2007 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 2007 in radio involved some significant events.
Events
- January 8: Nanci "The Fabulous Sports BabeThe Fabulous Sports BabeNanci Donnellan, best known by her title of "The Fabulous Sports Babe," is an American sports radio broadcaster, currently broadcasting on WHBO in the Tampa Bay, Florida area. She is best known nationally for being syndicated across the United States on both ESPN Radio and ESPN2, from 1994 until 2001...
" Donnellan returns to radio after a six-year absence, filling in for local hosts in Florida. - March 6: Air America RadioAir America RadioAir America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
restructures, with politician Mark J. GreenMark J. GreenMark J. Green is an author, public interest lawyer and a Democratic politician who lives in New York City. He worked with Ralph Nader from 1970-1980, eventually as director of Public Citizen's Congress Watch, and is also the former president of Air America Radio .He was New York City Consumer...
and his brother Stephen Green at the helm. Among the changes (see also "Closures"):- Sam SederSam SederSamuel Lincoln "Sam" Seder is a comedian, writer, actor, film director, television producer-director, and talk radio host...
discontinues his weekday show and moves to Sunday afternoons on Air America RadioAir America RadioAir America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
. - LionelLionel (radio)Michael William Lebron , popularly known as Lionel, is an American nationally syndicated radio talk show host. Beginning May 2007, he hosted a daily three-hour radio talk show on Air America Radio. Lionel was a consistent performer for Air America and drew weekly audiences of around 1.5 million...
moves from WOR Radio NetworkWOR Radio NetworkThe WOR Radio Network is a slate of nationally syndicated radio programming produced and distributed by flagship radio station WOR in New York City...
to Air America RadioAir America RadioAir America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
, joining the latter May 14.
- Sam Seder
- April 4: On Imus in the MorningImus in the MorningImus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
: talk show host Don ImusDon ImusJohn Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
refers on-air to the Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos" and starts a national controversy about racismRacismRacism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and free speech during comedy. - April 12: The Imus in the MorningImus in the MorningImus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
talk show is canceled by MSNBCMSNBCMSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, and host Don ImusDon ImusJohn Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
is fired for remarks made about the Rutgers UniversityRutgers UniversityRutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
women's basketball team. The controversy evolved into firing as a violation of the civil rightsCivil rightsCivil and political rights are a class of rights that protect individuals' freedom from unwarranted infringement by governments and private organizations, and ensure one's ability to participate in the civil and political life of the state without discrimination or repression.Civil rights include...
of free speech. - June 12: Citadel BroadcastingCitadel BroadcastingCitadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
's purchase of most ABC Radio assets closes, and restructuring takes place. - June 29: Tom KentTom KentTom Kent ,is an American radio personality. As the head of the Tom Kent Radio Network, he hosts 105 hours of classic hits programming each week, which, as of February 2, 2009, is distributed through Cumulus Media Networks.-Biography:Prior to becoming syndicated, Kent worked on the air and in...
resigns as host of his programs on the TKO Radio Network, the network he launched as a 24-hour network in the same year; he maintains ownership of the network and is replaced behind the microphone by John LandeckerJohn LandeckerJohn Records Landecker is a Top40/Oldies disc jockey best known for creating "Boogie Check," "Americana Panorama," and satirical songs and bits based on current events such as "Make a Date with the Watergate," and "Press My Conference." He currently hosts a TKO Radio Networks syndicated weekend...
and Marty Thompson. - July 1: Art BellArt BellArthur W. "Art" Bell, III is an American broadcaster and author, known primarily as one of the founders and the original host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. He also created and formerly hosted its companion show, Dreamland...
retires (again) from his weekend hosting gig at Coast to Coast AMCoast to Coast AMCoast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
. - July 12: WCBS-FMWCBS-FMWCBS-FM is a CBS-owned radio station in New York City. The station's studios are in the combined CBS Radio facility at 345 Hudson Street in Manhattan, and its transmitter is located on the Empire State Building....
