1973 in Radio - Debuts

Debuts

• February 5 - WABB-FM in Mobile, Alabama signs on, initially simulcasting its sister AM station and maintaining a top 40/CHR format until March 1, 2012. The first song played was Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again by Bob Dylan, which would be repeated upon WABB-FM's 2012 signoff.
• May 16 - URB 963, a student radio station at the University of Bath begins broadcasting
• August 27 - WCCO-FM relaunches with new 100,000 watt signal.
• October 6 — American Country Countdown, a country music-oriented version of American Top 40 featuring the top 40 songs of the week based on Billboard magazine's Hot Country Singles chart. Created by Don Bustany and Casey Kasem and distributed by Watermark Inc., the host is Don Bowman, who would remain with the program for 4½ years.
• October 8 - LBC (later London News 97.3 and News Direct 97.3FM, now LBC 97.3), the first Independent Local Radio station in the United Kingdom, begins broadcasting to the London area.
• October 16 - Capital Radio (later Capital FM, now Capital 95.8) begins broadcasting to the London area.
• December 31 - Radio Clyde (later Clyde 1, now 102.5 Clyde 1), the first independent local radio station outside of London, and the first in Scotland, begins broadcasting to the Glasgow area.