2001 in radio

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Last updated June 27, 2024

The year 2001 in radio involved some significant events.

Events

January - KQMQ/Honolulu flips from Rhythmic CHR to Rhythmic AC
January 5 - Hot AC-formatted WZTR/Louisville flips to Top 40/CHR as WZKF, "Kiss FM."
January 12 - WUBT flips to Top 40, branded as "Kiss 103.5" (WKSC-FM) in Chicago.
January 26 - Long-time Top 40/CHR outlet KKOB-FM/Albuquerque flips to All-80s Hits
January 29 - The 80s Channel WXXY and WWYX/Chicago (now WPNA-FM) becomes Viva 103.1
February - Rhythmic oldies-formatted KKME/Modesto flips to active rock
February 2 - Country-formatted WOGY/Memphis flips to Modern AC as WMBZ, "The Buzz."
March - Rhythmic oldies-formatted WBUF/Buffalo flips to rock
April 2 - WJMO/Washington, D.C., ends its urban oldies format and begins stunting as Survivor Radio, based on the CBS TV series, Survivor .
April 6 - Survivor Radio stunt ends, and WJMO flips to CHR as Hot 99.5 (WIHT). "Survivor", by Destiny's Child, was the first song played on Hot 99.5.
May 7 - CHUM Radio's "The Team" syndicated sports service debuts in Canada at 3 PM. With this, it brought an end to the oldies format on 1050 CHUM/Toronto after 11 years, and 44 years as a music station.
May 26 - Essex-based pirate station 'Premier FM' begins broadcasting on 88.3FM from Southend-on-Sea, Essex, UK.
May 28 - KRBV (100.3) in Dallas, TX changes its branding from "Hot 100" to "Wild 100" while maintaining its Top 40 format.
June 15 - Bruce Williams leaves Westwood One to join the IDT-owned Talk America Radio Network; his departure effectively ended what was originally the NBC Talknet service.
June 18 - KFME 105.1 in Kansas City signs on with an 80's intensive hot AC format as "E-1051.fm." The license-to-cover was accepted for filing quickly, but not granted for several years because a competitor raised concerns that the station didn't cover its city of license, Garden City, MO.
July 3 - In Northeast Ohio, a complex exchange involving seven radio stations in Greater Cleveland and the Akron and the Canton metropolitan areas occurs between Clear Channel Communications, Salem Communications and WCLV (95.5FM) owner Radio Seaway. Although generally reported as a "frequency swap", in reality these seven radio stations mostly trade callsigns along with their respective formats and staffs, all to facilitate the transfers of ownership of four of the seven stations:^[1]
- WAKS (104.9FM), licensed to Lorain, Ohio, aired a contemporary hit radio format. WAKS was sold by Clear Channel to Radio Seaway, the callsign changed to WCLV-FM and the format changed to classical music.
- WCLV (95.5FM), licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, aired a classical music format. WCLV was sold by Radio Seaway to Salem, the callsign changed to WFHM-FM and the format changed to Christian contemporary.
- WHK (1420AM), licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, aired a religious format. WHK was sold by Salem to Radio Seaway, the callsign changed to WCLV and format the changed to adult standards assuming the intellectual property of WRMR, which Radio Seaway purchased in a separate transaction.^[2]
- WHK-FM (98.1FM), licensed to Canton, Ohio, fully simulcast WHK's religious format. WHK-FM was sold by Salem to Clear Channel, the callsign changed to WKDD and the format changed to adult contemporary.
- WKDD (96.5FM), licensed to Akron, Ohio, aired an adult contemporary format. WKDD was retained by Clear Channel, the callsign changed to WAKS and the format changed to contemporary hit radio.
