In US commercial radio, a random format change imposed on a station by
management as a
publicity stunt.
Most commonly, the "stunt" of a format is short-lived. For instance, a station flips from spinning rotten-roll to blaring
hillbilly music on 1 April for a day. If the stunt backfires, it's passed off as a joke and the old format reinstated. Conversely, if the new format brings in any money, it just happens to be left in place.
The most common instances of "stunting" in local commercial radio are when a station is about to undergo a permanent change in format or ownership. Instead of just going directly to the new format, the
publicity stunt is to broadcast rubbish or nonsense for anywhere from a day to a month before completing the
transition. This might mean a month blaring giftmas carols at the shoppers or sheep, this might mean an all-Beatles or all-Elvis format, this might mean a month blaring "You Aint Nothin But A Hound Dog" on continuous
repetition. One station, upon being sold to a Mr. Pole, spent a month spinning pole-dancing music like that at the local strip joint.All usually soon forgotten once the stupid stunt is over.