Mat Bates
Cumulus Media has appointed Mat Bates as program director of KFOG(FM) in San Francisco, and Paul Cannell will also take on the PD role for New Orleans stations WZRH(FM) and WRKN(FM).
Bates was most recently head of programming for rock formats at Pandora. He was previously Global Head of Music and Curation at Rdio, senior manager of radio programming at Slacker Radio, and prior to that, spent a decade in broadcast radio at KXTE(FM), KQXR(FM) and KRZQ(FM).
“I’ve spent the last decade applying the best parts of broadcast radio to emerging digital platforms. I’m really excited to now take the things that music tech does well and apply those to such a legendary and beloved radio station,” said Bates. “KFOG already has all the necessary pieces; it’s up to us to assemble them correctly now.”
Paul Cannell
Cannell has served as PD and on-air personality for stations including WRMR(FM), Wilmington, N.C.; WMFX(FM), Columbia, S.C.; WKLR(FM), Richmond, VA; KOOJ(FM), Baton Rouge, La.; and KTUX(FM), Shreveport, La. He was also digital managing editor for WKBU(FM), New Orleans, and for Townsquare Media’s six stations in Shreveport, La.
“I am fortunate to have already worked with Paul in the past and love his collaborative management style. Paul knows New Orleans, Baton Rouge and the Gulf South and loves the area,” said Cumulus Media-New Orleans Vice President/Market Manager Pat Galloway.
Cumulus Media combines local programming with nationally syndicated media, sports and entertainment brands through its 447 owned-and-operated stations broadcasting, 8,000 broadcast radio stations affiliated with its Westwood One network and numerous digital channels.
