2020 in radio

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The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2020. 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	Source
1	WKVA/W262DO Lewistown, Pennsylvania, United States, flips from Classic Rock leaning "Big 100.3" to a Gold based Soft AC format at the stroke of midnight. The station is now known as "Gold Hits WKVA 920 AM & 100.3 FM".	[1]
	WWIZ West Middlesex, Pennsylvania/Youngstown, Ohio, United States, having dropped Oldies on October 25, 2019, amid speculation of a change to its format, returns to Oldies after playing Christmas music.	[2]
	KSKI-FM Sun Valley, Idaho, which dropped Adult Album Alternative on November 1, 2019, returns with Alternative.	[3]
	W233CM/WYCT-HD2 Pensacola, which began filling the Holiday void with Christmas music in November 2019, went straight to stunting with “Baby Shark” ahead of a potential flip. Its previous ESPN Radio format had already relocated to WEBY/W256DL in August 2019. On January 13, the station returns with a Soft AC format, billed as “Pensacola’s Blend,” barring any legal issues from SiriusXM over the “Blend” name.	[4]
	WLGX Louisville, who also joined the list of stations playing Christmas music after dropping the ratings-challenged Adult Top 40 “100.5 Kiss-FM” on November 27, 2019, after four years (and also joined AC rival WVEZ in bringing Holiday music to the Kentuckiana area), leads up to a return to its previous '90s-centric Variety Hits format on January 14.	[5]
	In a time brokerage agreement with RM Broadcasting, KCXL Liberty, Missouri/Kansas City began airing Radio Sputnik six hours a day, which will run until December 31, 2022. The arrangement is already being criticized by local media for allowing a Russian-associated entity to broadcast programs that is considered propaganda to a Midwestern market.	[6]
2	Urban One's Reach Media moved Rickey Smiley's syndicated morning show from R&B/Hip-Hop outlets to Urban AC and Adult R&B stations, where it replaced Tom Joyner's program due to the latter's retirement. Smiley's replacement at R&B/Hip-Hop will be a new program hosted by Smiley's co-host Headkrack, starting January 6.	[7]
	As a result of Rickey Smiley's move to Urban AC stations, R&B/Hip-Hop WEDR Miami will replace his program with a local show hosted by Love & Hip Hop: Miami stars Trick Daddy and Trina, which will also play into the VH1 reality-based series' storylines. Smiley will continue to be heard in the market as it moves over to Adult R&B sister WHQT.	[8]
3	WNWV Elyria/Cleveland, which dropped its nine-year run with Smooth Jazz on November 15, 2019 (its second tenure with the format, the first from 1987 to 2009), followed by a surprise announcement that the air staff was let go on December 6, effectively ending what was the last major market commercial outlet in the United States to offer a Smooth Jazz format, returns with a millennial-focused Modern AC billed as “JenY 107.3” (a reference to Generation Y), targeting listeners in both Akron and Cleveland.	[9][10][11]
	WRKA Louisville officially shifts from Rhythmic AC to Urban AC after one year. The move coincides with the addition of Rickey Smiley to its lineup. It also gives Louisville two Urban AC's, as they take on Alpha Media's WMJM.	[12]
	Sports Talk KABZ Little Rock fires afternoon host Eric Sullivan after he is accused of stealing $409 from a woman at a local bar. The woman told police that she was at the restaurant on January 1 when she left her purse on the table and went to the restroom, then noticed the next day that her money was gone; she later viewed surveillance footage from the establishment and saw Sullivan going through her purse, which she then posted on her Facebook page. Sullivan did return the money to the woman and later issued an apology: "I need to address something to you all: I've made a monumental career mistake & I take full responsibility for it, I let many people down as well as the listeners and great people at 103.7 the Buzz and I will own that for the rest of my life."	[13]
5	Premiere Networks renews The Rush Limbaugh Show through 2024.	[14]
6	A new format (adult album alternative) replaced the Nash Icon Country format at WNUQ Sylvester/Albany, Georgia under the new ownership of Tripp Morgan's Pretoria Fields Collective Media, which acquired the station from Cumulus Media’s Mainstay Station Trust in October 2019. The station is being billed as "Q102 The Queen Bee" and will take the new callsign WPFQ.	[15][16]
	With Rickey Smiley moving over to Urban AC KQXL-FM, Rhythmic Top 40 sister WEMX Baton Rouge will fill his morning slot with the syndicated DeDe In The Morning program, one of eight new affiliates joining the Dallas-based morning show.	[17][18]
	KKOB Albuquerque expands its News/Talk format to sister station KBZU, replacing the Nash Icon Country format and brings the KKOB-FM calls back to the market after removing them from the now-current KOBQ in November 2019. The former simulcast at translator K233CG 94.5 will launch a new format in February.	[19]
7	Just six months after dropping Country to simulcast KRCX-FM’s Regional Mexican broadcasts, KNTY Sacramento launched a ranchera format, branded as "José 101.9".	[20]
13	KOOO Omaha transitioned from Classic Rock to Variety Hits, but retains the “101.9 The Keg” moniker.	[21]
	The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra announces the award of its Karl Amadeus Hartmann Medal posthumously to its late conductor Mariss Jansons.	[22]
	After six days of stunting with Drake’s “Hotline Bling", WHTP Portland, Maine expanded its Rhythmic Top 40 format to former Oldies WJYE/W262DP Gardiner/Lewiston/Auburn and former Classic Country WCYR/W275CQ Bangor, both of whom had dropped their formats prior to the stunting. The three stations also rebrand as “Hot Radio Maine” to reflect its coverage throughout the state's largest metropolitan areas.	[23]
14	Vista Radio returns the "Bridge" branding to CHNV-FM, in Nelson, British Columbia
15	iHeartMedia announces a major corporate restructuring, resulting in a round of mass layoffs nationwide, mainly in small and mid-sized markets, affecting hundreds of positions.	[24]
16	Australian community radio station Stereo 974, based in Melbourne, ceases broadcasting because of lack of finance.	[25]
	KBDS Bakersfield changes formats from rhythmic contemporary to Spanish/English CHR, branded as "Forge 103.9".	[26]
	A day after iHeart Media announces a round of layoffs at its stations, a format shake up takes place in Des Moines. Sports Talk KXNO general manager Joel McCrea announces that the AM will begin simulcasting on KDXA, starting at a yet-unrevealed time the following week, thus ending the latter's Alternative format.	[27][28]
17	Adult Top 40 KQKQ-FM Council Bluffs-Omaha becomes the first station in the market to launch an all-female morning show, as it pairs up current host Nikki Oswald with afternoon host Laura Blenkush, the latter succeeding Matt Tompkins, who moved over to sister station KOOO in the same slot.	[29]
	Colorado Public Radio takes over the operations of KRCC Colorado Springs and its network of stations in the state. The NPR-affiliated News/Talk outlet will continue to utilize its local staff and retain its identity, although their news operations and programs will be incorporated into CPR's Denver operations.	[30]
21	After eight days of stunting with a loop of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road”, Homeslice Media Group’s KKLS/K284BA Rapid City flipped from News/Talk to Classic Country, billing itself as “The Cowboy“. The flip gives the station a flanker for Country sister KOUT and co-owned Farm/Country KBHB while competing against Bad Lands Broadcasting's KRKI/KXZT.	[31]
23	The European Radio and Digital Audio Show is held in Paris, running until 25 January.[32]	[31]
31	KPTY/K297BS Waterloo, Iowa drops Top 40/CHR for Classic Country, branded as "107.3 Hank FM".	[33]

