The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2020. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, and station launches, closures and format changes, as well as information about controversies.
Notable events January Date EventSource1All-news WTOP-FM—Washington, D.C. rejoins CBS News Radio after two years with ABC, restoring a link between CBS and the station that dates back to 1932, when the network affiliated with, then purchased, predecessor WJSV.WKVA/W262DO—Lewistown, Pennsylvania, flips from classic rock-leaning "Big 100.3" to gold-based soft AC format at the stroke of midnight. The station is now known as "Gold Hits WKVA 920 AM & 100.3 FM"."WKVA Relaunches With Gold Hits" Radio Insight, January 1, 2020WWIZ—West Middlesex, Pennsylvania/Youngstown, Ohio, having dropped oldies on October 25, 2019, amid speculation of a format change, returns to the format after playing Christmas music."WWIZ Returns To Oldies" Radio Insight, January 1, 2020KSKI-FM—Sun Valley, Idaho, which dropped adult album alternative on November 1, 2019, returns with alternative."KSKI Moves To Alternative" from Radio Insight (January 1, 2020)W233CM/WYCT-HD2—Pensacola, which began filling the Holiday void with Christmas music in November 2019, went straight to stunting with "Baby Shark" ahead of a potential flip. Its previous ESPN Radio format had already relocated to WEBY/W256DL in August 2019. On January 13, the station returns with soft AC billed as "Pensacola’s Blend," barring any legal issues from SiriusXM over the "Blend" name."WYCT Debuts Christmas Radio 94.5" from Radio Insight (November 5, 2019)WLGX—Louisville, which dropped their prior adult Top 40 format on November 27, 2019, in favor of Christmas music, begins two weeks of stunting leading up to a relaunch as 90s-centered adult hits WSDF on January 14."WLGX Louisville Drops Kiss-FM For Christmas" from Radio Insight (November 27, 2019)In a time brokerage agreement with RM Broadcasting, KCXL—Liberty, Missouri/Kansas City began airing Radio Sputnik six hours a day, which will run until December 31, 2022. The arrangement is already being criticized by local media for allowing a Russian-associated entity to broadcast programs that is considered propaganda to a Midwestern market.2Urban One's Reach Media moved Rickey Smiley's syndicated morning show from mainstream urban outlets to urban AC and Adult R&B stations, where it replaced Tom Joyner's program due to the latter's retirement. Smiley's replacement at mainstream urban will be a new program hosted by Smiley's co-host Headkrack, starting January 6."Rickey Smiley To Succeed Tom Joyner In January 2020" from Radio Insight (June 28, 2019)As a result of Rickey Smiley's move to urban AC stations, mainstream urban WEDR—Miami will replace his program with a local show hosted by Love & Hip Hop: Miami stars Trick Daddy and Trina, which will also play into the VH1 reality-based series' storylines. Smiley will continue to be heard in the market as it moves over to Adult R&B sister WHQT."Trina and Trick Daddy To Host Morning Show In Miami" from Miami Herald (October 25, 2019)3WNWV—Elyria/Cleveland, Ohio, which dropped smooth jazz on November 15, 2019, after nine years (WNWV also carried the format from 1987 to 2009) and dismissed its air staff on December 6, relaunches as modern AC "JenY 107.3" (a reference to Generation Y) following a period of Christmas music, a temporary simulcast of WQMX—Medina/Akron and a viral marketing campaign of billboards around Greater Cleveland that asked, "#WHOISJENY"."Has 107.3 The Wave Cleveland Crested?" from Radio Insight (December 4, 2019)"A Format Change for 107.3 The Wave Could Be On the Horizon" from Cleveland Scene (December 3, 2019)"107.3 Jeny Is Exposed To Cleveland" from Radio Insight (January 3, 2020)Rhythmic AC WRKA—Louisville shifts to urban AC, adding Rickey Smiley to its lineup."103.9 The Groove Louisville Evolving To Urban AC; Adds Rickey Smiley from Radio Insight (January 3, 2020)Sports KABZ—Little Rock fires afternoon host Eric Sullivan after he is accused of stealing $409 from a woman at a local bar. The woman told police that she was at the restaurant on January 1 when she left her purse on the table and went to the restroom, then noticed the next day that her money was gone; she later viewed surveillance footage from the establishment and saw Sullivan going through her purse, which she then posted on her Facebook page. Sullivan did return the money to the woman and later issued an apology: "I need to address something to you all: I've made a monumental career mistake & I take full responsibility for it, I let many people down as well as the listeners and great people at 103.7 the Buzz and I will own that for the rest of my life.""Little Rock radio personality Eric Sullivan fired after theft accusation" from KATV Little Rock, Arkansas (January 3, 2020)5Premiere Networks renews The Rush Limbaugh Show through 2024.6A new format (adult album alternative) replaced the "Nash Icon" country format at WNUQ—Sylvester/Albany, Georgia, following an October 2019 purchase of the