101.1 New York drops its JackJack FMJACK FM is the alternative name and on-air brand of 60 radio stations in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Russia. Jack stations play a mix of 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. Jack's slogan "playing what we want" can also be...
format after two years and returns to OldiesOldiesOldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
. - July 16: Mike and the Mad DogMike and the Mad DogMike and the Mad Dog was an afternoon drive sports radio program based out of WFAN in New York City that featured Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo talking sports and taking phone calls from listeners. From 2002 onwards the show was simulcasted on the YES Network...
become "nationally syndicated" with its first affiliate outside New York State, WQYKWQYK (AM)WQYK " is a radio station in the Tampa, Florida area, owned by CBS Radio. The station broadcasts at 50,000 watts during the day and 5,000 watts at night, directional towards the east and west to protect Jacksonville's WJXL by day, and New York City's WINS, Toronto's CFRB, and Calgary, Alberta's CBR...
in Tampa, FloridaTampa, FloridaTampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. According to host Mike FrancesaMike FrancesaMichael Patrick "Mike" Francesa, Jr. is an American radio talk show host and television commentator. He is primarily known in his former role co-hosting the popular Mike and the Mad Dog show on WFAN in New York City...
, more affiliates are in the works. - July 30: Pardon the InterruptionPardon the InterruptionPardon the Interruption is a sports television show that airs weekdays on various ESPN TV channels, TSN, ESPN America, XM, and Sirius satellite radio services, and as a downloadable podcast. It is hosted by Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon, who discuss, and frequently argue over, the top stories...
returns to ESPN RadioESPN RadioESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. - August 10: ABC Radio discontinues syndication of Larry ElderLarry ElderLaurence Allen "Larry" Elder is an American radio and television personality. His radio program The Larry Elder Show airs weekdays 9 AM to noon on talk radio 790 KABC in Los Angeles, California...
; his show continues on KABCKABC (AM)KABC is a Los Angeles radio station, and a West Coast flagship station for the Cumulus Media company. A pioneer of the talk radio format, the station went "all-talk" in 1960 and was one of the first stations to do so...
in Los Angeles and reverts to a local show. All other affiliates are switched over to Mark LevinMark LevinMark Reed Levin is a lawyer, author and the host of American syndicated radio show The Mark Levin Show. Levin served in the cabinet of President Ronald Reagan and was a chief of staff for Attorney General Edwin Meese...
's show, also syndicated by ABC in the same time slot. - August 17: Dan PatrickDan PatrickDaniel Patrick Pugh , professionally known as Dan Patrick, is an American sportscaster, radio personality, and actor from Mason, Ohio...
leaves his position at ESPN RadioESPN RadioESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. - October 1: Patrick returns on KLAC in Los Angeles and syndicated through the Content Factory.
- October 5: Long-time Pittsburgh CHRContemporary hit radioContemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
station "B94", returns to the air after flipping to rock (and later "male" talk) in 2004. - October 8: WEXM (formerly WNOU) in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
changes to Christmas musicChristmas musicChristmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
, the first station in the country to do so, as a "stunt format" for the next three months. The first non-stunting stations to change over were KCKC in Kansas City and KOSY-FMKOSY-FMKOSY-FM is a commercial radio station broadcasting to the Salt Lake City, Utah area on 106.5 FM. The station's city of license is Spanish Fork, Utah. KOSY airs an adult contemporary music format branded as "Today's 106.5"...
in Salt Lake City, for the second year in a row, on the evening of October 31, among several other stations. - October 8: WZOOWZOO-FMWZOO-FM is an FM radio station in Edgewood, Ohio, USA broadcasting at 102.5 MHz with an oldies radio format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WFUN, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFXJ-FM - all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in September...
has flipped from CHR to Classic Hits with a new branding, "Magic 102.5." - October 26: It was announced that on November 3, WFUNWFUN (AM)WFUN is an AM radio station in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA broadcasting at 970 kHz with a sports radio format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WZOO-FM, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFXJ-FM—all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in September...
would flip to ESPN Sports. - October 29: Astral MediaAstral MediaAstral Media Inc. is a Canadian media corporation. It is Canada's largest radio broadcaster with 83 radio stations in eight provinces, and is a major player in premium and specialty television in Canada, including The Movie Network, Super Écran, Family, Teletoon, Canal D, Canal Vie, VRAK.TV,...
takes over almost all of the former broadcasting assets of Standard BroadcastingStandard BroadcastingSlaight Communications is a Canadian radio broadcasting company. The company was first formed as Slaight Broadcasting in 1971, when owner J. Allan Slaight acquired CFGM in Richmond Hill...
in Canada. - October 29: San Diego's KLSDKLSDKLSD is a sports station based in San Diego, California. The sports programming began on November 12, 2007. Previously, KLSD's format was progressive talk radio....
flips from Talk to Sports talk. - October 31: The GreasemanThe GreasemanDoug "The Greaseman" Tracht is an American radio, television, and movie personality. Tracht is best known for his morning show on WWDC-FM in Washington, D.C., during the 1980s where he took over the morning drive time slot from Howard Stern and his controversial comments made on that show.Tracht...
resigns as host of WMETWMETWMET is a radio station broadcasting on 1160 kHz in the mediumwave AM band, serving the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Over several decades, it has gone through a number of radio formats, from progressive rock to all-comedy to a conservative talk-show format...
