By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Monday, March 21, 2016
Clearly, iHeartMedia management had a new person already in mind when Power 96.1 decided not to renew morning host Scotty K's contract last month in a surprise ouster.
The new guy? He goes by PK professionally. His actual name: Panagiotis Kalentzis. His wife Denise will join the show as well and is known as DK. (Power sure likes its K's!)
“I am super-excited to have PK and Denise added to the Power team," said
Brian Michel
, iHeartMedia/Atlanta regional senior vice president for programming in a press release. "I have known PK for years and have always admired his unmatched work ethic and ability to innovate and entertain.”
PK joined Riley Couture Monday morning. She had been part of the previous morning show but stayed on.
His arrival comes three weeks after Scotty K and producer Bret Mega were let go. Their departure happened with no explanation despite the fact the station's ratings were at an all-time high. They were released just as the show peaked at No. 2 among 18 to 34 year olds in January.
PK last worked in Houston as a morning co-host at Hot 95.7 for two years. He said on his website that he left over Christmas because he wasn't enjoying it anymore:
If the answer to all three is yes, I take the job. If the answer to any is no, I check out.
It's a fact and maybe a fault, but it is what it is. I won't speak any further about this situation but to say that one or all three became a no. I'm not blaming anyone and have nothing but appreciation for the time.
From 2000 to 2009, he was the host of the Playhouse morning show, heard on KXJM-FM in Portland, Ore. and other markets. On the Power website, his new show is called the "PK and Riley" show.
Like B98.5 ("Tad and Melissa"), the newcomer who happens to be a guy gets first reference in the show name over the female, who has been in the market longer.
The only male-female morning show in my known Atlanta history where the female got top billing was Cindy and Ray from Star's former Cindy Simmons and Ray Mariner show.
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