People Moves
Week of 05.03.10
Ed Brantley
Citadel Knoxville, TN market manager Ed Brantley exits the cluster in a cost-cutting move. Brantley had been the general manager of country WIVK for a number of years. DOS Ben McWharter will oversee the stations with Citadel southeast regional president Paul O’Malley.
Theresa Gage Durham
Westwood One names Theresa Gage Durham VP of sales for the Southwest region, overseeing ad sales in Los Angeles and Dallas. Durham was most recently SVP of the Western region for Premiere Radio Network. She previously worked at AMFM Radio Networks and ABC Radio Networks.
Reza Hariri
Metro Traffic names Reza Hariri to director of sales for Northern California. Hariri joins Metro Traffic from Monster.com where he served as director of sales for the Western Region. His previous radio experience was in sales at Clear Channel Radio San Francisco as an AE for KMEL-FM and later as the GSM of KKSF-FM and KISQ-FM.
Greg Papa, Tom Flores
Compass Media Networks announces that Greg Papa and Tom Flores will continue for their 14th consecutive season as the radio voices of the Oakland Raiders Radio Network. The new Compass product will be distributed nationwide, including at Bay Area flagships “Live 105” KITS and KFRC (1550).
Thomas O’Brien
Focus 360 hires Thomas O’Brien as Midwest regional manager. He’ll open a Detroit office and oversee sales in Detroit, Chicago and the state of Ohio for the rep firm. O’Brien joins National Focus from Westwood One, where he was regional director/Midwest region. Prior to that, O’Brien was VP, Midwest region for Premiere Radio Networks.
Karie Shields
Erie Broadcasters are remembering Forever Broadcaster country “Froggy” WGGY (100.3) and WGYI (98.5) air personality Karie “Crickett” Shields, who died May 3. She was 41. Before her work in Erie, PA, Shields worked in radio in Utica and Oneonta, NY.
Doug Podell
Veteran Detroit rock radio programmer Doug Podell has stepped down as PD of WCSX (94.7) to focus on his afternoon drive shift on the Greater Media classic rocker. Podell, who has programmed numerous Motor City rock stations, including a lengthy stint at “The Riff” WRIF, returned to the airwaves in January, replacing Ken Calvert who moved to mornings. WCSX is searching for a new PD.
Colin Crowell
Chairman Julius Genachowski announces senior counselor Colin Crowell will leave the FCC in June. He’s been a key aide to Genachowski on broadband issues during the past year. Prior to joining the FCC Crowell was a top telecom staffer in the House, having a hand in a number of laws including the 1996 Telecom Act, which deregulated radio. Crowell says he’s been in public service for 22 years and will seek new opportunities in the private sector.
Sean Compton
Tribune Broadcasting continues to realign its executives, promoting Sean Compton to president of programming for the division that includes WGN, Chicago (720) as well as 23 television stations and the WGN American cable network. Compton spent ten years at Clear Channel and six years at Jacor before reuniting with Tribune CEO Randy Michaels two years ago
Tony Viner
Rogers Communications president/CEO Tony Viner, 63, announces his retirement from the Toronto-based company with assets in radio, cable television and the internet.
Ben Ferguson, Thaddeus Matthews
Legacy Media’s talk KWAM, Memphis (990) hires Ben Ferguson for afternoon drive, succeeding Thaddeus Matthews, who exits. Ferguson was most recently at Clear Channel’s talk WREC (600).
Jeff “The Fish” Aaron
SR Broadcasting’s KRKO, Everett, WA (1380) parts company with sports talk personality Jeff “The Fish” Aaron in a budget move. Aaron previously work at KJR, Seattle (950).
Jeff McKinney
After a 15 year run, Jeff McKinney exits CBS Radio’s WCCO, Minneapolis. McKinney has been commuting from his home in St Louis to the Twin Cities each week over the last 15 years. WCCO’s longtime political reporter Eric Eskola has also exited.
David Reinhart
The radio industry’s remembering Dave “Rhino” Reihart, who died May 2 at the age of 67. Reinhart one of the old WSAI, Cincinnati "Good Guys” during the 1960s and later moved into station management including for WLW (700) where he oversaw its flip from music tot talk in the 1980s. He later worked for Clear Channel as a market manager and a RVP at several Florida clusters until retiring in 1993. His son Scott Reinhart is PD for WEBN, Cincinnati (102.7).
Harry Long
Richmond, VA broadcasters are remembering longtime WRVA chief engineer Harry Long, who died April 28. He was 87. Long transitioned from the military to radio where he spent much of his career until his retirement in 1988.
Dan Austin
CBS Radio hires Dan Austin as director of sales for its Seattle cluster. Austin was most recently market manager for Citadel’s Syracuse , NY cluster and previously was national sales manager and general manager for Pamal Broadcasting stations in Albany , NY .
Alison Scholly
Veteran Tribune executive Alison Scholly joins "Chicago Public Radio" WBEZ (91.5) in the newly-created position of chief operating officer, effective June 1, 2010. She will report directly to CEO Torey Malatia. Scholly, 42, will be responsible for overseeing senior staff and managing day-to-day operations of Chicago Public Radio.
Humberto Luna
Grupo Latino de Radio hires Humberto Luna for afternoon drive duties on "W Radio" XEWW, San Diego-Tijuana (690). A Spanish language radio legend, Humberto became the first Hispanic entertainer to receive a star on Hollywood 's Walk of Fame.
Steve Versnick
Clear Channel hires Steve Versnick as program director for news/talk WFLA, Tampa (970) starting June 1. Versnick was most recently director of news and programming at Clear Channel’s talk KTLK-FM, Minneapolis (100.3). He previously programmed WREC, Memphis and has worked for Clear Channel in Atlanta and Cincinnati .
Kevin Graham
Bonneville’s "Sports 620" KTAR, Phoenix hires sports radio veteran Kevin Graham as program director. He’s previously managed sports stations in Detroit (WXYT), New York (WEPN) and Pittsburgh (WEAE). For the past four years he’s co-hosted afternoon drive on Simmons Media’s sports "1280 The Zone" KZNS, Salt Lake City.
Herbert Hill, Scott Hamilton
Clear Channel hires Scott Hamilton as its chief accounting officer, succeeding Herbert Hill, who exits. Hamilton most recently was a controller at the telecom company Avaya and has worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as well. SEC filings say his annual base pay will be $300,000.
Ed Wilson
Tribune chief revenue and sales officer Ed Wilson says the time "time is right" for him to exit the company. He’ll remain a consultant to the company. Wilson joined Tribune in February 2008 as part of Sam Zell’s new management team. No successor has been named.
Kevin Gabbay
Bonneville hires Kevin Gabbay director of marketing and promotions for "100.3 The Sound" KSWD, Los Angeles . It’s a return to L.A. radio for Gabbay who’s spent the last several years as marketing director for WCBS-TV , New York . He previously was promotions director for Clear Channel CHR KIIS-FM and modern AC "Star 98.7" KYSR in Los Angeles .