iHeartMedia has named Mike Kaplan as Program Director of Alternative “Alt 104.5” WRFF Philadelphia.
The move marks a return to iHeart for Kaplan where he programmed “Alt 98.7” KYSR Los Angeles from 2013-17. He most recently was with Audacy as Senior VP of Alternative Programming and PD of “Alt 92.3” WNYL New York (and later 106.7 KROQ Los Angeles) from 2018 until last year. Kaplan has also programmed Alternative “96.5 The Buzz” KRBZ Kansas City and “107.7 The End” KNDD Seattle plus CHR “B97” WEZB and Classic Rock “Bayou 95.7” WKBU New Orleans. He began his career in New Jersey working on-air in Atlantic City and Trenton and programming Nassau Broadcasting’s Monmouth/Ocean cluster.
With the addition of Kaplan, current WRFF Program Director Amber Miller will move down to Assistant Program Director and continue to host nights.
iHeartMedia Philadelphia announced today that Mike Kaplan has been named Program Director of ALT 104.5, Philly’s Alternative Rock station, effective immediately. iHeartMedia Philadelphia has a strong cross-platform presence and includes a number of iconic brands and franchises — both broadcast and digital — encompassing more than six stations comprised of music, talk and news formats.
iHeartMedia has the leading consumer reach and influence across multiple platforms and delivers more live programming than any other media company. As Program Director for ALT 104.5, Kaplan will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the station’s music, programming, imaging and branding. He will report to Derrick Corbett, Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia Philadelphia. Amber Miller stays on board as ALT 104.5’s Assistant Program/Music Director and will continue to hold down the 7:00 p.m. to Midnight air shift.
“We’re excited to add a programmer like Mike with a proven track record of excellence to the Philadelphia cluster, said Derrick Corbett, SVP of Programming. “We’re happy to have him back in the company and can’t wait to watch him grow the ALT 104.5 brand.”
Kaplan is an accomplished multi-formatted Content Director with Programming stops in New Orleans, Seattle, New York, and Los Angeles, where he led iHeart’s KYSR, rebranding as “ALT” and teaming with the now nationally-syndicated THE WOODY SHOW, which rose to the #1 position in morning drive. In 2019 and 2022, Kaplan was named among Radio Ink’s Top 50 Programmers in America.
“I can’t thank Thea Mitchem, Tom Poleman, Brad Hardin, and Derrick Corbett enough for supporting my return to the iHeart family in my beloved hometown of Philadelphia,” said Kaplan. “It feels like coming home in more ways than one, especially collaborating again with The Woody Show. Here’s to leading the dynamic ALT 104.5 team and creating more unforgettable moments!”
This story first appeared on radioinsight.com