2000 in radio

The year 2000 in radio involved some significant events.

Events

• The Real Radio & Century Radio networks become active on – air, through the United Kingdom.
• The Quad-Cities' signal for 1580 AM, last holding the call letters KFQC, goes silent for the last time. To date, there has been no announcement when, or if, a station will be returning to the frequency, which had been in use since 1952.
• January 27 – The City 97.9/Oklahoma City flipped from Smooth jazz to Rhythmic CHR, branded as "Wild 97dot9."
• March – Connoisseur Communications, owners of Quad Cities radio stations KJOC, KORB, WXLP, KQLI and KBOB, are sold to Cumulus Media. At the same time, a series of format changes at two of the stations are unveiled. KBOB, with a country music format, is moved from 99.7 FM to 104.9 FM, replacing KQLI's light adult contemporary format. Replacing KBOB at 99.7 FM is a contemporary hit radio/Top 40 format, with the new call sign KBEA-FM.
• March 10 - Country-formatted KYNG/Dallas-Fort Worth flips to hot talk as "105.3 The Talk That Rocks."
• March 17 – WFSJ Jacksonville debuts as Kiss 97.9
• June 30 – KKBT 100.3 and KCMG 92.3 swapped frequencies in Los Angeles, and in Washington DC, WPLC, after being sold, flips from Modern AC as "Pulse 94dot3" to Spanish AC as "Amor 94.3".
• July 18 – 94.5 The Buzz (Modern Rock) and Oldies 107.5 (Classic Hits) swapped frequencies in Houston. Chris McMurray makes the official announcement before the move to 107.5
• August 17 - Kansas City's longtime classical station KXTR 96.5 is moved to AM 1250 at 10 AM that day. A modern AC format that would later evolve to modern rock as "96.5 The Buzz" replaced classical at 96.5 two hours later. New calls of KRBZ arrived about a week later.
• August 24 – U102/Denver launched.
• August 25 – WHCY Sussex becomes Max 106.3
• August 30 - The merger of AMFM, Inc. and Clear Channel Communications officially closes.^[1]
• September 25 – KFYI 590 and KGME 910 swapped frequencies at midnight in Phoenix
• October 30 – WOCL/Orlando dropped its Rhythmic Oldies format and began stunting
• October 31 – WOCL stops stunting at Noon, and launches its new modern rock format, branded as "O-Rock 105.9."
• November 3 – WSUN Oldies 97.1 becomes 97X: Tampa Bay's New Rock Alternative.
• November 4 – FM 106.3 WHTG becomes G 106.3
  • KKTL debuts as Hot 97.1
• November 6 – 96.5 The Point debuted in Philadelphia.

Debuts

• Fox Sports Radio launches at 8:00 a.m. EDT (5:00 a.m. PDT) August 28 with The Tony Bruno Show. Other hosts at the network's start included Kevin Kiley and Chuck Booms, Chris Myers and Steve Lyons, Sarge (Pickman), Bob Golic and Rich Hererra, Dan Sileo, Andrew Siciliano, Chris Rose, Craig Shemon and Ben Maller.
• KAHA in Honolulu, Hawaii signs on the air
• Internet station Radio Paradise begins operation
• The Best Show on WFMU with Tom Scharpling debuts in October

Deaths

• April 25 - Florence Freeman, actress in old-time radio, best known for her work in soap operas.^[2]
• Ward Cornell, 75, Canadian radio/TV broadcaster and educator
• Frankie Crocker, 62, New York City radio disc jockey
• Sir Robin Day, 76, British political broadcaster
• Phil Tonken, 80, American radio and television announcer

See also

• Radio broadcasting

References