By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Saturday, November 21, 2015
Jenn Hobby, best known for her decade-long stint on the Bert Show, has left her gig as mid-day host at country station Kicks 101.5 and was taken off its website.
Kicks has not announced a replacement.
Hobby, in a text Saturday, confirmed she is no longer there and is going to take her time to "determine what will be the best next steps for our family." She recently had her second daughter and her life "has shifted."
She said while she has received interest from other radio entities, she has no specific offers on the table. "I will continue to work at CW Atlanta for Falcons Playback and work in a freelance capacity with Atlanta Eats TV," she added.
Hobby probably has a six-month non-compete clause that would keep her from joining a rival station for six months anyway. (That's the standard length for most radio personalities.) I'm not sure if that six month non-compete would be contingent upon the end of her contract in November or when she left the air, which was in September.
By the way, I credit one my hawk-eyed readers for tipping me off on this after noticing Hobby was no longer listed on the Kicks website. (Thank you Cathy!)
Hobby joined the country station in 2012 soon after leaving the Bert Show. Both Kicks and Q100 are owned by the same company: Atlanta-based Cumulus. This move was a way for her to better manage her schedule since she had her first daughter in 2013. A mid-day job is far less stressful than working on a morning show, even if the pay may be far less.
She had a second daughter two months ago and took maternity leave.
When I returned from vacation earlier this month and heard rumors that Jeff Dauler was leaving the Bert Show to go to Star 94, Hobby's name was attached as well. But Mike Fowler, the general manager at Star, said he had not offered any gig to her, even after Dauler's move had been announced. But he said he would be interested when she becomes available.
Hobby and Dauler worked together at the Bert Show for a decade. They also worked under Fowler when he ran Q100 from 2003 to 2006.
As for Dauler, Star has yet to announce what he'd do there or who he might be paired with. His non-compete was three months so you'd be able to hear him on Star in early February.
About the Author
