Who’s Been Crowned iHeart’s Top RDU Leader?

0

In October 2016, a radio industry veteran who began his career nearly 30 years earlier at storied global Rocker WRNO in New Orleans left the business. He joined an Austin-based marketing and advertising shop, serving as a senior account manager.


The radio bug just bit him, and he’s packed his bags and is heading to the Triangle region of North Carolina for his new job. It’s with the nation’s No. 1 radio broadcasting company.

Now serving as Market President for iHeartMedia‘s Raleigh-Durham cluster: Alan Kirshbom.

He joins iHeartRadio from the Lee Tilford Agency in Austin, where he has been for the past 18 months.

Before that, Kirshbom held the role of VP/Market Manager for Cumulus Media in Memphis.

As Market President, iHeart says, “Kirshbom will be responsible for leveraging iHeartMedia Raleigh’s radio station brands and assets to provide quality programming and create new revenue opportunities. He will spearhead all aspects of the market’s operations including sales, programming, digital, events and promotion initiatives.”

He now reports to Dave Carwile, President of iHeartMedia’s Virginia/Carolina Region.

“We are thrilled to have Alan leading our team in Raleigh and are confident he’ll have an immediate and positive impact in the market,” Carwile said. “Alan combines a proven track record of sales leadership, creating culture and driving revenue growth. He will provide a great compliment to our outstanding sales and programming leadership for our stations.”

Kirshbom began his career in 1987 at WRNO, which enjoyed a worldwide audience thanks to its shortwave signal during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

From 1988-2000, he was a sales executive at iHeart predecessor Clear Channel; he then jumped to Cox Communications, serving as an LSM for a year. In 2001 he went back to radio, taking over as GSM for Entercom’s New Orleans stations.

In 2004, Kirshbom moved to Entercom’s Milwaukee stations, taking the role of Director of Sales. In September 2005, he was promoted to VP/GM — a role he’d have until early 2010, when Entercom transferred him to take on the title in Austin.

He exited Entercom/Austin in March 2015 and joined Cumulus’ crosstown stations in August 2015.

“iHeartMedia’s Virginia/Carolina Region has assembled a world class winning team armed with all the innovative tools iHeartMedia has to offer,” said Kirshbom. “I am proud and thrilled to call Raleigh my new home. Together, we will continue to raise the bar on delivering successful marketing solutions for our clients and serving our community.”

The iHeartMedia stations serving the Raleigh-Durham market include heritage Top 40 WDGC-FM “G105,” Talk WTKK-FM, Classic Rock WRDU-FM, Country WNCB-FM, and “Alt 95.3,” heard on W237BZ in Clayton, N.C.