2001 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 2001 in radio involved some significant events.
Events
- 12 January: Jammin 103.5 becomes Kiss 103.5 (WCKS) in Chicago.
- 29 January: The 80s Channel WXXY and WWYX (now WVIV) becomes Viva! 103.1
- 2 April: Jammin 99.5 begins stunting as Survivor Radio, based on the 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...
TV series, SurvivorSurvivor (U.S. TV series)Survivor is an American version of the Survivor reality television game show, itself derived from the Swedish television series Expedition Robinson originally created in 1997 by Charlie Parsons. The series premiered on May 31, 2000 on CBS...
. - 6 April: Survivor Radio stunting ended, still becomes a 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 as Hot 99.5 (WIHTWIHTWIHT is a Top 40 formatted radio station that serves the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. The station broadcasts 24 hours a day. WIHT is licensed to and owned by Clear Channel Communications...
). "Survivor", by Destiny's ChildDestiny's ChildDestiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, was the first song played on Hot 99.5. - 28 May: KRBV (100.3) in Dallas, TX changes its branding from "Hot 100" to "Wild 100" while maintaining its Top 40 format.
- 15 June: Bruce Williams leaves 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...
to join the IDTIDTIDT may refer to:*Intelligent Design *Interdigital transducer, also called "interdigitated transducer", a sensor and transmitter for a surface acoustic wave*IDT An electronic band/production duo from Edinboro, PA...
-owned Talk America Radio Network; his departure effectively ended what was originally the NBC TalknetNBC TalknetNBC Talknet was a nighttime programming block on the NBC Radio Network from the 1980s to the 1990s. It comprised several advice-oriented call-in talk shows, the most notable personalities being Bruce Williams and Sally Jessy Raphael...
service. - 3 July: At 12:01 a.m., a complicated seven-station call letter, format, ownership and intellectual property swap commences on seven stations in the ClevelandCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
-AkronAkron, OhioAkron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...
-CantonCanton, OhioCanton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
-LorainLorain, OhioLorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland....
region:- Radio Seaway, owner of 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....
, sells WCLV's class BClass BThe term Class B may refer to:* Class B amplifier, an electronic amplifier category* Class B stars* Class B , a defunct class in minor league baseball in North America* Class B airspace class, as defined by the ICAO for the busiest U.S...
95.5 MHz signal to Salem CommunicationsSalem CommunicationsSalem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
, in exchange for Salem's 1420 kHz facility and Clear ChannelClear Channel CommunicationsClear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
's class AClass AClass A may refer to:* Class A airfield, a standardised design for military airfields built throughout Britain from 1942* Class A airspace, an airspace class defined by the ICAO* class A amplifier, a category of electronic amplifier...
104.9 MHz facility, licensed to suburban Lorain. Salem then sells their 98.1 MHz facility, licensed to Canton, to Clear Channel, and the intellectual property of WRMR 850 kHz to Radio Seaway. - WCLV relocates from the 95.5 facility to the 104.9 facility, and launches a semi-simulcast on WBKCWBKCWWGK — branded ESPN 1540 KNR2 — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WWGK is the secondary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WKNR, WWGK is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WWGK is the Cleveland...
in Painesville, OhioPainesville, OhioAs of the 2010 Census, there were 19,563 people. As of the census of 2000, there were 17,503 people, 6,525 households, and 4,032 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,928.6 people per square mile . There were 6,933 housing units at an average density of 1,160.0 per square mile...
. The 1420 facility, which was originally intended to be the primary signal (with the FM as a simulcast), instead assumes WRMR's adult standards format as "Classic Pops 1420," although with the WCLV (AM) calls. - "Kiss 104.9Kiss FM-United States:* KISS-FM , a brand name used for several Top 40 stations, many owned by Clear Channel Communications including:** KBKS-FM, better known as "106.1 KISS-FM", in Seattle** KHKS-FM, better known as "106.1 KISS-FM", in Dallas...
" WAKSWAKSWAKS — branded 96.5 KISS-FM — is a commercial radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio broadcasting a pop/contemporary hit radio format. The station serves Cleveland, Akron and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio....
, the original occupant of the 104.9 signal, moved to the Akron-based 96.5 facility. Their transmitter is relocated to sister station WTAMWTAMWTAM — branded Newsradio WTAM 1100 — is a commercial radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio, serving Greater Cleveland and much of surrounding Northeast Ohio. Owned by Clear Channel Communications, the station broadcasts primarily a news/talk format...
's Brecksville transmitter, and is turned into a Cleveland-market signal. - WKDDWKDDWKDD — branded The New 98.1 'KDD — is a commercial hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Munroe Falls, Ohio serving the Akron and Canton metro areas. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
moves from the 96.5 frequency, its original home for 23 years, to the 98.1 facility. - Salem Communications relaunched the 95.5 facility as CCMContemporary Christian musicContemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
WFHM "95.5 The Fish," relocates WHK's Christian talk-and-teaching format from the 1420 facility to the 1220 facility, and WKNRWKNRWKNR — branded ESPN 850 WKNR — is a commercial sports radio station licensed to Cleveland, Ohio. Owned by Good Karma Broadcasting, WKNR is the primary Cleveland affiliate for ESPN Radio; together with sister station WWGK, WKNR is often referred to as ESPN Cleveland.WKNR is the Cleveland affiliate...
