The following is a list of events affecting radio broadcasting in 2025. Events listed include radio program debuts, finales, cancellations, station launches, closures, and format changes, as well as information about controversies and deaths of radio personalities.
In retaliation for escalating tensions between U.S. president Donald Trump and Canada, Canadian broadcaster Corus Entertainment stations of all formats devote all of their playlists for the day to Canadian content.
Cumulus Media begins the process of closing down underperforming terrestrial radio stations, consisting mainly of FM rimshot signals and AM stations without translators.
WIRYPlattsburgh, New York closes after 75 years of operation, blaming its own inability to hire salespeople, music royalty increases and changes in music listening patterns that diverted listeners away from local, independently owned full-service stations such as WIRY.
U.S. PresidentDonald Trump signed an executive order to reduce the functions of several agencies including the U.S. Agency for Global Media, which owns the international broadcaster Voice of America (VOA), to the minimum required by law. The next day, all employees could not access VOA headquarters, and many VOA foreign language broadcasts replaced news and other regularly scheduled programming with music. Several international broadcasters which uses the shortwave radio transmitter facilities of VOA are also affected.
Ted Cruz becomes the first currently serving United States Senator to host a nationally syndicated radio show as Premiere Networks launches Cruz's podcast Verdict with Ted Cruz, which he co-hosts with current Premiere host Ben Ferguson, into weekend syndication. To avoid conflict of interest and campaign finance issues, Cruz will not be paid for hosting the program.
Dr. Demento will retire from broadcasting with the release of his final episode of The Dr. Demento Show, ending a 55-year run. Host Barry Hansen had been hosting the show as a subscription online offering for the previous 15 years, after 36 years in broadcast syndication.
^D.C, Camilla Schick Camilla Schick is a British journalist in; Producer, CBS News' Foreign Affairs; relations, covering U. S. foreign; Department, the State; Schick, national security Read Full Bio Camilla; Director, Fin Gómez Political; Politics, Executive Director of; House, White; director, CBS News Fin Daniel Gómez is CBS News' political (2025-03-17). "Voice of America's full-time staff and contractors placed on leave following Trump directive - CBS News". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2025-03-19.
^Hauser, Glenn (May 14, 2025). World of Radio episode 2295. Retrieved May 15, 2025. "U S A. 5050, May 11 at 0122, this WRMI is off; pretty sure I tuned across it earlier. Supposed to be on `Legends` at 0100-0400. Something`s odd at Okeechobee (...) Saw a post on FB stating Ted Randall had passed away. (...) That might explain why Legends and WRMI 5050 were off air when I checked(.)"