February[]

Date	Event	Source
1	WCKR Hornell, New York flips from Top 40/CHR to CBS Sports Radio, no longer able to pay the royalties for any music radio format. The Top 40 format returns August 14.	[34]
3	Rush Limbaugh announces that he has been diagnosed with advanced lung cancer and will be taking leaves of absence to undergo treatment. The next day, he is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom at the 2020 State of the Union Address, becoming only the second person to earn the medal for contributions to radio, after 2005 recipient Paul Harvey.	[35][36]
5	Radio New Zealand attempts to convert its FM classical music network RNZ Concert to a youth service, shifting its classical music broadcasting to an automated programme on its AM channel and in streaming format. The decision was reversed within days after listener criticism.	[37]
7	Dutch DJ Lex Gaarthuis is forced to apologise after playing a "parody" song called "‘Voorkomen is beter dan Chinezen" ("Prevention is better than Chinese") on Radio 10 the previous evening. The song, which implies that Chinese food is responsible for the spread of coronavirus, triggered thousands of complaints.	[38]
10	WSM Nashville, the last clear-channel station in the United States with a music format, announces the elimination of its All Nighter overnight programming.	[39]
13	World Radio Day: UNESCO and UN calls on radio stations to uphold diversity, both in their newsroom and on the airwaves. This year's theme is "Radio and diversity".	[40]
	World Radio Day: A team from William Paterson University broadcasts a three-hour show from the former home of Guglielmo Marconi in Bologna, Italy.	[41]
14	The Bridge branding returns to CHNV-FM in Nelson, British Columbia.	[citation needed]
17	The BBC's Deputy Political Editor, South African-born journalist John Pienaar, announces that he is leaving to join Times Radio, a new station set up by Rupert Murdoch.	[42]
18	The Oakland Athletics abandon radio for a team exclusive channel on TuneIn, exiting their deal with KTRB to broadcast the team's games after one season and complaints from fans over poor promotion and flow from the station's conservative talk radio format. Athletics games in the Bay Area market will be heard exclusively on TuneIn instead of radio, a first in Major League Baseball and the team will go without a flagship station. On July 30, less than a week into the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Athletics voided its agreement with TuneIn and signed with iHeartMedia, who will air games on KNEW.	[43][44]
	Talk-formatted KTBL Albuquerque drops its format in favor of an active rock format as "The Pit", and began simulcasting on translator K233CG (94.5 FM), which was formerly used by KKOB.	[45]
21	XHCPBS-FM, La Voz de los Chontales, begins broadcasting on 98.7 FM in Spanish, Chontal Maya (yokot'an), Ch'ol and Ayapa Zoque from Nacajuca in the Mexican state of Tabasco. The original station was closed down in 1990 for political reasons.	[46]
23	WZPW Peoria drops its former "Peoria’s 92.3" branding after five years in favor of a new branding of "Z92.3" as part of the relaunch of its morning show; no other changes are made to the station.	[47]

March[]

Date	Event	Source
11	The National Association of Broadcasters announces that the annual NAB Show, scheduled for April 18–22, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the first time in the organization’s history to do so.	[48]
	Prior to the tipoff of the game between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder in Oklahoma City, the sports stations from Cumulus Media's Oklahoma City cluster (WKY, WWLS-FM and KWPN) and Larry H. Miller Communications' Salt Lake City cluster (KZNS and KZNS-FM) report that Rudy Gobert was placed on the Thunder's injury list due to an unidentified illness, causing the game to be initially postponed. Shortly afterwards, the NBA announces that the league would suspend its season following the conclusion of that night's games after Gobert tested positive for the coronavirus. This event resulted in the MLB and NHL suspending operations the following day, dealing a major blow to sports radio stations around the entire United States.	[citation needed]
12	The studios of Cumulus Media’s Atlanta cluster (Top 40/CHR WWWQ, Country WKHX-FM, and Active Rock WNNX, along with several syndicated programs that originated from the studios) are quarantined after an employee tested positive for coronavirus, having come in contact with a friend who was visiting several days earlier. The news results in the air staffers at the three stations to do their shifts from their home until further notice.	[49]
13	The Grand Ole Opry announces it will forego live audiences and reduce airings to one day per week, continuing its Saturday night flagship broadcast without a studio audience in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Tennessee. The show eventually resumes live audiences in October.	[50]
18	DZIQ and DZSR temporarily sign off due to COVID-19 pandemic.
19	After a few days of stunting, NRG Media's KLNC Lincoln flipped from Classic Hits to Hard-centric Classic Rock as "105.3 The Bone," giving the Nebraska state capitol its second Classic Rocker, as it takes on Alpha Media's market leading KTGL.	[51]
20-23	In the wake of the cancellation of the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, the organizers have partnered up with SiriusXM to air a virtual broadcast featuring the acts that were scheduled to perform on air during the weekend the event was supposed to be held, airing on Diplo’s Revolution.	[52]
20	Entercom AC KEZK-FM St. Louis converts to an unusual spring Christmas music format to "lift spirits as the coronavirus quarantine continues".	[53]
	A new environmental radio station, Gorilla FM, based at the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, begins broadcasting, with financial support from Switzerland and support from NGO Internews and Radio France Internationale.	[54]
23	NPR debuts a new call-in show The National Conversation, an offshoot of All Things Considered, which exclusively discusses the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.	[55]
25	The University of Washington’s NPR-affiliated KUOW-FM Seattle announces it will no longer carry the live feed of the White House Coronavirus Task Force's daily briefings, citing a number of false claims and exaggerations, specifically from President Donald Trump's portion of the briefings. The station will continue to summarize them in later newscasts.	[56]
26	WQTX Lansing drops Adult Hits for Rhythmic AC, billed as “Stacks 92.1”, a reference to the three smokestacks at Lansing Board of Water & Light’s Eckert Power Plant which serve as the tallest buildings in the Lansing skyline.	[57]
27	Cox Media Group’s Top 40/CHR WFLC Miami temporarily rebrands from "Hits 97.3" to "97.3 Quarantine Radio" to discourage listeners from further large public gatherings due to stay-at-home orders put in place by local governments. For the time being, all on-air staffers are working from home playing into the temporary branding, which will include daily coronavirus updates, along with long commercial-free stretches of EDM remixes in overnights hosted by Al P, billed as "Fit Mixes". On May 29, WFLC went “under construction” ahead of a June 3 “relaunch” of its format.	[58]

