Veteran Country programmer and executive Charlie Cook will be exiting Cumulus Media this spring.
The Country Radio Hall of Famer currently serves as VP/Programming for Cumulus’ Country stations, Operations Manager for the company’s Nashville cluster, and Program Director of “95.5 Nash Icon” WSM-FM and “103.3 Country” WKDF. He is on his second stint with the company as he also was VP/Country Programming from 2006 to 2008. During Cook’s career in Country, which dates to starting at WSDS Ysplanti MI in 1972, he would then work at KLAK Denver, WWVA Wheeling, WHN New York, and KHJ and KLAC Los Angeles before joining McVay Media in 1983 as SVP/Country Programming. He would leave McVay/Cook and Associates in 1996 to join Westwood One as VP/Programming. Between his two runs at Cumulus, Cook would serve as Senior Manager of Country Programming for “Go Country 105” KKGO-FM Los Angeles and Director of Programming for West Virginia Radio Corporation. Cook also has erved as president of both the Academy of Country Music and Country Radio Broadcasters.
Country Aircheck reports that Cook’s last day with the company will be May 31 sharing a note that he told Market Manager Allison Warren, Chief Content Officer Brian Phillips, and SVP/Programming Operations John Dimick in April of 2023 of his intent to find a new challenge. He says, “They asked me to give them a year. Well, here we are almost a year later and it’s time for me to move away from an experience that I have loved for something new and different. Thanking everyone inside Cumulus and in Nashville would fill these pages so I look forward to personally thanking everyone over the next few months.”
Cumulus has already begun the search for a “Music & Brand Content Manager” in Nashville. The full job posting can be viewed here.
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com