Stunting is a type ofpublicity stunt inradio broadcasting, where a station—abruptly and often without advance announcement—begins to air content that is seemingly uncharacteristic compared to what is normally played.
Stunting is typically used to generate publicity and audience attention for upcoming changes to a station's programming, such as newbranding,format, or as asoft launch for a newly established station. Occasionally, a stunt may be purely intended as publicity or a protest, and not actually result in a major programming change. Stunts often involve a loop of a single song, or an interim format (such as the discography of a specific artist,Christmas music, or a novel theme that would not be viable as a permanent format), which may sometimes include hints towards the station's new format or branding.
To a lesser extent, stunting has also been seen on television, most commonly in conjunction withApril Fools' Day, or to emphasize a major programming event being held by a channel.
A station may stunt by repeating the same song, playlist, or other content on a continuous loop:[1]
The song(s) in question are commonly a clue towards the incoming format or branding, such as was the case in March 2014 when San FranciscoRegional Mexican stationKVVF/KVVZ stunted with a loop of "Hot in Herre" byNelly for three days. This led into the stations' relaunch asrhythmic contemporaryHot 105.7. The stunt notably attracted mainstream media attention, with thehashtag "#nelly1057" being used to discuss the event onTwitter.[2][3][4]
In late-June 2022,CKKS-FM inGreater Vancouver similarly faced mainstream media attention when it played a loop of "Killing in the Name" byRage Against the Machine as part of its transition fromhot adult contemporaryKiss tomodern rockSonic. The loop includedkayfabe segments of DJs discussing their repeated playing of the song, and "callers" either requesting "Killing in the Name", or being denied a request for a different song—which led to a false impression that its employees had commandeered the station to protest staffing changes associated with the format change.[5][6][7][8][9]
Often the song chosen for the loop does not pertain to either the old or new format:
In one of the oldest radio stunts recorded,WNOE-AM/New Orleans played "Shtiggy Boom" by The Nuggets nonstop for 58 hours and 45 minutes before the launch of its Top 40 format in early 1955.[10]
In 1962,WPOPHartford disc jockeyJoey Reynolds famously locked himself into a studio and played a then-unknown record named "Sherry" on repeat for several hours, a stunt that launched the career of the band that recorded it,The Four Seasons.[12][13]
Bob Fass was known for repeatedly looping songs throughout his overnight showRadio Unnameable, most famously withArlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant" in the late 1960s. Fass's use of such stunts was a perverse form ofpledge drive, often threatening to keep playing the songs over and over again until flagship stationWBAI received a certain threshold of donations.[14][15]
For four days before the 8 July 2012, relaunch ofKOKE-FM/Austin — a station which popularizedprogressive country in the early 1970s, a live recording ofDale Watson's "Country My Ass" played in a continuous loop. This example of stunting is notable for the station-specific nature of the song's lyrics; Watson re-recorded the song for the occasion, adding a new coda in which he sings, "Now Austin's on track, 'cause KOKE-FM's back."[23]
In May 1990, the staff ofAustralian Broadcasting Corporation radio stationTriple J staged anindustrial action, after its news director was suspended for playing a clip of theN.W.A. song "Fuck tha Police" in a segment discussing its subject matter (despite the full song having been played by the station before without incident). During the action, Triple J played another N.W.A. song, "Express Yourself" (whose lyrics criticizecensorship of rap music), 82 times in a row.[24][25]
Triple J paid homage to the event during the 30 April 2014 relaunch ofdigital radio station ABC Dig Music as sister stationDouble J, which was preceded by a stunt loop of 13 different versions of "Express Yourself" (including the original recording, and covers of the song by Australian musicians).[24][25]
Later that year, in honor of thealleged Mayan apocalypse,modern rock stationCFEX-FM/Calgary stunted with a loop of "It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)" on 21 December 2012 with no change in format. The song was interspersed with "Apocalypse Survival Tips" and "Get to Know aMayan"sketches.[31]
Prior to its 26 August 2019 launch of asports talk format affiliated withFox Sports Radio,WDAS/Philadelphia stunted with a loop of theNFL on Fox theme music over the preceding weekend. The change in format was announced in advance of the flip.[32]
In a non-music example, the launch ofBlack Information Network—a chain ofiHeartMedia news radio stations targetingAfrican Americans—featured its initial stations playing a loop of speeches by prominent African Americans, mixed withsweepers promoting the launch date, and containing the tagline "Our side of the story is about to be told."[33][34][35]
