top 40/CHR KAMP-FM Los Angeles effective immediately so he can spend more time with his family and focus on his television duties. He'll still serve as host of the weekly syndicated Top 40 countdown radio program The Daly Download, which will continue to air and is produced at KAMP-FM, which is the flagship station for the show.[74]
31 Just seven years after flipping to Sports, WNMQ Columbus, Mississippi returned top Top 40/CHR and revived its "Q103.1" moniker. The Sports format continues on its AM sister.[75]

August

Date Event
1 Reno sees more changes take place, as Shamrock Communications exits the market. The company has sold Alternative KRZQ (licensed to Fallon, Nevada) to Bighorn Media, who in turn flips its format to Gold-based AC as "Easy 104.1" and utilizing the new calls KUEZ. The remaining properties in the cluster, Active Rock KZTI (licensed to Fallon Station, Nevada) Top 40/CHR KWNZ (licensed to Lovelock, Nevada) and Conservative Talk KNEZ (licensed to Hazen, Nevada) are being sold to Radio Lazer, who'll now have a cluster of four FMs serving Reno.[76]
Tulsa picks up a new competitor for Classic Rock KJSR, as KBEZ drops Adult Hits and its Bob FM branding in favor of Rock-leaning Classic Hits, relaunching as "92.9 The Drive."[77]
2 A major shuffling takes place in Roswell, New Mexico. Majestic Broadcasting's KBCQ/K223BH swapped places with sister KSFX, with the latter keeping their Classic Rock format and the KSFX calls (that will now replace the KBCQ calls), while the former dropped Classic Hits for AC and relaunches as "100.5 Kool FM" and changes call letters to KZDB.[78]
3 Major changes at WAPA Radio, as WGYA/1590 in Guayama changed its historical call letters to WXRF. Also, WTIL/1300 in Mayaguez swtiched its Spanish Oldies format to News Talk as the newest member of the WAPA Radio News Network.
7 After 10 years of Talk, WNNH Henniker/Concord, New Hampshire returned to its previous Oldies format, which they programmed from its 1989 sign-on until their flip to the aforementioned format in 2007. The move was made due to parent owner Binnie Media taking over operations of rival WTPL Hillsboro via a LMA[79]
8 After nearly four years with Top 40/CHR, WUUU Franklinton, Louisiana (serving the Lake Pontchartrain and North Shore area between New Orleans and Baton Rouge) returns to its previous Country format and its "Cat Country 98.9" moniker.[80]

September

Date Event
23 The Voice of America will celebrate its 75th anniversary with a dinner and dance party at the Voice of America Museum in West Chester Township, Ohio.[81]

Debuts

Date Event
April 20 Univision launched Univision Deportes Radio on ten of its owned & operated stations. The Spanish-language network plans to utilize their extensive coverage of soccer games as the basis of their programming and to counter the offerings from ESPN Deportes.[82]
May 18 The Beatles Channel, a new full time station licensed and authorized by Apple Corps featuring music from the "Fab Four" as well as their solo material, debuts on SiriusXM, broadcasting on XM18.[83]
May 25 Envision Networks and Weigel Broadcasting begins expanding the Oldies format of WRME-LP Chicago, broadcasting under the "MeTV FM" branding nationwide.[84]