's morning show to focus on Internet ventures. - October 31: WWFTWRWMWRWM is a hot adult contemporary music-formatted radio station licensed to serve Fishers, Indiana, and broadcasting in the Indianapolis area. WRWM was recently granted a construction permit to move its city of license to Lawrence, Indiana, and upgrade its power from 2.95 kW to 6.9 kW in...
flips from talk to Christmas music stunting until the end of the year. - November 3: WFUNWFUN (AM)WFUN is an AM radio station in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA broadcasting at 970 kHz with a sports radio format. It is one of four stations in the Media One Group's Ashtabula cluster, the others being WZOO-FM, WREO-FM, WYBL and WFXJ-FM—all of which were sold off by Clear Channel in September...
flipped from talk to ESPN Sports. - November 3: Roger HedgecockRoger HedgecockRoger Allan Hedgecock is a conservative talk radio host and former mayor of San Diego, California. His show is syndicated by Radio America. Hedgecock still resides in San Diego...
assumes a position as the host of a national weekly talk show. - November 7: Atlanta's WQXIWQXI (AM)WQXI, "790 The Zone", is a radio station licensed to the city of Atlanta broadcasting at a frequency of 790 kHz. The station has a power of 28,000 watts in the daytime, and 1,000 watts at night. WQXI's signal is non-directional during the daytime, and directional at night...
opened their own 15000 square feet (1,393.5 m²) sports bar in downtown Atlanta. - November 19:WIAU transforms from Classic Hits to Talk introducing syndicated hosts such as Dr. Laura.
- November 27: Colorado West Broadcasting, Inc. sold KGLNKGLNKGLN is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, USA, the station is owned by MBC Grand Broadcasting....
to MBC Broadcasting for $250,000. - November 30: WMRNWCGXWCGX — branded Gen-X Radio — is a commercial radio station in Columbus, Ohio currently owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasting an adult-leaning Modern Rock music format, changing from a 1990s hits format in October 2011...
changed dial position from 106.9 to 106.7 at 12PM. - November 30: Entravision CommunicationsEntravision CommunicationsEntravision Communications Corporation is a media company based in Santa Monica, California. Entravision primarily caters to the Spanish-speaking Hispanic community and owns television and radio stations and outdoor media, in several of the top Hispanic markets. They are the largest affiliate...
bought WNUEWNUE-FMWNUE-FM Jose 98.1 is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish Tropical and Spanish Adult Hits format. Licensed to Deltona, Florida, USA, it serves the Orlando area, and is owned by Entravision Communications Corporation .Prior to becoming WNUE in 2000, 98.1 FM was country music station WGNE...
from Mega Communications for $24 million. - December 3: Imus in the MorningImus in the MorningImus in the Morning is an American radio show hosted by Don Imus on Cumulus Media Networks , and simulcast for television on Fox Business Network....
is revived on WABCWABC (AM)WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
and the ABC Radio network. - December 5: J. R. GachJ. R. GachJay Robert "J.R." Gach is a controversial talk radio host and shock jock from Schenectady, New York.Gach was born in 1952 to Joseph Harry Gach , a retired army colonel, and Dorothy Louise Shive...
is knocked off the Internet airwaves after a lawsuit involving comments he made in February 2006 is settled for nearly a million dollars. - December 21: Gary BurbankGary BurbankGary Burbank is an American radio personality. He was heard daily on WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio, from June 15, 1981 until December 21, 2007, when he signed off for the last time.-Career in Radio:...
, WLWWLWWLW is a clear channel talk radio station located in Cincinnati, Ohio, run by Clear Channel Communications. The station broadcasts locally on 700 kHz AM...
radio personality and voice of Earl PittsEarl Pitts (radio character)Earl Pitts is a fictional character performed by Gary Burbank, a radio personality from Cincinnati, Ohio.Pitts, who is almost always referred to as "Earl Pitts, Uhmerikun" is a stereotype of a redneck from the Southern United States...
