View source for Free FM

{{Short description|Short-lived talk radio brand}}
{{other uses}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2009}}
[[File:Freefmlogo.png|thumb|Primary Free FM logo|right]]
'''Free FM''' was a short-lived, mostly-talk-radio format and brand name for eleven [[FM broadcasting|FM]] [[CBS Radio]] stations in the [[United States]], and was created because of [[Howard Stern]]'s departure to [[Sirius Satellite Radio]] in January 2006. Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast [[free-to-air]], instead of requiring a [[subscription]] fee like satellite radio services.  Launched on October 25, 2005, Free FM was phased out over the course of 2007, with the final station using it, [[KNX-FM|KLSX]], dropping the brand in November 2008.

Free FM stations targeted a largely [[male]] demographic ranking from 18 to 49, attracting those who normally listen to FM [[Rock music|rock]] and [[Alternative rock|alternative]] stations, instead of existing [[AM broadcasting|AM]] [[talk radio]] listeners. Programs were more [[ribald]] than AM talk stations and include more discussion of dating, personal relationships, more comedy, and more discussion of celebrities and entertainment.  Some Free FM stations also included music programs.<ref>{{cite web |author=CBS Radio |url=http://www.cbsradio.com/press_center/releases/pressrelease142006-10-25-2005.html |title=> Press Release (10/25/05) |publisher=CBS Radio |date=2006-01-03 |access-date=2010-11-10 |archive-date=2007-09-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927161354/http://www.cbsradio.com/press_center/releases/pressrelease142006-10-25-2005.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Most Free FM programs were generally of the [[hot talk]] format.

One [[Canada|Canadian]] radio station, [[CFRI-FM]] in [[Grande Prairie]], [[Alberta]], used to use the Free FM brand name before flipping to '2DayFM', although its ownership and format are unrelated to the American stations.

==History==

===Initial launch===
On October 25, 2005, Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio) officially announced that it would be replacing [[Howard Stern]] on many of its radio stations with [[David Lee Roth]] in [[New York City]] and several other eastern markets, ''[[Rover's Morning Glory]]'' with Shane "Rover" French in the midwest, and [[Adam Carolla]] in [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] and several other western markets, along with already established DC-based morning show ''The Junkies'' on [[WJFK-FM]] in D.C. and [[WJZ-FM|WHFS-FM]] in Baltimore. On the same day, several of these Infinity/CBS radio stations became known as "Free FM"; some of the stations already had an all-talk format, while others switched from a music format, and [[WINS-FM|WXRK]] [[New York City|New York]] announced that it would become "Free FM" starting January 3, 2006.

In addition to the morning shows, Free FM also announced at this time the creation of ''[[Penn Radio]]'', an hourlong radio show hosted from Las Vegas by illusionist [[Penn Jillette]] and co-hosted by [[Michael Goudeau]], juggler at the Lance Burton Show. Other programming syndicated to a large number of Free FM stations included programming already in syndication at the time: ''The [[Don and Mike Show]]'', ''[[The Tom Leykis Show]]'', and ''[[Loveline]]''. All three programs were being aired on [[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]], at the time a corporate sister to CBS Radio.

On March 2, 2007, ''[[Penn Radio]]'', hosted by [[Penn Jillette]], aired its last show.

===Demise and replacement of Roth===
In April 2006 rumors were reported that Roth's show would be dumped due to low [[Arbitron|ratings]] (The ratings for Roth's show in [[morning drive]] went down eighty percent compared to Howard Stern's ratings in the same slot a year prior) and would be replaced by [[XM]]'s ''[[Opie and Anthony]]''. The move marked [[Gregg Hughes|Opie]] and [[Anthony Cumia|Anthony]]'s return to the New York [[terrestrial radio]] scene and to CBS Radio; their show was canceled by CBS/Infinity in 2002 when they were syndicated through sister station [[WNEW-FM]] due to a broadcast of the "Sex For Sam III" skit from [[St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York]] that generated much controversy.

