HOLLYWOOD, FLA. — With the early May departure from Cox Media Group of its CEO, Kim Guthrie, nearly five months after the December 17, 2019 closing of a transaction that created a new media company that is majority owned by private equity funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, some wondered what the future of its radio operations would look like.
In South Florida, the team behind the scenes already looks a bit different — thanks to some notable departures. The latest one involves the cluster’s GSM: He’s driving eight hours north to Charleston, S.C., for a role with iHeartMedia.
AJ Punjabi, a 14-year CMG veteran who in May 2015 was promoted to GSM for WEDR-FM “99 Jamz,” WFLC-FM “Hits 97.3,” WHQT-FM “HOT 105,” and WFEZ-FM “Easy 93.1,” is exiting the Miami-Fort Lauderdale cluster to become Market President for iHeartMedia’s Charleston, S.C., station group.
It’s also a four-station cluster, comprised of Country WEZL-FM, the local home of iHeart personality Bobby Bones; Classic Rock WRFQ-FM, a Bob and Tom Show affiliate; News/Talk WSCC-FM and Adult Contemporary WXLY-FM “Y102.5.”
As Market President, Punjabi will work closely with the programming, business and sales teams and will oversee the stations while reporting to Ron Hill, Area President of iHeartMedia Carolinas.
Hill calls Punjabi “a dynamic leader with a proven track record of building strong relationships and success for his company and their clients. AJ’s experience and leadership skills make him one of the best executives in our business, and he’ll be an excellent addition to our team serving the Lowcountry.”
Prior to his promotion five years ago, Punjabi was Digital Sales Manager for Cox Media Group’s Athens and Atlanta, Ga., stations. He joined the company in September 2006 as an AE and was promoted to Senior Digital Strategist two years later.
Prior to his 2006 graduation from Indiana University, he founded an online company that targeted large classes across numerous majors at the school and sold notes to these classes online: Hoosiernotes.com.
“What an honor it is to be working alongside the successful sales and programming teams in Charleston while representing some of the most iconic brands in the market,” Punjabi said. “My mission is to continue building on a winning culture that positively impacts our employees, stations and the communities we serve. Many thanks to all those at iHeartMedia for this incredible opportunity.”
Punjabi’s departure from Cox Media Group’s Hollywood, Fla.-based station group, originally the home of WHYI “Y-100” under Metroplex ownership, comes just weeks after Gary Williams saw his role as Director of Branding and Programming for “Easy 93.1” disappear, as the position was eliminated. Under Williams, WFEZ launched a decade ago and has successfully surpassed crosstown WLYF-FM “101.5 Lite FM” for ratings supremacy in the market.
Also exiting Easy 93.1: Rob Sidney, the former longtime WLYF PD who handled weekends and some of the station’s liners and promotional announcements.
