One of Atlanta’s most popular radio personalities is off the air, thanks to cost-cutting by the owner of her station.
Kristin Klingshirn has left Top 40 WWWQ (“Q99.7”) after fourteen years at the station, 13 of those as one of the members of The Bert Show, a successful, nationally syndicated, long-running morning show hosted by Bert Weiss that lasted until 2025.
She found out as she was taking her son to school, hours from hosting her new afternoon show, launched only six months ago on the station.
“I was let go from Cumulus Media today,” Klingshirn posted this morning on Instagram. “I’ll have more to say later. Right now, I’m gonna process and discuss plans with my husband. And then I’m gonna pick up my son from school. Because I can now.”
The Kristin Show is her just-launched 2-7 pm afternoon show with co-host Ethan Cole. As of 8:30 PM, The Kristin Show and her bio remain on the Q99.7 website. There is no word at this time on the future of that time slot in the wake of Klinshirin’s departure.
Klingshirin started her radio career in 2002, doing promotions and on-air work in Lexington, Ky., and Raleigh-Durham, NC, before she came to Atlanta and Q99.7. She joined the station in 2011, after the departure of original host Jenn Hobby. Other former members during her time on The Bert Show include Jeff Dauler, Wendy Adams, Davi Crimmins, and Cassandra Young.
Klingshirn is the most popular local Cumulus Media pro to depart from the Atlanta station group (WNNX, WKHX, WWWQ, OG98.7) non-voluntarily since WNNX “99X” Morning X co-host Leslie Framm left the station with little fanfare earlier this year.
Cumulus Media did not comment on Klingshirn’s departure. But many of her former co-workers did…
| “This is BEYOND messed up. Bigger and better things ahead.” – Cassandra Young
“I’m so proud of what you did with your shift with very limited boundaries. You show who you are every day as a performer but even more important as a person. The state of the industry is abysmal. You are a casualty of it. Never doubt how talented you are!” – Bert Weiss “This sucks to hear. I know technically we were competitors, but I always loved the two person afternoon Show and one of that concept to keep doing well because selfishly I would love to do that as well. This is no way is an indicator of the talent of either Kristin or Ethan. Radio has become a brutal business and the wrong people get fired a lot… I know that from experience. Both of them will continue to do great things but getting fired is never easy. It’s a tough transition and I wish them both well.” – Brian Moote (Star 94 host, former Bert Show member) “Better things ahead!!!” -Tracey Kinney (Bert Show producer) |
Cumulus Media is in its second round of Bankruptcy in a decade and is in the midst of a national wave of cost cuts that have led to the terminations of talent nationwide at its owned stations. National radio trade publication Radio Insight has a running list of departing Cumulus talent (including Klingshirn) due to the Atlanta-based radio company’s cost-cutting. The company has also sold a few of its key stations in recent years, citing the need to cut back on debt. Cumulus is currently reorganizing while awaiting court approval of an extension in some Chapter 11 bankruptcy deadlines. It is also waiting for FCC approval to complete the restructuring process. If the restructuring is approved, Cumulus hopes to eliminate nearly $592 million in debt.
Other major radio groups with an Atlanta presence, iHeart Media and Audacy, have also made similar cost-cutting moves very recently.
Photo credit: WWWQ Q99.7