The move was confirmed by Opie and Anthony on their show and website on Friday, April 21. As of that date, David Lee Roth's web site, david.freefm.com, had disappeared along with any mention of him on the Free FM local affiliates. On Monday, April 24, a [[Adobe Flash|Flash]] presentation presented on the Free FM local affiliates alluded to a debut time of 9 a.m. that day for the announcement of the return of the Opie and Anthony show. The show debuted on the former David Lee Roth affiliates on April 26.

===Demise of Rover===
In addition to the departure of Roth, ''Rover's Morning Glory'' was removed from the Free FM stations—including what was his newly assigned flagship [[WCFS-FM|WCKG]]/Chicago, and [[WXYT-FM|WKRK]]/Detroit; both instances due to very low ratings. Following the WCKG cancellation, Rover returned to [[Cleveland, Ohio]] on his previous flagship, WXRK—which became [[WKRK-FM]]—and a handful of remaining affiliates.

Most of Rover's affiliates were on stations spun off by CBS Radio to different companies including [[WMFS (AM)|WMFS]]/[[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]], [[WAQZ]]/[[Cincinnati]] and [[WZNE]]/[[Rochester, New York|Rochester]], which went to Entercom; and [[WJYD|WAZU]]/[[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]], which went to Wilks Broadcast Group. WAZU became [[country music|country]]-formatted [[WJYD|WNNK]] in January 2007, while WAQZ flipped to alternative rock as [[WREW|WSWD]] on a different frequency in November 2006; WMFS became an [[ESPN Radio]] affiliate in 2009. ''Rover's Morning Glory'' moved to rival station [[WMMS]] in 2008, thereby ending the CBS radio relationship altogether.

Now owned by [[Stephens Media Group]], WZNE continued to air the show<ref>{{cite web|author=Venta, Lance|date=March 10, 2014|title=Rover Expands To Dayton & Louisville|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/87943/rover-expands-to-dayton-louisville/|work=RadioInsight.com|publisher=Radio Insight|access-date=March 13, 2014}}</ref> until November 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Venta|first=Lance|date=November 17, 2020|title=94.1 The Zone Rochester Revamp Continues As Kobe Rises To PD|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/201386/changes-ongoing-at-94-1-the-zone-rochester-as-most-of-staff-exits/|access-date=October 12, 2021|website=RadioInsight.com|publisher=Radio Insight|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Demise===
With the lack of success that Free FM produced, CBS slowly phased out the homogenized Free FM brand.  No new "Free FM" branded stations were launched since the network was created (although [[KCKC]] in Kansas City and KDJM (now [[KKSE-FM]]) in Denver were reportedly close to flipping to it before Free FM's demise), and new [[hot talk]] stations were branded in other ways: for instance, WTZN (now [[KDKA-FM]]) in [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania]] was launched as a hot talk station in April 2007 as "The Zone" instead of Free FM, and even that station has since changed formats twice, first to [[Top 40]]/[[Contemporary hit radio|CHR]] and then to [[sports radio]].

In addition, all of the original Free FM stations eventually removed their "Free FM" branding, and have since changed formats altogether.