station by Tripp Morgan's Pretoria Fields Collective Media from Cumulus Media’s Mainstay Station Trust. The station is being billed as "Q102 The Queen Bee" and will take the new callsign WPFQ."Q102 The Queen Bee To Launch In Albany GA" from Radio Insight (November 20, 2019)"TARA DYER STOYLE: 2020 will be Year of The Queen Bee" from Albany Herald (November 20, 2019)With Rickey Smiley moving over to urban AC KQXL-FM, rhythmic Top 40 sister WEMX—Baton Rouge will fill his morning slot with the syndicated DeDe In The Morning program, one of eight new affiliates joining the Dallas-based morning show."Max 94.1 Welcomes DeDe in the Morning" from WEMX (Cumulus Media) (January 2, 2020)"DeDe In The Morning Clears Eight New Markets" from Radio Insight (January 9, 2020)Talk KKOB—Albuquerque begins simulcasting over former "Nash Icon" country KBZU, renamed KKOB-FM (a previous KKOB-FM was renamed KOBQ in November 2019). KKOB was previously relayed over translator K233CG ()."KKOB Adds Full Powered FM Simulcast" from Radio Insight (January 6, 2020)7KNTY—Sacramento flips from a simulcast of regional Mexican KRCX-FM—Marysville to ranchera "José 101.9".Another Flip For KNTY Sacramento As It Goes Ranchera Radioinsight - January 7, 202013Classic rock KOOO—Omaha transitions to adult hits, retaining the "101.9 The Keg" moniker."101.9 The Keg Taps Into Variety Hits" from Radio Insight (January 13, 2020)The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra announces the award of its Karl Amadeus Hartmann Medal posthumously to its late conductor Mariss Jansons.After six days of stunting with Drake’s "Hotline Bling", rhythmic Top 40 WHTP—Portland, Maine begins simulcasting over former oldies WJYE/W262DP—Gardiner/Lewiston/Auburn and former classic country WCYR/W275CQ—Bangor; all three stations re-brand as "Hot Radio Maine"."Hot 104.7 Portland Expands To Bangor & Lewiston" from Radio Insight (January 13, 2020)14Vista Radio returns the "Bridge" branding to CHNV-FM—Nelson, British Columbia.iHeartMedia announces a major corporate restructuring, resulting in a round of mass layoffs nationwide, mainly in small and mid-sized markets, affecting hundreds of positions.16Australian community radio station Stereo 974, based in Melbourne, ceases broadcasting because of lack of finance.Rhythmic contemporary KBDS—Bakersfield changes to Spanish/English CHR "Forge 103.9".Forge Expands to Bakersfield Radioinsight - January 16, 2020Alternative KDXA—Ankeny/Des Moines, Iowa flips to a simulcast of sports KXNO—Des Moines as KXNO-FM. With the flip, the majority of KXNO's employees dismissed as part of iHeartMedia's mass layoffs two days earlier, resulting in listener and advertiser backlash and the remaining two on-air hosts no-showing in protest, were all reinstated. Rolling Stone calls KXNO "one radio station (that) fought iHeartMedia's cuts... and won".After Social Media Backlash, iHeartMedia Rehires Laid Off Des Moines Sports Staffers & Moves Station To FM Radio Insight, January 16, 2020KXNO Reverses Course, Re-Hires Fired Sports Talk Radio Hosts WHO-TV, January 16, 202017Adult Top 40 KQKQ-FM—Council Bluffs/Omaha becomes the first station in the market to launch an all-female morning show, as it pairs up current host Nikki Oswald with afternoon host Laura Blenkush, the latter succeeding Matt Tompkins, who moved over to sister station KOOO in the same slot."Laura Blenkush To Join Nikki Oswald In Mornings At KQKQ" from Radio Insight (January 17, 2020)Colorado Public Radio takes over the operations of KRCC—Colorado Springs and its network of stations in the state. The NPR-affiliated news outlet will continue to utilize its local staff and retain its identity, although their news operations and programs will be incorporated into CPR's Denver operations."Colorado Public Radio To Take Over 91.5 KRCC Colorado Springs Operations" from Radio Insight (January 17, 2020)21Talk KKLS/K284BA—Rapid City flips to classic country "The Cowboy" after eight days of stunting with a loop of Lil Nas X’s "Old Town Road"."KKLS Introduces The Cowboy To Rapid City" from Radio Insight (January 21, 2020)23The European Radio and Digital Audio Show is held in Paris, running until 25 January.24Talk WAKR/W228EL—Akron, Ohio, flips to full-service/soft AC as "Soft Hits 93.5"; sports play-by-play and the morning drive news block are retained. It is the third time WAKR has switched from talk to a music format, having done so previously in 1994 and 1999.27Sports WARF—Akron, Ohio, relaunches as "Fox Sports 1350: The Gambler" with programming from VSiN after a day-long stunt looping the Kenny Rogers song of the same name. The oldest surviving radio station in Akron, WARF is repositioned to be a part of iHeartMedia's Cleveland cluster despite the Akron city of license and Cuyahoga Falls transmitter location remaining unchanged.WARF Relaunches as The Gambler Radioinsight - January 27, 202031CHR KPTY/K297BS—Waterloo, Iowa, switches to classic country "107.3 Hank FM".Party Over as Hank is Cranked in Waterloo Radioinsight - January 31, 2020
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