By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Jeff Elliott's contract was not renewed at pop station B98.5 after two-plus years as a morning host. His final day on air was Friday.
Elliott is being replaced by Tad Lemire , a morning host in Tulsa, Ok. at Mix96, another Cox Media Group station. Lemire will join Melissa Carter, a staple on the Bert Show for 10 years from 2001 until 2011 and a morning host at B98.5 since the summer of 2013.
[Update: Melissa and Tad are doing a test run on Saturday.]
Lemire, a Vermont native, will get top billing as part of the "Tad and Melissa Show" beginning Feb. 1 from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.
"Tad can lead a morning show like no one else," said Chris Eagan, program director at B98.5 and rock station 97.1/The River, in a press release. "His clever wit is second to none and his work ethic is tireless. I can't wait to hear him on the air."
Eagan worked previously with Lemire in Connecticut. “I am thrilled to be working with Chris Eagan again and continuing my career with Cox Media Group,” said Lemire.
Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Lemire has been in the radio business for 30 years, working mostly in New England before his Tulsa gig.
Elliott arrived in August, 2013 and had been working without a contract for a few months as B98.5 sought a replacement. He was a bit of an itinerant radio host over three decades, working in places such as Dallas, West Palm Beach and Rochester, N.Y.
In 2015, B98.5 was the most popular pop station in town in overall ratings, second among 25 to 54 year olds behind Q100 and third among 18 to 34 year olds behind Power 96.1 and Q100.
B98.5 and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.
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