April[]

Date	Event	Source
1	DWSS 1494 temporarily signs off due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
5	KXPN-FM Wichita Falls becomes the first Sports radio victim to flip formats due to the coronavirus pandemic that shutdown major sporting events, resulting in the station to switch to Classic Country and simulcast sister station KTFW-FM Ft. Worth. The move will see them take on rival KXXN, which had a TBA with KXPN from 2014 to 2015.	[59]
6	KRJO (Monroe, Louisiana) three years after flipping to Adult Top-40, returned to Classic country, branded as "99.7 The Legend".	[60]
10	WNTR Indianapolis drops Adult Top 40 for Christmas music, as it prepares for a possible format flip while giving listeners something positive during the coronavirus pandemic. On May 14 it returns with a mainstream AC direction.	[61]
	After nine years, Brooke & Jubal (based at KQMV Seattle) is rebranded as Brooke & Jeffery in the Morning after Jubal Fresh departed the Hubbard Broadcasting outlet in September 2019 and has not appeared alongside his co-host Brooke Fox since then due to his time working on his podcasts and stand-up comedy shows with his wife. Jeffery Dubrow has been named as his replacement.	[62]
12	A storm knocks over the transmitter tower of KPBA-Pine Bluff, Arkansas, which also relays KTPB, KTRN, and KDPX.	[63]
13	The Rio Grande Valley sees two stations flipping formats within the course of two hours, all coming from Entravision, who flipped Top 40/CHR KVLY Edinburg back to AC, which was done to help the recent launch of former Regional Mexican turned bilingual rhythmic sibling KKPS Brownsville, and Active Rock sister KFRQ Harlingen switching to Classic Rock.	[64]
	Ralph Vaughan Williams’s “The Lark Ascending” was chosen as the winner of the 2020 Classic FM Hall of Fame in the United Kingdom.	[65]
20	After seven years, iHeartMedia's WRDA Atlanta drops the Alternative format due to declining ratings, replacing it with Spanish CHR format as "Z105.7", simulcasting on WBZY, where the format has been heard since October 2018. WBZY serves areas to the south and west of Atlanta, while WRDA covers the more populous northern and eastern portions of the market. The simulcast will be a temporary one, as iHeart has yet to announce plans or a timeline for a new format on WBZY.	[66]
22	KQCJ Quad Cities drops “Jack FM” for Alternative as “Planet 93.9.” That branding returns to the market after two decades, when it was last used at KORB during its run in the 1990s.	[67]
26	103.5 K Lite, another Filipino radio station, temporarily signs off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

May[]

Date	Event	Source
1	Top 40/CHR WNFN Nashville rebrands from “i106.7” to “Hot 106.7”, which coincided with its signal upgrade to 15,000 watts, allowing the station to cover the Nashville metropolitan area.	[68]
3	Honolulu adds its third AC outlet, as KPOI-FM exits a two-way Alternative battle with rival KUCD to become “105.9 The Wave”, joining the already established KSSK-FM and KRTR-FM.	[69]
4	WBZY Atlanta flipped from simulcasting Spanish CHR sister WRDA to Mainstream Urban, branded as "105.3 The Beat", with the format, branding, and air staffers moving from WRDG to a better frequency and a much larger signal coverage (at 61,000 watts) albeit covering the Atlanta Metropolitan area from the southwestern portion of the market. WRDG would reunite with WBZY and simulcast the Spanish CHR format.	[70]
	KDLW Albuquerque dropped the Top 40/CHR format and began stunting with sweepers coinciding with Cinco de Mayo (May 5), leading up to a flip to Regional Mexican as “Zeta 106.3.”	[71]
5	ABS-CBN's radio stations DZMM and MOR ceased its operations due to cease-and-desist order by the Philippines National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), together with ABS-CBN and S+A after their congressional franchise expired on May 4. These 4 networks signed off in the evening at 7:52 pm (PST).	[72]
8	ABS-CBN's radio station DZMM TeleRadyo went back on-air via cable and online and renamed as TeleRadyo.	[73]
18	Southern Minnesota picked up an Adult Top 40 as former Classic Country KRRW St. James-Fairmont relaunched as “Emoji 101.5” and new calls KEMJ.	[74]
20	KRZD/K298CI Springfield, Missouri dropped travelers information for Mainstream Rock, billed as “Z107.5.” The flip adds to an already crowded battle in the Ozark region for Rock listeners as they take on a trio of full powered rivals: Mid-West Family Broadcasting Rock KQRA and Classic Rock sibling KKLH, and iHeartMedia’s Classic Rock KXUS.	[75]
22	Jackson picked up its third R&B/Hip-Hop outlet, as iHeart Media’s WJDX-FM drops Adult Hits, branding itself as “Real 105.1” after declining ratings with the former format. It will take on Alpha Media’s dominant market-leading WJMI (which was once owned by iHeart predecessor Clear Channel) and Roberts Radio’s WRBJ-FM for listeners in the Mississippi state capitol and largest city.	[76]
	KFCO Denver shifted directions from a Hip-Hop leaning Rhythmic Top 40 back to Top 40/CHR, and revived the “Hot 107.1” branding. The new direction will continue to have a Rhythmic lean, but will feature broader uptempo Rhythmic and Dance pop currents that will distinguish themselves from Mainstream rival KPTT and Rhythmic rival KQKS.	[77]
	After a three-year run with Classic Rock, KTSR Lake Charles, Louisiana flipped to Adult Top 40, branded as “92.1 The Bridge.”	[78]
28	WODS Boston drops Top 40/CHR after 8 years and flipped to adult hits, branded as "Big 103, Music Unleashed". The new format features a playlist focusing on music from the 1980s through the 2000s, and is utilizing a "2 Minute Promise" to keep commercial breaks to that length; concurrent with the change, Entercom requested a call sign change to WBGB.	[79]
	The facilities of regional Mexican KMNV/K239CJ Minneapolis–Saint Paul is among the buildings that were destroyed in a series of riots amid protests of the officer-involved death of George Floyd on May 26, and whose Third Precinct station where the officers were assigned to was set on fire during the evening that later spread to other buildings in the vicinity of Lake Street and 27th Avenue South. The AM had been off the air since March for repairs but the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed work on the equipment. The owners announced that the station will be off the air until further notice. By the next week it returned to the air with the assistance and use of the facilities of community radio station KFAI.	[80]

