Congrats, Java Joel & DJ Riddler
• We want to extend our best wishes to a guy who was just extended himself — “Java Joel” Murphy, longtime APD/MD/afternoon personality on iHeartMedia Top 40 WAKS (96.5 Kiss FM)/Cleveland, who just scribbled something vaguely resembling “John Hancock” on the back of a cocktail napkin and, voila — he was re-upped for another three years. RAMP caught up to Murphy, who commented, “I’m very happy to be sticking with iHeartRadio Cleveland for another three years. This deal keeps me here ’til 2020 — a total of 14 years in the same place… and they said it couldn’t be done! Big thanks to all the people who have helped me get here. I’ve very lucky!”
Murphy has been in the Kiss building since August 2006; before that he did nights on sister WKSC (103.5 Kiss FM)/Chicago, and he famously tracked nights on Kiss/Cleveland from 2003-04.
• Stand by for the official release, but RAMP has gone ahead and confirmed that Houston market vet Rich “DJ Riddler” Pangilnan has been hired by Radio One Top 40 KROI (Radio NOW 92.1)/Houston as MD/on-air personality. Riddler won’t have to travel very far — he spent the past eight years across the street at CBS Radio’s KKHH (Hot 95.7), rising through the ranks from mix show jock to APD/MD before exiting in January when the station flipped from Top 40 to Adult Hits as 95.7 The Spot.
Riddler’s earlier Texas stops include KRBE/Houston, KHFI/Austin and KTFM/San Antonio, and he has also lent his mad skillz to Z100 and WKTU/New York. Riddler (center) is pictured here sporting his new Radio NOW gear, bookended by OM/PD Terri Thomas and GM Gary Spurgeon.
