1999 in radio

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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}

{{Year nav topic5|1999|radio|music|television|film}}

The year 1999 in radio involved some significant events.

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Events

  • March 31 – Chilean radio station Radio Minería closes down.{{cite book|last=Mönckeberg|first=María Olivia|title=Los Magnates de la Prensa: Concentracion de los medios de Comunicacion en Chile|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fy7fXMmQNxsC&pg=PT366|date=1 April 2011|publisher=Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Chile|isbn=978-956-8410-48-3|page=366}}
  • May 4Clear Channel Communications' official merger with Jacor is consummated.{{cite magazine |last1=Yorke |first1=Jeffrey |title=Clear Channel Closes on its $6.5-Billion Jacor Purchase |journal=R&R |date=May 7, 1999 |pages=4 & 9 |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-05-07.pdf}}
  • May 14 – US radio station WENZ/Cleveland flips from modern rock to mainstream urban as "Kiss 107.9."{{Cite news |last=Feran |first=Tom |date=May 19, 1999 |title=WJMO gives up soul for gospel |page=2E |work=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=1082885C71926A79&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F80D3C45AEBAAFF |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329015022/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0F80D3C45AEBAAFF&f=basic |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |via=NewsBank}}
  • May 20 – US radio station WZLE/Lorain flips from Christian contemporary to Top 40/CHR as "KISS 104.9", targeting Greater Cleveland.{{Cite news |last=O'Connor |first=Clint |date=May 22, 1999 |title=Different tunes found on familiar radio dials |page=5B |work=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=1082885C71926A79&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F80D3D5DD6E4150 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329015022/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0F80D3D5DD6E4150&f=basic |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |via=NewsBank}} WZLE owner Clear Channel subsequently filed a cease and desist order against WENZ claiming rights to the KISS-FM brand in Ohio;{{cite news |author=Feran |first=Tom |date=May 26, 1999 |title=One station may have to kiss name goodbye |page=1E |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=1082885C71926A79&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F80D3F05A747711 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329015024/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0F80D3F05A747711&f=basic |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |via=NewsBank}} WENZ ultimately rebranded as "Z-107.9" on September 1.{{cite news |author=Feran |first=Tom |date=September 25, 1999 |title=Swoboda backs to news as anchor on TV-5 at 11 |page=6E |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=1082885C71926A79&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0F34546C21CE32E4 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329015023/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0F34546C21CE32E4&f=basic |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |via=NewsBank}}
  • August 28 – US radio station WAKS/Tampa flips formats from Top 40/CHR to hot AC as "Mix 100.7";{{Cite news |last=Scire |first=Dawn E. |date=September 12, 1999 |title=Jazz station cuts morning team, extra talk |page=13 |work=Sarasota Herald-Tribune CLICK |location=Sarasota, Florida |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info%3Asid/infoweb.newsbank.com&svc_dat=NewsBank&req_dat=1082885C71926A79&rft_val_format=info%3Aofi/fmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Actx&rft_dat=document_id%3Anews%252F0EAFED7F050C8B04 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=March 27, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329030217/https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=NewsBank&docref=news/0EAFED7F050C8B04&f=basic |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |via=NewsBank}} the station assumes the WMTX calls, while the WAKS calls are transferred to the former WZLE/Lorain.
  • October 4 – Clear Channel announces a nearly $23.5 billion merger with AMFM, creating America's largest radio group. The deal would close the following year after selling off surplus in multiple markets. This would be the largest broadcast deal in American history, a record that would stand until Clear Channel itself was bought out by private equity in 2007.
  • September – The United Press International Radio Network closes down after 41 years.{{cite web|url=http://downhold.org/lowry/radioworld1999.html|title=End of UPI Radio in 1999|author=Tom Foty|access-date=9 February 2025}}
  • November 14Smoke Rings breaks the record for the longest-running Swedish radio programme, previously held by Barnens brevlåda.{{cite web|url=https://wwwc.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/9911/18/smoke.html|title=Leif "Smoke Rings" Anderson är död|publisher=Aftonbladet|language=Swedish|date=18 November 1999|accessdate=5 April 2011}}

Debuts

Closings

  • April 17 – The Mutual Broadcasting System name was retired by owner Westwood One, 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 Radio 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

  • January 11 – Frank Parker, 95, American singer and television personality
  • January 30 – Ed Herlihy, 89, American radio and television announcer for NBCCox, Jim (2008). This Day in Network Radio: A Daily Calendar of Births, Debuts, Cancellations and Other Events in Broadcasting History. McFarland & Company, Inc. {{ISBN|978-0-7864-3848-8}}.
  • April 16 – Regis Cordic, 72, American radio personality and actor
  • May 9 – Shirley Dinsdale, 72, American ventriloquist and television and radio personality of the 1940s and early 1950s
  • December 15 – George Elrick, 95 Scottish bandleader and DJ
  • Ted Mallie, 74, American radio and television announcer

References

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See also