iHeartMedia Seattle Senior VP/Programming Rich Davis is returning to Minneapolis as Program Director of Modern AC “Cities 97.1” KTCZ and CHR 101.3 KDWB.
Davis will also serve as Director of Contemporary Hit Music Stations for the Western Great Lakes Region overseeing all the CHR’s in the region. He replaces JB Wilde who exited on Friday. Wilde had replaced Davis at KDWB/KTCZ in March 2015 after previously programming for the company in Atlanta, Greensboro, Hartford, Lexington, and Winchester VA. Wilde may remain with the company in a new capacity.
During his brief 15 month tenure in Seattle, Davis oversaw the shakeup of four of iHeart’s five FM’s in the market in January.
iHeartMedia Minneapolis has announced that Rich Davis will be returning to the Twin Cities as Director of Contemporary Hit Music Stations for the Western Great Lakes Region and as the Program Director for KDWB and KTCZ (Cities 97) in Minneapolis, effective immediately.
As Director of Contemporary Hit Music Stations for the Western Great Lakes Region, Davis will oversee programming for WZEE FM (Z104) in Madison; WRNW FM (97.3 Radio Now) in Milwaukee; and WBIZ FM (Z100) in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He previously served as the Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Seattle.
“I am very excited to work with Rich again and have him leadthe programming for KDWB and Cities 97 in the Twin Cities. His success and experience will be a great influence on the other great CHR stations in our Region,” said Jeff Tyler, President of the Western Great Lakes Region.
“Rich Davis is one of the best programmers in the country, and we’ve missed him since he left the market,” said Gregg Swedberg, Senior Vice President of Programming for the Western Great Lakes Region. “His strategic skills will be put to use across our Western Great Lakes Region as well as the Twin Cities, and I’m looking forward to great things to come for KDWB and KTCZ.”
“As we looked for an innovative leader to maximize the potential of these powerful and legendary brands, Rich was the first name that came to mind,” said Tony Coles, Executive Vice President of Programming¬, Central Division. “We are excited to have Rich Davis back in Minneapolis. His vision, experience in the region, and leadership skills will benefit KDWB, Cities 97, and the entire Western Great Lakes Region.”
“Jeff Tyler gave me my first PD job at Z104 in Madison 17 years ago and I have long history with The Twin Cities, Gregg Swedberg, KDWB and Cities 97. It’s an honor to get to work with my old teams to program those heritage brands again,” said Davis. “I’m also excited to work with the other CHR stations I know well in Western Great Lakes Region. Thanks to Matt Martin, Tony Coles, Jeff and Gregg for bringing me back. Thanks also to Greg Ashlock, Robert Dove, Andrew Jeffries, Kent Haehl and my team in Seattle. We did an extraordinary amount of work and I know those stations are poised for even more success.”
