1979 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 1979 in radio involved some significant events.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, long time rocker KRST flips to country music, becoming the city's first FM country radio station. 30 years later, 92.3 KRST is still New Mexico's #1 Country.
Events
- September - KDWB-FMKDWBKDWB-FM is an American commercial radio station broadcasting in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, the radio format was known for over fifty years as a major contemporary hit radio Top 40 pop music outlet. Its transmitter is located in Shoreview, Minnesota. It broadcasts in 5.1 cinema-quality...
in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis, MinnesotaMinneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
breaks away from their Top 40 AM sister, becoming album-oriented rockAlbum-oriented rockAlbum-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
as "K101" - October 22 - Pittsburgh court receives a $7 million libel lawsuit from county politician Cyril WechtCyril WechtDr. Cyril Harrison Wecht is an American forensic pathologist. He has been a consultant in numerous high-profile cases, but is perhaps best known for his criticism of the Warren Commission's findings concerning the assassination of John F...
over remarks the city controller made of him during a radio interview.
Debuts
- November 5 - The radio news program Morning EditionMorning EditionMorning Edition is an American radio news program produced and distributed by National Public Radio . It airs weekday mornings and runs for two hours, and many stations repeat one or both hours. The show feeds live from 05:00 to 09:00 ET, with feeds and updates as required until noon...
premieres on National Public Radio.
- WIXK-FM signs on the air
- The engineers and airstaff of WCCO-AM/FM/TV go on strike.
In Albuquerque, New Mexico, long time rocker KRST flips to country music, becoming the city's first FM country radio station. 30 years later, 92.3 KRST is still New Mexico's #1 Country.
Deaths
- Charles CoughlinCharles CoughlinFather Charles Edward Coughlin was a controversial Roman Catholic priest at Royal Oak, Michigan's National Shrine of the Little Flower church. He was one of the first political leaders to use radio to reach a mass audience, as more than thirty million tuned to his weekly broadcasts during the...
, 88, CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-born Roman Catholic priest who used radio to reach a mass audience during the 1930s. This radio program included praises of Adolf HitlerAdolf HitlerAdolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Benito MussoliniBenito MussoliniBenito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
.