- WKNR (1220AM), licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, aired a sports format. WKNR was retained by Salem, the callsign changed to WHK and the format changed to religious.
- WRMR (850AM), licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, aired an adult standards format. WRMR was retained by Salem, the callsign changed to WKNR and the format changed to sports.
July 27 - Energy FM starts broadcasting in the Isle of Man, it is only the second radio station ever to be legally broadcast on the Island. Other illegal stations known to have operated have been Radio Caroline and Toxic 103FM.
August 9 - Saying that "the rusty pipes are being renewed... I’m so eager to return," Paul Harvey returned to the air for one day after suffering a severe case of laryngitis; he had been sidelined since May while undergoing treatment at the Mayo Clinic. Gil Gross and Sam Donaldson were the chief fill-in hosts used during this time. Harvey returned to full-time duty on August 19.
September - Classic rock-formatted WZUU/Kalamazoo flips to active rock
September 2 - WEVD 1050-AM in New York is leased out by owner The Jewish Daily Forward to Disney/ABC. The locally based talk format, including hosts Alan Colmes, Ed Koch and Bill Mazer is dropped in favor of ESPN Radio programming (and eventually becomes ESPN's flagship station, WEPN). Nine days later, the station simulcasts future sister station WABC for several weeks.
September 10 - The Sean Hannity Show enters national syndication from ABC Radio.
September 11 - Thousands of radio stations interrupt regularly scheduled programming starting at or around 8:50 a.m. EST (13.50 GMT) to cover the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, from multitudes of sources.
September 11 - In addition to the 2,754 fatalities in New York City, the September 11 attacks resulted the destruction of the transmission mast atop One World Trade Center, killing six engineers and silencing WKCR, WPAT-FM, WNYC-FM and WKTU, in addition to all nine major television stations, and the studio-transmitter link for WNYC (AM). WKTU had a backup transmitter atop the Conde Nast Building at Four Times Square that was immediately activated. Later that morning, all of New York's radio outlets (including the music outlets) preempt programming for nonstop coverage of the September 11 attacks until the end of the month. WNYC Radio's studio buildings in the Municipal Building were evacuated and relocated to NPR's Manhattan facilities, with WNYE arranging to carry WNYC-FM's programming on a full-time basis. While WNYC (AM)'s transmitter was on the whole time, programming would return later that afternoon with a backup STL dish sent to their transmitter site, which would relay an ISDN feed of WNYC sent via satellite from NPR's Washington facility. WPAT returned to the air that Thursday on the Empire State Building's transmission mast, and WKCR was reactivated from their Columbia University campus. (All of the TV stations would utilize the historic Armstrong Tower - a landmark in the history of FM broadcasting - as early as that Wednesday.)^[3]^[4]
November - KBOB-FM (104.9 FM) in Davenport, Iowa is rebranded "Great Country 105" and adopts a classic country format.
December 31 - Cox Communications flips the format and call letters of Classical radio station WTMI/Miami, Florida to Dance Music as WPYM ("Party 93.1, South Florida's Pure Dance Channel"). The news would make headlines in the trades and in the Dance Music community. The station would last three years and three months.

