2023 in radio

Overview of the events of 2023 in radio

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In music
2020
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In television
2020
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2020
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+...

The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2023. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, station launches, closures, and format changes, as well as information about controversies and deaths of radio personalities.

## Notable events[edit]

### January[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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1  | French private musical category D radio station Europe 2 is re-launched.  | [1]
After stunting with Christmas music since November 2022, United States radio station WNUU in York, Pennsylvania, is relaunched as WPPY, broadcasting Adult Contemporary music.  | [2]
10  | WKPR-Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States, surrenders its license.  | [3]
KYTE-Independence, Oregon continues broadcasting illegally after having its license cancelled.  | [4]
23  | After stunting with Christmas music since November 2022, Puerto Rican stations WRXD-Fajardo/San Juan, WNVI-Moca and the translator stations relaunched the Estereotempo name and its Adult Contemporary format after four years of absence.  | [5]
30  | The new daily magazine show Commotion is launched on CBC Radio One in Canada.  | [6]
Aliw Broadcasting Corporation's Home Radio, DWQZ-FM, changes provincial stations in the Philippines with a rebranding to DWIZ-AM Regional Integrated News. DWQZ still remains in Pasig City, Metro Manila as 97.9 Home Radio.  | [7]

### February[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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|

27  | US broadcasting company Audacy begins the process of winding down most of its HD Radio digital subchannels due to lack of revenue. (Channel Q, its mostly HD-exclusive LGBTQ service, is unaffected by the cuts.) Further cuts later in the year lead to the company spinning off the licenses of WLFP in Memphis, Tennessee and WTSS in Buffalo, New York to Educational Media Foundation.  | [8][9][10]

### March[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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|

15  | Mexican social radio station XHCSAG-FM begins broadcasting after delays in completing its tower, attributed to COVID.  | [11]

### April[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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10  | DZRM-AM returns to air after 10 months of inactivity and is rebranded as Radyo Pilipinas 3 Alert.  | [citation needed]
21  | US Top 40 station KRBE-Houston, Texas, temporarily rebrands as 104.1 TAY-RBE in honor of Taylor Swift performing the first of her three Eras Tour shows at NRG Stadium that night, with the station's playlist that day only consisting of songs from all of her albums.  | [12]

### May[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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12  | New Zealand radio station Pulzar FM broadcasts for the last time, to be replaced by sister station Anthemz.  | [13]
20  | Mexican radio station XHCORO-FM closes down for economic reasons.  | [14]

### June[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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|

14  | Canada's Bell Media shuts down six radio stations, CJBK—London, CFRN—Edmonton, CFTE—Vancouver, CKST—Vancouver, CKMX—Calgary, and CFRW—Winnipeg, and is set to sell three more, CHAM—Hamilton, Ontario, CKOC—Hamilton, and CKWW—Windsor, as part of cuts across the company.  | [15][16]
26  | KVOH Rancho Simi, California, a shortwave radio station based in the United States (serving the southern United States, the Gulf of Mexico and western Africa), ceases operations, citing the cost of electricity in California.  | [17][18]
30  | Philippines radio station DZMM 630 is re-launched on AM, replacing TeleRadyo. The new station is a joint venture between Prime Media Holdings and ABS-CBN.  | [19]

### July[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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|

1  | Philippines radio station Q Radio and its provincial stations permanently cease broadcasting after almost 3 years, to become a joint venture of Mareco Broadcasting Network and Brigada Mass Media Corporation as 105.1 Brigada News FM in Metro Manila, 105.1 Brigada News FM Baguio, and 90.7 Brigada News FM Cebu.  | [20][21][22]
12  | A 74-year affiliation between Saint Bonaventure University and FM 95.7 in Olean, New York, United States, dating to the latter's debut in 1949, ends as the university's men's basketball squad severs ties with the station now known as WPIG and opts to carry its live broadcasts online.  | [23]

### August[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

|
|

8  | Philippines radio station 103.1 Newsline Central Luzon was officially launched under JRS Newsline Multimedia Corporation and affiliated by Soundstream Broadcasting Corporation in San Fernando, Pampanga.  | [24]
14  | Indian-American entrepreneur Manoj Bhargava announces a wave of acquisitions that includes the assumption of debt from Audacy and the purchase of a minority stake in Cumulus Media, as his Bridge Media Networks—owner of the television network NewsNet—merges with The Arena Group.  | [25]

