iHeart Making Massive Personnel Cuts
• UPDATING: In what we are being told by several sources is “the mother of them all,” RAMP has learned that iHeartMedia is currently undergoing another massive round of pre-holiday downsizing in multiple markets. These are the names of the confirmed departures so far. We are waiting on confirmation of many more, and will update this list accordingly
Boston — Alan Chartrand exits as Boston Region President. Chartrand’s extensive history in the market dates back to the mid-’80s. Back in the day he also worked for the late Noble Broadcasting and served as GM of the former WZOU, when it was owned by Ardman Broadcasting, and later oversaw its 1993 transformation into WJMN (Jam’n 94.5). After serving in senior-level sales and management positions with Entercom and Greater Media Boston, Chartrand returned to Clear Channel as National Sales Manager for the Boston group, was elevated to Director of Sales for Boston and Providence in June 2011, and upped to Market President in 2014.
> The Rich Shertenlieb Show on iHeartMedia Classic Rock WZLX/Boston has come to a screeching halt after less than five months. Shertenlieb has been a Boston morning Sports-Talk radio fixture since 2006 as half of the team of Toucher & Rich, first on the late WBCN, and since 2009, on Beasley Sports-Talk WBZ-FM (98.5 The Sports Hub) until his departure last October. Shertenlieb posted a lengthy statement on Twitter/X.
• Chicago — Market President Matt Scarano is out, as is Angi Taylor, mornings, WCHI (Rock 95.5). Taylor earlier did mornings on iHeartMedia Top 40 sisters KDWB/Minneapolis and WIOQ/Philadelphia before making the move to WKSC (Kiss FM)/Chicago in 2008, originally paired with Kevin “DreX” Buchar. Christopher “Fred” Frederick replaced DreX in 2011 and the show was rebranded as Fred & Angi In The Morning, which lasted until Sept. 2020, when Taylor was named host of a new morning show across the hall on the freshly launched Rock 95.5.
• Dallas — Patrick Davis, SVP of Programming Dallas, and PD of KHKS (106.1 Kiss FM)/Dallas — out after almost 21 years. Reach out to him at Halfdavis6@verizon.net.
> Dominic “Zakk” Zaccagnini, PD of KEGL (97.1 The Eagle) and Classic Rock KZPS (Lone Star 92.5). Zakk previously programmed FM Talk WAIO (Radio 95.1) & NewsRadio WHAM 1180/Rochester and Talk 570 WSYR/Syracuse, Cumulus Classic Rock KSAN (107.7 The Bone)/San Francisco, and he was APD/afternoon talent at the late Cumulus Classic Rock WLUP (97.9 The Loop)/Chicago and morning host for FOX Sports Radio. He can be contacted at domzaccagnini@gmail.com.
> Cruz, afternoons, KDMX (Mix 102.9)
• Des Moines: Greg Chance exits as SVP/Programming for Des Moines, St. Louis, Indianapolis, and North Dakota. This had been Chance’s second tour of duty with iHeart — he notably spent nearly two decades with Clear Channel/iHeartMedia in his hometown of Des Moines, launching KKDM (107.5 Kiss FM) in 1999 and rising to Region SVP of Programming for St. Louis and Omaha until May 2019, when he resigned and joined the family business, Diamond Oil, as Vice President. He returned to iHeart in April 2023. Reach him at gchanceonair@gmail.com.
• San Francisco — In the midst of these largescale cutbacks, Don Parker, Regional SVP of Programming, Northern California Region, PD of KMEL/San Francisco and GM of Pride Radio made the decision to step down after 15 years. Also out in San Francisco: Jerry Houston, PD/afternoon talent, Pride Radio, a 27-year industry vet; Jose Meza, a.k.a. Josser, personality on Pride Radio and KIOI (Star 101.3); Jason Dahlstedt, morning producer, KMEL and Star 101.3.
• Philadelphia — Mike Kaplan, who had served as PD of WRFF (ALT 104.5)/Philadelphia since Sept. 2023. Before that he worked for Audacy as Alternative Format Captain and Brand Manager of now former Alternative WNYL (ALT 92.3)/New York until it flipped to a simulcast of All-News 1010 WINS last October. Kaplan earlier served as Brand Manager of sister KROQ/Los Angeles for two years. Kaplan earlier spent four years with iHeartMedia as PD of KYSR/Los Angeles, overseeing the rebrand to ALT 98.7, flagship of the nationally-syndicated The Woody Show. Reach him at MikeSeanKaplan@gmail.com.