*[[WJZ-FM|WHFS]] in Baltimore &mdash; became ''Baltimore's FM Talk: A Free FM Station'', later dropping ''A Free FM Station'', and later flipped to [[sports radio]] ''105.7 The Fan'' on November 3, 2008.
*[[KRLD-FM]] in Dallas (formerly KLLI) &mdash; reverted to ''Live 105.3'', then also flipped to sports radio as ''105.3 The Fan'' on December 8, 2008.
*WCKG in Chicago &mdash; became ''Chicago's FM Talk Station'', followed shortly by ''The PaCKaGe''. Changed to [[adult contemporary]] ''Fresh 105.9'' on November 5, 2007, and given the new call letters [[WCFS-FM]]. Afternoon host [[Steve Dahl]] moved to sister station [[WBMX (FM)|WJMK]] as morning host. In 2011, the station switched to an FM simulcast of [[all-news radio]] station [[WBBM (AM)]].
*[[WJFK-FM|WJFK]] in Washington &mdash; went from the standard ''106.7 Free FM'' to ''Free FM 106.7 WJFK'' to ''Washington's Talk Superstation, 106.7 WJFK''. On July 20, 2009, the station changed to [[sports radio]] ''106.7 The Fan''.
*[[WIP-FM|WYSP]] in Philadelphia &mdash; dropped "Free FM" to become ''94-1 WYSP'', later reverting fully to their pre-Free moniker ''94 WYSP'' as ''94 WYSP Talks''. Changed back to a Rock format on September 13, 2007 at 5:00&nbsp;pm.
*[[KDKA-FM|WTZN]] in Pittsburgh &mdash; flipped back to a previous [[top 40]] format known as '''B94''', '''WBZW'''. Hosts [[Scott Paulsen]], John Steigerwald and [[Dennis Miller]] moved to [[KDKA (AM)|KDKA]].  Became ''SportsRadio 93.7 The Fan'', [[KDKA-FM]], on February 15, 2010.
*[[KFRC-FM|KIFR]] in San Francisco &mdash; was the first to drop Free FM, going to a classic hits format as '''KFRC''' ([[Adam Carolla]], [[Opie and Anthony]], and [[Tom Leykis]] moved to [[KZDG|KYCY]]). In late October 2008, became an FM [[simulcast]] of [[news radio]] station [[KCBS (AM)|KCBS]] (740) while retaining the KFRC call letters.
*[[WINS-FM|WFNY]] in New York City &mdash; dropped Free FM altogether, and reverted to its previous modern rock format as WXRK "[[K-Rock (radio)|K-Rock]]". The station later operated with Top 40 formats under the ''92.3 Now'' and ''92.3 Amp Radio'' brands, before switching to [[alternative rock|alternative]] ''Alt 92.3'' in November 2017.  The station would switch again in October 2022 as an FM simulcast of sister all-news station [[WINS (AM)]], similar to the format switch in from KNOU in Los Angeles becoming [[KNX-FM]] the year prior, continuing the Alternative format on WINS-FM HD2. WINS was previously simulcasted during [[Hurricane Sandy]] in October 2012 during the "Now" era when WINS-AM's transmitter was damaged. The dropping of Free FM on WFNY was generally recognized as the moment marking the death of the network.
*[[KSON (FM)|KSCF]] in San Diego &mdash; dropped Free FM altogether, changed to modern AC ''Sophie @ 103.7'' on June 22, 2007, top 40 ''Energy'' in 2012, and country as ''103.7 KSON'' in 2017.
*[[KALV-FM|KZON]] in Phoenix &mdash; dropped Free FM altogether, changed to rhythmic contemporary "101.5 Jamz" on June 22, 2007
*[[WXYT-FM|WKRK-FM]] in Detroit &mdash; dropped Free FM altogether, took over sister station WXYT's [[sports radio]] format, changing to WXYT-FM "Detroit's Sports Powerhouse"; currently "97.1 The Ticket"
*[[KNX-FM|KLSX]] in Los Angeles &mdash; reverted to "97.1: The FM Talk Station" in 2008, then changed format altogether to contemporary hit "AMP Radio" on February 20, 2009, the "AMP" format would later be dropped and rebranded to "97.1 Now!" with the slogan "LA's Party Station" in April 2021 but would later drop the Top 40 format and revert to talk in December that year (this time [[News talk]]) simulcasting [[KNX (AM)]]. This is the first time since KNX was simulcasted on FM radio since the late 1960s. The KNX-FM calls previously existed on sister station [[KCBS-FM]] on 93.1 (Now a [[Jack FM]] station) from 1948 to 1983 and again from 1986 to 1989. during this time, KNX began simulcasting on [[KRTH]] HD2.

As of June 2007, CBS Radio has all but completely dropped the title of "Free FM" as a format and has instead replaced it with the more generic "FM Talk." New domain names without the "Free FM" are now in use for several of the "Free FM" stations.<ref>[http://www.cbsradio.com/stations/index.html?sort=stat_format CBS Radio] station listing by format</ref> By October 1, 2007, only one Free FM station remained: KLSX.  In 2008, KLSX dropped the "Free FM" moniker and was simply referred to as "The FM Talk Station".