### September[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

|
|

1  | Canadian radio station CIRR-FM ("103.9 Proud FM"), launched in 2007 as Canada's and the world's first commercial radio station targeted to an LGBTQ listening audience, is scheduled to shut down, with its staff reassigned to sister station CIDC-FM.  | [26]
1  | CJRI-FM in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, goes silent after being denied a licence renewal and ordered to cease broadcasting by midnight on August 31, 2023.  | [27]
5  | CKJR in Westaskiwin, Alberta, is slated to shift formats from oldies music to sports, bringing the format back to the Edmonton market after the closure of CFRN in June.  | [28]
5  | U.S. radio network NPR announces that John Lansing, NPR's president and CEO, is set to retire in December.  | [29]
22  | The 2023 edition of Europe's Biggest Dance Show is simultaneously broadcast by stations in the UK (BBC Radio 1), Germany (1LIVE and Fritz), Austria (FM4), Norway (NRK mP3), Ukraine (Radio Promin), Belgium (Studio Brussel), Sweden (SR P3), Finland (YleX), and newcomers Catalonia (iCat) and Estonia (Raadio 2).  | [30]

### October[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

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|

9  | After airing daily for 84 years, the National Research Council Canada's midday time signal (a series of audio tics followed by "the beginning of the long dash" that marked 1PM Eastern Time) is heard for the final time on CBC Radio One, with the discontinuation due to latency issues with digital audio that render the signal inaccurate. Canada will continue to offer a time signal on the CHU shortwave service.  | [31]
16  | In the Philippines, AllHitz24 was officially launched under Dumaguete Media Productions and affiliated by CETV Philippines in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental using online radio app.  |
19  | WMGA in Huntington, West Virginia, United States, claimed to be the first non-stunting station in North America to flip to Christmas music for the 2023 season. No local or national media had noticed the flip until October 31, when WMXL (Lexington, Kentucky) was the first station owned by a major national broadcaster to flip, and multiple trade publications had reported WMXL was first overall until WMGA insisted otherwise.  | [32][33]

### November[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

|
|

5  | Killing of Juan Jumalon: 57-year-old Filipino broadcaster Juan Jumalon, known on air as "Johnny Walker", is shot dead while hosting a live show from his home in Calamba, Misamis Occidental.  | [34] Three men are later charged with murder and theft.[35]
30  | Philippines radio station DWOW under Advanced Media Broadcasting System are permanently cease operations after its 10 years.  |

