“The best time to make changes is when you are doing well,” says Joel Oxley. “And because I’m flipping 65, I’ve decided it’s time for me to hang up my cleats and retire and move on to the next thing, next chapter of my life.”
Thus, he’s set to conclude a 28-year run with WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C., today owned by Hubbard Broadcasting and the nation’s highest-billing station.
Oxley’s retirement announcement was shared on social media platform X on Thursday by WTOP.
After an incredible run leading WTOP News for 28 years, General Manager Joel Oxley has announced he will retire.
Thank you, Joel, for your vision, leadership, and lasting impact on our newsroom and community. Wishing you all the best in this next chapter! pic.twitter.com/fQxbOaFvF4
— WTOP (@WTOP) May 14, 2026
During Oxley’s tenure, WTOP was consistently the top-billing radio station in America, accumulating multiple Marconi and Murrow awards. He made clear in his message that the timing was a choice made from a position of strength rather than necessity. He also said the decision was entirely his own, one he had been weighing for some time. He credited the station’s people as the force that kept him in place so long.
“I look back, and I say, what has kept me here so long? I’m looking at it — it’s the people,” he said. “Of course, I love news. I’ve loved news since I was in college. That’s been the common thread of my career … Oxley added, “I feel just incredibly blessed to have worked with all of you and all of the other great people over the years.”
No successor has been announced.
Oxley’s career start was in sales for the Chicago Tribune newspaper. He then relocated to the National Capital Region, and took account executive positions at Top 40 WAVA under Emmis ownership and WASH-FM in Washington, D.C., before joining the WTOP sales team in 1992.
Oxley first came to national prominence in WTOP’s sales department, rising from National Sales Manager to Local Sales Manager in November 1995. In August 1996, Oxley rose to General Sales Manager. That was under Chancellor Broadcasting ownership. Then came an August 1997 multi-market asset swap that put WTOP, then at 1500 kHz, and Classical WGMS-FM 103.5 in Washington, D.C., in the hands of Bonneville International Corp.Under Bonneville, WTOP was reborn, adding an FM home as Oxley in November 1998 rose to VP/General Manager.
In January 2011, a $505 million 17-station, four-market transaction put WTOP Radio in the hands of Hubbard Broadcasting.
— Additional reporting by Adam R Jacobson
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