Originally posted Wednesday, May 8, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
In what seems to be the longest goodbye in recent Atlanta radio history, Talk 106.7 is still pumping out humorous and sometimes caustic talk about the issues of the day.
But its time is running short, with perhaps six or seven more weeks of life left. On February 13, Educational Media Foundation purchased several Atlanta-based Cumulus Media stations in different markets to install its syndicated Christian pop format K-Love.
The changes never happen immediately because the Federal Communications Commission has to sign off on it and that process can take a few months.
So instead of immediately killing off Talk 106.7, Cumulus decided to give its existing on-air staff time to find new jobs while still allowing them to do their shows. Effectively, the shows they're doing are auditions for their next gigs. Among the hosts affected: Shelley Wynter, Shannon Burke, Mike Brooks and Kim "The Kimmer" Peterson.
After nearly three months in this weird limbo, mid-morning host Burke said he heard he may still be getting a paycheck through late June. But if he finds a job sooner, Cumulus will let him go, no questions ask, and waive any non-compete clauses if he stayed in market.
Burke, who previously had success on different Florida talk radio stations, has been with Talk 106.7 since 2016. He said he has one solid offer right now but not in Atlanta.
Brooks is already committed to providing commentary no the new Court TV and has a weekend show on 920/WGKA-AM. Wynter said he is feeling good about other radio offers. The Kimmer said if all else fails, he could pursue streaming and podcasts.
The most famous of all the stations Cumulus is selling is WPLJ-FM in New York at 95.5. That station is signing off May 31 after nearly 50 years as a pop/rock station.
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