's all-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...
format from the 1220 facility to the 850 facility. - That November, Radio Seaway donates the 104.9 facility to "The WCLV Foundation," a non-profit consortium that leases WCLV-FM back to Radio Seaway in perpetuity.
- Radio Seaway, owner of WCLV
- 27 July: Energy FMEnergy FMEnergy FM is the brand name of several radio stations:* Energy FM * Energy FM * Energy FM * Energy FM * Energy FM * Energy FM * Energy FM * NRJ Russia, also known as Energy FM...
starts broadcasting in the Isle of ManIsle 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...
, 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. - 9 August: Saying that "the rusty pipes are being renewed... I’m so eager to return," Paul HarveyPaul HarveyPaul Harvey Aurandt , better known as Paul Harvey, was an American radio broadcaster for the ABC Radio Networks. He broadcast News and Comment on weekday mornings and mid-days, and at noon on Saturdays, as well as his famous The Rest of the Story segments. His listening audience was estimated, at...
returned to the air for one day after suffering a severe case of laryngitisLaryngitisLaryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
; he had been sidelined since May while undergoing treatment at the Mayo ClinicMayo ClinicMayo Clinic is a not-for-profit medical practice and medical research group specializing in treating difficult patients . Patients are referred to Mayo Clinic from across the U.S. and the world, and it is known for innovative and effective treatments. Mayo Clinic is known for being at the top of...
. Gil GrossGil GrossGil Gross is an American radio personality. In addition to hosting a show on KGO AM in San Francisco, California on weekday afternoons since 2007, he is a news correspondent for the ABC Radio Networks.-Career:...
and Sam DonaldsonSam DonaldsonSamuel Andrew "Sam" Donaldson, Jr. is a reporter and news anchor, serving with ABC News from 1967 to the present, best known as the network's White House Correspondent and as a panelist and later co-anchor of the network's Sunday Program "This Week."-Early life and career:Donaldson was born in El...
were the chief fill-in hosts used during this time. Harvey returned to full-time duty on August 19. - 2 September: WEVDWEVDThe call letters WEVD are associated with the following:* WWRV AM 1330 in New York City, which held the WEVD call sign until 1981* WSKQ-FM 97.9 in New York City, which held the WEVD-FM call sign from 1952 to 1989...
1050-AM in New York is leased out by owner The ForwardThe ForwardThe Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
to Disney/ABC. The locally-based talk format, including hosts Alan ColmesAlan ColmesAlan Samuel Colmes is an American radio/television host, liberal political commentator for the Fox News Channel, and blogger. He is the host of The Alan Colmes Show, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show distributed by Fox News Radio that also airs throughout the United States on Fox News Talk...
, Ed KochEd KochEdward Irving "Ed" Koch is an American lawyer, politician, and political commentator. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1969 to 1977 and three terms as mayor of New York City from 1978 to 1989...
and Bill MazerBill MazerBill Mazer is an Jewish American television and radio personality.Winning numerous awards and citations, including three Sportscaster of the Year awards for New York from 1964–66....
is dropped in favor of 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...
programming (and eventually becomes ESPN's flagship station, WEPNWEPNWEPN is a 24-hour sports talk formatted radio station in New York City featuring national and local sports talk programs and live broadcasts of sports matches. It is the New York affiliate for ESPN Radio...
). Nine days later, the station simulcasts future sister station 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...
for several weeks. - 10 September: The Sean Hannity ShowThe Sean Hannity ShowThe Sean Hannity Show is a talk radio show hosted by Sean Hannity on Citadel Media and Premiere Radio Networks. The program is broadcast live every weekday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m...
enters national syndication from ABC Radio. - 11 September: Thousands of radio stations interrupt regularly scheduled programming starting at or around 8:50 a.m. ESTEastern Standard TimeEastern Standard Time may refer to:*North American Eastern Time Zone, UTC-5*Australian Eastern Standard Time, UTC+10*An album by Hip Hop group Kooley High...
(13.50 GMT) to cover the September 11 terrorist attacks in New York, Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and Shanksville, PennsylvaniaShanksville, PennsylvaniaShanksville is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 245, as of the 2000 census. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area and is approximately 60 miles southeast from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, from multitudes of sources. - 11 September: In addition to the 2,754 fatalities 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...
, the September 11 attacks resulted the destruction of the transmission mast atop One World Trade Center, killing six engineers and silencing WKCRWKCRWKCR-FM is a radio station. Licensed to New York, New York, USA, it serves the New York area. The station is currently owned by Trustees of Columbia University in New York.-History:...
, WPAT-FMWPAT-FMWPAT-FM, known on-air as "93.1 Amor", is a radio station with a Spanish-language Rhythmic AC format. Located on 93.1 FM, the station, which is licensed to Paterson, New Jersey, serves the New York City Metropolitan area.-History:...
