1999 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 1999 in radio involved some significant events.
Events
- January 1 - 102.1 The Zone stopped played at 6AM and 102.1 FM played a stunt of waves and announcement voice over of our newest radio station.
- January 4 - 102.1 The Zone becomes Star 102 (KCKC)
- April 5 - KHOT flips into Spanish Mexican music from Rhythmic Olides
- August 6 - WWXY and WWYX (now WVIV-FMWVIV-FMWVIV-FM and WVIX are a Spanish radio simulcast in Chicago, Illinois. They are part of the family of Univisión Radio, a division of Univisión Communications. Studios are located at 625 North Michigan, right in the heart of downtown Chicago.-103.1 and 93.5 FM History:The 103.1 FM frequency was...
) debuts The 80s Channel - October 2 - 810 WHB flips to Sports Talk
- November 4 - WYXR (now WRFFWRFFWRFF is a modern rock FM radio station located in and licensed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and is known on-air as "Radio 104.5."-WRCP-FM:...
) rebranded from Star 104.5 to Alice 104.5 - December 1 - WZBAWZBAWZBA is a radio station serving Baltimore, Maryland. The station broadcasts on 100.7 MHz and translator W261CD 100.1 MHz in downtown Baltimore, and markets itself as the only station in the Baltimore market dedicated to the classic rock format...
flips into Country music to Rock AC
Debuts
- March 26: Billionaire Paul AllenPaul AllenPaul Gardner Allen is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. Allen co-founded Microsoft with Bill Gates...
gives Portland, OregonPortland, OregonPortland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
its first Rhythmic ContemporaryRhythmic ContemporaryRhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
station as KXL-FM becomes KXJMKXJMKBFF is an Adult Top 40 radio station licensed to Portland, Oregon, USA, and serving the Portland area. The station is currently owned by Alpha Broadcasting.-Current Lineup:* Mornings 6a-10a: More Music Mornings with CJ & Nikki...
("Jammin' 95.5"). - October 23 The BJ Shea Morning ExperienceThe BJ Shea Morning ExperienceThe BJ Shea Morning Experience is a morning drive time radio show on 99.9 FM KISW in Seattle, Washington, owned by Entercom. The show airs Monday through Friday, 5:00 am – 10:00 am PST and is also available as a stream and a downloadable podcast from the station's official website.-About the...
makes its debut on KQBZKKWFKKWF , known as "The New 100.7 The Wolf", is a Country music radio station based in Seattle, Washington. The Entercom outlet broadcasts at 100.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 67 kW. Its transmitter is located in Seattle.-History:...
in Seattle, Washington.
Closings
- April 17 - The Mutual Broadcasting SystemMutual Broadcasting SystemThe Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
name was retired by owner 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...
, with remaining affiliates switching to CNN Radio in a deal with Turner Broadcasting. On that same day, "NBC Radio"-branded newscasts (by this point, "Mutual" and "NBC" newscasts were produced and anchored by 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...
personnel) were also limited only to 5 a.m. - 10 a.m. on weekday mornings, with CNN Radio newscasts airing at all other times.
Deaths
- Regis CordicRegis CordicRegis John "Rege" Cordic was an American radio personality and actor.His career in entertainment divides roughly in half: from 1948 to 1965, he was the dominant morning drive-time radio host in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, he was a successful voice, television,...
, 72, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio personalityRadio personalityA radio personality is a person with an on-air position in radio broadcasting. A radio personality can be someone who introduces and discusses various genres of music, hosts a talk radio show that may take calls from listeners, or someone whose primary responsibility is to give news, weather,...
and actorActorAn actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. - Shirley DinsdaleShirley DinsdaleShirley Dinsdale Layburn , better known by her maiden name of Shirley Dinsdale, was an American ventriloquist and television and radio personality of the 1940s and early 1950s....
, 72, ventriloquist and television and radio personality of the 1940s1940sFile:1940s decade montage.png|Above title bar: events which happened during World War II : From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching "Omaha" Beach on "D-Day"; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of France; The Holocaust occurred during the war as Nazi Germany...
and early 1950s1950sThe 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
. - Ted MallieTed MallieTheodore A. Mallie was an American radio and television announcer.Mallie started at WOR-Mutual Radio in New York in the mid-1940s. There he announced on such programs as John Steele, Adventurer and I Love a Mystery...
, 74, AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio and television announcer