weekly
January 4, 2021 • Issue 737
Cincy Changes
Cumulus/Cincinnati VP/Sales Jon Laing has been elevated to VP/MM for the cluster that includes Country WNNF. He succeeds Dave Crowl, who retired last month (CAT 11/24/20). “Jon has his finger on the pulse of Cincinnati with deep experience and relationships in the market,” says EVP/Operations Dave Milner. Laing joined in 2013 following time with Cumulus and then-Clear Channel/Lexington, then-Clear Channel/Cincinnati and then-CBS Radio/ Denver. Reach him here. At WNNF, morning producer/midday personality Karen Van Zant has been named Jon Laing morning host in place of Westwood One nationally syndicated Morning Koffy; she is on-air until noon. Promo Dir./weekend talent Austin “Tater” Ratcliff has picked up the 12pm-3pm shift, and PD Chris Clare can be heard in afternoons. WNNF dropped its Nash FM branding in favor of “94.1 Cat Country” in 2019 (CAT 10/2/19) but continues airing syndicated Nights With Elaina and Later With Lia. Stream the station here.
Murphy Succeeds WIBL’s Roberts
Mid-West Family/Springfield, IL OM Chris Murphy is joining Great Plains/Bloomington, IL as OM & Country WIBL PD/ afternoon personality. He succeeds Andy Roberts, who is stepping down effective Jan. 15 to spend more time with his family. Murphy has spent more than a decade with Mid-West/Springfield following stops in Minneapolis; Madison, WI; and Philadelphia. “After four tours of duty and 26 years with Mid-West Family, I’ve decided to take the last media job of my career,” says Murphy. “Twenty-one of those 26 years have been here in Springfield, and while I will miss [the town], I will be back to doing what I love ... live music and leading the team to create winning content on-air and online.” Adds Roberts, “Our fifth child will be born in February. I will look for music, imaging and digital projects after some time off.” Roberts joined in Aug. 2019 after more than 20 years with Saga/Champaign, IL (CAT 8/8/19). Reach Roberts here.
Super Glue: WFXD/Marquette, MI’s Elmer Aho receives a State of Michigan Special Tribute award in recognition for “a lifetime of dedicated service (to) his community.” Local coverage here.
Chart Chat
Consistent chatter about 2020’s slow singles chart bears out in at least one stat, as shown below. Before staring into the rearview, however, on to 2021’s first Add Day. Congrats are in order for Dennis Reese and the RCA Chris Young Kane Brown team for landing 42 for the Chris Young & Kane Brown duet “Famous Friends,” which tops the inaugural Add Board.
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