June[]

Date	Event	Source
1	After a four-year run of the "Frosty, Heidi & Frank Show", broadcaster Frosty Stillwell leaves the AOR station KLOS Los Angeles after taking a leave from the station in late March.	[81]
2	Just one day after being placed on administrative leave after making insensitive comments about the Black Lives Matter movement in a tweet to former Sacramento Kings Center DeMarcus Cousins, Grant Napear, who handles play by play for the aforementioned NBA franchise on NBC Sports California, announces his resignation from both the organization and the network, and at the same time was also fired from Kings flagship radio outlet KHTK by parent owner Bonneville International, who were upset over his remarks and not making an sincere apology. Napear had called Kings games on either television or radio since 1988 and had been a part of KHTK’s lineup in various roles since 1997.	[82]
3	Abilene picked up its fifth Country outlet, as KORQ dropped Top 40/CHR for hybrid Farm/Classic-centric “Q Country 96.1,” joining current-based sibling KABW, Cumulus Media’s KBCY, Townsquare Media’s KEAN-FM and KSLI, the latter having flipped from Classic Country to Red Dirt Country in February.	[83]
	iHeartMedia Classic Rock WAIO in Rochester, New York fires afternoon hosts Kimberly Ray and Barry Beck following comments made on their June 2 show, in which the duo were discussing the ongoing protests in the city over police brutality and racism. Kimberly asked if a group of men beating a couple with a 2×4 were acting “N-wordly”, while Beck followed “If you look like a thug, act like a thug and you have three people beating a white woman with a 2x4, by god, you’re a thug.” The discussion also including asking whether they were allowed to call people “N-wordish”. The comments sparked outrage from listeners and community leaders, including morning host Deanna King (who threatened to quit if the duo remained on air). This is the second time that Ray and Beck were fired from a Rochester station for making insensitive remarks, after being fired from their morning show at Entercom Adult Hits WBZA in 2014 for hateful comments against the transgender community.	[84]
4	A pair of Piedmont Triad Top 40s, Dick Broadcasting’s Mainstream WKZL and Entercom’s Rhythmic WJMH, paired their respective morning shows, Jared & Katie in the Morning and 3 Live Crew, together for a simulcast to discuss the continuing conflict involving police brutality against minorities, ongoing protests, and systematic racism that has spilled over into the Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem Metropolitan area since the killing of George Floyd on May 26.	[85]
5	Republic Records announced that it will no longer use the word “Urban” from describing departments, employee titles, and music styles. The move comes as the term, made famous in the late 1970s by Frankie Crocker when he used it to describe the Urban contemporary format at WBLS New York City, has lived out its usefulness with radio stations in the genre moving to distance themselves from the name altogether.	[86]
6	Dance/EDM WZFL Miami acknowledged on its Facebook page that it had terminated afternoon host Jordan Sanchez over insensitive remarks he made on his social media pages in April, when he was placed on suspension.	[87]
15	The studios of two Tampa-St. Petersburg radio properties are quarantined after its personalities tested positive for COVID-19. Three air staffers from Beasley Broadcasting Group’s Rhythmic Top 40 WLLD’s Orlando and The Freak Show, PD/host Orlando Davis and co-hosts Broderick “Buckwheat” Scott and Jose “Joey Franchize” Alvarado, all announced their positive tests on social media, resulting in Beasley closing its facilities to all but essential personnel and having its staffers at Classic Rock WPBB, Business Talk WHFS, Country WQYK-FM, Classic Hits WRBQ-FM, and Spanish Top 40 WYUU broadcast from home until further notice. Hours later Cox Media Group follows suit after Hot Talk WHPT morning host Mike Calta and his co-host Anthony “Spanish” Polichemi confirmed their results on-air during their show, resulting in its sister stations, Adult Standards WDUV, Top 40/CHR WPOI, AC WWRM, Classic Rock WXGL, and Alternative WSUN, to also send its staffers home to do their broadcasts.	[88][89]
26	CJMB-FM in Peterborough, Ontario flips from an all-sports format to alternative rock as "Freq 90.5" but retains its play-by play sports content	[citation needed]

July[]

