With Philips’ Pick, McVay Returns To Full-Time Consulting

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For nearly 27 years beginning in March 1984, accomplished Adult Contemporary radio programming executive Mike McVay opened the doors to a highly successful consultancy built on his years of experience that started on-air with a Pittsburgh radio station, at age 15.


He was a PD in Los Angeles at the age of 25. He would later play a key role in the launch of Delilah and the John Tesh Radio Show, which without McMay may not have become the ubiquitous syndicated programs they are today.

In August 2011, McVay stepped away from his consultancy to take the role of SVP/Programming at Cumulus Media. He’s ridden the rollercoaster ride at Cumulus ever since: until now.

McVay has exited the company, but he’ll be far from absent at Cumulus.

Effective today (5/6), McVay is returning to full-time consulting — and Cumulus is his first client.

With his exit, Brian Philips has been appointed EVP/Content and Audience at Cumulus, reporting to President/CEO Mary Berner. 

Philips has largely been on the sidelines since June 2017, when he departed his role as President of Viacom’s CMT, formerly Country Music Television.

Philips led CMT since 2001 until his exit, rising from SVP/GM in 2009.

However, radio industry veterans also know Philips for his tenure as the top programming executive at two stations now owned by Cumulus: the former Alternative WNNX (99X) in Atlanta and Top 40 sibling WWWQ (Q100), and Country KPLX-FM in Dallas-Fort Worth.

“We are excited that Brian is joining our leadership team,” Berner said. “A highly accomplished executive, leader, and innovator with substantial experience across today’s media landscape, he comes to us with an impressive and successful track record of growing ratings and expanding audiences. We look forward to benefiting from the skills and expertise he brings to his new role.”

Berner also thanked McVay “for his significant contributions to Cumulus and for being such a great partner to me. Under his leadership, we saw years of ratings share growth and we are currently posting the best ratings since 2011 on some of our biggest and most important stations.”

Philips said of his new job, “I have long respected Cumulus as a leader in the radio broadcasting industry with high-quality local programming and iconic, nationally syndicated brands. I’m eager to join this company and this culture, and to work alongside Mary Berner and the leadership and programming teams to continue driving performance and improving ratings.”