Debuts

The 2 Live Stews debut on WQXI in Atlanta, Georgia
March 1 - 89 DMZ (owned by Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation) renamed as Wave 89.1 (owned by Blockbuster Broadcasting System) begins broadcast in the Philippines.
June 25 - The Laura Ingraham Show debuts on Westwood One, assuming the 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. slot previously held by Bruce Williams (see events).
September 25 - XM Satellite Radio launches as North America's first satellite radio service with new channels.
Kari Steele moves from KOST to spend 10 years at sister station KBIG before returning in to the station in 2011.

Closings

Sports Fan Radio Network dismisses The Fabulous Sports Babe in January, network folds in May.
BBC Radio 2 in the U.K. closes topical radio comedy sketch show The News Huddlines starring comedian Roy Hudd with a Christmas special. First broadcast in 1975, it is British radio's longest-running audience comedy.

Deaths

January 4: Les Brown, 90, American jazz bandleader^[5]
January 6: Gene Taylor, 53, American media personality
March 12: Morton Downey, Jr., 68, controversial and influential American television talk show host of the 1980s who pioneered the "trash talk show" format
March 27: Irene Thomas, 80, British radio quiz show player
April 27: Charlie Applewhite, 68, American singer and radio host
May 11: Douglas Adams, English-born scriptwriter
May 12: Perry Como, 88, American crooner and radio personality
September 4: Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, 39, American radio personality and actor
September 5: Cawood Ledford, 75, American play-by-play radio sportscaster (Kentucky Wildcats)
September 13: Charles Régnier, 87, German actor, director, radio actor and translator
October 22: Cliff Adams, 77, English musician and bandleader^[6]
November 5: Milton William Cooper, 58, American conspiracy theorist and shortwave radio host

Related Research Articles

WHK is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, carrying a talk format known as "AM 1420 The Answer". Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station serves both Greater Cleveland and the Northeast Ohio region as an affiliate for the Salem Radio Network. WHK's studios are currently located in the Cleveland suburb of Independence while the transmitter site resides in neighboring Seven Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKNR</span> Sports radio station in Cleveland, Ohio

WKNR – branded as 850 ESPN Cleveland – is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland. Owned by Good Karma Brands, WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio and the AM flagship station for the Cleveland Browns Radio Network; the Cleveland affiliate for the Ohio State Sports Network, and the radio home of Je'Rod Cherry and Tony Grossi. The WKNR studios are currently located in the East Bank of The Flats in Downtown Cleveland, while the station transmitter resides in the Cleveland suburb of North Royalton, And due to the 4-tower array at the site, WKNR’s daytime signal can be heard as far as Mansfield, and even as far as Newark and Zanesville. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WKNR is available online.

WHTX – branded as AM 1570 WHTX – is a commercial News Talk AM radio station licensed to serve Warren, Ohio. Owned by Sagittarius Communications, LLC., the station covers the Youngstown metropolitan area and much of the Mahoning Valley. The WHTX studios are located in Mineral Ridge, while the station transmitter resides in Warren. Besides a standard analog transmission, WHTX is available online.

WJMP was a commercial daytime-only radio station licensed to Kent, Ohio, which operated on 1520AM and served the Akron metro area. Owned by Media-Com, Inc. for much of its existence, the station broadcast from 1965 to 2016 as the AM adjunct to WNIR, which gradually assumed WKNT's more popular programs.

WCPN is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Lorain, Ohio, featuring a public radio format as a repeater of Kent–licensed WKSU. Owned by Ideastream Public Media, the station serves the western portion of Greater Cleveland and parts of surrounding Northeast Ohio. By virtue of WKSU, studios are located at Playhouse Square in Downtown Cleveland, while WCPN's transmitter resides in the Cleveland suburb of Avon. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WCPN broadcasts over four HD Radio channels and streams online.

WFHM-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, known as "95.5 The Fish" and featuring a contemporary Christian format. Owned by the Salem Media Group, the station serves Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. WFHM-FM's studios are located in the Cleveland suburb of Independence and the station transmitter resides in Warrensville Heights. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WFHM-FM is available online.

WMJI is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, featuring a classic hits format dubbed "Majic 105.7". Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. WMJI's studios are located in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District at the Six Six Eight Building, while the transmitter resides in the Cleveland suburb of Parma. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WMJI broadcasts over two HD Radio channels and is available online via iHeartRadio.

WQAL is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, featuring a hot adult contemporary format known as "Q104". Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station serves Greater Cleveland and surrounding Northeast Ohio. WQAL's studios are located at the Halle Building in Downtown Cleveland, while the station transmitter resides in the Cleveland suburb of North Royalton. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WQAL broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and is available online via Audacy.

WAKS is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio, known as "96.5 KISS-FM" and featuring a top 40 (CHR) format. Owned by iHeartMedia, WAKS's studios are located at the Six Six Eight Building in downtown Cleveland's Gateway District, and its transmitter resides in Brecksville; because of this, the station is recognized as a Cleveland radio station serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio.

WCCD is a commercial daytime-only radio station licensed to Parma, Ohio, with a religious format known as "Radio 1000". Owned by New Spirit Revival Center Ministries, Inc., co-founded by the Rev. Darrell C. Scott, WCCD serves Greater Cleveland and parts of surrounding Northeast Ohio. The station's studios are located at The New Spirit Revival Church in the Cleveland suburb of Cleveland Heights.