Prior to the 30 September 2021 launch of anadult hits format,AAA stationKTHX-FM in Reno stunted with instrumental jazz music mixed with sweepers stating that the station was "on hold".[36]
On 12 May 2025, as part of a transition fromcountry music to adult hitsBig FM,CKHK-FM/Rockland andCHRC-FM/Hawkesbury both stunted with a loop of "Bye Bye Mon Cowboy" by Quebecois musicianMitsou; the stations' new owners also operate a French-language radio station inCornwall, Ontario, but the new stations would continue to broadcast in English.[37][38]
Occasionally a station dropping an old format will stunt with a transitional format, either containing hints towards the new format (such as songs referencing its new branding, and artists who may be included in the eventual format), or having little to do with it. This can include songs based on specific themes (such as a single musician), ornovelties that would not be viable as a permanent format. In some cases (sometimes referred to as a "wheel of formats"), a station may cycle between multiple formats during the stunt until the new, permanent format launches.[39][40]
As part of its February 1996 transition from country music torhythmic contemporaryWKTU,[41] New York City's WYNY carried simulcasts of programming from several of itsEvergreen Media sister stations, includingWRCX/Chicago (with morning hostMancow Muller informing his expanded audience that there would be "no moregoat-ropin' music" on WYNY, making jokes directed towards competitorsWHTZ andWXRK, and pulling a prank on the latter's morning hostHoward Stern),KKBT/Los Angeles,WLUP/Chicago,KIOI/San Francisco, andWXKS/Boston.[42][43]
In 2006, after its sale to new owners,KFYE inKingsburg, California, dropped itscontemporary Christian music programming for a stunt format it dubbed "Porn Radio", featuring songs withsexually-suggestive lyrics, and songs edited to include moaning sounds; on 3 August 2006, the station emerged asrhythmic adult contemporarySexy 106.3.[44][45][46] The station would hold a second publicity stunt in March 2007, promoting that the station would "say goodbye" on 30 March; the ensuing announcement was a change in call letters to KSXE to match theSexy moniker.[46]
WLYK in Cape Vincent, New York (servingKingston, Ontario) pulled a similar stunt when it transitioned to new operators in February 2023, replacing its outgoingKiss CHR format with "The Pole" (a pun of the name of one of the station's new owners, Jon Pole)—a variety format which played pop, rock, and hip-hop music that one would hear at astrip club.[47] The stunt notably attracted the attention of an actual strip club in Kingston.[48] The station emerged as adult hitsLake FM on 17 March 2023.[49]
In May 2009,WSKS inUtica, New York, announced that due to "financial constraints", itscontemporary hit radio (CHR) format would be replaced by abeautiful music format similar to what was broadcast on sister stationWUTQ. The ensuing programming included staged scenes of station employees protesting the changes. The "new format," however, lasted for only two hours before WSKS management came clean, restored the CHR format, and confirmed the stunt was a way to promote the station's new lineup.[50]
As a publicity stunt for the program by local broadcasterGlobal, Toronto radio stationCIRR-FM (which usually broadcasts a CHR format targeting theLGBT community) temporarily rebranded asGlee FM on 12 April 2010, addingmusic from the U.S. musical comedy-drama seriesGlee to its playlist.[51] On 16 August 2010, British radio stationOxford's FM 107.9 held its ownGlee FM stunt, leading into its 18 August relaunch asGlide FM.[52]
OverMemorial Day weekend in 2010,WJZX-FM/Milwaukee, Wisconsin, stunted asTiger 106.9, featuring songs about cheating (in reference toan infidelity scandal involving golferTiger Woods). The station was expected to change to atop 40 format with the new call letters WNQW—with the new calls suggesting that its branding would involve the name "Now". However, competing stationWQBW abruptly moved to introduce the same format and branding as97.3 Radio Now, preventing WJZX from using the name.[53] The station continued airing temporary formats (such aspatriotic music andThe Beatles' discography in alphabetical order), before settling on a permanent format in June 2010, asclassic country station WZBK-FM (the station eventually adopted a rhythmic top 40 format in September 2012 asEnergy 106.9).[54][55]
In 2011,WWWN/Chicago andWEMP/New York—which had recently been sold to Merlin Media—transitioned fromalternative rock toall-news radio asFM News. As a transitional format, both stations aired a format branded asFM New, which featuredadult contemporary music interspersed with news, traffic, and weather updates from personalities who would serve under the newFM News formats.[56]
Some stations have held temporary stunts focused on specific artists in honor of major concert tours making stops in their markets, withKSON in San Diego briefly rebranding asThe All-New George-FM in January 2014 ahead of the 31 January date onGeorge Strait's farewell tourThe Cowboy Rides Away (promoting an increased amount of George Strait music, and on-air giveaways of merchandise and concert tickets), and San Francisco'sKBAY announcing that it would temporarily rebrand asTay Bay and play all-Taylor Swift music on 28 and 29 July 2023, in honor ofThe Eras Tour.[57][58][59]
