1987 in radio

Events

• January 1 — WBEA-FM in Elyria, Ohio drops the "B107" top 40 format to become the second affiliate for the Satellite Music Network's "Z Rock" service, with new WCZR call letters.
• February 14 — Dubbed the "Valentine's Day Massacre," KMET-FM in Los Angeles switches formats to new-age music, with no disc jockeys, as KTWV. KMET's entire airstaff is dismissed with the move.
• March 30 -- Infinity Broadcasting buys KVIL-AM-FM Dallas from Sconnix Broadcasting. The sale price was $82 million, the largest amount of money for an AM-FM combo up to that date.
• July 1 — The first all-sports radio station, WFAN 1050 AM in New York, debuts at 3:00 p.m. It replaces country-formatted WHN, and inherits the rights to New York Mets play-by-play.
• July 20 — Westwood One acquires the assets of the NBC Radio Network, The Source and NBC Talknet in a $50 million deal, which was consummated that August 25. The sale was initiated by General Electric's 1986 purchase of RCA and did not include the seven NBC Radio owned-and-operated stations.
• August 4 — The Federal Communications Commission rescinds the Fairness Doctrine, which had required radio and television stations to "fairly" present controversial issues.
• October 31 - DWNU begins broadcasting operations. This station became the Philippines' one and only home for new rock as NU 107.
• November 9 — Hot Hits WCAU-FM Philadelphia flips from CHR to Oldies as WOGL.
• November 15 — WCZR in Elyria, Ohio drops "Z Rock" for new-age music as WNWV "The Wave." It is patterned directly after KTWV.

  Debuts

• February 15 - Billboard debuts the first "Crossover" radio chart, which was published weekly until 1990. This chart would become the predecessor to the Rhythmic Contemporary chart that would debut in 1992.

  Deaths

• January 9 - Arthur Lake, 81, an American actor known best for bringing Dagwood Bumstead, the bumbling husband of Blondie, to life in film, radio and television.
• February 1 - "Speed" Riggs, an American tobacco auctioneer who for more than three decades appeared on radio for the American Tobacco Company as the voice of Lucky Strike cigarettes.
• February 24 - Radio Host Jim Connors dies in a car crash on I-95 in Virginia, United States.
• April 19 - Hugh Brannum, American actor and radio
• November 17 - Ireene Wicker, American singer and actress