Top 15 Radio References in TV
From Frasier to Dear White People, radio has been used to craft memorable moments on our screens. So, here are our picks for the top 15 radio references in TV.
From your childhood favourites to more recent romantic hits, radio plays a vital role in many beloved TV series. From real DJs that pop up when you least expect them to your favourite fictional hosts, there are many radio references to love that have appeared on our TV screens.
In no particular order, let's take a look at the best radio references in TV history (from American and British shows).
The Top 15 Radio References in TV
15. Bob's Burgers
In the Bob's Burgers episode “Long Time Listener, First Time Bob” The Belchers get in over their heads when they try to help Bob's personal hero, a renegade radio DJ, make a comeback.
14. Twin Peaks
Radio plays a key role in Season 3 of the cult-classic Twin Peaks, as another recurring theme of unseen, malevolent forces infiltrating everyday life. In the 8th episode, an evil entity takes over a local radio broadcast and repeats an eerie phrase to send listeners unconscious.
13. Peep Show
The radio reference in this classic British comedy is just a passing comment, but as is typical of Peep Show's script, it’s a hilarious one-liner from Jez. He shrewdly explains how a British person’s taste in radio changes as they get older: “It’s the journey of life. Radio 1, Radio 2, Classic FM, Heart, Magic, dead.”
12. WKRP in Cincinnati
Based on the experiences of show creator Hugh Wilson while working at WQXi in Atlanta, WKRP in Cincinnati is about a struggling fictional radio station and the colourful cast of characters trying to keep it afloat. Running for four seasons from 1978 to 1982, the show follows a new program director, played by Gary Sandy, who switches the AM station’s easy listening format over to rock and roll and brings on new on-air personas to spice things up.
The ensemble cast is what brings this whole show together. Although the show was cancelled in 1982, it ended up going into syndication, where it became a breakout success, leading to the creation of the spinoff series, The New WKRP in Cincinnati, which ran in the early ‘90s.
11. Delilah in Cedar Cove
Delilah Rene Luke, known best as simply Delilah, has been a radio personality since the 1980s. Her show, called Delilah, is a mainstay in the Pacific Northwest, but people all across the U.S. know her name. During her show, she takes calls, emails, and letters from her listeners and gives musical dedications. She’s a beloved voice for those looking for a hopeful radio station that really makes you feel one with your fellow listeners.
Delilah is so beloved that she made the jump to TV for the Hallmark Channel’s first scripted show, Cedar Cove. Set in a fictional town in Washington and starring Andie MacDowell as the love-searching moral compass of the show Judge Olivia Lockhart, Cedar Cove sets up its episodes with quotes and inspirational pieces voiced by Delilah, which tie into the plot of each episode. The series ran from 2013 to 2015.
10. Rush Hour Renegades in Full House
From Season 6 to 8 of the classic ‘80s sitcom, Joey Gladstone, played by Dave Coulier, and Jesse Katsopolis, played by John Stamos, formed Rush Hour Renegades on KFLH 95.6. The afternoon radio show followed the morning zoo format, complete with silly soundboards and Joey’s many famous voices.
9. Happening Radio 242 on Agony
Airing on ITV from 1979 to 1981, Agony starred Maureen Lipman as Jane Lucas, an “agony aunt” whose personal life isn’t going quite as smoothly as her hit radio call-in show would suggest.
While Jane could hardly handle the troubles of her own life, including her off-on relationship with her husband and her overbearing mother, her radio call-in show on Happening Radio 242 and her advice column in Person magazine led to her being the go-to person for all the troubles her friends and family face. Though the show was pretty short-lived, it was praised at the time for being ahead of its time, including featuring the first gay couple on British television that appeared in a happy, healthy relationship.
8. Crazy Ira and The Douche on Parks and Recreation
Speaking of morning zoo formats, who can forget Crazy Ira and The Douche on NBC’s hit sitcom Parks and Recreation? Crazy Ira, played by Matt Besser, and Howard “The Douche” Tuttleman, played by Nick Kroll, make a great team. And by that we mean that they make literally the worst team.