### December[edit]

Date  | Event  | Source

|
|

## Deaths[edit]

* January 8:
* Arnie Coro, Cuban radio host, co-founder of Radio Havana (born 1942)[36]
* Ernst Grissemann, Austrian radio host, journalist, and actor (born 1934)[37]
* January 13: Ray Cordeiro, Hong Kong disc jockey (born 1924)[38]
* January 20: Jerry Blavat, American disc jockey (born 1940) [39]
* January 22: Lin Brehmer, American disc jockey (born 1954)[40]
* February 11: Ivan Kováč, Slovak middle-distance runner and radio sports commentator (born 1948)[41]
* March 5: Mark Pilgrim, South African broadcaster (born 1969)[42]
* March 26: Ray Pillow, American country music singer/executive and Grand Ole Opry member (born 1937)[43]
* March 30: Doug Mulray, Australian radio broadcaster (born 1951)[44]
* April 12: Eduard Bagirov, Russian writer and broadcaster (born 1975)[45]
* April 19: Ed Picson, Filipino sports broadcaster (born 1953)[46]
* May 19: George Logan, British actor, composer, musician and broadcaster (The Enchanting World of Hinge and Bracket, etc.)
* June 3: Totto Osvold, 81, Norwegian radio broadcaster (born 1941)[47]
* June 8:
* Wade Goodwyn, 63, correspondent for NPR[48]
* Pat Robertson, 93, American radio station owner who transformed the Rural Radio Network into the Christian Broadcasting Network before moving to television (born 1930)[49]
* June 12: Silvio Berlusconi, 86, Italian radio and television magnate and politician (born 1936) (main article: Death and state funeral of Silvio Berlusconi)[50]
* June 18: Jellie Brouwer, 59, Dutch journalist and presenter (cancer)[51]
* June 23: Jesse McReynolds, 93, American country musician and Grand Ole Opry regular since 1964 (born 1929)[52]
* June 26: Dick Biondi, 90, American radio disc jockey best known for his work in Buffalo, New York and Chicago, Illinois (born 1932)[53]
* June 27: Bobby Osborne, 91, American country musician (The Osborne Brothers, Rocky Top X-Press) and Grand Ole Opry regular (born 1931)[54]
* July 5: Awa Ehoura, Ivorian journalist and radio host (age unknown)[55]
* July 19: Frank Cody, 75, American radio executive (KTWV)[56]
* August 7
* Leonid Volodarskiy, 73, Russian translator, writer and radio presenter (born 1950)[57]
* Jim Price, 81, retired American baseball player (Detroit Tigers) and radio analyst (Detroit Tigers Radio Network).[58]
* August 17: Rick Jeanneret, 81, Canadian-American play-by-play broadcaster for the Sabres Hockey Network from 1971 to 2022, also disc jockey for CJRN (born 1942)[59]
* August 18: James L. Buckley, 100, American politician, President of Radio Free Europe from 1982 to 1985 (born 1923)[60]
* August 23: Magdalena "Moodie Jam" Estrada, 66, Filipina disc jockey (born 1957)
* August 26: Tony Roberts, 94, American play-by-play broadcaster for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish football from 1980 to 2006 (born 1928)[61]
* August 29: Mike Enriquez, 71, Filipino radio and television news anchor, GMA Network (born 1951)[62]
* September 1: Jimmy Buffett, 76, American Gulf and Western singer-songwriter, founder of Radio Margaritaville (born 1946)[63]
* September 8: Sašo Hribar, 63, Slovenian radio satirist and impressionist (heart attack)[64]
* September 11: Dick Bertel, 92,announcer, news anchor, and media executive at WTIC (AM), NBC Radio Network, and the Voice of America - host of The Golden Age of Radio from 1970 - 1977, an oral history of network radio entertainment programming[65]
* September 25: Jay de Castro, 46, former Filipino voice actor and dubbing director of ABS-CBN, former Filipino TV reporter of News5 and Filipino radio reporter of DZME 1530 Radyo Uno (born 1977)
* September 28: DJ Lalla, 34, Romanian DJ and radio presenter (drowned)[66]
* October 25: Jose "Richard" Enriquez Jr., 59, Filipino disc jockey (born 1964)
* November 5: Juan Jumalon, 56, Filipino journalist (born 1966; shot)
* November 13: Héctor Benavides, 82, Mexican news anchor and radio personality (born 1941)[67]
* November 15: Ken Squier, 88, American broadcaster, founder of Motor Racing Network and owner of WDEV in Vermont[68]
* November 18: Nan Witcomb, 95, Australian poet and radio broadcaster[69]
* November 25: Clarke Ingram, 66, American broadcaster best known for his work in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania[70]
* November 27: Regi Espiritu, 54 Filipino journalist, DZRH (born 1969)

