After years of hosting both a morning music show on one Clear Channel station in Tampa and an afternoon talk show on another station in the cluster, Todd Schnitt has made it official that he is cutting back to only one show. His alter ego of “MJ Kelli” will sign off from the “MJ Morning Show” next month.
“We can’t thank MJ enough for his 18 years of solid performances in Morning Drive in Tampa,” said Doug Hamand, Operations Manager, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment. “We know he will have continued success entertaining listeners on The Schnitt Show.”
“It has been a real honor working with MJ. He is already a ‘Hall of Famer’” said Tommy Chuck Program Director, WFLZ. “Although I am sad we will no longer have the MJ Morning show on WFLZ, I’m excited to see all that he’ll achieve with Clear Channel and The Schnitt Show.”
“I am extremely proud of our unparalleled 18-year morning drive success in the market,” said MJ. “I have been doing two completely diverse shows for over a decade and now I can focus on the growing national footprint of The Schnitt Show, plus I’ll be able to drive my children to school in the morning!”
The last day for the MJ Morning show on WFLZ-FM will be Friday, February 17th. Clear Channel said it will announce a replacement show in the near future. The company will also have to fill slots on the two other stations where the show airs: KSLZ-FM St. Louis and WNWW-FM Jacksonville, FL.
Using his real name, Todd Schnitt will continue to host “The Schnitt Show” weekday afternoons 3:00-6:00 pm ET. The show originates from WFLA-AM Tampa and is syndicated nationally on nearly 50 stations nationwide, including XM Extreme Talk 165 and Clear Channel’s KOGO San Diego; WCCF, Ft. Myers; WIOD, Miami; WFLA and WHNZ, Tampa; WSCC, Charleston and 92.5, San Antonio.
RBR-TVBR observation: Thus ends a long-running in-market rivalry between MJ and Bubba the Love Sponge, who just renewed his contract with Cox Media Group’s WHPT-FM Tampa. From our Bradenton, FL office we happened to hear Schnitt tell fans on his talk show earlier this week that he didn’t expect to renew his existing contract with Clear Channel unless he was willing to take a big pay cut – so it’s not surprising that they agreed to renew only one show.
