CHR
Z100 Launches
Previous Format: Standards/Jazz WVNJ New Format: CHR “Z100” WHTZ Date & Time Of Change: August 2, 1983 at 6:08am More Info: Wikipedia
103.3 WEEI-FM becomes Hit Radio WHTT
CBS’ 103.3 WEEI-FM in Boston was in the process of a drawn out evolution from Soft Rock to Top 40 in the early 1980’s. The station had already been using the name “Hit Radio 103” when CBS sold AM sister 590 WEEI. As part of the sale, per FCC rules at the time, 103.3 had to change it call letters. In order to play up the new “Hit Radio” format, WHTT was born. This aircheck features a WEEI-FM legal ID from 5:00pm on March 8 and the birth of WHTT at midnight on March 9.
92.9 KYND becomes 93Q KKBQ
Previous Format: Beautiful Music KYND New Format: CHR “93Q” KKBQ-FM Date & Time Of Change: December 29, 1982 at 6:00am More Info: Wikipedia Aircheck Contributed by John Fernandez In June of 1982, 79Q KKBQ signed-on as a rare Top 40 launch on AM at a time when most CHR’s were moving to FM. After 7 short months, the station had become a major success under Scott Shannon and John Lander. Sister station 92.9 KYND was a floundering Beautiful Music station. Promoting the move for a few weeks before it occured on December 29. 1982, 93Q would become a Top 40 powerhouse for the remainder of the 80’s. The launch sequence at 6:00am may sound familiar to some as the 6:00am launch with “Eye of the Tiger” would be repeated in New York some eight months later when...
WHYT Becomes Hot Hits 96.3
Previous Format: Beautiful Music WJR-FM New Format: CHR “Hot Hits 96.3” WHYT Date & Time Of Change: September 15, 1982 at 5:00pm More Info: Wikipedia
77 WABC Changes Format From Top 40 To Talk
There’s not much to really say about this one. Throughout the 60’s and 70’s WABC was New York Radio and nationally known to the point in the early 70’s it was consistently ranked in Pittsburgh’s ratings. The 50kw Top 40 machine in America’s biggest market. In the late 70’s the radio landscape began to change nationwide as FM became a bigger player. In New York “Disco 92” WKTU and 107.5 WBLS reached the point where they battled WABC for the #1 slot in the ratings. Corporate Ownership saw the success they were having with an all talk format at KABC in Los Angeles and in what has become known as “The Day The Music Died”, May 10, 1982, WABC changed from Top 40 to Talk. The WABC legacy lived on at 101.1 WCBS-FM, whose Oldies form...
96X Miami Loses Its License
Previous Format: Top 40 “96X” 96.3 WMJX New Format: Frequency Revived As WCJX in 1985 Date & Time Of Change: February 15, 1981 at 12:03am More Info: Wikipedia, Alydar
KHJ Goes Country
Previous Format: CHR “93 KHJ” New Format: Country “93 KHJ” Date & Time Of Change: November 7, 1980 at 9:00pm More Info: SoCal Radio History, Wikipedia
WLS Advertises on WCFL
Previous Format: CHR New Format: Beautiful Music Date & Time Of Change: March 15, 1976 More Info: Wikipedia, RadioTimeline This clip is not the actual format change, but rather a commercial for WLS to promote the station to soon to be displaced WCFL listeners.
102.7 KKDJ Becomes KIIS-FM
Previous Format: Top 40 New Format: AC Date & Time Of Change: October 22, 1975 at 6:00am More Info: SoCal Radio History Aircheck contributed by Steve Worth