On 8 October 2014,KROI/Houston ended its all-news format and began stunting asB92, playing only music by Houston-nativeBeyoncé. The stunt led into its relaunch asclassic hip-hopBoom 92.[60]
KEGY/San Diego used an unbranded mainstream rock format as part of its transition from CHR to a newhot talk-oriented format in 2018. The stunt's playlist featuredPink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine" at the top of each hour, which teased its eventual branding asThe Machine.[61][62]
Multiple stations in the United States and Canada have stunted withChinese music under the branding "Kung Pao", such asKDOG (which led into a flip to classic hits),WVHT (which led into its re-launch as CHRHot 100),[63][64] andCIGM (which led into its re-launch as CHRHot 93.5).[65]
In connection with PresidentDonald Trump's presidency and the2016,2020, and2024 presidential elections in the United States, multiple radio stations have stunted with songs directly related to both his presidency and campaigns under either bothDonald andTrump brandings, such asWVWF (when it briefly stunted asTrump 105.1 and played songs that aimed directly to his campaign such as Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall"—in referenced to hisborder wall—in September 2016),[66] and Hartford conservative talk stationWDRC (which temporarily rebranded asTrump 103.3 to promote its new FM translator W277DT, before returning to its normal "Talk of Connecticut" branding).[67][68]
On 21 December 2024,WQRR inTuscaloosa, Alabama dropped its modern rock format and began stunting asRadio 101.7. The station initially played all-Taylor Swift music, and then all-Michael Jackson music, all while implying that the station was being hacked byRussia. The initial segment of the stunt would earn the station attention on social media, with users believing it was connected to the then-recentreports of unmanned drones flying across various cities in the United States. By 23 December, the stunt format had been changed to80s music, with Christmas-themed bumpers promoting a new format launching on 24 December. At that time, the station relaunched asChristian adult contemporary101.7 The River.[70]
The popular practice of radio stationsplaying all-Christmas music during the lead-up to (and occasionally the week after)Christmas Day has sometimes been used by stations as a transition period between formats.[71][72] However, the ensuing format change can still occur before the end of the holiday season. Christmas music is sometimes used as a more blatant stunt format outside of the holiday season (in a similar spirit to ironic "Christmas in July" promotions).[71][72]
On 17 November 2017, Seattle country stationKMPS flipped to Christmas music in defense of its former competitor and now-sister station,KKWF, following the merger ofCBS Radio with KKWF's ownerEntercom. While ostensibly for the holiday season, KMPS abruptly ended the all-Christmas programming on 4 December 2017, and flipped tosoft adult contemporary.[73][74] The following year, Entercom's Detroit stationWDZH performed a similar flip from an outgoing CHR format to soft AC, with its transition period having lasted only three days.[75]
In April 2008,Saskatoon's new radio stationCFWD-FM stunted with Christmas music asSanta FM prior to its official launch as CHRWired 96.3. In December 2012, the station used Christmas music to transition from CHR toadult hits.[71][76][77][78]
In April 2011, its Edmonton sister stationCKEA-FM used a weekend of Christmas music to soft launch its new adult contemporary formatLite 95.7, promoting the new station's intent to play all-Christmas music during the holiday season.[79]
Duluth'sWEBC used Christmas music as a transitional format in September 2015 when flipping from sports talk to classic rock, with the station initially implying that the Christmas format was permanent.[80][81][82]
Richmond'sWURV aired 12 hours of "inappropriately early" Christmas music on 7 October 2015, as a satire ofChristmas creep and stations trying to be the first in their market to play Christmas music.[83][84]
WURV's sister stationWJSR would notably conduct an unusually-long Christmas music stunt lasting from 13 October 2020 to 4 March 2021; the station had originally stunted with snippets of songs as "Short Attention Span Radio" from 1 October.[85][86] After just over five months of stunting in total, WJSR flipped to classic hitsAwesome 100.9 on 4 March 2021.[87]
In October 2018,KBFF in Portland, Oregon briefly stunted with aHalloween-themed format aseviL 95.5 (an inversion of its typical brandingLive 95.5), as a parody of all-Christmas formats.[88]
On 7 January 2019, country stationKSED/Sedona began stunting with aspeaking clock counting down to 6:00 a.m. on 14 January 2019. The stunt—which led into a rebranding with no change in format—prompted theFlagstaff Police Department to issue a statement clarifying that, despite concerns from residents, this was a promotional event with no harm intended.[89][90]
In 2018 and 2020, iHeartMedia used multiple stunts as part of its retooling and relaunch of CHR stationKBKS-FM in Seattle.