## See also[edit]

* 2023 in British radio

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Virgin Radio will become Europe 2 again". Le HuffPost (in French). October 21, 2022. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
2. ^ "Forever Gets Happy In York - RadioInsight". January 1, 2023. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
3. ^ "Notification of Surrendering of the WKPR Station License". January 10, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
4. ^ "FCC Report 1/8: Operating From Former Site Leads To KYTE's Cancellation - RadioInsight". January 7, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
5. ^ "Revive la legendaria emisora Estereotempo". Metro Puerto Rico (in Spanish). January 23, 2023. Retrieved January 23, 2023.
6. ^ "CBC unveils Winter 2023 slate across news and entertainment, featuring new original storytelling reflecting more people, places and perspectives across Canada". cbc.ca (Press release). November 30, 2022. Archived from the original on November 30, 2022.
7. ^ Celario, Eunice; Cambri, Susan (January 30, 2023). "Pagbabago sa DWIZ Kaabang-abang". Filipino Mirror. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
8. ^ Fybush, Scott (February 27, 2023). "Audacy Drops HD Subchannels". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved March 6, 2023.
9. ^ Pergament, Alan (June 8, 2023). "Alan Pergament: Star 102.5 will sign off Friday after sale to religious broadcaster". The Buffalo News. Retrieved June 8, 2023.
10. ^ Venta, Lance (June 7, 2023). "Audacy Sets Sign-Off Time For FM 100 Memphis; Call Change Set For Buffalo". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
11. ^ "Nuestra Historia" [Our History]. Vida Nueva (Facebook) (in Spanish). March 27, 2023. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023. "...quedando pendiente la aprobación de uso y estudio de áreas de servicio por parte de aeronáutica civil el cual debido a la pandemia mundial covid-19 tuvimos que esperar tres años más pero finalmente el 15 de marzo del año 2023 Nuestro sueño es una realidad."
12. ^ "Houston radio station rebrands as TAY-RBE ahead of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concerts". April 17, 2023.
13. ^ "What's Replacing Pulzar FM On 100.9 FM In Christchurch?". Youtube. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
14. ^ Fajardo y Ortiz, Sergio (May 19, 2023). "Asunto: XHCORO-FM Loma Bonita, Oax., Renuncia de Concesión" (PDF). Public Registry of Concessions (in Spanish). Federal Telecommunications Institute.
15. ^ Venta, Lance (June 14, 2023). "Bell Media Shuts 6 AMs, to Sell 3 Others, as Part of Companywide Cuts". RadioInsight. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
16. ^ Hudes, Sammy (June 14, 2023). "Bell cutting 1,300 positions, closing or selling 9 radio stations". Financial Post. Canadian Press. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
17. ^ Wavescan Episode 749 (story begins at 19:46). Adventist World Radio. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
18. ^ Hauser, Glenn (June 28, 2023). World of Radio Episode 2196. Retrieved July 10, 2023.
19. ^ Isagani de Castro Jr (May 24, 2023). "Goodbye TeleRadyo, but DZMM 630 to rise from the dead". Rappler. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
20. ^ "Louella Hazeline Chan in Q Radio Qlassmates". Telegram. Retrieved June 19, 2023.
21. ^ Q Radio 105.1 (June 19, 2023). "To all of our amazing Qties". Facebook. Retrieved June 20, 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
22. ^ Brigada News FM (May 20, 2023). "Brigada News FM Cebu". Facebook. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
23. ^ Pollock, Chuck (July 12, 2023). "The inside story on why St. Bonaventure basketball leaves WPIG after 74 years". The Wellsville Sun. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
24. ^ "Paglulunsad ng NEWSLINE 103.1FM sa August 8 – Official Website of Candaba".
25. ^ Venta, Lance (August 14, 2023). "5-Hour Energy Founder Expands Media Holdings Including Audacy & Cumulus Stakes - RadioInsight". Retrieved August 15, 2023.
26. ^ Connie Thiessen, "Evanov moves to ‘integrate’ GTA stations Proud 103.9 and Z103.5". Broadcast Dialogue, August 16, 2023.
27. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2023-246". Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, August 8, 2023.
28. ^ Connie Thiessen, "Stingray bringing sports radio back to Edmonton". Broadcast Dialogue, August 14, 2023.
29. ^ Johnson, Ted (September 5, 2023). "NPR CEO John Lansing To Retire At End Of Year". Deadline Hollywood.
30. ^ "Bock auf fünfeinhalb Stunden Dancen vorm Radio? Wir haben den Sommer verlängert und mit euch am 22. September wieder "Europe's Biggest Dance Show" gefeiert! Am Start für Fritz war diesmal der Berliner DJ SOUTHSTAR! Alle DJ-Sets zum Nachhören gibt es hier". Fritz (in German). September 22, 2023. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
31. ^ "The end of the long dash: CBC stops broadcasting official time signal," from CBC.ca, 10/10/2023
32. ^ Venta, Lance (October 31, 2023). "No trick: WMXL becomes first all-Christmas station of 2023". Retrieved October 31, 2023.
