1986 in radio
The year 1986 saw a number of significant events in radio broadcasting.
Events
January 18 – The syndicated "American Country Countdown" expands from three to four hours. Much like "American Top 40" had more than seven years earlier, several new features are added, including a weekly recap of three No. 1 hits from the 1970s and playbacks of an artist's older hits.
February 14 - Philippines's Magic 89.9 started regular operations.
March 28 – More than 6,000 radio stations of all format types play "We Are the World" simultaneously at 10:15 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.
June 2 – KOFM in Oklahoma City changed their calls to KMGL and flipped formats from a Top 40 (CHR) format to an Easy Listening/Adult Standards format under Transtar's Format 41.
June 6 – Canada's premier Top 40 station, CHUM-AM Toronto, drops its hit format after almost 30 years and changes to "Favourites of Yesterday and Today." CHUM's corporate owner, CHUM Ltd., also switches several of its other major Top 40 stations, including CKGM in Montreal, CFRA in Ottawa, and CFUN in Vancouver, to AC formats during the year.
