Quad Cities' radio stationsWKBF (1270 AM) andWHTS (98.9 FM), both owned by Mercury Broadcasting but operated by a joint sales agreement withClear Channel Communications, are sold during the year. The sale of WKBF from Mercury to EMF Broadcasting is completed in late 2005, and in February the format switches fromcontemporary hit radio (which had been formatted at the frequency since 1987) to formatting Christian music as WKLU.[1] WKBF, which had been broadcasting a progressive talk format, is sold to Quad Cities Media and switches to Christian talk in December.[2]
January 21 – Kix Brooks, one half of the country music superstar duoBrooks & Dunn, takes over as host of the long-running "American Country Countdown." He succeedsBob Kingsley, who had left the program after 27 years a month earlier, and had since started a new program called "Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40." Kingsley's last show was December 24, 2005, and radio personality Michael Jay had served as interim host until Brooks' debut.
June 13 – VNU Media, the publishers ofBillboard, acquiresRadio & Records. The following July 14Billboard Radio Monitor will cease publication, followed by Radio & Records three weeks later on August 4. On August 11 both trades are merged into a "newly relaunched"R&R.
June 14 –KKST/KEDG/Alexandria, Louisiana trade formatted to KKST as Urban leader as "Kiss 98.7" and KEDG as Adult contemporary leader as "Star 106.9".
In September,Mediabase, associated with the original R&R for 19 years until their final issue (as an independent trade), begin publishing their chart listings inUSA Today and in the following December debut their online website.
November 7 –BBC radio airs the 15,000th episode of its (near) daily drama serialThe Archers, begun in 1951.
Mike McConnell, launched into national syndication after several years atWLW on July 1.
On August 17 KZLA/Los Angeles drops Country after 26 years and becomes the second station in the United States to pick up the Rhythmic AC "MOViN'" format asKMVN. The flip would leave Los Angeles without an FM Country station until March 2007 whenKKGO fills the void.
Kevin Barrett begins hosting a twice-weekly talk show onGenesis Communications Network calledThe Dynamic Duo, and another talk show, hosted weekly on RBN, titledTruth Jihad Radio. The topic of both shows is mainly conspiracy theories surrounding theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks.
June 23 –The Phil Hendrie Show, hostPhil Hendrie decided to retire from radio in an effort to pursue an acting career. Reruns continued on two stations until 2007.
Len "Boom" Goldberg, 74, longtime station voice and DJ forWMMS inCleveland, Ohio, and the first station voice for New York City'sWHTZ "Z100" upon their 1983 launch, heart attack.[33]
Dick Johnson, 69, veteranMaine radio broadcaster and news reporter, complications of a heart attack.[34]