Date	Event	Source
1	Forever Media’s rimshot Pittsburgh Country outlets WOGG Oliver (which covers the southern portion of the market) and WOGI Moon Township (which covers the majority of the market from the western portion of the area) dropped their separate programming and becomes a simulcast, a move buoyed by a ratings increase and to become more competitive against Entercom’s WDSY-FM and iHeart Media’s WPGB in the battle for Country listeners in the market.	[90]
	KQDJ/K296HH Jamestown, North Dakota dropped ESPN Radio for Soft AC, bringing that format back to the area after eight years, when it was last heard at sister station KXGT from 2008 to 2012.	[91]
	CHKS-FM in Sarnia, Ontario ends its 21-year mainstream rock format as it flips to classic hits as Cool 106.3 "Great Hits and Real Classics".
2	iHeartMedia Top 40/CHR WAKZ Youngstown flipped to R&B/Hip-Hop as “Real 95.9.” The move gives Youngstown two Hip Hop stations as WAKZ joins Over/Under LLC’s Rhythmic rival WLOA/W272EI, and leaves Cumulus Media’s WHOT-FM as the only Top 40/CHR in the market.	[92]
3	WJJL Niagara Falls, New York flips from its longtime 1950s/1960s oldies format to adult standards, adopting the call sign WEBR in honor of the long-defunct Buffalo station with the same call sign.	[93]
6	iHeart Media announces that effective immediately, it will no longer use the term Urban Contemporary or Urban Adult Contemporary across their properties using the format, including its co-owned Mediabase charts. The Urban Contemporary outlets and Urban chart will now go by R&B/Hip-Hop, while Urban AC will now be identified as R&B.	[94]
9	iHeart Media Adult Top 40 WMIA-FM Miami flipped to 1990s hits, branded as "Totally 93.9."	[95]
12	Three of the six stations owned by Ed Stolz is transferred to a court-ordered receivership trust after a lawsuit brought on by ASCAP and sixteen other music copyright holders. The three outlets involved are Top 40/CHRs KREV Alameda/San Francisco, KRCK-FM Palm Springs, and KFRH Las Vegas. The three stations were purchased by VCY America on December 30, and will convert to non-commercial Religious programming in 2021.	[96]
13	Bartis-Russell Broadcasting’s News/Talk WSMN/W237FA Nashua, New Hampshire fired host Dianna Ploss and cancelled her brokered pro-conservative/pro-Trump program after she posted a video on Facebook Live of her proudly displaying a series of racial harassment towards Hispanics and asking them to speak English, as well as a confrontational exchange with an African American security guard over not wearing a mask.	[97]
	WZPR Nags Head, North Carolina drops Classic Rock for News/Talk.	[98]
	DWSS 1494 returned to the airwaves after signing off for three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
16	Just two days after ViacomCBS fired him from his hosting duties on VH1's Wild 'n Out after 15 years for failing to apologize for perpetuating anti-Semitism in comments made on an episode of his YouTube show in June, when he interviewed Public Enemy's Professor Griff, Nick Cannon announces that he is leaving radio indefinitely, ending his one-year tenure at KPWR Los Angeles.	[99][100]
17	After a nearly five-year run, KLLT St. Louis dropped its poorly performing alternative format and brought the Urban AC format and "Majic" branding (which was airing on translator W279AQ (103.7 FM)) back to the frequency. This is the fifth incarnation for the "Majic" branding in St. Louis, as it originated in 1979 on 107.7 FM, then moved to 104.9 FM in 1997, and then to 100.3 FM in 2012 before being dropped two years later. On July 27, W279AQ, along with Classic Country sister WIZE Springfield/Dayton became affiliates of Black Information Network.	[101]
20	KYOZ/K239CL Spokane dropped Classic Rock for Regional Mexican as “Ke Buena 95.7.” They are the first station in Spokane to broadcast a Spanish language format.	[102]
	News/Talk WLW Cincinnati has eliminated political talk from its overnight “America’s Trucking Network” show hosted by Steve Sommers. The move comes after an unspecified topic that was discussed on the program that lead to complaints to WLW’s parent company in San Antonio, which in turn ordered the station to discontinue these issues immediately. Sommers is fired in early November, among hundreds of other layoffs and terminations at iHeartMedia, ending a 36-year run for the Sommers family on WLW's overnight shift dating to Steve's father, "Truckin' Bozo" Dale Sommers.	[103][104]
27	SB Nation Radio rebranded as the SportsMap Radio Network, ending its usage of cross-branding partnerships. It is the 29 year-old network's sixth branding change.	[105]
	KUAM-FM Hagatna, Guam dropped Rhythmic Top 40 for AC, billed as Breeze 93.9. They also join a battle for 25-plus listeners in the territory as they take on the already established KSTO, and Adult Top 40s KMOY and KGUM-FM.	[106]
31	WLMI Lansing dropped Top 40/CHR for Classic Rock, branded as “Cruisin’ 92.9”. It will compete with WMMQ.	[107]
	CJOC-FM in Lethbridge, Alberta reverts to its former branding after a little over a year with the Juice FM branding.

August[]

Date	Event	Source
1	DWSS 1494 temporarily signed off again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
3	A shuffle occurs at Lotus Communications's Las Vegas cluster as a result of the company getting the rights to broadcast Las Vegas Raiders games. KRLV "The Game" flips from a sports betting station to mostly Raiders content as "Raider Nation Radio 920 AM" as the new flagship station of the team. The former "The Game" programming and branding moves to KLAV which flips to the format from ranchero music.	[108]
20	Top 40/CHR KBKS-FM Tacoma/Seattle dropped the "Kiss" branding after 24 years and rebrands as "Hits 106.1."	[109]
28	WGUS-FM Augusta, Georgia dropped Gospel for AC, billed as "Sunny 102.7." They'll take on the more established WBBQ-FM for the 25-54 listeners in the market.	[110]

September[]

Date	Event	Source
3	iHeartMedia's WEBG Chicago dropped its Country format in favor of Mainstream Rock, billing itself as "Rock 95.5" and new calls WCHI-FM. The flip brings the format back to Chicago after nearly two years and its second tenure on the 95.5 frequency since 1982 when it was WMET-FM.	[111][112]
4	CHMX-FM in Regina, Saskatchewan drops its AC format and flips to rhythmic classic hits as Play 92.1.
	CHQX-FM in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan dumps its mainstream rock format as it rebrands to Beach Radio 101.5 with classic hits becoming the latest station owned by Jim Pattison Group to adopt the "Beach Radio" branding.
8	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty re-launches its service in Hungary.	[113]
10	iHeartMedia announced that it would acquire WWRL New York City, a station that had historically carried formats serving the city's Black community, to be its new network affiliate for the Black Information Network beginning November 2. BIN programming currently is available in the New York radio market via 105.1 WWPR-FM's third HD Radio subchannel.	[114]
13	Entercom centralizes operations of its country music and alternative stations. In the case of alternative, it begins simulcasting WNYL across its stations and rebranding them as "ALT" in markets where that branding is not used by another station, dismissing all local airstaff. For country stations, flagship station WNSH will originate the midday and late-night shows across all country stations, with other dayparts retaining their local hosts. The moves are being made to provide a single, unified sound across the United States for Entercom's stations.	[115][116][117]
22	WGKS in Lexington, Kentucky flips from adult contemporary music to classic hits. The existing classic hits station in Lexington, WWRW. begins stunting, first redirecting listeners to WGKS, then airing Christmas music beginning in early October.	[118]
25	In an extreme case of Christmas creep (breaking the previous mid-October record by several weeks), WWIZ in West Middlesex, Pennsylvania, for the second year in a row, becomes the first non-stunting station in the United States to flip to Christmas music for the entire season. WWIZ is one of several stations (others including WWRW and WVEZ) flipping to Christmas music early in hopes of hastening the end of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic.	[119]

October[]

