The following is a list of events that affected radio broadcasting in 2015. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, station launches, closures and format changes, as well as information about controversies.
Notable events
January Date Event1KTKT/Tucson flips from Spanish Sports to Spanish Adult Hits, simulcasting its recently signed-on FM translator sister station."La Buena Coming To Tucson" from Radio Insight (December 16, 2014)KKGQ/Wichita, Kansas, which began stunting in December 2014 after being purchased by local group Envision from Journal Broadcast Group as part of their merger with the E.W. Scripps Company, officially flipped to its permanent Rhythmic Hot AC format on this date, returning the format that aired on the same frequency from 2004-2007."Q92 Wichita Officially Launches As Hot AC" from Radio Insight (January 2, 2015)WZPW/Peoria changes its moniker from "Power 92.3" to "Peoria's 92.3," but keeps its Rhythmic Top 40 format intact."WZPW Rebrands As Peoria's 92.3" from Radio Insight (January 2, 2015)WKCI-FM/New Haven's HD2 subchannel and FM translator debuts with a Classic Rock format, billed as "Rock 102.""Rock 102 Launches In New Haven" from Radio Insight (January 1, 2015)WDVW/Jackson, Tennessee flips from Christian AC to Classic hits, changing its call letters to WHPP to match its "Hippie Radio 105.3" handle."WDVW Shifts To Hippie Radio" from Radio Insight (January 1, 2015)2WROD & W284AV/Daytona Beach, Florida flips from Oldies to Classic Rock."WROD Becomes The Rock Of Daytona" from Radio Insight (January 2, 2015)KKLS & K284BA/Rapid City drops Gold-based AC for Classic Hits."Rapid City Gets Smashed" from Radio Insight (January 2, 2015)After 22 years with the Oldies format using the Oldiez brand, WODZ-FM Rome, New York shifts to Classic Hits under the new brand "96.1 the Eagle," giving Utica-Rome its first Classic Hits station in 9 years.WFNL-FM/Raleigh returns to the air with a Country format."Country Superstars Debut In Raleigh" from Radio Insight (January 2, 2015)3Jacksonville sister stations WSOS-FM and WMUV both drop their Classic Rock and Classic Country formats. Both outlets began simulcasting Christian AC WTRJ-FM, who will move its format to the two signals."Jacksonville Duo Becomes New Home Of The Promise" from Radio Insight (January 3, 2015)5WHFS-FM/Tampa-St. Petersburg began a 24-hour continuous looping of Bubba the Love Sponge's program, and will serve as the flagship station and anchoring a morning slot. On February 2, the station changes call letters to WBRN-FM and launches a Rock-leaning Variety Hits format billed as "Bubba 98.7," which features music selected by Bubba himself and members of his morning show taking air shifts."Fan Out, Bubba In, at 98.7 Tampa" from Radio Insight (December 3, 2014)WZAX/Rocky Mount, North Carolina, which dropped Rhythmic Oldies in November 2014, flips to Classic Rock."What's WZAX Going To Be?" from Radio Insight (November 30, 2014)KMBZ and KMBZ-FM/Kansas City splits up their News/Talk simulcasts. The AM will focus on Conservative Talk and rebrand as "Talk 980," while the FM will focus on local News and Talk programming."KMBZ To Break Simulcast, Split Talk Formats" from Radio Insight (December 23, 2014)WKSA/Norfolk, which dropped its Urban AC format and began stunting with "Missy FM," featuring music from local native Missy Elliott (who is also doing the voice overs and imaging) on December 26, 2014, flipped to Classic Hip-Hop and relaunched its previous "92.1 The Beat" moniker that it ditched 13 years earlier."Missy Elliott Takes Over Kiss 92 Norfolk" from Radio Insight (December 26, 2014)After four months with Oldies, WVLZ/Knoxville returns to Sports."WVLZ Returning To Sports" from Radio Insight (December 23, 2014)WNUA/Chicago flips from Regional Mexican "El Patron" to Country branded as "Big 95.5"."iHeartMedia Launches Big 95.5 Chicago" from Radio Insight (January 5, 2015)KTWN-FM/Minneapolis-St. Paul shifts from adult album alternative to alternative as "Go 96.3"."96.3 KTWN Go's Alternative" from Radio Insight (January 5, 2015)Colorado Public Radio acquires ESPN Radio affiliate KDSP/Denver. The station will be converted to non-commercial status and become a simulcast of AM sister KVOQ's "Open Air" Adult Album Alternative format on January 27. The ESPN Radio format will continue to air on sister station KJAC/Fort Collins."Colorado Public Radio Acquires ESPN 102.3 Denver" from Radio Insight (January 5, 2015)Salem Communications rebrands seven of its Conservative Talkers, WGUL/Tampa, WGKA/Atlanta, WLSS/Sarasota, Florida, WGTK/Louisville, KZNT/Colorado Springs, Colorado, KLFE/Seattle, and KCBQ/San Diego, to "The Answer" brand, bringing the number of Salem-owned outlets using the moniker to 27 stations."Salem Rebrands Seven Stations As The Answer" from Radio Insight (January 5, 2015)6Impact Media announces the acquisition of the 101.9 signal that is currently occupied by Regional Mexican KDBI/Boise from JLD Media, who back in December 2014 acquired Country KQBL/Mountain Home from Impact. As part of the arrangement, KDBI and KQBL will swap formats in February."Impact Acquires KDBI Boise; Bull On The Move" from Radio Insight (January 6, 2015)7KWXS/Bend, Oregon transitions from Rhythmic Top 40 to Top 40/CHR as "107.7 The Beat.""KWXS Bend Flips To Mainstream CHR" from Radio Insight (January 7, 2015)KABC/Los Angeles makes a shift from Conservative Talk to a general interest Talk presentation as it replaced most of its political-driven