She began her career as an Account Executive and Sales Manager for Hoker/Paxson Broadcasting in January 1985. A decade later, Latham joined the Clear Channel Communications family, taking on the role of GSM for its Jacksonville stations following Paxson’s sale of its stations to a Clear Channel precursor.
Clear Channel is today known as iHeartMedia, a company Barbara Latham has spent the bulk of her 39 years in Radio. At the end of the first quarter, she’ll be concluding her time in the industry.
Effective March 29, Latham will officially retire as Area President for iHeartMedia in Central Florida, where she oversee the company’s Orlando and Melbourne-Titusville-Cocoa Beach properties.
Latham stepped into that role in March 2021, overseeing 16 brands with her promotion from SVP. In the Space Coast, iHeartMedia’s stations are comprised of Talk WMMB-AM, Top 40 WFKS-FM and Adult Contemporary WLRQ-FM. In Orlando, iHeart’s properties are comprised of Adult Contemporary WMGF-FM, Top 40 WXXL-FM, Tropical WRUM-FM, Rock WJRR-FM, Talk and Alternative hybrid WTKS-FM “Real Radio 104.1,” News/Talk WFLF-FM and W226BT “WFLA,” Sports Talk W245CL “96.9 The Game,” Latin Rhythmic W246CK “Mega 97.1,” Urban W283AN “104.5 The Beat,” and Spanish-language News/Talk WRSN-AM 810 and W250CE “Acción 97.9.” There are also three HD multicast brands in Orlando: Smooth Jazz WLOQ (on WMGF-HD3), Country “104.1 The Bear” HD3, and Alternative “Alt 101.1” HD3.
“Barb has excelled in multiple roles throughout her tenured her career at iHeart. Although we will miss her leadership and strategic thinking, we wish her nothing but the best as she begins this exciting new chapter,” said Tom McConnell, an iHeartMedia Division President.
Latham commented, “I am so excited about this new chapter in my life. 39 years flew by! I’m happy to have worked for iHeart for almost four decades, and I’m honored to have had the opportunity to work with and lead a tremendous team of professionals and iconic brands.”
Latham’s retirement comes after the April 2022 retirement of Division President Linda Byrd. Her successor, former Cox Media Group President/CEO Kim Guthrie, in early December 2023 “decided to take a step back from her day-to-day role as Division President and will become a Strategic Advisor,” the company said at the time.
