• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

Arrival + Departures: Q101

P

pjc1961

This past week has seen the exits of Justin Nettlebeck (co-host of the morning show; essentially replaced by new arrival Kenzie K)
and Troy Hanson, PD (also was VP Programming for Rock Formats and VP Operations for the Chicago cluster).

Bigger things afoot or mere coincidence?

radioinsight.com

Kenzie K Joins Q101 Morning Crew - RadioInsight

Former "B96" WBBM-FM midday host 'Kenzie K' Roman has joined Cumulus Media Alternative "Q101" WKQX Chicago as morning co-host alongside Brian Haddad and Justin Nettlebeck. Kenzie departed WBBM-FM at the end of February after four years at the station. She also tracked middays at 102.5 KSFM...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
radioinsight.com

Justin Nettlebeck Exits Q101 Mornings - RadioInsight

Just days after announcing the arrival of Kenzie K as the new co-host of the "Q101 Morning Crew" at Cumulus Alternative "Q101" WKQX Chicago alongside Brian Haddad and Justin Nettlebeck, Nettlebeck has announced he is no longer with the station. Nettlebeck wrote on social media, "Ahoy Family! As...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
radioinsight.com

VP/Rock Programming & WKQX PD Troy Hanson Exits Cumulus Media - RadioInsight

Troy Hanson has exited Cumulus Media in his multiple roles as Vice President of Programming for Rock formats, VP/Operations for the Chicago clusters, and Program Director of Alternative "Q101" WKQX Chicago Hanson joined Cumulus in 2013 as the Corporate Program Director of Rock Formats and PD of...
radioinsight.com radioinsight.com
 
There was a HUGE backlash toward Troy from listeners after Justin abruptly left. On Friday, Troy came on to announce the new show with all of them, they were all set for this coming week. For a few seconds, there sounded like some tension between Troy and Justin, Justin said he was sick of him putting him down all the time. Sounded really uncomfortable. Everybody was completely shocked Justin just abruptly left. From what I read, none of the other airstaff knew exactly why.

I'm guessing the company investigated and let go of Troy. That's just a guess.

Either way it's been a rough week there. Lots of angry listeners.
 
Troy Hanson was a lousy choice for corporate rock and alternative PD from the get go. His resume includes running 94-9 Zeta in Miami into the ground and earning anemic ratings as PD of WNNX in Atlanta. In more recent times, he completely screwed up what had been a surging KCJK in Kansas City.

Good riddance!!!!

Edit:. I sure hope they don't hire Mike Kaplan to succeed Troy Hanson at Q101.
 
Last edited:
MarkW said:
Troy Hanson was a lousy choice for corporate rock and alternative PD from the get go. His resume includes running 94-9 Zeta in Miami into the ground and earning anemic ratings as PD of WNNX in Atlanta. In more recent times, he completely screwed up what had been a surging KCJK in Kansas City.

Good riddance!!!!

Edit:. I sure hope they don't hire Mike Kaplan to succeed Troy Hanson at Q101.
Click to expand...
It would very much be in Q101’s character to do that. They’ve made every sort of mistake under the Sun in their lengthy history, and hiring Kaplan is literally the only one they haven’t done yet.
 
I wonder if Brian Phillips in Atlanta made a call to send Hanson packing?

Longtime underperforming programmer, Axel Lowe, recently left the company as well.

I will say the shakeup at Q101 is surprising. For the most part, AQH share performance has been pretty good the past couple years in the demos that matter.
 
MarkW said:
Troy Hanson was a lousy choice for corporate rock and alternative PD from the get go. His resume includes running 94-9 Zeta in Miami into the ground and earning anemic ratings as PD of WNNX in Atlanta. In more recent times, he completely screwed up what had been a surging KCJK in Kansas City.

Good riddance!!!!

Edit:. I sure hope they don't hire Mike Kaplan to succeed Troy Hanson at Q101.
Click to expand...
What did he do with KCJK?
 
It was defeating heritage alternative 96.5 KRBZ by a substantial margin in the ratings for several consecutive quarters about four years ago, and instead of sticking with that successful formula, he fired the morning host, perhaps other air staffers, too, and shifted the station to "rockternative," and since then, the station has been unable to regain stable footing. It has oscillated between an alternative-leaning sound and active rock since then.

Before anyone suggests that move was (strictly) a local market decision, Hanson was the individual who took credit for the change, and he offered comments about the change to multiple trade publications at the time.

These days, the station's purpose in life seems to be to deprive crosstown KQRC of a couple share points. I don't mind KCJK's playlist at all, personally, but the station in its current form will never be more than a cellar dweller (mostly).

I also do not like the nasally sounding imaging voice he has handpicked for many of the company's rock stations.
 
Last edited:
MarkW said:
I wonder if Brian Phillips in Atlanta made a call to send Hanson packing?

Longtime underperforming programmer, Axel Lowe, recently left the company as well.

I will say the shakeup at Q101 is surprising. For the most part, AQH share performance has been pretty good the past couple years in the demos that matter.
Click to expand...

This was all over what happened with Justin Nettlebeck. Huge amount of anger from listeners, pointing to a podcast of the show. I listened to it a few times. It does sound like there was some anger there between them. Troy was on the air with the morning show announcing the new female member (Kenzie K) and Justin sounded very upset at Troy, and basically said goodbye at the end of the show and quit. The listeners have been saying Troy was being nasty to Justin and have been calling for him to be fired. It's been a really tough week. Listeners are really mad that Justin left. I'm guessing Troy either quit over this or was fired over this.
 
Last edited:
MarkW said:
It was defeating heritage alternative 96.5 KRBZ by a substantial margin in the ratings for several consecutive quarters about four years ago, and instead of sticking with that successful formula, he fired the morning host, perhaps other air staffers, too, and shifted the station to "rockternative," and since then, the station has been unable to regain stable footing. It has oscillated between an alternative-leaning sound and active rock since then.

Before anyone suggests that move was (strictly) a local market decision, Hanson was the individual who took credit for the change, and he offered comments about the change to multiple trade publications at the time.

These days, the station's purpose in life seems to be to deprive crosstown KQRC of a couple share points. I don't mind KCJK's playlist at all, personally, but the station in its current form will never be more than a cellar dweller (mostly).

I also do not like the nasally sounding imaging voice he has handpicked for many of the company's rock stations.
Click to expand...
I think its ratings only beat 96.5 though because they had Afentra though, who was probably too costly to justify its so so ratings (it only had a 3 share at best.)
 
3 share in 6+ might be much higher in actual demos that matter. Cumulus had KRBZ on the ropes and then let the foot off the gas. KRBZ might've been toast in another couple years (if not sooner).
 
MarkW said:
3 share in 6+ might be much higher in actual demos that matter. Cumulus had KRBZ on the ropes and then let the foot off the gas. KRBZ might've been toast in another couple years (if not sooner).
Click to expand...
I think Afentra was the only reason though. Before her arrival, it only hovered around a 2 share. She stated she did not meet ratings requirements to stay on air on X.
 
Letting her go was stupid, in my opinion. Station was beating its in format competitor handily.
 
Last edited:
The landscape is changing and the bottom line is more important now than ever. BIG $ "talent" if you can call them that... are an easy expenditure to cut in times like this to instantly improve margins and impress shareholders.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.
Back
Top Bottom