1996 in radio
Encyclopedia
The year 1996 in radio involved some significant events.
Events
- WBOBKTLK-FMKFXN-FM 100.3 —branded 100.3 FM KFAN: The Fan—is a commercial radio station licensed to Minneapolis, Minnesota, broadcasting a sports talk format. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications, and serves the Twin Cities market. KFXN-FM's transmitter is located in the suburb of Shoreview on...
and KQQLKQQLKQQL is a classic hits music formatted radio station serving the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, licensed to the suburb of Anoka...
, both 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...
are sold to Chancellor Communications. - The United Auto WorkersUnited Auto WorkersThe International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers , is a labor union which represents workers in the United States and Puerto Rico, and formerly in Canada. Founded as part of the Congress of Industrial...
invest in United Broadcasting Network, which later became I.E. America Radio NetworkI.E. America Radio Networki.e. America Radio Network was a Detroit-based radio network consisting primarily of liberal talk and lifestyle shows. They were owned by the United Auto Workers and broadcast nationally from 1996 to 2004, via radio stations and a webcast.-History:...
. UAW's president at the time, Stephen YokichStephen YokichStephen Phillip Yokich was an American labor union activist who served as President of the United Auto Workers from 1994 to 2002.-Early life and union career:...
, saw UBN as a way to promote the union's ideals and counter conservativeAmerican conservatismConservatism in the United States has played an important role in American politics since the 1950s. Historian Gregory Schneider identifies several constants in American conservatism: respect for tradition, support of republicanism, preservation of "the rule of law and the Christian religion", and...
radio 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....
hosts. - KILTKILT (AM)KILT is a Sports/Talk formatted radio station in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan area. The station is currently owned by CBS Radio. KILT shares its call letters with sister station 100.3 FM, a country music station....
in Houston, TexasHouston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
flips to 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...
. - February 5–9 - WYNYWYNYWYNY may refer to:*WYNY , a radio station licensed to serve Milford, Pennsylvania, United States*WYNY , a defunct FM radio station...
ends its country format and began to simulcasts its Clear ChannelClear channelA clear-channel station is an AM band Radio station in North America that has the highest protection from interference from other stations, particularly concerning night-time skywave propagation. Usually known as class A stations since 1982, they are occasionally still referred to by their former...
stations outside New York, KKBTKKBTKSWD is a Bonneville International-owned radio station licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. The station currently broadcasts a wide-ranging classic rock format...
in Los Angeles on February 6, WLUP-FM in Chicago on February 7, KIOIKIOIKIOI FM is a radio station licensed to San Francisco, California. The Clear Channel Communications-owned station programs a Hot Adult Contemporary format.- KPEN :...
in San Francisco on February 8, and WXKS-FMWXKS-FMWXKS-FM, better known as Kiss 108, is a radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, licensed to nearby Medford broadcasting a Top 40 format...
in Medford-Boston on February 9. - March 8 - KZZPKZZPKZZP, 104.7 KISS-FM, is a Top 40 radio outlet serving the Phoenix, Arizona area. The Clear Channel Communications station broadcasts at 104.7 MHz with an Effective radiated power of 100 kW and is licensed in Mesa, Arizona. Due to its 100 kW tower located atop South Mountain, the station can...
in Mesa-Phoenix returns its automatic Top 40/CHR format. - July 29 - WWWE in Cleveland, OhioCleveland, 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...
(long nicknamed "3WE") reverts to their original 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...
call letters, now branded as "WTAM 1100." - August 15 - Adult Complementary station KHHT Denver (now KQKSKQKSKQKS, also known as KS107.5, is a very successful Mainstream Urban radio station with a couple pop songs mixed into the playlist. It is owned by Lincoln Financial Group serving the Denver-Boulder metropolitan area. The station, which broadcasts at 107.5 megahertz with an ERP of 91 kilowatts , is...
) changed its name to K-HITS 107.5 - October 30 - KPTYKPTYKQBU-FM is a radio station broadcasting an Regional Mexican format. The studios are located at the Univision building at 5100 Southwest Freeway in Houston, Texas and transmitter is located in Devers, Texas. Licensed to Port Arthur, Texas, USA, it serves both the Beaumont-Port Arthur area...
debuts as Arizona's Party Station after stunting played for 3 hours known as "Steve" - November 14 - The Buzz 105.1 debuts after stunting its Showtunes Broadway music.
Debuts
- February 10 - Just 11 years after it signed off at 92.3, 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...
returns to the New York City airwaves on 103.5. - November 14 - The Kelly and Kline Show premiered on The Buzz 105.1
- Doug BanksDoug BanksDoug Banks is an American radio personality and host of The Doug Banks Radio Show.-Career highlights:The Philadelphia-born, Detroit raised Banks began his radio career broadcasting on the high school radio station. Local station WDRQ took notice of his talent and offered him a spot as a temporary...
begins national syndication of morning radio show - Los Angeles radio listeners picked up two new stations, Rhythmic Adult ContemporaryRhythmic Adult ContemporaryRhythmic adult contemporary is a format used on stations in the United States and Canada. It usually gears toward an older audience, ages 25 to 54. Stations using this format play disco from the 1970s and early 1980s, dance/pop music, adult-friendly hip hop/old school tracks, R&B, dance/freestyle...
KIBB ("B100.3") and Dance-intensive KACD/KBCD ("Groove Radio 103.1")KDLDKDLD is a commercial radio station in Santa Monica, California, broadcasting to the Los Angeles area on 103.1 FM. KDLE is a commercial radio station in Newport Beach, California, broadcasting to the Orange County area on 103.1 FM....
. Both would last only 2 years. - KHTS-FMKHTS-FMKHTS-FM, also known as "Channel 933" or simply "nine-three-three", is a Contemporary Hit Radio station in San Diego, California, broadcasting in analog and digital HD Radio...
("Channel 93.3")/San Diego debuts with a Dance Top 40 format on Labor Day. They would evolve to Mainstream Top 40 in August 1998.
Deaths
- John SnaggeJohn SnaggeJohn Derrick Mordaunt Snagge OBE was a long-time British newsreader and commentator on BBC Radio.Born in Chelsea, London, he was educated at Winchester College and Pembroke College, Oxford, where he obtained a degree in law. He then joined the BBC, taking up the position of assistant director at...
, British radio personality (b. 1904) - Willie RushtonWillie RushtonWilliam George Rushton, commonly known as Willie Rushton was an English cartoonist, satirist, comedian, actor and performer who co-founded the Private Eye satirical magazine.- School and army :William George Rushton was born 18 August 1937 in the family home at Scarsdale Villas,...
, English comedian, actor, radio and television personality and cartoonist (b. 1937) - Morey AmsterdamMorey AmsterdamMorey Amsterdam was an American television actor and comedian, best known for the role of Buddy Sorrell on The Dick Van Dyke Show in the early 1960s.-Early life:...
, veteran American television and radio actor and comedian (b. 1908)