Audacy has announced the promotion of AAA 93.1 WXRT Chicago Brand Manager Greg Solk to Vice President of Programming and Operations overseeing the company’s six brands in the market.
Solk joined the then-CBS Radio cluster in February 2017 as Program Director of AAA 93.1 WXRT and the former Classic Hits 104.3 WJMK. He previously was Senior VP of Programming for Hubbard Radio from 2011 to 2016 and previously held that title for Bonneville before Hubbard purchased multiple markets from the company. Outside of two years as PD of AAA 104.5 KFOG San Francisco in the early 1990s, Solk’s entire career has been spent in Chicago where he started as an intern at 97.9 WLUP and eventually served as VP/Programming of that station and “97.1 The Drive” WDRV, which is was instrumental in launching.
Audacy states that intends to launch a search for a new Brand Manager for WXRT.
Audacy has promoted Greg Solk to Vice President of Programming and Operations for its Chicago market, effective August 1. In this role, Solk will oversee programming and operations strategy for 93XRT (WXRT-FM), 104.3 JAMS (WBMX-FM), US99 (WUSN-FM), WBBM Newsradio (WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM), 670 The Score (WSCR-AM) and B96 (WBBM-FM). Solk had previously served as Brand Manager of 93XRT since 2017.
“Greg has been an invaluable partner who is respected and appreciated by his team at WXRT, across Audacy, and throughout the industry,” said Rachel Williamson, Regional President and Market Manager, Audacy Chicago. “He has been influential in the success of many of the biggest brands across Chicago and I could not be more excited to promote him into this enhanced role overseeing our Chicago programming strategy.”
“The past four and a half years at WXRT have been among the most rewarding of my career — especially the opportunity to work alongside legendary talents,” said Solk. “Along with so many others behind the scenes, this team returned WXRT to the top echelon of our great city’s broadcast properties. Now, I look forward to continuing to work with Rachel and our group’s superb brand/programming leaders. Together we will do our best to continue enlightening, entertaining and delighting the millions we serve on our airwaves and through our growing digital channels.”
Solk began his programming career in 1983 at The Loop (WLUP-FM) in Chicago at the age of 21. He took on additional responsibilities with the creation and programming oversight of the ground breaking Comedy/Talk WLUP-AM 1000 in the Spring of 1986. In 1992, Solk headed to San Francisco to program AAA KFOG and then returned to Chicago two years later to create and launch Sports Radio 1000, WMVP. In 1997, Solk joined Bonneville Broadcasting first to program Chicago properties, including the creation of The Drive, and then went on to become Senior Vice President of Programming for Bonneville in 2005, overseeing 32 stations in nine markets. When a portion of Bonneville was sold to Hubbard Broadcasting in 2011, Solk took on Senior Vice President of Programming for the company’s seven markets and remained until 2016. In February of 2017 Solk joined then CBS Radio as Program Director and Operations Manager of 93XRT and WJMK (now sister station 104.3 Jams).
The station will conduct an immediate search for Solk’s replacement as Brand Manager for 93XRT.