Relying on shock jock tactics and overly obscene sounds and noises, these two often give the main cast a hard time on their show. But it’s just so hard not to love them, even if you just love to hate them.
7. Radio Free Roscoe
If you were a teen in the early 2000s, you might remember the teen drama Radio Free Roscoe, which developed a cult following and ran for four seasons between 2003 and 2006. Originally a Canadian series that ran on Family Channel, the series made its way over to the U.S., where it aired on The N, the teen-focused programming block on the network Noggin.
The show is set in a suburban New Jersey town, where four teens are fed up with their school’s radio station, Cougar Radio, and the way it dictates how students should live. They take matters into their own hands to create a pirate radio station, Radio Free Roscoe. But not everyone is welcoming to the new voices in radio, so they must keep their identities a secret.
6. Dear White People
Radio has long been used as a format for addressing important social justice issues, which can be seen in the indie film and spin-off Netflix series Dear White People.
In the film and series, Samantha White, played by Logan Browning, starts her radio show Dear White People to address the growing racist incidents on her fictional college campus, Winchester University. The show was met with critical acclaim and ran for four seasons between 2017 and 2021.
5. WZUP on Martin
Airing for five seasons between 1992 and 1997, Martin starred actor and comedian Martin Lawrence as the titular character of Martin Payne, who initially worked as a disc jockey for the fictional radio station WZUP in the series. However, he eventually made his way over to the talk show Word on the Street, where he was the host, after he lost his job on WZUP in Season 2 when it rebranded as a country station.
WZUP often got Martin in trouble with his friends and family, as he would unintentionally expose a lot of personal business while on the air. Martin was committed to telling the truth on the air, but we all know that, sometimes, the truth hurts.
4. Kurupt FM in People Just Do Nothing
People Just Do Nothing is a mockumentary-style sitcom that follows a group of UK Garage enthusiasts running their pirate radio station, Kurupt FM, from a flat in London. Following in the style of quintessential British comedies like The Office, the show explores their misguided ambitions, everyday struggles, and friendships, blending sharp social satire with absurd, deadpan humour.
3. DJ David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210
Played by Brian Austin Green, David Silver was one of the main characters in the hit teen drama Beverly Hills, 90210, which ran from 1990 to 2000. Despite being somewhat of an outsider, David was set on making a name for himself. Which is what led him to become a DJ at the radio station at West Beverly High, and ultimately a commentator on the campus scene and the gossip surrounding the popular kids.
DJ David Silver’s radio career continued as a theme of the show and became synonymous with the character . He progressed through the challenge graveyard shifts at college onto a hosting a late-night show on the station KBIB after graduating.
2. I’m Alan Partridge
This list would be remiss if it was to exclude one of the UK’s finest comedies, I’m Alan Partridge. For readers unaware of the show, I’m Alan Partridge is about the fictional radio host of the same name, a flawed, out-of-touch but nonetheless loveable media personality. The show follows Alan’s life from a roadside hotel whilst working at a Norwich radio station and making cringe-worthy mistakes in his desperate quest for fame.
1. KACL 780 on Frasier
Running from 1998 to 2004 and rebooted just recently in 2023, Frasier was a spinoff of the classic sitcom Cheers, but it developed a huge following all on its own. And we simply couldn’t have a list of the best radio references on TV without mentioning our favourite radio psychiatrist.
Seattle-based KACL has had many styles and shows throughout its run, but The Frasier Crane Show was a mainstay throughout the majority of the original Frasier series. That is, except during Season 6 of the sitcom when KACL suddenly switched to playing salsa music. But we doubt Frasier likes to think about those strange times.
Wrapping Up…
Did we miss your favourite fictional radio station? Was there a radio host you saw on TV that kickstarted your love of all things radio? This list just scratches the surface of all the TV radio references that we’ve grown up with in pop culture, so let us know on socials ( Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok or LinkedIn) if you have a favourite radio reference that deserves a spot on this list.
