Free FM

Free FM was given its name to highlight that its stations broadcast free-to-air, instead of requiring a subscription fee like satellite radio services.

On October 25, 2005, Infinity Broadcasting (now CBS Radio) officially announced that it would be replacing Howard Stern on many of its radio stations with David Lee Roth in New York City and several other eastern markets, Rover's Morning Glory with Shane "Rover" French in the midwest, and Adam Carolla in Los Angeles and several other western markets, along with already established DC-based morning show The Junkies on WJFK-FM in D.C. and WHFS-FM in Baltimore.

As of that date, David Lee Roth's web site, david.freefm.com, had disappeared along with any mention of him on the Free FM local affiliates.

In addition to the departure of Roth, Rover's Morning Glory was removed from the Free FM stations—including what was his newly assigned flagship WCKG/Chicago, and WKRK/Detroit; both instances due to very low ratings.

Most of Rover's affiliates were on stations spun off by CBS Radio to different companies including WMFS/Memphis, WAQZ/Cincinnati and WZNE/Rochester, which went to Entercom; and WAZU/Columbus, which went to Wilks Broadcast Group.

WAZU became country-formatted WNNK in January 2007, while WAQZ flipped to alternative rock as WSWD on a different frequency in November 2006; WMFS became an ESPN Radio affiliate in 2009.

The station featured hot talk programming during its weekday lineup, but broadcast classic rock interspersed with comedy bits at all other times, along with San Diego Padres baseball.

[5][6] The format, however, was short-lived; a promotional campaign for KEGY's Kevin Klein morning show (which invited listeners to "Jump ... to a new morning show", over a photo of the San Diego–Coronado Bridge) attracted criticism for glorifying suicide by bridge jumping, while Padres executive Ron Fowler expressed concerns over being associated with the station's content.