iHeartMedia has named Justin Cole as their new Senior Vice President of Programming for its Chattanooga cluster and Program Director of Country “US 101” 100.7 WUSY.
Cole transfers from Nashville where he was Director of Country Programming for Premiere Radio Networks. He has previously programmed Country 93.1 WPOC Baltimore and worked on-air in the Asheville, Charlotte, and Nashville markets. He succeeds Gator Harrison who moved from Chattanooga to Nashville as SVP/Programming at the start of September.
IHeartMedia owns Classic Country “96.1 The Legend” W241AF, Variety Hits “98.1 The Lake” WLND, Country “US 101” 100.7 WUSY, CHR “103.7 Kiss-FM” WKXJ, Active Rock “Rock 105” 105.5 WRXR in the Chattanooga market. Cole will also continue to work with some of iHeart/Premiere’s syndicated Country programming including CMT After MidNite.
iHeartMedia announced today that Justin Cole has been named Senior Vice President of Programming for Chattanooga, effective immediately. iHeartMedia Chattanooga has a strong cross-platform presence and includes a number of iconic brands and franchises — both broadcast and digital — including US101, 103.7 KISS FM, ROCK 105 and more – and produces legendary marquee events including Heart Strings for Hope, Concert 4 A Cause, and Christmas for Kids to name a few.
iHeartMedia has massive consumer reach and influence across multiple platforms and delivers more live programming than any other media company. Cole will work with radio station personalities and program directors to oversee on-air content and music programming for all five stations in the Chattanooga market, including day-to-day Program Director duties for US101.
“As a kid, I told my family I would be a part of WUSY one day, and now that is a reality. I am honored to accept the Senior Vice President of Programming position in Chattanooga,” said Cole. “I look forward to working with the amazing team there to build on WUSY, one of the most legendary brands in Country radio, and to grow the iHeartMedia radio station brands in the market.”
Cole previously served as the Director of Country Programming for Premiere Radio Networks in Nashville; he will continue to work with select programming like CMT After MidNite. Prior to that, he worked in programming and on-air positions in Asheville, Charlotte and Baltimore where he was the Program Director of WPOC.
“We are thrilled to have Justin on the team and look forward to the next chapter for the market,” said Becky Sweeney, Market President for iHeartMedia Chattanooga. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our iHeartMedia Chattanooga team.”
iHeartMedia has the number one reach of any media outlet in the Chattanooga market. Its radio brands and content are available across multiple platforms, including its broadcast stations; online via its branded digital sites; mobile; and social, with nationwide listening through iHeartRadio, the all-in-one streaming music and live radio service – with its more than a billion downloads and 90 million registered users.