1982 in radio
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The year 1982 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting history.
Events
- January 19 — It is announced that Watermark Inc., producer of American Top 40 with Casey Kasem, is being sold for approximately $5 million to ABC Radio.[1]
- February 14 — First broadcast of Dick Clark's Rock, Roll & Remember.
- May 10 — After 22 years as a Top 40 music station, WABC in New York City changes to talk radio.
- July 23 — KDKA in Pittsburgh, becomes the first AM station to broadcast in Stereo sound.
- KBOX in Dallas, Texas drops its longtime call sign to become KMEZ and simulcast the beautiful music format of their sister station KMEZ-FM.
- KENR in Dallas, Texas drops country music for news/talk as "The Radio Magazine." By November, the station would flip once again, this time to adult contemporary.
- WBBM-FM Chicago debuts its long-running Top 40 format, beginning as a Hot Hits station called "96 Now!" In September, WHYT Detroit also goes Hot Hits and is also known as "96 Now!"
- The year brings two other significant format changes in Detroit – ailing Top 40 station WDRQ experiences a ratings surge after adjusting its format to urban contemporary that summer, and WABX jettisons its long-running album-oriented/progressive rock format for a New Wave-based CHR format called "Hot Rock."
- KMEL morning host Alex Bennett moves to upstart rival KQAK in August.
- KOST switches from beautiful music to Adult Contemporary.
- Drake-Chenault syndicates The History of Country Music, a 52-hour country music version of the radio syndicator's successful The History of Rock and Roll. This series, identical to the rock version in features and scope but with country music, is hosted by radio personality Ralph Emery.
Debuts
- Ruth Bennett, mother of KMEL morning host Alex Bennett, begins as host of weekly Kamel Album Countdown on the station, allegedly becoming the world's oldest album-oriented rock disc jockey. A few months later, her son leaves the station.
Deaths
- Hugh Marlowe, 71, an American film, television, stage and radio actor
- January 5 — Hans Conried, 66, an American actor.[2]
- July 27 — Dan Seymour, American announcer in radio and television[3]
- December 10 — Freeman Gosden, American actor and comedian (b. 1899)
See also
References
- ^ Battistini, Pete. American Top 40 with Casey Kasem (The 1980s). AuthorHouse, 2010. p. 133.
- ^ Cox, 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.
- ^ Castronova, Frank V., ed. (1998). Almanac of Famous People. Detroit: Gale. p. 1525. ISBN 0-7876-0045-8.
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