Susan Larkin’s Successor At Entercom/NYC Is …

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For 22 years, he dedicated his professional life to the radio broadcasting operation formerly known as CBS Radio.


He exited in December 2018 as EVP and Chief Content Officer, overseeing programming, research, music initiatives and talent relations. Importantly, he was also a key CBS Radio leader that successfully engineered the Reverse Morris Trust-fueled tax-free merger of the entity, following its separation from the former CBS Corp., with Entercom.

Now, he’s back at Gotham properties this radio industry veteran knows very well, as he’s succeeding Susan Larkin as SVP/Market Manager for Entercom/New York.

Chris Oliviero will assume the role June 1, one that became open when Larkin on March 4 was appointed to succeed Weezie Kramer as Entercom COO.

Entercom’s New York station group is comprised of all-News WINS-AM 1010, News and New York Mets flagship radio station WCBS-AM 880, Alternative WNYL-FM “Alt 92.3,” Hot Adult Contemporary WNEW-FM 102.7, Classic Hits stalwart WCBS-FM 101.1 — home to morning legend Scott Shannon, and recently rebranded Country WNSH-FM 94.7, which Entercom acquired from Cumulus Media.

“Chris is an exceptional leader with proven success developing talent, growing many of our leading brands and building a thriving culture,” Larkin said. “We’re thrilled to welcome him back to take the helm of his hometown where his energy, passion and drive will help further raise the bar of excellence in the top media market in the country.”

Oliviero added, “Radio in New York is an incredibly special place, so to have the chance to return to a collection of the most iconic and influential brands on the dial is humbling. Our stations are in many ways the soundtrack of the city. I am confident that along with all my Entercom New York colleagues we will add to this legacy. I can’t wait to reconnect with so many old friends and of course meet new ones as well.”

Oliviero since January 2019 has served as a strategic advisor to an assortment of media clients at Quake Media, a subscription podcast network that was scheduled to debut in 2020.

But, Oliviero is well-known for his programming experience, which dates to his July 2004 appointment as Director of Original Programming for all Infinity Broadcasting stations. His experience is largely based in the spoken word arena. From 1998-2000 was an executive producer at WFAN, following two years as a Production Assistant for The Howard Stern Show at former flagship WXRK-FM (now WNYL) as an intern while studying at New York University. He was also an Executive Producer from 2000-2004 at WNEW during its “Hot Talk” phase, and later during its short-lived life as Hot AC “Blink.”

It’s an interesting career turn for Oliviero, and for Entercom, which had seen President/CEO David Field publicly bash CBS Radio leadership for their under-appreciation and lack of proper investment in its stations — properties that continue to serve as underperformers nearly two years into Entercom ownership.

On June 22, 2018, Oliviero had a web page on the Entercom corporate website that said he “is recognized for his pivotal role in the creation of CBS Radio’s best-in-class sports audio platform that includes many of the nation’s most successful FM sports properties along with the CBS Sports Radio national syndication network.”

By July 7, that web page was gone, as Oliviero a day earlier had left Entercom.

“Chris has been a key leader over many years at CBS Radio and, more recently, at Entercom,” Field said in a June 22, 2018 internal memo. “He has made a great impact on the organization. We are saddened that Chris is leaving the company, but wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”

Now, Field, Larkin and the Gotham staff have a new reason to be happy, as they welcome a cluster veteran with deep knowledge of the stations back into the family.