Date	Event	Source
5	DZSR returned to the airwaves after a 7 month hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and simulcast via DepEd TV.
18	DZSR temporarily signs off again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
19	DZRM returns to the airwaves after a 3 year hiatus and simulcast via DepEd TV.	[120]

November[]

Date	Event	Source
5	The Mohawk Valley gets its first Spanish language radio outlet, as WNRS in Herkimer, New York and its Utica-licensed translator flips to Spanish Tropical music as "El Zorro."	[121]
19	CIMX-FM Windsor, Ontario/Detroit, Michigan drops its alternative rock format after 30 years and switches to country. Two other stations in the market also changed formats: CIDR-FM switched from adult album alternative to Top 40/contemporary hits, and WDZH switched from soft adult contemporary to Entercom's "Alt" network.	[122]
23	Entercom and Radio One swapped stations in Charlotte, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, the latter seeing Entercom's newly acquired IP WFUN-FM's calls and its Adult R&B format displacing Top 40/CHR KNOU on the same day; WFUN's former home is sold to Gateway Creative Broadcasting, who in turn flipped the 95.5 signal to Christian Rhythmic Top 40 and new calls KXBS. In Philadelphia, Entercom's KYW (AM)'s News/Talk format gained a sought-after simulcast with addition of newly acquired WPHI-FM, with the R&B/Hip-Hop format returning to Radio One's WRNB for the first time since August 2011.	[123]
25	In a surprise format flip, WBUF in Buffalo, New York drops the Jack FM format after 15 years and returns to active rock, the format it had held from 2001 to 2004.	[124]

December[]

Date	Event	Source
1	Minneapolis-St. Paul broadcasting company Go Media announced that they are exiting the business and sells Alternative KQGO and Rhythmic Top 40 KZGO to the Educational Media Foundation for a yet-undisclosed amount. Upon closure of the sale in early 2021, the "Go" stations are expected to flip to the company's contemporary Christian music satellite formats K-Love and Air 1. With the announcement of the sale, the stations immediately dismissed all on-air staff and shifted to a jockless presentation, which it will continue with until the closure of the sale.	[125]
3	Rogers Media launches CityNews Radio in Ottawa, Ontario as News 1310 CIWW switches to that branding. two other Rogers stations in the capital area also changed formats. CJET-FM in Smiths Falls drops its "Jack" Branding and returns to its country music format under the Country 92.5 branding while CKBY-FM drops its country format and switches to a simulcast of CityNews 1310. In addition, both stations had their call signs swapped.
4	CFDV-FM in Red Deer, Alberta flips from active rock to classic hits as 106.7 Rewind Radio.
	CJCD-FM in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories drops its "Moose" branding after 6 years and rebrands to 100.1 True North Radio.
8	Howard Stern extends his contract with Sirius XM, which includes his eponymous show and surrounding content, until the end of 2025, and rights to his archival content until the end of 2032.	[126]
27	Bell Media launches Move Radio rebranding 10 of its radio stations to that branding.

Debuts[]

Date	Event	Source
January 13	DWBM-FM is inagrural launched as a Top 40/CHR.
January 27	Skyview Networks syndicates KPWR Los Angeles' Nick Cannon's morning program to Top 40/CHR, Rhythmic Top 40, and R&B/Hip-Hop stations domestically and internationally for weekday and weekend 'best of' airings. The move returns Cannon back to radio syndication after his 2012 health-caused withdrawal. On July 16, Skyview ceased distribution of Cannon’s program due to his anti-Semite remarks and Cannon taking an indefinite leave from radio.	[127]
March 25	Radio Quarantine is launched in Kolkata, India,[128] by a group of teachers and students in response to social isolation protocols resulting from the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in West Bengal.	[129]
April 13	KRIX Port Isabel, Texas launches with Classic Rock targeting the lower Rio Grande Valley, which comes on the same day as rival KFRQ Harlingen’s shift to the aforementioned format from Active Rock just hours earlier.	[130]
June 30	iHeartMedia launches the all-news Black Information Network, a "24-hour service dedicated to news coverage from a Black perspective." The new network consists of 15 affiliates in markets with a majority African American population.	[131]

Endings[]

