2018 in radio

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The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2018. 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	Event
1	Business Talk station W280EV, formerly a simulcast of WSDV Sarasota, Florida, ends its two months stunting with Christmas music with a flip to Top 40/CHR as “103.9 Kiss FM.”
	Rocky Mount-Wilson, North Carolina picked up a Rhythmic Adult Top 40, as former Classic Rock WZAX returns from Christmas music to launch “Movin’ 99.3,” thus marking a return to a Rhythmic-type direction since 2014 when it was Gold-based “Jammin’ 99.3.”
	WBKW in Beckley, West Virginia dumps Gospel for Alternative rock as “93.5 The Buzz.”
	In Oklahoma City, “Fun” gives way to “Alice” as KQOB goes back to Variety hits.
	After stunting the Christmas songs, KVWF Wichita give way to Kansas's first adult Alternative station as Flight 100.5. The station redirects country music listeners to KKGQ.
3	Another country station debuts in Ohio as W295CI Bellefontaine/Urbana, formerly a simulcast of talk station WBLL, becomes "106.9 The Bull".
5	Entercom entered a deal to bring the Dance/Electronic webcast Pulse 87 to the Los Angeles airwaves as a HD2 subchannel of Top 40/CHR KAMP-FM, billing it as “Pulse 97.1 HD2.” The move marks the first time since October 2016 when it was broadcast over the air on KYLI Las Vegas.
	After nearly three months of being “Hot”, Flinn Broadcasting’s WJXN-FM Jackson, Mississippi was rebranded as “G100.9”, this time under a LMA deal with Alpha Media, who in turn replaced the Westwood One programming with Alpha’s in-house presentation, thus putting it in line with Alpha’s “G” branded stations.
8	The Federal Communications Commission begins the elimination on this date of the Main Studio Rule; the long-standing rule required radio and television stations to maintain a physical studio 25 miles within its city of license, have it staffed during normal business hours, and have capabilities for program origination.
	KTUX Shreveport, Louisiana flips to classic rock taking new competitor KTAL-FM's morning show and changing to Highway 98.9. KBAT in Midland also joins Townsquare's Ultimate classic rock fray however they will themselves as The new sound of KBAT 99.9.
9	Alpha Media's WRXQ Joliet, Illinois terminates overnight personality "Crazy Ray" Odom after he made an appearance on the CNBC reality show The Profit, where he and his partner sought help from Profit star Marcus Lemonis to turn around their outdoor apparel shop focusing on activewear for fishermen, but his position at WRXQ where he said he "played a sexist, egotistical, racist pig on the radio" was used for dramatic effect and tied into why Lemonis did not invest in their company. The conflict of interest, followed by a statement from WRXQ that claimed 'the views he expressed in the program were' his only and not those of Alpha and WRXQ, were given as explanations for Odom’s dismissal.
19	Cumulus Media announces that will seek permission from the United States Bankruptcy Court to cancel its LMA and purchase deal for Chicago’s WLUP-FM and WKQX from current owner Merlin Media after it made a deal to acquire the Rock outlets in 2014, citing losses from revenues tied to the stations, as well as canceling or ending its contracts to carry play by play broadcasts of Buffalo Bills (a team they stopped carrying in 2012 but never paid off the contract), Chicago Bulls and White Sox, and Seattle Seahawks, radio distribution of CNBC, a series of leases for buildings and towers, and ending a talent agreement with American Patriot LLC, who handles the deal for Mancow Muller. If approved, the deals could be nullified but at the same time could affect the future of the aforementioned sports teams, especially the Bulls’ current season in which they and the White Sox will have to find a new home in Chicago for their broadcasts On January 31, WSCR picked up the PBP rights of the Bulls’ broadcasts from WLS (abruptly ending a five-year deal as they were in the middle of a first year run), effective with the February 3 broadcast against the Los Angeles Clippers; the new multiyear deal also retains the current lineup of announcers Chuck Swirsky, Bill Wennington, and pre/post/halftime show host Steve Kashul.
25	Just nearly three years after it acquired Journal Communications, E.W. Scripps Company announces that it will put the 34 radio stations that it added to its portfolio up for sale as part of a restructuring plan.
29	In a controversial move, which comes after losing a court case to Taylor Swift in 2017 over allegations that resulted from touching her inappropriately during a meet and greet during her concert stop in Denver that resulted in losing his job at KYGO-FM in 2013, David Mueller lands a morning gig at WMYQ (FM) Greenwood, Mississippi under the name “Stonewall Jackson.” The news of his hiring by owner Larry Fuss (who is also co-partner with Mueller in smaller radio outlets) is sparking attention because of his sexual assault incidents and has sparked criticism from the radio industry and Swift fans, who plan to lead a campaign to have Mueller fired and exile from radio for good.
30	Boise-based Impact Radio Group expands their portfolio of stations to Twin Falls, as they take over the operations of six stations (Top 40/CHR KTPZ. Country KZUN, Variety Hits KIKX, AC KIRQ, and translators/HD subchannels Soft AC K236BS/KYUN-HD3 and Alternative K286CH/KYUN-HD2) owned by Locally Owned Radio LLC after the announced retirement of operators Larry and Stephanie Johnson. The two companies will also rename itself Iliad Media Group with the expanded roster.
	Emmis Communications exits the St. Louis market, with the sale of Classic Rock KSHE and Alternative KPNT to Hubbard Broadcasting, and Top 40/CHR KNOU and News/Talk KFTK-FM to Entercom.
	After a three-month hiatus from broadcasting, Delilah returns to radio and gets a new flagship station at Seattle’s KSWD. She does mid-days and her syndicated love songs show also returns to radio and also airs on KSWD.