, retires. - December 13: WFTKWFTKWFTK is a commercial modern rock radio station in Cincinnati, operated by Cumulus Media.- History :The station began in 1958 as WQMS, Quality Music Station, playing beautiful music. In 1968, the station became a religious station and played contemporary Christian music...
drops the talk format, stunting the entire day with construction sounds. The next day, they debuted an alternative rockAlternative rockAlternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
format branded as 96 Rock. - December 13: WMRNWCGXWCGX — branded Gen-X Radio — is a commercial radio station in Columbus, Ohio currently owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasting an adult-leaning Modern Rock music format, changing from a 1990s hits format in October 2011...
changed formats from theme song stunting (before stunting, WMRN's format was country music) to alternative rock as "Radio 106.7" at 12PM. - December 26: WIBC in Indianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis, IndianaIndianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
moves its newsNews RadioNews Radio can refer to:* NewsRadio, the NBC sitcom which aired from 1995–1999.* News radio, the all-news or news/talk radio format....
/talkTalk radioTalk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
format to 93.1 FM. The station's AM frequency flipped to sportsSports radioSports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
as WFNIWFNIWFNI, known as 1070 The Fan, is a radio station in Indianapolis, Indiana owned by Emmis Communications. The station operates on the AM radio frequency of 1070 kHz. The studios are located at 40 Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis...
.
Debuts
- Casey KasemCasey KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem is an American radio personality and voice actor who is best known for being the host of the nationally syndicated Top 40 countdown show American Top 40, and for voicing Shaggy in the popular Saturday morning cartoon franchise Scooby-Doo.Kasem, along with Don Bustany and...
's American Top 40American Top 40American Top 40 is an internationally syndicated, independent radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds and Ron Jacobs. Originally a production of Watermark Inc...
: The 70s (January 1) and The 80s (April 8). Terrestrial syndication debut after several months exclusively on XM Satellite RadioXM Satellite RadioXM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
. - February 20 - The Tony Kornheiser ShowThe Tony Kornheiser ShowThe Tony Kornheiser Show is a sports radio talk show out of Washington, D.C. hosted by Tony Kornheiser, which appeared on WTEM from 1992 to 1997; on ESPN Radio between 1998 and 2004; back on WTEM from 2004 to 2006; and on WTWP and then WWWT in 2007 and 2008; and back on WTEM since September 8, 2009...
. This is the day that Kornheiser returned to radio on WTWP (now WWWT) and XM 144XM Sports NationSirius XM Sports Nation is a work-in-progress channel on Sirius XM Radio, and is mainly the result of a merging of Sirius Sports Central and XM Sports Nation, and a couple programming changes with sister channel Mad Dog Radio....
after his first stint on Monday Night FootballMonday Night FootballMonday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. The show will go on hiatus June 30 as Kornheiser returns for one more season on MNF. - March 26 - The Dennis Miller ShowDennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, syndicated by Westwood OneWestwood OneWestwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
. - April 12 - The Keith SweatKeith SweatKeith Sweat is an American R&B/soul, singer-songwriter, record producer, radio personality and a major contributor to the new jack swing era.-Music career:...
Hotel, syndicated by Premiere Radio NetworksPremiere Radio NetworksPremiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
. - April - Libertarian PartyLibertarian Party (United States)The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
presidential candidate Michael BadnarikMichael BadnarikMichael J. Badnarik is an American software engineer, political figure, and former radio talk show host. He was the Libertarian Party nominee for President of the United States in the 2004 elections, and placed fourth in the race, behind independent candidate Ralph Nader...
begins hosting a talk radio program, Lighting the Fires of Liberty on the We the People radio network. - Steve MalzbergSteve MalzbergSteve Malzberg is a radio personality. He most recently hosted The Steve Malzberg Show on the WOR Radio Network.A graduate of Brooklyn College, Malzberg worked at 77 WABC for over twenty-five years in several capacities, i.e., as an overnight political talk show host, a sports commentator, and...
. May 7. Returned to the airwaves in national syndication thanks to the WOR Radio NetworkWOR Radio NetworkThe WOR Radio Network is a slate of nationally syndicated radio programming produced and distributed by flagship radio station WOR in New York City...
. - May 17 - San Francisco classic hits station KFRCKFRC-FMKFRC-FM is a commercial radio station in San Francisco, California, serving the San Francisco Bay Area. It simulcasts sister station KCBS, which carries an all-news format...
is revived on 106.9 FM. The format had previously been on 99.7 FM until it switched to the Movin' format in September 2006. - The Phil Hendrie ShowThe Phil Hendrie ShowThe Phil Hendrie Show is a comedy talk radio program. The show is syndicated throughout North America on Talk Radio Network. It is known for outrageous guests, the majority of whom are fictional and voiced live by the host, Phil Hendrie...