WWGK was a commercial daytime-only radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, that broadcast on 1540AM from 1947 until 2022. Last owned by Good Karma Brands, it featured ESPN Radio programming at the time of closure, co-owned with ESPN affiliate WKNR. The transmitter tower for WWGK was located on Euclid Avenue at East 81st Street in Cleveland's Fairfax neighborhood.

WTNT is a Spanish hits AM radio station licensed to Alexandria, Virginia and serving the Washington metro area. WTNT is owned and operated by Metro Radio. 730 kHz is a Canadian and Mexican clear-channel frequency.

WHLO is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio, carrying a news/talk format. Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves both the Akron and Canton metro areas as the local affiliate for ABC News Radio, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, The Sean Hannity Show, the Akron RubberDucks and the Akron Zips. WHLO's studios are located in North Canton, while the station transmitter is housed in Copley. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WHLO streams online via iHeartRadio.

WKDD is a commercial radio station licensed to Munroe Falls, Ohio, United States, featuring a hot adult contemporary format known as "98.1 KDD". Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the station serves both the Akron-Canton metro area, with additional coverage in Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. WKDD's studios are located in North Canton, while the transmitter is located in Cuyahoga Falls. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WKDD broadcasts over two HD Radio channels, and streams online via iHeartRadio.

WHKZ is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Warren, Ohio, featuring a Catholic–based Christian format as an owned-and-operated station in the Relevant Radio network. The station serves both Sharon, Pennsylvania, and Youngstown, Ohio. WHKZ's transmitter resides on Calson-Salt Springs Road in Warren, operating at a continuous power of 5,000 watts; the directional antenna pattern uses two towers during the day, and six towers at night.

WKRK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland Heights, Ohio, known as "Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan" and carrying a sports format. Owned by Audacy, Inc., WKRK-FM serves Greater Cleveland and surrounding Northeast Ohio as a co-flagship for the Cleveland Browns Radio Network and an affiliate of Infinity Sports Network.

The year 1999 in radio involved some significant events.

WYOH – branded as Real Talk 1540 WYOH on weekdays and Bakan Radio on weekends – is a commercial daytime-only radio station licensed to serve Niles, Ohio. Owned by Sagittarius Communications, LLC., the station covers the Youngstown metropolitan area. WYOH broadcasts a progressive talk format on weekdays and tropical music on weekends. The WYOH studios and transmitter are both located in Mineral Ridge; in addition to a standard analog transmission, WYOH is also available online.

WRMR may refer to:

References

↑ Quinn, Jim (June 18, 2001). "Seven area radio stations will play musical chairs". Akron Beacon Journal . Akron, Ohio. pp. A1, A5. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021– via Newspapers.com.
↑ O'Connor, Clint (June 1, 2001). "Classic pop radio will stay alive here: Actually will expand on WCLV AM" . The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio. p. 1A. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2021– via NewsBank.
↑ Tower Site of the Week - One World Trade Center - A Look Back Scott Fybush, fybush.com. September 12–19, 2001
↑ NorthEast Radio Watch - 9/11 Plus One, A Special Report Scott Fybush, fybush.com. September 10, 2002
↑ Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-3848-8.
↑ "Cliff Adams obituary". The Guardian . London. 1 November 2001. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2009.

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[AkronB20010618p_A001-1] Quinn, Jim (June 18, 2001). "Seven area radio stations will play musical chairs". Akron Beacon Journal . Akron, Ohio. pp. A1, A5. Archived from the original on August 15, 2021. Retrieved August 14, 2021– via Newspapers.com.

[ClassicPopStays-2] O'Connor, Clint (June 1, 2001). "Classic pop radio will stay alive here: Actually will expand on WCLV AM" . The Plain Dealer . Cleveland, Ohio. p. 1A. Archived from the original on March 29, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2021– via NewsBank.

[3] Tower Site of the Week - One World Trade Center - A Look Back Scott Fybush, fybush.com. September 12–19, 2001

[4] NorthEast Radio Watch - 9/11 Plus One, A Special Report Scott Fybush, fybush.com. September 10, 2002

[coxotd-5] Cox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN 978-0-7864-3848-8.

[6] "Cliff Adams obituary". The Guardian . London. 1 November 2001. Archived from the original on 4 December 2009. Retrieved 18 December 2009.

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