In late-October 2018 approachingHalloween, the station dropped its on-air personalities, and began to air promos and sweepers implicating the end of its existingKiss format. Later, the station began to interrupt songs with a demonic voiceover stating that "Kiss is dead", and air promos teasing an announcement on 31 October. At that time, the station announced that it would revamp its on-air lineup with no change in format, explaining the prior stunt by stating that they were "dead serious" about finding "Seattle's funniest person" (with an accompanying contest soliciting viewer suggestions for new morning co-hosts).[91][92][93]
In July 2020, KBKS announced that it had hired Jubal Fresh—the former co-host ofKQMV's nationally syndicated morning showBrooke & Jubal—to host a new morning show on the station.[94] On 3 August 2020, the station temporarily rebranded asJubal 106.1 to promote the impending launch ofThe Jubal Show,[95] after which it adopted its new branding—Hits 106.1—on 20 August to coincide with its premiere.[96]
From 27 March to late-May 2020, CHR stationWFLC/Miami,Hits 97.3, branded asQuarantine Radio in reference to theCOVID-19 pandemic and Florida'sstay-at-home order. The station maintained its existing format, but added commercial-free hours ofdance music mixes ("Fit Mixes") at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. daily. In late-May, theQuarantine Radio branding was dropped and the station promoted itself as being "under construction", before re-launching theHits format on 3 June with a new on-air lineup.[97][98]
On 25 August 2025,CIMX-FM/Windsor began teasing a return to its heritage89X modern rock format after having operated since 2020 asPure Country. During the transition, the station maintained its country format without airstaff, but began airing sweepers voiced inSpanish (in an apparent reference to the spoken-word intro of "Stop!" byJane's Addiction, which was the first and last song played by the original incarnation of89X) teasing a "revolution" and the return of "something familiar" at 8:08 a.m. on 28 August. Prior to the advertised time, the station played a set of fourJohnny Cash songs with relations toalternative music (including his cover of "Hurt" byNine Inch Nails), after which the station flipped back to modern rock as a relaunched89X.[99]
Cartoon Network has broadcast its share of stunts over the years, many onApril Fools' Day. On 1 April 1997, the network aired a stunt where it had purportedly been taken over byScrewy Squirrel, and subsequently broadcast the Screwy Squirrel cartoon "Happy-Go-Nutty" for 12 hours straight.[100] Numerous complaints were received about this particular event, generally fielded by Cartoon Network'scable providers, who had been left in the dark about the stunt.[100] Later April Fools' Day stunts on Cartoon Network have included an 11 hourCow and Chicken marathon in place of a scheduledChowder marathon on 1 April 2009, and 14 hours of programming edited to havegoogly eyes on 1 April 2017.[101]
For 35 days in early-1998,Birmingham, Alabama'sCBS affiliateWBMG—which had recently been acquired byMedia General—stunted during some of the timeslots of itslocal newscasts with a clock counting down to a major relaunch of the station and its fledgling news department on 5 February.[110][111][112]
At least three networks have used stunting-type events prior to their formal launches:G4, for example, aired a 7 day long game ofPong before its formal debut on 24 April 2002.[120] This stunt would later be referenced by the network's sign-off 31 December 2014, as well as in the video announcing its 2021 return.[121][122]MLB Network aired a continuous loop of baseball highlights and promos as a "soft launch" in the weeks before its formal debut on 1 January 2009.Canada'sSun News Network employed an on-screen countdown clock graphic in the hours before its 18 April 2011, launch.[123]
Since 2017, one ofESPN's networks has stunted as "ESPN8: The Ocho" on or near 8 August (8/8), carrying a marathon of programming featuring obscure or unconventional sporting events and competitions such aschess boxing,disc golf,dodgeball,esports,Highland games,kabaddi,lawn mower racing,mini-golf, androller derby among others. The stunt pays tribute to a fictitious ESPN channel of the same name portrayed in the 2004 sports comedy filmDodgeBall: A True Underdog Story (nicknamed "The Ocho", in reference toESPN2 being nicknamed "The Deuce" on launch), which is promoted as broadcasting events that are "almost a sport". The stunt was originally held onESPNU—a channel that normally carriescollege sports events during the academic year, but moved to ESPN2 beginning in 2018. The film itself has sometimes been screened as part of this lineup as well.[124][125][126][127][128] ESPN would later launch an ESPN8-brandedfree ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel devoted to such content.[129]
