Star 94 gets a new brand manager

[rohocop2121]

Here's the press release:




From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Audacy Corporate Communications
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2025 2:45 PM
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Audacy Welcomes Emily Boldon as Brand Manager of Star 94 in Atlanta

AUDACY WELCOMES EMILY BOLDON AS BRAND MANAGER OF STAR 94 IN ATLANTA

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ATLANTA, GA – April 16, 2025 – Audacy welcomes Emily Boldon as Brand Manager of Star 94 (WSTR-FM) in Atlanta. In this role, Boldon will oversee the station’s content strategy, talent, operations and branding.

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”Emily brings a wealth of industry knowledge, and we’re delighted to have her join Star 94,” said Rick Caffey, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Audacy Atlanta. “We’re confident that her creativity, results-driven work ethic and leadership will help elevate the brand to a new generation of audiences, while maintaining the legacy and impact the station has in the community.”

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“I’m very excited to begin this new adventure with Rick Caffey and his team at Audacy in my hometown of Atlanta,” said Boldon. “Star is a fantastic heritage station, and I am eager to grow it to new levels of success in 2025 and beyond."



Boldon brings over two decades of radio programming experience across a diverse range of formats, including AC, Hot AC, Rock and Classic Hits. She comes from Cox Media Group, where she was the Director of Operations for the Atlanta market and Program Director for WSRV-FM and WSB-FM. Prior to Cox Media Group, she held a multi-market leadership role as Vice President of Format at Cumulus, overseeing multiple markets and stations across the country. Boldon is an eight-time honoree of Radio Ink Magazine’s "Most Influential Women in Radio.”



Listeners can tune in to Star 94 (WSTR-FM) in Atlanta on air and nationwide on the Audacy app and website. Fans can also connect with the station via X, Facebook and Instagram.



About Audacy

Audacy, Inc. is a leading scaled, multi-platform audio content and entertainment company that connects with 200 million consumers. Powered by its exclusive, premium audio content that includes unrivaled leadership positions in news and sports radio, Audacy operates one of the country’s two scaled radio broadcasting groups, a rapidly growing direct-to-consumer digital audio platform, multiple audio networks, a major event business and a leading, award-winning podcast studio and network. Learn more at www.audacyinc.com, Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram.

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CONTACT:

David Heim

Audacy

[email protected]

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[RoddyFreeman]

I'm not quite getting this one.

1) They laid off Jerry McKenna, considered a top-notch programmer, in a budget cutback. Then they hired a heavyweight replacement.

2) This seems like a step back for Emily Boldon after having been CMG's Director of Operations for the Atlanta market and PD of two leading stations, B98.5 and 97-1 The River; and prior to that Vice President of Format at Cumulus.

3) Is she going to have a budget that would allow her to add anything--talent in particular--to Star?

At CMG, she reported to Chris Eagan, who recently left. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

 

[lanceventa]

I'm not quite getting this one.

1) They laid off Jerry McKenna, considered a top-notch programmer, in a budget cutback. Then they hired a heavyweight replacement.

Layoffs are quite regularly used in that purpose.

2) This seems like a step back for Emily Boldon after having been CMG's Director of Operations for the Atlanta market and PD of two leading stations, B98.5 and 97-1 The River; and prior to that Vice President of Format at Cumulus.

3) Is she going to have a budget that would allow her to add anything--talent in particular--to Star?

TBD. But it is noticeable that the release did not mention Star's format. I'd be shocked if she's not there to spearhead a revamp.

At CMG, she reported to Chris Eagan, who recently left. Perhaps that had something to do with it.

Where she left at the end of 2023. She's been out of radio since.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Layoffs are quite regularly used in that purpose.



TBD. But it is noticeable that the release did not mention Star's format. I'd be shocked if she's not there to spearhead a revamp.


Where she left at the end of 2023. She's been out of radio since.

What you are saying makes sense if a format change or major modification is in the works.

 

[MrRadio]

I'd be shocked if she's not there to spearhead a revamp.

What you are saying makes sense if a format change or major modification is in the works.

"The New Star 94." It's unique and has a nice ring to it. LOL

 

[secondchoice]

This is weird because I thought they were doing well with female listeners. I wonder if they are going to make a full out run at 98.5? I doubt they go Adult Hits (or something like CBS FM in NYC) because of the older demos. They could easily and cheaply VT from in house folks for either format.