. June 25. Initially intended to be a more political and issues oriented program, the show quickly reverted to a format similar to its previous format. - Bob GrantBob Grant (radio)Bob Grant , is an American radio host whose real name is Robert Ciro Gigante. A veteran of broadcasting in New York City, Grant is considered a pioneer of the "conservative" and "confrontational" talk radio format.-Early work:...
. August 23. Grant's sudden return to the network came one day after the official announcement of his rehiring. - Boomer EsiasonBoomer EsiasonNorman Julius "Boomer" Esiason is a former American football quarterback and current network color commentator. He played for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, and Arizona Cardinals before working as an analyst for ABC and HBO...
and Craig CartonCraig CartonCraig Harris Carton is an American radio personality who currently co-hosts the Boomer and Carton in the Morning radio program.-Biography:...
in the Morning. September 4. Permanent replacement for Imus at WFANWFANWFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
. - The Mike Tirico Show. September 20. Replacement for Dan Patrick on ESPN RadioESPN RadioESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
. - John BatchelorJohn BatchelorJohn Calvin Batchelor is an author and host of The John Batchelor Show radio news magazine. Based at WABC radio in New York for five years from early 2001 to September, 2006; the show was syndicated nationally on the ABC radio network. On October 7, 2007, Batchelor returned to radio on WABC New...
. October 7. Replaces Brian WhitmanBrian WhitmanBrian David Whitman is an American talk radio host and voice impressionist. Whitman was born on Staten Island, New York and graduated from Wagner College in May 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science....
on WABCWABC (AM)WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
and returns to radio after his daily show, also on WABC (and later syndicated by ABC Radio), was cancelled in September 2006. Batchelor also debuts another three-hour show on KFIKFIKFI is an AM radio station in Los Angeles, California. It received its license to operate on March 31, 1922 and began operating on April 16, 1922 as one of the United States' first high-powered, "clear-channel" stations...
, dealing with the same topics, immediately after the WABC show. - Live on Sunday Night with Bill CunninghamBill CunninghamBill Cunningham is an American talk radio host. His full-time job is hosting The Big Show with Bill Cunningham, a local show on 700 WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cunningham now hosts Live on Sunday Night, it's Bill Cunningham, which is syndicated to over 300 stations by Premiere Radio Networks. He is...
. October 7. Replaces Matt Drudge on Premiere Radio NetworksPremiere Radio NetworksPremiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
. - Michael JacksonMichael Jackson (radio commentator)Michael Jackson is an American talk radio host based in the Los Angeles, California area. Jackson is best known for his radio show which covered arts, politics, and human interest subjects, particularly in the Los Angeles and greater Southern California area in the era before "shock jocks." His...
. October 29. Debuts on KGIL in Los Angeles in his former time slot.
Closings
- WWVA JamboreeWWVA JamboreeWWVA Jamboree, renamed Jamboree U.S.A. in the 1960s, and the Wheeling Jamboree in 2009, is a pioneering American radio show that featured country music from 1933–2008, and again since January 2009...
/Jamboree USA. January 6. The long-running country music show, which had aired since 1933 on WWVAWWVA (AM)WWVA is an AM radio station that broadcasts on a frequency of 1170 kHz with studios in Wheeling, West Virginia, USA, and towers formerly located in St. Clairsville, Ohio, before they were destroyed in an August 2010 storm...
/Wheeling, West VirginiaWheeling, West VirginiaWheeling is a city in Ohio and Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia; it is the county seat of Ohio County. Wheeling is the principal city of the Wheeling Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, is canceled as the station streamlines its focus on its talk radio format. - The Al Franken ShowThe Al Franken ShowThe Al Franken Show was the flagship talk show of the former talk radio network, Air America Radio. Hosted by Al Franken, it featured commentary and interviews arguing for left-wing positions on the issues of the day, and comically poking fun at the George W. Bush Administration. The show began as...
. February 14. Franken left his show on Air America RadioAir America RadioAir America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
to run for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota. - Free FMFree FMFree FM was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven FM CBS Radio stations in the United States, and was created because of Howard Stern's departure to Sirius Satellite Radio in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air,...
