For radio industry veterans, the name Jack Taddeo will certainly ring a bell. Forty years ago, Taddeo was the PD and OM of WRCP-AM “Philadelphia Gold” and WSNI-FM “Sunny 104.5” in the City of Brotherly Love. He later rose to prominence in the mid-1980s as PD for then-Viacom owned WLIT-FM in Chicago.
By the late 1990s, he was a SVP/Programming for SFX Broadcasting and, then, Capstar Broadcasting ahead of that entity’s acquisition by Clear Channel Communications. This followed a 6 1/2-year run as a programming consultant specializing in Hot AC formats.
Fast-forward to today, and Taddeo is back at one of the nation’s biggest ownership groups. This time, he’s heading to Iowa’s state capital to oversee five stations owned by Cumulus Media.
Taddeo has been tapped as VP/Market Manager of the group, comprised of News/Talk KBGG-AM 1700, KJJY-FM 92.5 “NASH Icon,” KHKI-FM “Nash 97.3,” Rock KGGO-FM 94.9, and Classic Hip-Hop KWQW-FM 98.3 “The Vibe.”
He arrives in Des Moines following a 3 1/2-year run working with Mary Quass as Market Manager for NRG Media‘s Waterloo-Cedar Falls-Cedar Rapids-Iowa City station group.
In Des Moines, Taddeo reports to Cumulus EVP/Operations Bob Walker, who said, “We are thrilled to have a broadcaster like Jack Taddeo to lead the Cumulus team in Des Moines. Jack’s passion for broadcast and the impact it has in communities is contagious.”
Taddeo added, “I am very excited to be joining the team in Cumulus Des Moines at such an exciting time. We have such heritage brands serving a great Midwest market and I want to thank [CEO] Mary Berner, Bob and [Cumulus programming head] Mike McVay for the opportunity.”
Taddeo has also been a station owner, and through Radio K-T Inc. was the licensee of WLKN-FM 98.1 in the Manitowoc-Sheboygan, Wisc., area from 1999-2009. From 1995-2000 he was the co-owner of four stations in the Champaign-Urbana, Ill., market.