Date	Event	Source
January 16	Australian community radio station Stereo 974, broadcasting to Melbourne since 1978, ceases broadcasting, possibly as a result of financial difficulties.[25]	[132]
January 20	After 40 years as a part-timer, Migala Communications signs off brokered ethnic station WCEV Cicero/Chicago, which operated in a time-share (1-10p.m. Monday through Friday, 1-8:30 p.m. Saturday and 5a.m.-10p.m. on Sundays) with Midway Broadcasting's Regional Mexican WRLL Chicago since Globetrotter Broadcasting surrendered the license for WVON in 1975 after purchasing Gospel WGRB and R&B/Hip-Hop WGCI from McClendon Broadcasting. Midway is expected to take over the remaining hours of WCEV, pending Migala's surrender of the license.	[132]
February 22	WAAF Westborough/Worcester/Boston ended 50 years under various hard rock formats changing with industry trends, as Entercom sold the station to Educational Media Foundation, which converted the station to its K-Love network. WAAF's displaced format continues on the HD2 sub channels of WWBX and WEEI-FM, and online at Radio.com, with the WAAF calls warehoused on the former WBZU in Scranton, with other warehousing moves to take place to avoid the WBZU calls being confused with the various WBZ stations in Boston.	[133]
March 17	Entercom Alternative KROQ-FM Los Angeles cancels Kevin in the Morning, ending a 31-year run for Kevin Ryder, who confirmed that he was fired on March 18, along with co-hosts Allie MacKay and Jensen Karp. Ryder’s former partner Gene ‘Bean’ Baxter left KROQ in November 2019 to move back to his native England after announcing his retirement from broadcasting.	[134]
March 22	Fox Sports Radio affiliate WGL Ft. Wayne ceased operations, due to a lack of an FM translator and the coronavirus pandemic that made it financially difficult to continue operations. WGL has since returned to the airwaves as an adult hits station.	[135]
March 24	Religious outlets WPFR & WPFR-FM Terre Haute ceased operations, due to the passing of its owner in January.	[136]
March 31	NBC Sports Radio ceased operations.	[137]
	Christian preaching outlet WHVN/W232BP Charlotte ceased operations, citing the 2014 passing of its owner and financial difficulties. The station’s 8.1-acre transmitter site was recently granted rezoning approval by the Charlotte city council to be developed with up to 12,500 square feet of medical office space and up to 25 residential units by Flagship Healthcare Properties.	[138]
April 3	CKOO-FM Kelowna, British Columbia went off the air permanently after filing for bankruptcy.	[citation needed]
April 10	Peter "Kane" Deibler was let go as host of the Premiere Networks syndicated The Kane Show (based out of co-owned iHeartMedia’s WIHT Washington, D.C.) after 15 years, and is rebranded as Your Morning Show effective April 13; sister station WFLZ-FM Tampa would drop the revamped show the same day in favor of local content after negative feedback from listeners. His departure also ended his weekend Top 40/Dance program Club Kane, whose social media accounts were eliminated and the list of affiliates removed; the final installment aired May 3 under temporary hosts.	[139]
April 12	In separate moves, five AM radio stations (KZGD, KCKX, KNUI, WZBO and WCNC) go silent, all citing financial hardships and fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. However, on July 6, 2020, KNUI returned to airwaves as a country station.	[140]
April 30	WNPV Lansdale, Pennsylvania ceased operations. The nonpolitical talk radio station with some hyperlocal content serving the North Penn Valley had struggled to maintain its audience and suffered from an ongoing industry-wide advertiser exodus away from talk radio.	[141]
May 1	After 66 years, Guam’s first radio station, KUAM, ceased operations. The station’s Chamorro music and information format moved over to its online platform.	[142]
May 5	DZMM 630 and MOR 101.9 Manila are off the air due to cease-and-desist order of NTC.	[72]
June 13	American Public Media abruptly cancels Live from Here, unceremoniously ending a 46-year streak for old-time radio revival programming on the network (including the show and its predecessors A Prairie Home Companion and The American Radio Company of the Air). The cancellation is among several cuts at APM and parent organization Minnesota Public Radio, which faced a "rapid loss of revenue" and diverted its remaining resources to news programming such as Marketplace.	[143]
June 27	The Show is withdrawn from syndication after 25 years. It will be replaced by two podcasts, one focusing exclusively on cigars and the other a general men's interest talk show.[144]
June 30	WLNZ, the Lansing Community College radio station, ceased operations. It ceased original programming March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic.	[145]
July 12	Langer Broadcasting’s Boston outlets, Portuguese simulcasts WSRO/W271CU Ashland-Framingham and WBAS/W268CP West Yarmouth, and brokered R&B/Hip-Hop WZBR/W251CR Dedham-Medford, sign off the air. The latter is continuing to operate as a webcaster.	[146]
July 31	Mike Golic Sr. ended his 25-year run as ESPN Radio's morning host. His hosting run spanned three co-hosts (Tony Bruno, Mike Greenberg and Trey Wingo).	[147]
August 1	Rock, Roll & Remember was withdrawn from syndication. The show had been in reruns for 16 years, following host Dick Clark's debilitating stroke and eventual 2012 death.	[148]
August 9	Blair Garner involuntarily exited Nash FM, ending a 27-year run in national syndication dating to his hosting of After Midnite. Garner's cancellation comes amid cutbacks at Cumulus Media.	[149]
August 28	MOR 101.9 Manila leaves the airwaves due to the House of Representatives of the Philippines 70-11 vote denying the franchise renewal for ABS-CBN.	[150][151]
August 30	Westwood One News ceased operations, citing "extraordinary circumstances in the current marketplace."	[152]
September 26	Only a Game ended production and syndication as part of a series of cuts to flagship station WBUR-FM.	[153]
November 22	Mobile, Alabama radio station owner Buddy Tucker retires from broadcasting, taking both of his stations, WMOB and WTOF, off the air. Tucker's age (over 90 years old) is the main reason for the stations being shut down.	[154]
December 29	DWDM-FM drops its Pinas FM brand and changes to a classic hits format, ending a nearly 10 year run of original pilipino music.
December 31	The Savage Nation was withdrawn from terrestrial radio and continues solely as a podcast, for reasons host Michael Savage is not legally allowed to discuss. As with the also recently cancelled Westwood One News and Blair Garner, Savage's podcast is distributed by Westwood One, which also distributed the show.	[155]
	Orion Samuelson ended his 60-year career in broadcasting. At the time of his retirement he hosted the agriculture-themed weekly Morning Show on WGN and the daily short-form National Farm Report in syndication.	[156]
	Consumer advocate Clark Howard retired from his daily three-hour syndicated radio show, focusing more on his successful websites, though he continues to produce a short-form podcast and commentaries for home station WSB and WSB-TV.	[157]
	Radyo Inquirer 990 leaves Pilipino airwaves due to a lack of funding.

Deaths[]

January[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
January 2	Marian Finucane	69	Irish broadcaster (host of Liveline and The Marian Finucane Show on RTÉ Radio 1)	[158]
January 7	Larry Gogan	81	Irish disc jockey (host of The Golden Hour on RTÉ Gold). Also worked at RTÉ 2fm.	[159]
	Stephen Clements	47	Northern Irish presenter (BBC Radio Ulster)	[160]
January 10	Harold Burson	98	American public relations executive and former reporter on American Forces Network during World War II and the Nuremberg trials	[161]
	Wolfgang Dauner	84	German jazz pianist and radio composer	[162]
January 17	Grant Goldman	69	Australian radio announcer (2GB)	[163]
January 19	Sunanda Patnaik	85	Indian classical vocalist, began her career on All India Radio in Cuttack	[164]
January 23		88	New Zealand jazz musician and broadcaster (Otago Access Radio)	[165]
January 28	Harry Harrison	89	American disc jockey (WMCA, WABC, WCBS-FM)	[166]
	Bob Nave	75	American musician (The Lemon Pipers) and broadcaster (WVXU)	[167]
	Nicholas Parsons	96	British actor and broadcaster (host of Just a Minute on BBC Radio 4)	[168]
January 31	Anne Cox Chambers	100	American media proprietor (Cox Enterprises)	[169]
	Mary Higgins Clark	92	American writer (radio work included Portrait of a Patriot)	[170]

February[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
February 4	Ljiljana Petrović	81	Serbian singer, former Eurovision contestant	[171]
February 5	Kirk Douglas	103	American actor (radio appearances on Suspense, Lux Radio Theatre and Screen Directors Playhouse)	[172]
February 7	Bal Kudtarkar	98	Indian radio personality	[173]
February 8	Robert Conrad	84	American actor and radio host (was with Cable Radio Network from 2008 to 2019)	[174]
February 14	Reinbert de Leeuw	81	Dutch composer, pianist and conductor (Dutch Public Radio)	[175]
February 23	Zoran Modli	71	Serbian aviator, journalist and radio disc jockey, host of Modulacije	[176]
February 26	Lionel D	61	French radio host and rapper	[177]