. In a series of moves beginning in May 2007, CBS RadioCBS RadioCBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
phased out the hot talk network by changing several stations' formats and rebranding most others. - CHUM LimitedCHUM LimitedCHUM Limited was a media company based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada from 1945 to 2007. Immediately prior to its acquisition, it held full or joint control of two Canadian television systems — Citytv and A-Channel — comprising 11 local stations, and one CBC Television affiliate, one...
absorbed into CTVglobemediaCTVglobemediaCTVglobemedia , was one of Canada's largest private media companies. Its operations include newspaper publishing , television broadcasting and production , radio broadcasting , and their respective Internet properties.Originally established by BCE and the Thomson family in 2001 combining CTV Inc.,...
June 22 - Classical music station WFMRWFMRWZBK-FM is a classic country radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, licensed to the suburb of Brookfield, with transmitter facilities at the Milwaukee Radio Group complex on the west side of Milwaukee. The station is owned by Saga Communications...
in Milwaukee ends 51 years on the air when the station flips to a smooth jazzSmooth jazzSmooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
format as WJZX June 26 - Adventures in Good MusicAdventures in Good MusicAdventures in Good Music, hosted by Karl Haas, was radio's most widely listened-to classical music program, and aired nationally in the U.S. from 1970 to 2007. Adventures in Good Music was also syndicated to commercial and public radio stations around the world...
: Producer and distributor WCLVWCLVWCLV — branded WCLV 104.9 — is the classical radio station licensed to Lorain, Ohio serving Greater Cleveland and western parts of surrounding Northeast Ohio; WCLV is one of the few remaining classical music stations in the United States....
announced "with great regret" that it would broadcast and syndicate its last encore episode of Adventures in Good Music with Karl HaasKarl HaasKarl Haas was a German-American classical music radio host, whose distinctively sonorous voice and humanistic approach to making music appreciation contagious made him well-received by many...
on June 29, 2007. - July 1 - Art BellArt BellArthur W. "Art" Bell, III is an American broadcaster and author, known primarily as one of the founders and the original host of the paranormal-themed radio program Coast to Coast AM. He also created and formerly hosted its companion show, Dreamland...
announced his retirement from weekend hosting, effective immediately, but will host occasional shows in the future. - Greenstone Media. August 17. Women's talk network folds after slightly over a year on the air. The network only gained 8 affiliates in its short life.
- Washington Post RadioWashington Post RadioWashington Post Radio was a short-lived attempt by Bonneville Broadcasting and the Washington Post to create a commercial long-form all-news radio network in the style of National Public Radio...
. September 19. The short-lived attempt at a long-form commercial all-news radioAll-news radioAll-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
station in the style of NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
, run by the Washington Post, ended as Bonneville switches its network of stations to 3WT Talk Radio. - Matt DrudgeMatt DrudgeMatthew Nathan Drudge is the American creator and editor of the Drudge Report, a news aggregation website. Drudge is self-described as being conservative and populist. Drudge has also authored a book and hosted a radio show and a television show.-Early years:Matthew Drudge was raised in Takoma...
's Sunday night show. September 30. Drudge left the timeslot; Premiere Radio NetworksPremiere Radio NetworksPremiere Networks is an American radio network. It is the largest syndication company in the United States based on popularity of programming...
replaced him with Bill CunninghamBill CunninghamBill Cunningham is an American talk radio host. His full-time job is hosting The Big Show with Bill Cunningham, a local show on 700 WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio. Cunningham now hosts Live on Sunday Night, it's Bill Cunningham, which is syndicated to over 300 stations by Premiere Radio Networks. He is...
. - ABC News & TalkABC News & TalkABC News & Talk was a news/talk and entertainment radio channel programmed and distributed by ABC Radio Networks for satellite radio services. It aired on XM Satellite Radio channel 124, and Sirius Satellite Radio channel 143 both in the United States until 2007-09-24.The channel also existed on...
. September 24. Closed by ABC Radio in restructuring. - October 18: WPEP at Taunton, MassachusettsTaunton, MassachusettsTaunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
has its license canceled so WNSHWNSHWNSH is a radio station licensed to Beverly, Massachusetts, USA. The station is currently owned by Willow Farm, Inc., and recently began simulcasting WNNW, "Power 800", an AM station from nearby Lawrence that airs a Spanish Tropical music format....
