Originally posted Thursday, January 24, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Country station 94.9/The Bull has dropped Jason Pullman as morning host after 10 years.
Pullman confirmed that he was let go Wednesday after he finished his morning show without any prior warning but declined to comment any further.
His contract wasn’t up until early 2020.
Justin Schaflander, regional president for iHeartMedia, didn't return a text for comment.
Pullman's co-host Kristen Gates remains.
Pullman, a 1991 Roswell High School graduate who got married two years ago, is being replaced by Spencer Graves, a former morning host for a station in St. Louis.
In November, Graves was let go from Hubbard Broadcasting's "Spencer's Neighborhood" morning show on 106.5 The Arch, an adult hits station which plays a range of hits from the 1970s to 2017. He was there since 2015. (Cassidy Proctor, formerly part of the Star 94.1 Drex, Cassiday and Tingle morning show, had worked on his morning team and is still with the station as an afternoon host.)
Before his St. Louis job, the Pennsylvania State University graduate was morning show host at a top 40 station 93.7/WSTW in Wilmington, Delaware for six years.
It’s hard to say if ratings were a reason for Pullman’s departure, especially since the station chose to keep Gates. While his show’s 25-54 numbers were down in 2018 vs. 2017, he was up among younger listeners. In 2018, he and Gates ranked 14th among 25 to 54 year olds and 8th among 18 to 34 year olds.
His Caffeinated Radio show was also stronger than the morning show on rival Kicks 101.5. Cadillac Jack and Ali Mac in 2018 ranked 17th among 25 to 54 year olds and 11th among 18 to 34 year olds.
Pullman also generated plenty of endorsement income from Bull advertisers such as Rick Hendrick, Resurgens, Yellow Tail wine and Party City.
This is the second time this month part of a morning team has been split up in Atlanta.
Last week, rival country station Kicks 101.5 released Ali Mac, leaving Cadillac in place. A replacement for her has not been named yet.
