Who has come and gone in Atlanta radio and TV in 2026
The local media business has seen major changes in recent years with the massive growth in social media, YouTube, Spotify and TikTok as competition for eyeballs.
Amid all the seismic shifts, Atlanta radio and TV news has seen plenty of departures and arrivals this year.
Here is a running update on local media changes this year.
January
Kristin Klingshirn began a new afternoon show on top 40 station Q99.7, joined by Ethan Cole. She was previously a morning host with Bert Weiss on Q99.7’s Atlanta-based syndicated The Bert Show from 2012 until Weiss ended the show in the fall of 2025.
February
Former radio host Mark Owens returned to in-game host for the Atlanta Braves on a part-time basis after holding that role from 2007 to 2022. Owens has worked at Rock 100.5, 99X, Star 94, Q100 and 92.9/The Game. He shared duties this season with Sarah Plantz and Bradley Hasemeyer.
March
Audrey Washington left WSB-TV after 11 years as a reporter and fill-in anchor.
Q99.7, replacing the Bert Show, created the Q Morning Crew featuring the trio of Joe Breezy, Daena “DK” Kramer, and Cort Freeman.
April
94.9/The Bull let go of afternoon host Kristen Gates, who has been in Atlanta radio for more than 20 years.
Lil Bankhead involuntarily left V-103 after four years as evening host. He previously worked as an on-air host at Streetz 94.5.
99X let go of Leslie Fram and promoted Crash Clark to full co-host of the Morning X. Fram’s departure was not voluntary. She was one of the key architects of 99X’s creation in 1992.
May
David Chandley retired as chief meteorologist from Fox 5 after 42 years in the business. Fox 5 replaced him with Joanne Feldman.
V-103 rehired Frank Ski for weekends. He was a successful morning host for V-103 from 1998 to 2012 and 2018 to 2020.
V-103 hired Francesca Amiker as a morning co-host with Big Tigger, replacing Jazzy McBee. Amiker previously worked as a reporter at 11Alive and E! News.
V-103 moved afternoon producer DJ Sturgess to evenings as host to take over for Lil Bankhead.
June
“Survivor” winner Savannah Louie returned to WANF-TV as an “ATL Live” host. She previously worked at the station when it was a CBS affiliate from 2021 to 2024 as a local news reporter.
Sports talk show host Mitch Evans got part-time work at 92.9/The Game. He previously worked at the Game in the early 2010s and 790/The Zone from 1997 to 2004.
Natalie McCann left Fox 5 after a decade as a reporter and host. She spent most of her run there on “Good Day Atlanta.” She did not provide a reason for leaving.
Gainesville talk show host Martha Zoller died just days before her final show. She was also a semiregular on Fox 5’s “The Georgia Gang” political panel show.
iHeart’s Ryan Maddox left the company after long stints at Power 96.1.
Dyron Ducati departed Kiss 104.1, replaced by Ramona DeBreaux. Ducati had been with the station for seven years. DeBreaux was a one-time V-103 stalwart.
July
Big Tigger left V-103 while dealing with legal issues. His new morning co-host Amiker sued his wife for defamation. And he is grappling with an arrest for allegedly assaulting his wife.
Where is Dagmar Midcap? The meteorologist is off CBS Atlanta with no explanation. She joined the station as a meteorologist late last year after a 15-year absence from Atlanta airwaves.
93.7/680 The Fan announced the pending return of John Kincade. He had worked at the Fan from 2000 to 2020 when he was cut for budgetary reasons. What his role will be when he comes back this fall has not been announced.