 

[MrRadio]

Why not duplicate the WCBS-FM format for a bit and see what happens? Dropping back into AC to try and compete with the buzzsaw that is WSB-FM seems foolhardy.

 

[secondchoice]

Oldies (I believe Adult Hits is the sellable term now) was a long time ago on 97.1 (Fox 97) when it was Shamrock. Cox bought it and tried Jams 97 in an unsuccessful attempt to dethrone V103. A lot of the Fox 97 announcers ended up at Cool oldies 105.7. That didn't work out so oldies have failed twice on Atlanta. I personally would like a CBS fm clone but I liked all news and that didn't work out in Atlanta either.

It would be cool to bring back the old 94Q as a reminder of the WQXI days when Gary McKee was on a roll ratings wise in the Morning.

 

[MrRadio]

Oldies (I believe Adult Hits is the sellable term now) was a long time ago on 97.1 (Fox 97) when it was Shamrock. Cox bought it and tried Jams 97 in an unsuccessful attempt to dethrone V103. A lot of the Fox 97 announcers ended up at Cool oldies 105.7. That didn't work out so oldies have failed twice on Atlanta. I personally would like a CBS fm clone but I liked all news and that didn't work out in Atlanta either.

It would be cool to bring back the old 94Q as a reminder of the WQXI days when Gary McKee was on a roll ratings wise in the Morning.

I think you and I like similar things and have similar tastes. "Adult Hits" works in other markets, but not here because Atlanta is weird. All-News failed here twice, once in the 1980s (WCNN/680) and with All News 106.7. Why? It makes no sense.

I have also wished that 94.1 would bring 94Q back from the dead. Getting the old WQXI-FM calls shouldn't be a problem since they're not being used anywhere else. Make the new 94Q an Adult Hits station, and while we're at it, why not ask Gary McKee to contribute to the new station?

Bill Cahill was in charge at 94 when they re-branded in late 1989. He was quoted in Radio & Records as saying, "I believe doing it this way is better than saying `We are the new 94Q,' and having people say `What, again?' This is a fresh start for the station."

Does anybody remember "Nuclear 94," the one-overnight-only test of the new 790/WQXI studio that happened about a month before the 94Q/Star 94 flip? Elvis Duran was part of it. I would LOVE to have an aircheck of that. One of the liners was "chainsaw your chihuahua in half." LOL

 

[lanceventa]

I have also wished that 94.1 would bring 94Q back from the dead. Getting the old WQXI-FM calls shouldn't be a problem since they're not being used anywhere else. Make the new 94Q an Adult Hits station, and while we're at it, why not ask Gary McKee to contribute to the new station?

There's a station on 99.7 that may have an issue with the Q name being used.

Also Adult Hits target listeners between the ages of 35-54. "94Q" and McKee haven't been relevant in Atlanta since those on the older end of the spectrum there were in their early teens and the younger end were toddlers. Throw in the fact that Atlanta is a transient market and you'd be building a station around a brand and talent unknown to 95% of your target audience.

 

[MrRadio]

Man, I totally blanked on Q99.7. After dealing with 400 eighth graders today, my mind is mush. LOL

I do think, however, that Adult Hits is worth a pass. I can't think of anything else that hasn't been tried or is currently on the air.

Moreover, let's hope that 94 wouldn't bring back that awful "Jazz Flavors" show.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

This is weird because I thought they were doing well with female listeners. I wonder if they are going to make a full out run at 98.5? I doubt they go Adult Hits (or something like CBS FM in NYC) because of the older demos. They could easily and cheaply VT from in house folks for either format.

Both Adult Hits and Classic Hits (a la CBS-FM) target the high end of the 25-54 demo, which is advertiser friendly. (CBS-FM plays 90’s and based on what I read on that “evil” other board, even some product from the 2000’s.)

Classic Rock is somewhat older. (The River is Classic Rock though they say Classic Hits.)

 

[briancraig]

“All-News failed here twice, once in the 1980s (WCNN/680) and with All News 106.7“

Maybe 3 times, I believe 1480 WYZE was all news sometime in the 1970s

 

[jabba17]

“All-News failed here twice, once in the 1980s (WCNN/680) and with All News 106.7“

Maybe 3 times, I believe 1480 WYZE was all news sometime in the 1970s

I don't know if the original WCNN Headline News simulcast was a failure, but it ran its course. The short-lived Stardust 68 nostalgia format was a failure, especially since 104.1 and its AM side were using the MOYL format. Did Stardust 68 actually use Citadel's Stardust syndicated format?