March[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
March 12	Pete Mitchell	61	English radio DJ and presenter (BBC Radio 2, Virgin Radio)	[178]
March 28	Kerstin Behrendtz	69	Swedish radio presenter	[179]
	Jan Howard	91	American country singer and songwriter (member of the Grand Ole Opry)	[180]
March 29	Joe Diffie	61	American country singer and radio host (aired a daily show on KXBL from 1997 until his death, member of the Grand Ole Opry)	[181]
March 29	Manuel Adolfo Varas	76	Ecuadorian radio journalist, founder of Radio Caravana 750 AM	[182]

April[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
April 5	Peter Walker	84	English cricket commentator and presenter	[183]
April 15	Willie Davis	85	American football player (Green Bay Packers) and broadcaster (founder of All Pro Broadcasting, the parent company of WZTI/WLUM-FM Milwaukee and KHTI Riverside-San Bernardino; former owner of KACE Los Angeles and KZDG Denver)	[184]
April 17	Robin Seymour	94	American DJ at CKLW in Windsor, Ontario, WKNR in Detroit, and American Forces Network	[185]
	Gene Shay	85	American DJ at Philadelphia stations WXPN, WDAS-FM, WMMR, WIOQ and WHYY-FM	[186]
April 20	Ronan O'Rahilly	79	Irish-born media entrepreneur (Radio Caroline)	[187]
	Mike Elliott	82	American air personality, program, and music director at WTMJ Milwaukee from 1973 to 1985.	[188]
April 21	Mike Anderson	67	American anchorman, reporter, and commentator, began radio career in Birmingham	[189]
	Darrin Arriens	N/A	American DJ, MD, programmer, and executive (WLNK Charlotte, KSKS Fresno, WGYL West Palm Beach, KKMG and KKFM Colorado Springs, KHYT Tucson, WKLQ Grand Rapids, WJIM-FM Lansing, WRIF Detroit, and WLZR-FM Milwaukee)	[190]
	Jerry Bishop	84	American radio host at Los Angeles stations KLAC, KFI and KIIS-FM, San Diego station KCBQ, and Hartford station WDRC	[191]

May[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
May 6	Barry Farber	90	American author and conservative talk show host (WINS, WOR and WMCA New York)	[citation needed]
May 15	Nancy Froelich	N/A	American radio personality, programmer, and media journalist, known on air as “Kandy Klutch” (WIOQ Philadelphia, KSLZ and KHTK St. Louis, WLUM-FM Milwaukee, WKSS Hartford, SiriusXM, All Access Music Group)	[192]

June[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
June 3	Jimmy Capps	81	American country musician, member of the Grand Ole Opry house band, The Nashville A-Team and The Wilburn Brothers	[193]
June 10	Tyra Womack	57	On-air personality at WEAA Baltimore	[194]
June 17	Dan Foster	61	American DJ who worked at U.S. stations Urban One, WWMX Baltimore, WTBN Pinellas Park, Florida, as well as Nigerian stations Cool FM and Classic FM 97.3	[195]
June 26	Arnie Ginsburg	93	American DJ and executive in the Boston market	[196]

July[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
July 5	Brad Pye Jr.	89	American sports journalist and broadcaster at Los Angeles stations KJLH, KDAY, KRCD, and KYPA	[197]
July 6	Charlie Daniels	83	American musician, eponymous founder of the Charlie Daniels Band (member of the Grand Ole Opry)	[198]
July 9	Jay Severin	69	American radio talk show host (WOR, WTKK, and Blaze Media) and political consultant	[199]
July 10	Steve Sutherland	?	British disc jockey (Choice FM, Galaxy FM)	[200]
July 18	Martha Flores	91	Cuban radio host on Miami stations WQBA, WMIE-FM, and WAQI	[201]
July 20	Michael Brooks	36	American political commentator and co-host of The Majority Report with Sam Seder on Air America Radio	[202]
July 22	Charles Evers	97	American civil rights activist, politician, radio DJ (WHOC in Philadelphia, Mississippi) and host of Lets Talk	[203]
July 26	Chris Needs	68	Welsh radio DJ (BBC Radio Cymru)	[204]
July 30	Herman Cain	74	American businessman, 2012 presidential candidate and talk radio host	[205]
July 31	Bill Mack	88	American country music songwriter and radio disc jockey, founder of the Midnight Cowboy Trucking Show (WBAP, Road Dog Trucking)	[206]

August[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
August 1	Jamie Samuelsen	48	American sports talk show host on WXYT-FM Detroit	[207]
August 3	Ralph Barbieri	74	American sports talk show host on KNBR in San Francisco	[208]
August 4	Pat O'Day	85	American radio broadcaster (KJR, KYYX) and station owner, most active in the Seattle, Washington area.	[209]
August 10	Neil Ocampo	62	Broadcast Journalist of DZMM, DWFM, , DZRJ, and DZXL.	[210][211][212]
August 14	Sonny Fox	73	American disc jockey (Sirius XM, WKIS, WJMK)	[213]
August 22	Richard Cartridge	72	British radio host (BBC Radio Solent, Classic FM)	[214]

September[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
September 4	Lloyd Cadena	26	Filipino Disc Jockey of DZMB	[218]
September 19	Jay Pérez	50	Puerto Rican voice-over artist and Disc Jockey of Cadena Salsoul	[citation needed]

October[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
October 18	Sid Hartman	100	American sportscaster at WCCO Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota for 65 years	[219]
October 26	Tony Wyn Jones	77	Welsh disc jockey (BBC Radio One)	[220]

November[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
November 8	Alex Trebek	80	Canadian-American broadcaster (CBC Radio, 1961–72)	[221]
November 10	Chris Sullivan	46	American producer, remixer and disc jockey better known as DJ Spinbad. Worked at WHTZ New York City.	[222]
November 20	Ricky Velasco	61	Former DZMM Reporter	[223]
November 24	Hal Ketchum	67	American country musician (member of the Grand Ole Opry)	[224]

December[]

Date	Name	Age	Nationality and notability	Source
December 2	Walter E. Williams	86	American economist and frequent guest host of The Rush Limbaugh Show	[225]
December 12	Charley Pride	86	American baseball player and country musician, first black singer to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry	[226]

References[]

See also[]

• 2020 in British radio