shows with programs emphasizing lifestyles and local interests."KABC Completes Schedule Revamp Away From Politics" from Radio Insight (January 7, 2015)Saga Communications and A.C. Nielsen Co. reaches a deal that buries the hatchet between the two companies, which began back in 2012 when Nielsen's predecessor Arbitron sued Saga over using their data without permission at Saga's Milwaukee properties. As part of the settlement, Saga will allow its stations to be listed in Nielsen Audio's PPM ratings effective with the January 2014 book."Nielsen And Saga Resolve Copyright Infringement Suit" from All Access (January 7, 2015)A formatic shakeup takes place in Quincy, Illinois, as KZZK shifts from Active Rock to Classic Rock, which they are picking up from sister station WQCY, who flipped to AC."WQCY Quincy Flips To AC" from Radio Insight (January 7, 2015)9Albuquerque picks up its first R&B/Hip-Hop outlet, as K265CA, the FM translator of KZRR-HD2, adopts "The Beat" branding."Beat Launching In Albuquerque" from Radio Insight (January 9, 2015)KHYL/Sacramento trades in its Rhythmic Contemporary format for Classic Hip-Hop."V101 Sacramento Relaunches With Classic Hip-Hop" from Radio Insight (January 9, 2015)CBS Sports Radio affiliate KGA/Spokane begins simulcasting programming from ESPN Radio affiliate KIRO/710: Seattle during the daytime hours with the exception of evenings and weekends."ESPN 710 Seattle To Simulcast In Spokane" from Radio Insight (January 9, 2015)WQTX/Lansing, Michigan drops Country and returns to its previous Sports format that it carried from 2004 to 2006."The Ticket Returns To Lansing" from Radio Insight (January 9, 2015)12WZMR/Altamont, New York flips from Adult Album Alternative after two years to Sports as "Win 104.9," picking up the CBS Sports Radio affiliation from WPTR, who will affiliate with NBC Sports Radio. This brings the number of Sports outlets in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy market to four, joining WPTR, Fox Sports Radio affiliate WOFX and ESPN Radio affiliate WTMM-FM."104.9 The Peak changing to sportstalk format" from The Daily Gazette (Schenectady, New York) (December 22, 2014)Cumulus Media begins syndication of the Nash Icon Country format through co-owned Westwood One to non-Cumulus-owned outlets, with the signing of its first affiliate, former Alternative WRYD/Ocean City, Maryland."Nash Icon Gets Syndicated; Debuts In Ocean City" from Radio Insight (January 12, 2015)After leaving a message that "Bob" was "leaving town," "selling the station," and "selling off the 80s library" to sister station KKLZ, KVGS/Las Vegas brings the Adult Top 40 format and "Star" brand back to the market eight years after it was dropped by its sister station at 102.7."Las Vegas' Bob Meets A Star" from Radio Insight (January 12, 2015)15Although they were awaiting approval from the United States Department of Justice (which would clear them of any anti-trust laws or issues that would hold up the sale), Entercom postponed a Time Brokerage Agreement on the 14 stations that they are acquiring from the Lincoln Financial Group until an issue involving one of the Lincoln Financial stations that Entercom is spinning off to comply with FCC rules because of market ownership limits, KKFN/Denver, to the Pikes Peaks Trust (who in turn will spin off the Sports outlet to a third party), is resolved. Entercom has refiled new paperwork for the sale, which is expected to be approved by the FCC."Entercom Acquires Lincoln Financial Media" from Radio Insight (December 8, 2014)16KBSO/Corpus Christi transitions from Country to Texas-focused Country music as "94.7 The Rig.""Rig Drills Into Corpus Christi" from Radio Insight (January 19, 2015)19Salem Communications rebrands two of its Christian Talk stations, WMCA/New York City and KKMS/Minneapolis-St. Paul, as "The Mission.""Salem Taking WMCA and KKMS On A Mission" from Radio Insight (January 18, 2015)20After stunting with a looping of the Brass Bonanza song that was used as the theme song for the former NHL team The Hartford Whalers, WDRC-FM/Hartford flipped from Classic Hits to Classic Rock as "102.9 The Whale," filling the void left by WCCC-FM in 2014."WDRC Flips To Classic Rock The Whale" from Radio Insight (January 20, 2015)26Classic Hip-Hop WRWM/Indianapolis drops the "i94" moniker and rebrands as "93.9 The Beat" to better reflect its current format."What's Next For 93.9 Indianapolis" from Radio Insight (January 25, 2015)WLFW/Evansville shifts from Country to Classic Country as "93.5 The Duke.""Evansville's Wolf Flips To Classic Country" from Radio Insight (January 26, 2015)30St. Louis picks up its third Top 40 outlet, as KIHT flips from Classic Hits to Mainstream CHR as "Now 96.3.""KIHT St. Louis Flips To CHR NOW" from Radio Insight (January 29, 2015)CJKR-FM/Winnipeg shifts from Active Rock as "Power 97" to Classic Rock/Classic Hits as "Big 97.5.""Corus Launches Classic Rock Big 97.5 Winnipeg" from Radio Insight (January 29, 2015)The Mark Levin Show signs a five-year contract extension with Westwood One.Rose, Norvell (January 30, 2015). What Just Happened In The World Of Talk Radio Will Delight Conservatives And Deflate Liberals . Western Journalism. Retrieved January 30, 2015.After spending only three months with a Classic Hits format, WGHL/Louisville becomes the latest outlet to make the flip to Classic Hip-Hop as "Old School 105.1.""WGHL Quickly Drops Classic Hits For Classic Hip-Hop" from Radio Insight (January 30, 2015)
February