I still call 94.1 94Q sometimes, but that's almost 40 years removed at this point.

Hot AC goes hard against B98.5. Soft AC would be a vacant lane. I think B98.5 ended their soft AC HD subchannel.

An Adult/Variety Hits that didn't compete with either 99X or River (or TOSOTR, for that matter) would be another possibility. Forget 60s oldies like Fox 97 (Good Times and Eight Oldies) or Cool 105.7 tried. Heck, even 70s AM gold would be a nonstarter. You'd have to not go back any further than the mid-late 70s at the oldest. The fact that B98.5 isn't playing much from the 80s and 90s anymore helps.

Why the hell is Cumulus still putting 99X on 98.9?

One of these days, iHeart will wake up and put the 96 Rock online format on one of the 105.x signals. It won't be a full-service classic rock station with live DJs, but it will successfully eat into River's audience on the cheap.

 

[secondchoice]

One of these days, iHeart will wake up and put the 96 Rock online format on one of the 105.x signals. It won't be a full-service classic rock station with live DJs, but it will successfully eat into River's audience on the cheap.

IIRC when Cox bought 97.1 it was #1 (6+) when Monica interviewed Randy and Spiff on Channel 2 news. It must have been a bad month for the V. I wasn't aware what the money demos way back when but FOX 97 was a canadate to "age out". I do know there was a joke that Cox Atlanta " lusted" for V103's ratings.

105.7 apparently gets a loin's share the national Hispanic ad buys, I don't speak Spanish so I will take David (and others on this board) word that there is a large amount of national radio money for Hispanic programming in Atlanta. So that Northside signal (required to compete with 97.1's northside signal) is not available right now. 105.3 really is an Urban signal (based on the racial breakdown of the zip codes it is strong in.

Supposedly when Audacy and Cumulus merge there could be a shuffling of stations but I don't know when or if politics will allow this merger.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I don't know if the original WCNN Headline News simulcast was a failure, but it ran its course. The short-lived Stardust 68 nostalgia format was a failure, especially since 104.1 and its AM side were using the MOYL format. Did Stardust 68 actually use Citadel's Stardust syndicated format?

I still call 94.1 94Q sometimes, but that's almost 40 years removed at this point.

Hot AC goes hard against B98.5. Soft AC would be a vacant lane. I think B98.5 ended their soft AC HD subchannel.

An Adult/Variety Hits that didn't compete with either 99X or River (or TOSOTR, for that matter) would be another possibility. Forget 60s oldies like Fox 97 (Good Times and Eight Oldies) or Cool 105.7 tried. Heck, even 70s AM gold would be a nonstarter. You'd have to not go back any further than the mid-late 70s at the oldest. The fact that B98.5 isn't playing much from the 80s and 90s anymore helps.

Why the hell is Cumulus still putting 99X on 98.9?

One of these days, iHeart will wake up and put the 96 Rock online format on one of the 105.x signals. It won't be a full-service classic rock station with live DJs, but it will successfully eat into River's audience on the cheap.

I think the only reason 99X is still on 98.9 is the physical dial position is close to 99. It’s a silly reason but yes it is a waste of a signal.

 

[lanceventa]

I think the only reason 99X is still on 98.9 is the physical dial position is close to 99. It’s a silly reason but yes it is a waste of a signal.

That's not the reason...

 

[secondchoice]

I think the only reason 99X is still on 98.9 is the physical dial position is close to 99. It’s a silly reason but yes it is a waste of a signal.

A possible reason to keep the 99x programming on 98.9 is the 100.5 signal frequently gets hammered on the Eastside by 100.5 out of the Greenville market. Last month RDS and audio was WSSL on my car on I 20 eastbound just past 285 (Eastside) on my way to Covington

 

[jabba17]

A possible reason to keep the 99x programming on 98.9 is the 100.5 signal frequently gets hammered on the Eastside by 100.5 out of the Greenville market. Last month RDS and audio was WSSL on my car on I 20 eastbound just past 285 (Eastside) on my way to Covington

Is a 250W translator strong enough to do that?

 

[secondchoice]

Is a 250W translator strong enough to do that?

It depends on the antenna height, distance, terrain and on channel and adjacent channel interference. To be honest both facilites have limitations going east, but you stand a better chance of picking up 99x on 2 channels than one.