Closings

Date Event
January 2 A storm folds the tower of WGPC in Albany, Georgia in half, taking the station silent.[85] On March 22, owner Cumulus Media announced that the WGPC license would be returned to the Federal Communications Commission.[86] WGPC had been Albany's first radio station.[85]
January 11 Norway was scheduled to become the first country to discontinue FM broadcasts, as it officially flips the switch to Digital Audio Broadcasting for Radio. This move, albeit controversial, is being watched by other countries to see if this transition works.[87]
January 26 Comedian/actor Jay Mohr announced that he is ending his fan-based program Jay Mohr Sports and is exiting Fox Sports Radio after three years to focus on his family and other projects. His co-hosts Dan Beyer and Jonas Knox will continue as interim host until a new replacement is announced.[88]
January 28 After 30 years as the original host and creator of Open House Party, John Garabedian retires from radio with his last broadcast.[89]
January 31 Radio Australia shuts down its shortwave service after 73 years.[90]
February 8 After a facing a series of legal challenges stemming from an incident in which a contestant died from water intoxication during a contest in 2007 that lead to the family awarded $25 Million in damages in 2009, thus triggering a possible revoking of its license, Entercom announced that they would be voluntarily handing in the KDND Sacramento broadcast license to the FCC, taking KDND off the air permanently and opening their FM frequency (107.9) for new applications for this frequency (a process that will take three to five years). The format and calls, including "The End" moniker will relocate to KUDL on February 6, 2017, bringing the Top 40/CHR format back to the 106.5 signal for the first time since KUDL's predecessor KWOD transitioned to Alternative in 1993. The move also clears a hurdle in the announced merger between Entercom and CBS Radio, as their Sacramento roster of stations must divest itself of three FM properties in the market.[91][92]
February 18 After 25 years, the Classical formatted W-BACH Network, which at its height served the Southern, Central and Down East portions of Maine, signs off the air. The stations that simulcast it became simulcasts of parent company Binnie Media's sister outlets, with WBQX Thomaston simulcasting Classic Hits WFNK Lewiston and W245AA Portland simulcasting Country sister WTHT Auburn.[93]
February 28 KFNZ Salt Lake City signed off the air after 95 years; Cumulus had planned to turn the license in to the FCC, but requested a STA to leave it silenced pending a sale of the transmitter equipment and the license to another owner. The announcement comes with the ending its 21-year run with a Sports talk format and a three-year affiliation with CBS Sports Radio.[94]
March 31 Fox Sports Radio affiliate KICE Bend, Oregon leaves the air and its license deleted after 58 years. FM sister KCOE, which simulcasted KICE, will direct listeners to the 94.9 signal and take the KICE calls.[95]
After a 17-year run, Entercom Rhythmic Top 40 KQKS Lakewood/Denver confirmed that its morning team of Larry Ulibarri and Kathie Jay are no longer with the station after the two parties failed to come to terms on a new contract. The morning team's third partner, Kendall B., left KQKS in January to pursue other opportunities. KQKS plans to fill the morning slot with its current staffers until an announcement is made.[96]
May 1 WENN Birmingham signs off the air after 67 years. The move also ends its run with the AC format it was programming via FM Translator W271BN, which owner Summit Media sold to Educational Media Foundation, however, three days later, WENN returned to the air broadcasting Soft AC.[97]
May 3 Frank Deford delivers his last commentary for NPR.[98]
May 7 As part of an AM revitalization plan, the FCC plans to shut down Puerto Rican AM synchronized stations located at WA2XPA Arecibo, WI2XSO Mayaguez, WI3XSO Aguadilla and WI2XAC Ponce. Radio stations WAPA and WIAC in San Juan and WISO in Ponce petitioned to allow the licenses cancelled by that date.
June 30th After a two-year tenure with the station, and due to tensions with WLZD-LP General Manager Sam Neace, East Kentucky DJ's "Jammin" Jon Colwell and Jack "Jack Attack" Caudill decide to combine both Flashback Fridays and Throwback With Jack Attack into one final show. With one hour left, Neace made the decision to pull the plug on the farewell show. Despite being pulled, the DJ's traveled to the station and said their goodbyes to their respective fanbases on the air. This incident also ends Colwell and Neace's Five-Year Working Relationship.
Late Summer After a nearly 52-year run, as well as serving as a launch pad for future Fox Sports personality Kevin Burkhardt and Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman, Mariana Broadcasting announced on June 20 that it will sign-off Oldies WGHT/1500-Pompton Lakes, New Jersey (covering the suburban part of Northern New Jersey within the New York City Metropolitan Area). Owner and General Manager John Silliman intends to attempt to donate the license to a local school or non-profit.[99]
November 17 After 19 years together, Mike & Mike, ESPN Radio's nationally broadcast morning show, will end its run. Host Mike Greenberg will depart for ESPN television, while Mike Golic, whose time in the time slot predated Greenberg's arrival, will continue with Trey Wingo as his co-host.[100]

Deaths

Date Name Age Notability Source
February 15 Stuart McLean 68 Host of The Vinyl Cafe on CBC Radio and Public Radio International [101]
February 20 Steve Hewlett 58 Host of The Media Show on BBC Radio 4 [102]
February 22 Stephen Rhodes 66 Presenter on BBC Three Counties Radio, BBC Radio Northampton, BBC Radio Shropshire, Beacon Radio, BRMB, and WABC [103]
February 23 Alan Colmes 66 Political commentator, host of The Alan Colmes Show on Fox News Radio. Also worked at WABC, WNBC, WHN, WMCA, and WEVD in New York City; WEZE and WZLX in Boston; and WNHC in New Haven, Connecticut. [104]
March 3 Tommy Page 46 Singer/actor, VJ, record executive, publisher at Billboard, and VP/Executive at Pandora Radio and Cumulus Media [105]
March 13 John Andariese 78 Sports journalist, reporter and analyst, nicknamed "Johnny Hoops" for his play-by-play of the New York Knicks broadcasts on TV and radio [106]
April 8 Brian Matthew 88 Presenter of Sounds of the 60s and several other shows on BBC Radio 2 [107]
April 26 Larry Levite 77 Owner of WBEN in Buffalo, New York from 1978 to 1994 [108]
May 19 Wayne Walker 80 Retired American football player (Detroit Lions). Also former radio color commentator for the San Francisco 49ers and Oakland Athletics. [109]
May 28 Ken Ackerman 95 American announcer, best known as host of the show "Music 'Til Dawn" on KCBS San Francisco from 1942-1995 [110]
Frank Deford 78 Sports commentator on NPR's Morning Edition [111]
July 5 Paul Hollingdale 79 Presenter on BBC Radio 2, CNBC, Radio 210, and Blue Danube Radio [112]
July 9 Matt Patrick 58 Host on WKDD Akron and KTRH Houston [113]
July 16 Stephen Rice 46 Host on Austin, Texas stations KUT and KOOP, and gay rights activist [114]
July 23 Elliott Castro 68 Puerto Rican sports broadcaster and panelist of La Descarga Original on WSKN in San Juan, Puerto Rico
July 28 Pam Dixon 59 Radio personality in the Des Moines market, notably as an on-air staffer with Saga Communications' KRNT, KIOA and KRNQ [115]
August 1 Ismael Gonzalez 83 Puerto Rican radio host, entrepreneur and producer; known as "El Loco de los Milagros"
August 6 Darren Daulton 55 Former professional baseball player (Philadelphia Phillies, Florida Marlins) and host of "Talking Baseball with Dutch" on WPEN in Burlington, New Jersey from 2010–2017 [116]

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