33. ^ "November Blizzard: Christmas Flips Are Busting Out All Over The Dial". Insideradio.com. November 1, 2023. Retrieved November 1, 2023.
34. ^ Kwai, Isabella (November 6, 2023). "Filipino Radio Journalist Fatally Shot During Live Broadcast". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 6, 2023. Retrieved November 7, 2023.
35. ^ "Murder, theft raps filed vs 3 suspects in radio anchor Jumalon's killing —PNP". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
36. ^ "Prominent Cuban journalist and professor Arnaldo Coro Antích passes away". Radio HC. January 8, 2023. Retrieved January 9, 2023.
37. ^ "Radiolegende Ernst Grissemann ist tot". ORF (in German). January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
38. ^ Frater, Patrick (January 14, 2023). "Ray Cordeiro, 'Uncle Ray,' World's Most Durable DJ, Dies at 98". Variety. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
39. ^ "Legendary Philadelphia disc jockey Jerry Blavat dies at 82". 6abc Philadelphia. January 20, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
40. ^ Struett, David (January 22, 2023). "WXRT Host Lin Brehmer Dies at 68". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2023.
41. ^ "Vo veku 74 rokov zomrel slovenský rekordér Ivan Kováč". Šport.sk (in Slovak). February 11, 2023. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
42. ^ McKay, Bronwyn. "Veteran radio and TV presenter Mark Pilgrim, 53, has died". New24 Life. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
43. ^ Sexton, Paul (March 29, 2023). "Ray Pillow, 1960s Country Hitmaker And Grand Ole Opry Member, Dies At 85". uDiscover Music. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
44. ^ "Aussie comedian, television and radio giant Doug Mulray dies aged 71". celebrity.nine.com.au. March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
45. ^ "Propagandist Bagirov, who was Putin's confidant in elections, died". pravda.com.ua. Retrieved April 13, 2023.
46. ^ "ABAP president ed Picson passes away". The Manila Times. April 19, 2023.
47. ^ "Mangeårig NRK-profil Totto Osvold (81) er død". NRK (in Norwegian). June 3, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
48. ^ Obituary for Wade Goodwyn from NPR.org, 6/8/2023
49. ^ Johnson, Ted (June 8, 2023). "Pat Robertson Dies: Religious Broadcaster And Presidential Candidate Was 93". Deadline Hollywood.
50. ^ Giuffrida, Angela (June 12, 2023). "Silvio Berlusconi, former Italian prime minister, dies aged 86". The Guardian. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
51. ^ "Kunststof-presentatrice Jellie Brouwer (59) overleden". NOS (in Dutch). June 18, 2023.
52. ^ Lawless, John (June 23, 2023). "Jesse McReynolds passes". Bluegrass Today. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
53. ^ Feder, Robert (July 2, 2023). "Dick Biondi, Chicago's definitive voice of Top 40 radio, dies at 90". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
54. ^ Brewer, Courtney Layne (June 27, 2023). "Leslie County native, music legend Bobby Osborne dies". www.wymt.com.
55. ^ N'Guessan, Patrick (July 6, 2023). "Média: la journaliste Awa Ehoura décédée dans la nuit de mercredi à jeudi". Fratmat.info (in French). Retrieved July 8, 2023.
56. ^ "Frank Cody, 'Father Of Smooth Jazz' And Broadcast Architecture Co-Founder, Dies At 75". Inside Radio. July 24, 2023.
57. ^ "Умер Леонид Володарский". Российская газета. August 8, 2023.
58. ^ Former Tigers catcher and analyst Jim Price dies at 81 Detroit Free Press, August 8, 2023
59. ^ Joly, Aidan (August 18, 2023). "Rick Jeanneret, legendary Sabres broadcaster, dies at 81". News 4 Buffalo. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
60. ^ Butler, Jack (August 18, 2023). "James L. Buckley, R.I.P." National Review. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
61. ^ Haring, Bruce (August 31, 2023). "Tony Roberts Dies: Notre Dame Football's Longtime Radio Voice Was 94". Deadline Hollywood.
62. ^ Sarao, Zacarian (August 29, 2023). "Veteran broadcaster Mike Enriquez dies at 71". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
63. ^ Morris, Chris (September 1, 2023). "Jimmy Buffett, 'Margaritaville' Singer, Dies at 76". Variety. Archived from the original on September 2, 2023. Retrieved September 2, 2023.
64. ^ "Umrl je Sašo hribar" [Sašo Hribar Has Died]. Demokracija (in Slovenian). September 8, 2023.
65. ^ "Dick Bertel Dies at Age 92". Radio World. September 12, 2023.
66. ^ "Female DJ found dead in the Black Sea". Romania Journal. September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
67. ^ Rodríguez, Alejandro (November 13, 2023). "Muere el arquitecto Héctor Benavides, presentador de noticias, a los 82 años" (in Spanish). ABC Noticias. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
68. ^ "Sad News – Ken Squier passes away". jayski.com. Jayski's. November 16, 2023. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
69. ^ "Adelaide former talkback host and poet Nan Witcomb dies aged 95". Adelaide Now.(subscription required)
70. ^ Venta, Lance (November 26, 2023). "Veteran PD/Air Talent Clarke Ingram Dies - RadioInsight". Retrieved November 26, 2023.