-Beverly, MassachusettsBeverly, MassachusettsBeverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 39,343 on , which differs by no more than several hundred from the 39,862 obtained in the 2000 census. A resort, residential and manufacturing community on the North Shore, Beverly includes Beverly Farms and Prides...
can increase to 30 kW. They were on the same frequency: 1570 kHz. - Satellite SistersSatellite SistersThe Satellite Sisters is an internet based podcast. Previously, the show was a syndicated radio program heard on the ABC Radio Networks. The program previously aired on National Public Radio . The show revolves around five real-life sisters living in different cities...
. November 9. Cancelled by ABC Radio in restructuring. - Wake Up With WhoopiWake Up With WhoopiWake Up With Whoopi was a morning radio show that aired on various stations in the United States from July 31, 2006 until March 28, 2008. Whoopi Goldberg was the host of the program...
. November 30. The show, hosted by Whoopi GoldbergWhoopi GoldbergWhoopi Goldberg is an American comedian, actress, singer-songwriter, political activist, author and talk show host.Goldberg made her film debut in The Color Purple playing Celie, a mistreated black woman in the Deep South. She received a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress and won...
, was cancelled by WKTUWKTUWKTU is a radio station based in New York City that plays an upbeat, gold-based CHR format. The station's broadcast transmitter is located on the top of the Empire State Building and its city of license is Lake Success, New York, with offices formerly in the "Newport" section of Jersey City, New...
in New York City after low ratings. - Doug Hoerth. December 3. Renda BroadcastingRenda BroadcastingRenda Broadcasting is a privately held Pittsburgh-based radio broadcasting company founded by chief executive, Tony Renda.Renda Broadcasting operates stations in Pennsylvania, Florida and Oklahoma.-Stations:Pittsburgh*WSHH 99.7 – Adult contemporary...
, owners of WPTT in Pittsburgh, announce they are not renewing Hoerth's contract after a ten-year run as the station's morning and later afternoon host. - December 20 - After three years as "Diva 92.3" WDVWWRKNWTKE-FM is a radio station broadcasting a sports/talk format. Licensed to Niceville, Florida, USA, the station serves the Fort Walton Beach area. WTKE-FM is owned by Qantum Communications and the station's broadcast license is currently held by Ft...
/New Orleans flips from Rhythmic/Dance to Adult Top 40 as "Mix 92.3." - John London's Inferno. December 25. The show failed in syndication due to a lack of affiliates.
Deaths
- Vida Jane Butler Joplin, 84, radio announcer, voice-overVoice-overVoice-over is a production technique where a voice which is not part of the narrative is used in a radio, television production, filmmaking, theatre, or other presentations...
artist. also known as "Janie Joplin." - Geoff CannellGeoff CannellGeoffrey Thornton Cannell Geoffrey Thornton Cannell Geoffrey Thornton Cannell (1942 – September 24, 2007 was a former Member of the House of Keys (MHK) and a sports broadcaster in the Isle of Man....
, 65, ManxIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
Member of the House of KeysMember of the House of KeysMember of the House of Keys, or MHK is the title given to a person who has been elected into the House of Keys, the lower house of Tynwald, the parliament of the Isle of Man. There are twenty-four Members of the House of Keys. Elections are held every five years; the last election took place in...
and sports broadcaster, strokeStrokeA stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage... - Herb CarnealHerb CarnealHerb Carneal was an American Major League Baseball sportscaster. From 1962 through 2006, he was a play-by-play voice of Minnesota Twins radio broadcasts, becoming the lead announcer in 1967 after Ray Scott left to work exclusively with CBS...
, 83, American sportscasterSportscasterIn sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, radio broadcaster for Minnesota TwinsMinnesota TwinsThe Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
MLBMajor League BaseballMajor League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team, congestive heart failureCongestive heart failureHeart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition... - Ann ColoneAnn ColoneAnn Colone was a Fort Wayne, Indiana broadcaster. She began as a secretary for WGL . She eventually became a DJ on the station.Once she moved to television, she hosted The Ann Colone Show, a noontime homemaker show on WANE-TV. The show began as a half-hour show, but grew to an hour, then to an hour...
, 77, Fort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne, IndianaFort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
broadcasterPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show... - David HatchDavid HatchSir David Hatch was involved in production and management at BBC Radio, where he held many executive positions, including Head of Light Entertainment , Controller of BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4 and later Managing Director of BBC Radio.- Education :He attended St John's School, Leatherhead and...