February

Date	Event
2	WZON Bangor, Maine drops Progressive Talk for Oldies.
	After a nearly four year run with Active Rock, KZND-FM Anchorage reverted back to its prior alternative rock format, as "94.7 KZND - Alaska's Rock Alternative".
6	The FCC announces that they are looking at creating a Class C4 FM table, which would allow stations (roughly around 800 FM stations in Zone II) the potential to upgrade from Class A, but not all the way to C3. The original proposal, which was first introduced in 2013, sought to allow stations to increase its power to the equivalent of 12kW from a reference antenna height of 100 meters above average terrain whereas Class A is 6kW/100m and C3 is 25kW/100m.
	NPR confirms that longtime investigative reporter Daniel Zwerdling left the network in January, a departure that came amid a reported investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Zwerdling, incidents he denies took place.
8	WTAQ Green Bay mid-morning host Jerry Bader's contract is ended and he departs that station; the show was additionally simulcast on WHBL Sheboygan (where he was a former long-time news director) and WSAU Wausau. Bader claims that his "never Trump" political stance had caused friction with station management.

Debuts

Date	Event

Closings

Date	Event
January 1	Religious program The Overcomer Ministry with Brother Stair ends its radio broadcasts. The move comes after its host was charged with several felony counts of sexual assault and burglary on December 18 of last year and most of its affiliates dropped the program.
January 5	Robert Siegel anchors All Things Considered for the final time, retiring after three decades with the NPR afternoon program and 41 years as an anchor/correspondent at the network.
January 8	Entravision ends the formats of Spanish Top 40 “Super Estrella” and Spanish Adult Hits “Jose” in twelve markets, converting several into either Regional Mexican “Radio Tricolor” or Regional Mexican Oldies “Suavecita” brandings.
January 18	After 32 years, Rowan College at Burlington County announces that it is ceasing operations on eclectic AAA WBZC Burlington, New Jersey on this date. The programming will move to an online webcast.
February 28	Citing financial and leasing issues, Classical outlet XHLNC-FM (serving San Diego from Tecate, Baja California, Mexico) will vacate the 104.9 frequency and return to an online website, where it originally launched in 1998 before moving to the 90.7 signal in 2000.
March 29	Imus in the Morning will air its last broadcast after 44 years, as host Don Imus enters mandatory retirement stemming from syndicator Cumulus Media's bankruptcy.
March 30	After a fifty-year career that included stops in New Mexico (a 20-year run at KKOB-FM Albuquerque), Miami, Dallas, and San Diego, John Forsythe is retiring from radio, as he will mark his final stint as morning host at AC WMGF Orlando on this date after eight years in the position.

Deaths

Date	Name	Age	Notability	Source
January 3	Lara Kruger	30	South African DJ (Motsweding FM) and transgender rights advocate
January 4	John "Bucks" Braun	68	American DJ (WBZI Xenia, Ohio; WONE Dayton, Ohio; and stations in Florida, Mississippi, Arizona, and Kentucky)
January 8	Vojtěch Lindaur	60	Czech journalist, radio host (Radio Beat) and record producer.
January 9	Milton J. Rosenberg	92	American psychology professor (University of Chicago) and radio host (WGN Chicago).
	Wes Strader	79	American sports announcer (Western Kentucky Hilltoppers).
January 20	John Corby	61	American radio host (WTVN and WNCI in Columbus, Ohio and KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
February 9	Al Wester	93	American sportscaster (Notre Dame Fighting Irish football, New Orleans Saints Radio Network, NFL on Mutual)
	"Sunshine" Sonny Payne	92	American DJ, host of King Biscuit Time on KFFA in Helena, Arkansas