O’Brien On The Loose
• Dave O’Brien, longtime morning personality at Emmis Country WLHK (97.1 Hank FM)/Indianapolis left the building last Thursday. The Indianapolis Star printed a statement from Emmis Communications that read, “Yesterday we notified Dave O’Brien that his contract was not being renewed. This was a difficult decision; Dave has been a valued member of the Emmis family for some time.”
O’Brien first arrived in Indianapolis in 1996 to do mornings on Clear Channel Alternative WRZX. After a two-year run at the former Classic Alternative KCNL (Channel 104.9)/San Jose, O’Brien returned to Indy in 2001 to do mornings on Emmis Top 40 WNOU (Radio Now 93.1). He joined Hank FM when it launched in March 2005. O’Brien started his radio career at the University of Virginia’s WUVA (U93)/Charlottesville, serving as PD there from 1987-89. He later did nights on Rock WWWV (3WV)/Charlottesville and was PD/middays on WROV/Roanoke, VA until moving to Indianapolis in 1996.
While at WLHK, O’Brien earned five ACM nominations, three CMA nominations and a 2016 Marconi nomination for Large Market Personality of the Year, and is a three-time Indiana Broadcaster Association winner for Best Personality in Indiana. WLHK was the 2016 ACM Large Market Radio Station of the Year and was a nominee again this year. Emmis is now seeking a successor for O’Brien, who can be contacted at dobrien131@msn.com.