, BBC RadioBBC RadioBBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
producer and comedian - Benedict KielyBenedict KielyBenedict "Ben" Kiely was an Irish author and broadcaster from Omagh, County Tyrone, Ireland.-Early life:Benedict Kiely was born in Dromore, County Tyrone to Thomas John and Sara Alice Kiely. He was the youngest of six children, the others were Rita, Gerald, Eileen, Kathleen and Macartan; four of...
, 87, IrishRepublic of IrelandIreland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
writer and broadcaster - Chris MainwaringChris MainwaringChris Douglas Mainwaring was an Australian rules footballer. He played for the West Coast Eagles in the Victorian Football League/Australian Football League and East Fremantle in the West Australian Football League...
, 41, Australian footballer for the West Coast EaglesWest Coast EaglesThe West Coast Eagles are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League. The club is based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 and played its first games in the 1987 season. Its current home ground is Subiaco Oval...
, television and radio sports journalist - Tawn MastreyTawn MastreyTawn Mastrey was an American disc jockey, music video producer, one of rock radio's top media personalities. She hosted a daily show on Sirius Satellite Radio's Hair Nation Channel 23, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m...
, 53, American radio disc jockeyDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
(KNACKNACKNAC is an internet based heavy metal music radio station. It was previously a Los Angeles, California area FM radio station.-KNAC at 105.5 FM:...
), hepatitis CHepatitis CHepatitis C is an infectious disease primarily affecting the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus . The infection is often asymptomatic, but chronic infection can lead to scarring of the liver and ultimately to cirrhosis, which is generally apparent after many years...
. http://www.knac.com/article.asp?ArticleID=5880 - Joe NuxhallJoe NuxhallJoseph Henry Nuxhall was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007...
, 79, American baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player and broadcaster (Cincinnati RedsCincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
), pneumoniaPneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and multiple cancerCancerCancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
s. - Phil RizzutoPhil RizzutoPhilip Francis Rizzuto , nicknamed "The Scooter", was an American Major League Baseball shortstop. He spent his entire 13-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
, 89, American baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, Hall of Fame inductee and sports broadcaster, pneumoniaPneumoniaPneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes... - Ned SherrinNed SherrinEdward George "Ned" Sherrin CBE was an English broadcaster, author and stage director. He qualified as a barrister and then worked in independent television before joining the BBC...
, 76, British broadcaster and theatre producer, throat cancerHead and neck cancerHead and neck cancer refers to a group of biologically similar cancers that start in the upper aerodigestive tract, including the lip, oral cavity , nasal cavity , paranasal sinuses, pharynx, and larynx. 90% of head and neck cancers are squamous cell carcinomas , originating from the mucosal lining...
. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7023129.stm - Bob Sievers, 90, American radio broadcaster on WOWOWOWOLocated in Fort Wayne, Indiana, WOWO is an independent news/talk radio station transmitting on 1190 kHz at 50,000 watts during the daylight hours and 9,800 watts during the nighttime hours. An application is on file with the Federal Communications Commission to add a fourth tower to the three...
(1932–1987) - Paul SullivanPaul Sullivan (radio)Paul Sullivan was born in Lowell, Massachusetts. Paul Harold "Sully" Sullivan was an accomplished radio talk-show host of "The Paul Sullivan Show" on WBZ radio...
, 50. Overnight host at WBZWBZ (AM)WBZ is the call sign for an AM radio station in Boston, Massachusetts owned by CBS Radio, itself owned by the CBS Corporation. Originally based in and broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts, WBZ was the first commercial radio station in the United States... - Mike Webb, 41. American radio host at KIROKIRO (AM)KIRO is a radio station based in Seattle, Washington on the shores of Lake Union with 2 towers on Maury Island, broadcasting on 710 kHz in the AM radio spectrum...
, known for his extreme liberal viewpoints. Killed by an axe murderer. - Pete WilsonPete Wilson (broadcaster)Peter James "Pete" Wilson was an American broadcaster born in Wisconsin. For more than 20 years prior to his death, he worked in the San Francisco Bay Area...
, 62, Long time talk show host at KGOKGO (AM)KGO is a news/talk-format radio station radio with offices and studios in San Francisco, California. Unlike most other American news/talk stations, KGO originates nearly all of its own programming locally. Since 1978, KGO radio has received Arbitron's number-one ranking in the Bay Area...
. - Stan ZemanekStan ZemanekStan Zemanek was an Australian radio broadcaster who presented a popular night time show on 2UE Sydney and which was networked across parts of Australia via Southern Cross....
, Australian radio broadcaster