• Washington, DC — Paul Jaxon exits as morning host at Classic Rock WBIG (Big 100) and midday talent at WRFF (ALT 104.5)/Philadelphia. Jaxon joined WBIG in Sept. 2023, coming off an 18-year run in afternoons on Beasley’s WMMR/Philadelphia. As a three-decade radio pro, Jaxon previously did mornings on the late WFNX/Boston, KBPI/Denver, and KURR/Salt Lake City, and nights at WHJY/Providence. Reach him at pjaxco1@comcast.net.
> Also out: Big 100 midday talent Lisa Berigan, who had been with the station since 2006. She previously did middays at WTMX/Chicago, the former WPLY (Y100)/Philadelphia, and the former WWZZ (Z104)/Washington, and she also did mornings at KYPT/Seattle. Berigan remains the host of the nationally syndicated Live in Concert through Superadio. Best way to reach her is lisaberigan@me.com.
• Houston — Karah Leigh exits nights at KTBZ (94.5 The Buzz)/Houston after 19 years. Leigh also tracked middays on WEBN/Cincinnati, and her voice was also heard in weekends on WEND/Charlotte, KIOZ/San Diego, WXTB/Tampa and on iHeartMedia’s national Rock and Alt channels. She can be reached at Kara.L.McIntyre@gmail.com.
• Minneapolis — Kia Becht has exited as MD and co-host of the Chris Carr & Company morning show on Country KEEY (K102)/Minneapolis after 15 years. Interestingly, Carr’s show is a current Major Market nominee for a 2024 CMA Broadcast Award. Becht, formerly Promotion Director, was named MD in Sept. 2014. Reach her at kebecht@gmail.com.
• Raleigh — Michael Burger, Market President — Burger had been with the cluster since August 2021, when he transferred from his VP of Sales post with iHeart St. Louis to become SVP of Sales for the five-station Raleigh group. Prior to that, Burger was a Sr. AE for KTVI (FOX 2)/St. Louis. He began his career at KMIZ/KQFX, an ABC/FOX duopoly in his hometown of Columbia, MO.
> Nick Jordan, APD/afternoons at Country WNCB (B93.9) is out. Jordan joined the station in July 2022, coming from D.A. Peterson Top 40 WDJQ (Q92)/Canton, OH where he was afternoon personality and Digital Content Assistant. Before that he was an on-air talent at Bryan Broadcasting Top 40 KNDE (Candy 95)/Bryan-College Station, TX. Reach him at nicktjordan9@gmail.com.
• Salt Lake City — Morning duo Eric “E.” White and Erica Shea exit Top 40 KZHT after 15 months. White joined KZHT as morning co-host in July 2023, transferring from nights at Top 40 sister KDWB/Minneapolis. He was teamed up with Shea, who arrived from San Diego, where she was co-host and producer of the Geena The Latina & Frankie V morning show on iHeart’s KHTS (Channel 93.3). White started his career doing weekends on WIOQ (Q102)/Philadelphia in 2017, before transferring to KKDM/Des Moines for afternoon drive later that year. He made the big move to KDWB in 2020. White can be reached at ewhiteonthemic@gmail.com. Shea can be contacted at ericasheasul@gmail.com.
• Seattle — Jake Waldo, a ten-year veteran of iHeart Seattle, the last five at KZOK, where he was Danny Bonaduce‘s producer and stayed on through BJ Shea‘s relatively brief tenure. He also served as cluster Promotions Director. Locate Jake at jacob.r.waldo@gmail.com
• Seattle — Lee Callahan hosted mornings solo for nine years on Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 Jack FM). Callahan says she’s very fortunate to have worked consistently in the same town — Seattle — for 27 years, starting at KOMO-AM as a talk show producer. She later spent seven years at KMTT (The Mountain) as morning show producer/third mic, followed by a stint as a news anchor on former progressive talk KPTK AM 1090 before landing at Jack FM. Callahan can now be contacted at Lee.Callahan@yahoo.com.
• Tampa — John Mamola, Program Director of News-Talk 970 WFLA and Sports-Talk WDAE is out, along with Jay Recher and Zac Blobner, hosts of the Jay & Z midday show on WDAE.
If you or any colleagues have been caught up in this round and would like your info shared with the industry, please email Kevin@RAMP247.com.