When KLSX switched [[radio format|format]] completely away from talk in February 2009, nearly all currently running shows were canceled, including ''[[The Adam Carolla Show (terrestrial radio)|The Adam Carolla Show]]'' which was the last program specifically created for Free FM to be discontinued, due to KLSX being its [[Flagship#Broadcast stations|flagship station]]. The cancellation was a result of KLSX's shift to [[contemporary hit radio]] "AMP Radio" at that time. Two weeks later, [[Opie and Anthony]] were axed from terrestrial radio after WXRK changed formats, again to contemporary hit radio. The last hot-talk station in CBS's portfolio, WJFK-FM, abandoned the format for [[sports radio]] in July 2009, resulting in the cancellation of the ''[[Mike O'Meara Show]]'', which was syndicated to many hot talk and Free FM stations.

CBS Radio's corporate successor [[Entercom]] introduced a hot talk-oriented format on [[KWFN|KEGY]] San Diego (which, upon the completion of the merger in November 2017, had moved its long-time country format as [[KSON (FM)|KSON]] to the former KSCF in exchange for then-current ''Energy'' format), branded as ''The Machine'', in March 2018. The station featured hot talk programming during its weekday lineup, but broadcast [[classic rock]] interspersed with comedy bits at all other times, along with [[San Diego Padres]] baseball.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/151719/97-3-machine-san-diego-launch-imminent/|title=97.3 The Machine San Diego Debuts|date=2018-03-01|work=RadioInsight|access-date=2018-03-02|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/174464/kegy-energy-97-3-san-diego-turns-off-the-top-40-ro|title=KEGY (Energy 97.3)/San Diego Turns Off The Top 40, Rocks Out In Prep For New Format|work=All Access|access-date=2018-03-02|language=en}}</ref> The format, however, was short-lived; a promotional campaign for KEGY's Kevin Klein morning show (which invited listeners to "Jump ... to a new morning show", over a photo of the [[San Diego–Coronado Bridge]]) attracted criticism for glorifying [[Suicide bridge|suicide by bridge jumping]], while Padres executive [[Ron Fowler]] expressed concerns over being associated with the station's content. KEGY transitioned to a conventional sports talk format as ''The Fan'' on April 12, 2018.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/sd-sp-padres-radio-station-now-all-sports-973-the-fan-0412-story.html|title=Padres flagship radio station goes all-sports and rebrands as 97.3 The Fan|last=Kenney|first=Kirk|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|access-date=2018-04-12|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="ri-thefan">{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/167672/domain-insight-entercom-to-turn-off-97-3-the-machine-san-diego/|title=KEGY San Diego Confirms Flip To Sports 97.3 The Fan|date=2018-04-12|work=RadioInsight|access-date=2018-04-12|language=en-US}}</ref>

===Former Free FM stations===
* [[New York City|New York]] &mdash; WFNY-FM 92.3, now [[WINS-FM]]
* [[San Francisco, California|San Francisco]] &mdash; KIFR 106.9, now [[KFRC-FM]]
* [[Philadelphia, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia]] &mdash; WYSP 94.1, now [[WIP-FM]]
* [[San Diego, California|San Diego]] &mdash; KSCF 103.7, now [[KSON (FM)|KSON]]
* [[Phoenix, Arizona|Phoenix]] &mdash; KZON 101.5, now [[KALV-FM]]
* [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] &mdash; WTZN-FM 93.7, now [[KDKA-FM]]
* [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] &mdash; WKRK-FM 97.1, now [[WXYT-FM]]
* [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] &mdash; WCKG 105.9, now [[WCFS-FM]]
* [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]] &mdash; WHFS 105.7, now [[WJZ-FM]]
* [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] &mdash; KLSX 97.1, now [[KNX-FM]]
* [[Dallas, Texas|Dallas]] &mdash; KLLI 105.3, now [[KRLD-FM]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [http://www.foundrymusic.com/opieanthony/displayheadline.cfm/id/9490/div/opieanthony/headline/FRIDAY_LINKS__O_A_RETURN_TO_CBS__PATRICE_IN_STUDIO__OXY_POWDER__HENRY_ROLLINS_VIDEO__NEW_BIG_BOOBS_VIDEOS.html Opie and Anthony announce return to CBS Radio]

{{CBS Radio}}
{{Paramount Global}}

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[[Category:Defunct radio stations in the United States]]