Radio One Atlanta GM Wayne Brown has resigned. His last day is July 3. He said he simply wants to do something unrelated to radio. He's looking to start his own company but isn't being specific yet. "The radio business has been very good to me," he said, after 13 years in New York, nine years in Charlotte and eight years in Atlanta.
You have to give Wayne credit: he helped build Hot into an even bigger powerhouse, took gospel and made it a viable FM station and found a way to turn what was a sleepy R&B Class A signal and make it a top 5 station via Grown Folks Radio. Although smooth jazz has been listing a bit lately, that station has been a low-cost winner as well over the years. In other words, despite Radio One's problems in some other markets, Atlanta has been a shining star and Wayne should leave with pride. (And given the direction the radio biz has been going lately, probably not the worst time to step away.)
From a personal perspective, I told him that he's been nothing but professional with me and I appreciated his cooperation over the seven years I've been covering radio here.
You have to give Wayne credit: he helped build Hot into an even bigger powerhouse, took gospel and made it a viable FM station and found a way to turn what was a sleepy R&B Class A signal and make it a top 5 station via Grown Folks Radio. Although smooth jazz has been listing a bit lately, that station has been a low-cost winner as well over the years. In other words, despite Radio One's problems in some other markets, Atlanta has been a shining star and Wayne should leave with pride. (And given the direction the radio biz has been going lately, probably not the worst time to step away.)
From a personal perspective, I told him that he's been nothing but professional with me and I appreciated his cooperation over the seven years I've been covering radio here.