Some big changes are happening at iHeartMedia-owned radio stations in Northeast Ohio, including the dismissal of two Canton radio personalities.
Dan Stansbury has been let go as host of The Stansbury Show in the morning on Rock 106.9. And Scott Davidson has been released from all of his positions with iHeartMedia, including as a radio personality at Sunny 101.7 in Canton and Majic 105.7 in Cleveland.
Davidson declined comment, and Stansbury didn’t respond to a message sent on his Facebook page. Stansbury told fans that he’s no longer working at 106.9, where he’s been a radio personality for several years.
“For the record, I was released,” Stansbury wrote on Facebook.
The Stansbury Show has been replaced with the syndicated morning program, Rover’s Morning Glory, which is based in Cleveland.
Davidson’s show on 101.7, promoted as “Canton’s greatest hits,” has been replaced with former MTV VJ Martha Quinn’s syndicated show.
Davidson hosted a show 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays on Sunny 101.7, which plays hit songs from the ’70s and ’80s. He also was a show host at Majic 105.7. Davidson, who has worked in radio since the ’80s, also worked as an anchor on the iHeart Sports Network.
Davidson and Sunny 101.7 hosted and presented John Waite in concert in April at the Lions Lincoln Theatre in downtown Massillon. Keith Kennedy of 98.1 WKDD in Akron and other representatives of iHeartMedia attended the show.
The cuts are part of sweeping staff reductions and cost-cutting moves across the country at iHeartMedia radio stations, and are intended to provide $150 million in savings, RadioInk.com reported.
iHeartMedia is the nation’s largest radio operator, with more than 850 stations across 160 markets.
Big changes at 98.1 WKDD
Kennedy, meanwhile, surprised listeners early the morning of June 30 when he announced that July 2 will be the last day he hosts the morning show on 98.1 WKDD. Kennedy, regional senior vice president of programming for iHeart Media, is a longtime and popular host at the pop radio station. He’s worked at WKDD since December 1998.
Kennedy, however, said he will still be a radio host on WKDD in the afternoon.
The WKDD station is near the Akron-Canton Airport.
Kennedy said he’ll also be hosting a morning show starting next week on Majic 105.7 in Cleveland, also owned by iHeartMedia. Majic plays music of the ’70s and ’80s.
In a message to the Canton Repository the morning of June 30, Kennedy said he cannot comment on personnel matters.
He posted this comment on Stansbury’s Facebook page the morning of June 30.
“This sucks,” he wrote. “I hate it. But I also know you. You have an incredible amount of talent, and sooner rather than later that’s going to be recognized. I’ve watched you reinvent yourself more than once, and every time you’ve come back stronger than before. This is just another chapter, not the ending. You’ll come out on top again. You’re simply too talented and too resilient.”.
Kennedy said on the air that “a great show” will replace him on mornings on WKDD. Tony McGinty, former co-host with Kennedy on the morning show, is no longer on the air at WKDD.
“I know you’re going to be really, really happy,” he said of his morning show replacement at WKDD, referring to it as an established radio program and podcast. “… All I’m going to ask you to do is give it a chance starting next week.”
Kennedy has been a morning show host at WKDD for 16 years.
Referring to 98.1, Kennedy said, “This is still a very special place for me, and I hope it is for you, too” before asking listeners to give his forthcoming morning show a try on Majic 105.7.
“It’s been incredible for 28 years,” he said of WKDD, which he grew up listening to. “It’s going to continue just in another form.”
Reach Ed at ebalint@gannett.com. Follow on Instagram at ed_balint and TikTok @edwardbalint.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated as additional information is available.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Radio shakeup. Changes at 106.9 and 101.7 in Canton and WKDD in Akron
Reporting by Ed Balint, Canton Repository / The Repository
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By Ed Balint, Canton Repository | USA TODAY Network
