From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The year 1996 in radio involved some significant events.

Events

• WBOB and KQQL, both in Minneapolis, Minnesota are sold to Chancellor Communications.
• The United Auto Workers invest in United Broadcasting Network, which later became I.E. America Radio Network. UAW's president at the time, Stephen P. Yokich, saw UBN as a way to promote the union's ideals and counter conservative radio talk show hosts.
• KILT in Houston, Texas flips to sports.

Debuts

• Just 11 years after it signed off at 92.3, WKTU returns to the New York City airwaves at 103.5 on February 14.
• Doug Banks begins national syndication of morning radio show
• Los Angeles radio listeners picked up two new stations, Rhythmic Adult Contemporary KIBB ("B100.3") and Dance-intensive KACD/KBCD ("Groove Radio 103.1"). Both would last only 2 years.
• KHTS-FM ("Channel 93.3")/San Diego debuts with a Dance Top 40 format on Labor Day. They would evolve to Mainstream Top 40 in August 1998.

Closings

Deaths

• John Snagge, British radio personality (b. 1904)
• Willie Rushton, English comedian, actor, radio and television personality and cartoonist (b. 1937)
• Morey Amsterdam, veteran American television and radio actor and comedian (b. 1908)