1983 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 1983 in radio involved some significant events.
Events
- August 2 - WHTZWHTZWHTZ — branded Z100 — is a commercial pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Newark, New Jersey serving the New York metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by Clear Channel Communications...
(Z100) in New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
debuts, soon becoming one of the most influential 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...
stations in the US. Z100 has competition in the format from 95.5 WPLJWPLJWPLJ is a radio station in New York City owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC inside 2 Penn Plaza in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building. The station currently plays a Hot Adult...
, which flipped from album-oriented rock to CHR shortly beforehand, but it is Z100 which gains the lion's share of the attention by literally going from "worst to first" in the ratings. - KABGWGVXWGVX, WGVY and WGVZ is a trimulcast serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul region, and an area of central Minnesota to the north. The three stations are now owned by Cumulus Media, along with sister stations KQRS-FM and KXXR....
in Cambridge, MinnesotaCambridge, MinnesotaAs of the census of 2000, there were 5,520 people, 2,237 households, and 1,353 families residing in the city. The population density was 894.1 people per square mile . There were 2,373 housing units at an average density of 384.4 per square mile...
becomes KXLV - 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...
flips from 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...
to 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...
, a format it still carries today. - Emmis Broadcasting purchases 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...
-formatted WLOL 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... - WCCO-FMWLTEWLTE is a radio station in Minneapolis-St. Paul that carries a "Lite rock" adult contemporary format and has done so for more than two decades. WLTE is owned by CBS Corporation, which also owns WCCO radio today...
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...
flips from adult contemporary to 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...
, then back again (as WLTE) later that year. - December 12 - After 25 years of ownership, Gene AutryGene AutryOrvon Grover Autry , better known as Gene Autry, was an American performer who gained fame as The Singing Cowboy on the radio, in movies and on television for more than three decades beginning in the 1930s...
sells KSFO 560 AM to King Radio Broadcasting which owned KYA 1260 AM and 93.3 FM. - December 12 - KYA moves broadcasts solely onto 93.3 FMKRZZKRZZ is a commercial radio station located in San Francisco, California, broadcasting to the San Francisco Bay Area on 93.3 FM. KRZZ airs a regional mexican music format branded as "La Raza".-History:...
, leaving 1260 AM (which they owned since 1926 and was sold to Bonneville InternationalBonneville InternationalBonneville International Corporation is a broadcasting company wholly owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through its for-profit arm, Deseret Management Corporation...
) which became a simulcast of KOIT FM, at midnight.
Debuts
- April 15 - American Public Radio is founded (becomes Public Radio InternationalPublic Radio InternationalPublic Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
in 1994). - Joe CastiglioneJoe CastiglioneJoseph John Castiglione is an American radio announcer for the Boston Red Sox baseball team, an author and lecturer.-Early life and career:...
joins the Boston Red SoxBoston Red SoxThe Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
broadcast team, teamed with Ken ColemanKen ColemanKenneth R. Coleman was an American radio and television sportscaster for 38 years . He was born in Quincy, Massachusetts.... - Jam RadioJam RadioJamRadio is Hull University Union's student campus radio station broadcasting all year round. It previously broadcast on 1575 Medium Wave but now is an internet only radio station. It is a subcommittee of Hull University Union's Media and Marketing Committee. All presenters, DJs and executive...
, the University of HullUniversity of HullThe University of Hull, known informally as Hull University, is an English university, founded in 1927, located in Hull, a city in the East Riding of Yorkshire...
's student radio station becomes the first student station to obtain a medium wave license.
Closings
- March 16 - The Transmitter IsmaningTransmitter IsmaningThe Transmitter Ismaning was a large radio station inaugurated in 1932. From 1932 to 1934 this transmitter, which replaced the transmitter in Munich-Stadelheim, used a T-antenna as transmitting antenna, which was hung up two 115-meter-high freestanding wood framework towers...
, the last wooden radio tower in Germany, is demolished. - KMELKMELKMEL is an Urban Contemporary-formatted radio station located in San Francisco, California, and owned by Clear Channel Communications....
ends its weekly countdown show, hosted by 78-year old Ruth Bennett, mother of the station's former morning host Alex Bennett.
Births
- August 16 - Colin GriffithsColin GriffithsColin Griffiths is an English comedian, DJ, VJ and writer. He is most famous for his work as host of the MTV show Up, Up, Down, Down..., the flagship program of MTV Flux which has also aired on TMF UK and MTV UK and Ireland....
, TV presenter and DJ - October 10 - Alyson HauAlyson HauAlyson Hau . Born on October 10, 1983) is a radio DJ/presenter in Hong Kong and is sometimes known by the nicknames "Allie" or "Ally". She has previously worked at Metro Radio's 104 FM Select in 2000 and Commercial Radio Hong Kong's HMV864 from 2000-2003.She is fluent in Cantonese, English and...
, Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
radio DJ
Deaths
- March 16 - Arthur GodfreyArthur GodfreyArthur Morton Godfrey was an American radio and television broadcaster and entertainer who was sometimes introduced by his nickname, The Old Redhead...
, 27-year host of Arthur Godfrey Time on CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, as well as host of Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts (on radio from 1946–1956; on TV from 1948–1958). One of history's most influential broadcast personalities.