Cumulus Media’s new Urban AC morning show hosted by Rick Party and Sasha The Diva debuts this morning on a dozen plus Cumulus Media stations.
The list of stations confirmed to be airing the show at launch are:
- Baton Rouge – “Q106.5” KQXL
- Charleston SC – “Magic 107.3” WMGL
- Columbia SC – “Kiss 103.1” WLXC
- Florence SC – “Magic 94.3” WCMG
- Huntsville AL – 94.1 WHRP
- Kansas City – “Magic 107.3” KMJK
- Mobile – 104.1 WDLT
- Muskegon – “V100” WVIB
- New Orleans – 102.9 KMEZ
- Pensacola – “Magic 106” WRRX
- Savannah – “Magic 103.9” WTYB
- Tallahassee – “96.1 Jamz” WHBX
The show is promoting that ten additional markets including Atlanta and Chicago are forthcoming. Cumulus has also added Tanita Myers as Director of Production and Operations to head up the show. Myers joins Cumulus after 14 years at Radio One’s Reach Media, where she most recently served as Senior Director of Radio Operations.
The show is hosted by former “Hot 105” WHQT Miami afternoon host Rick Party and “Kiss 104.1” WALR Atlanta afternoon host Sasha The Diva along with comedian Benji Brown. Party, who exited WHQT in May, also has spent time at WGCI and WKSC Chicago, WBLS New York and WEDR Miami. Sasha The Diva first came to Atlanta in 2002 and spent two terms at WALR. She previously worked in Baltimore hosting middays at “Magic 95.9” WWIN-FM.
Recognizing the need to attract and engage younger listeners to Urban AC radio, Westwood One, the largest audio network in the U.S., plans to revolutionize the format with the launch of Rick and Sasha , debuting today. More than 15 stations have already signed on to shake up their mornings, including KMJK-FM/Kansas City, KMEZ-FM/New Orleans, WDLT-FM/Mobile, WRRX-FM/Pensacola, and WLXC-FM/Columbia, SC.
Rick and Sasha features two of the most popular Urban voices in the country — former Hot 105 FM/Miami personality Rick Party and former Kiss 104.1 FM/Atlanta personality Sasha the Diva. Both have major market ratings success and plan to turn that experience into ratings gold in national syndication. Rick and Sasha will entertain and engage 25-54 Urban AC listeners looking for great music, hot conversation, a connection to community, and interactive discussions, while super-serving females 35-44.
Armando Rivera, a former programmer at WVAZ/Chicago and a current Urban radio consultant, weighs in on the current state of Urban Adult radio and the pairing of Rick and Sasha. “Urban AC Radio can’t be locked in with what worked 20 years ago. A person who was 20 in 1998 is now 40 years old, and like everything else, the format needs to evolve and adapt. The cycle of life is out with the old and in with the new. Right now, the new is Rick and Sasha,” says Rivera. “I don’t see anyone outside of them that can take the mic and execute successfully while also adapting to where Urban AC radio needs to be at this time.”
The Rick and Sasha team recently added former network executive Tanita Myers to head the Production/Operations team for the show. Myers spent the last 14 years at Reach Media, most recently as Senior Director of Radio Operations. Myers is excited to be on board with “something that is so fresh, new, and authentically energetic.”
Mike McVay, EVP of Content & Programming for CUMULUS MEDIA and Westwood One, says, “Rick and Sasha will be the next big stars for the Urban AC format. Stations receive programming and talent that can win not just now, but for the next five and 10-year cycles. It’s the most exciting thing that has happened in Urban radio in a very long time, especially within an industry in need of undeniably rich content. Their chemistry is so natural and memorable.”
Rick and Sasha airs live mornings from 6-10 am in all time zones across America and is available for other dayparts and Urban formats. You can hear more from Rick and Sasha in this video.
Are you ready to shake up your mornings? For more information on Rick and Sasha and how it can serve your station, contact Neal Bird, nbird@westwoodone.com or (310) 840-4207, or Gary Bernstein, gary@oceanictradewinds.com or (508) 245-1776.