, WNYC-FM and 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 addition to all nine major television stations, and the studio-transmitter link for WNYC (AM). 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...
had a backup transmitter atop the Conde Nast BuildingCondé Nast BuildingThe Condé Nast Building, officially 4 Times Square, is a modern skyscraper in Times Square in Midtown Manhattan. Located on Broadway between 42nd Street and 43rd, the structure was finished in January 2000 as part of a larger project to redevelop 42nd Street...
at Four Times Square that was immediately activated. WNYC Radio's studio buildings in the Municipal BuildingManhattan Municipal BuildingThe Manhattan Municipal Building, at 1 Centre Street in New York City, is a 40-story building built to accommodate increased governmental space demands after the 1898 consolidation of the city's five boroughs. Construction began in 1907 and ended in 1914, marking the end of the City Beautiful...
were evacuated and relocated to 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...
's Manhattan facilities, with WNYEWNYEWNYE may refer to:* WNYE , a radio station licensed to New York, New York, United States* WNYE-TV, a television station licensed to New York, New York, United States...
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 STLSTLSTL may refer to:In International law:*Special Tribunal for LebanonIn communications:*Standard telegraph level*Studio/transmitter link*Small transmitting loop antenna STL may refer to:In International law:*Special Tribunal for LebanonIn communications:*Standard telegraph level*Studio/transmitter...
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 BuildingEmpire State BuildingThe Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
's transmission mast, and WKCR was reactivated from their Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
campus. (All of the TV stations would utilize the historic Armstrong TowerArmstrong TowerThe Armstrong Tower, also known as Alpine Tower, is a 425 foot tall lattice tower built and used by Edwin Armstrong in 1938 at Alpine, New Jersey, United States, at 40°57'39.0" N and 73°55'21.0" W for his transmission experiments that led to modern FM radio. The original transmissions occurred at...
- a landmark in the history of FM broadcastingFM broadcastingFM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
- as early as that Wednesday.) - 31 December: Cox CommunicationsCox CommunicationsCox Communications is a privately owned subsidiary of Cox Enterprises providing digital cable television, telecommunications and wireless services in the United States...
flips the format and call letters of Classical radio station WTMI/Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
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 Stews2 Live StewsThe 2 Live Stews is an American syndicated sports talk radio show originating from WQXI, AM 790 the Zone, in Atlanta, Georgia hosted by brothers Doug and Ryan Stewart.-The hosts and cast:...
debut on WQXI in Atlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta, GeorgiaAtlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in... - 25 June: The Laura Ingraham ShowThe Laura Ingraham ShowThe Laura Ingraham Show is a three-hour American radio show hosted by conservative commentator Laura Ingraham on Talk Radio Network. , the show is broadcast live on Channel 2, from 9 a.m...
debuts on Westwood One, assuming the 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. slot previously held by Bruce Williams (see events). - 25 September: 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...
launches as North AmericaNorth AmericaNorth America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
's first satellite radioSatellite radioSatellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
service with new channels.
Closings
- Sports Fan Radio NetworkSports Fan Radio NetworkThe Sports Fan Radio Network was a sports talk radio network that existed from 1996 through 2001, when it abruptly folded.-Launch:SportsFan Radio Network officially debuted in 1993 with 80 hours of programming per month. Based in Las Vegas, the network broadcast its flagship show "SportsFan...
dismisses 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...
in January, network folds in May.
Deaths
- 12 March: Morton Downey, Jr.Morton Downey, Jr.Morton Downey, Jr. was an American singer, songwriter and later a television talk show host of the 1980s who pioneered the "trash TV" format on his program The Morton Downey Jr. Show....
, 68, controversial and influential American televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
talk showTalk showA talk show or chat show is a television program or radio program where one person discuss various topics put forth by a talk show host....
host of the 1980s who pioneered the "trash talk show" format. - 12 May: Perry ComoPerry ComoPierino Ronald "Perry" Como was an American singer and television personality. During a career spanning more than half a century he recorded exclusively for the RCA Victor label after signing with them in 1943. "Mr...
, 88, American croonerCroonerCrooner is an American epithet given to male singers of pop standards, mostly from the Great American Songbook, either backed by a full orchestra, a big band or by a piano. Originally it was an ironic term denoting an emphatically sentimental, often emotional singing style made possible by the use...
and radio personality. - 4 September: Hank the Angry Drunken DwarfHank the Angry Drunken DwarfHenry Joseph Nasiff Jr. , better known as Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf, was an American entertainer. He appeared numerous times on The Howard Stern Show as a member of the show's Wack Pack. He began August 16, 1996 when he entered the studio of radio station WXRK in New York City...
, 39, American radio personality and actor - 5 November: Milton William CooperMilton William CooperMilton William Cooper was an American writer, shortwave broadcaster, conspiracy theorist, and political activist.-Biography:...
, 58, American writer and shortwaveShortwaveShortwave radio refers to the upper MF and all of the HF portion of the radio spectrum, between 1,800–30,000 kHz. Shortwave radio received its name because the wavelengths in this band are shorter than 200 m which marked the original upper limit of the medium frequency band first used...
broadcaster.