Audacy has announced a couple of leadership changes to its technical operations business.
Clay Walker has been promoted to vice president of content operations, overseeing the newly-created Content Operations Department. Audacy says, in this role, Walker will be responsible for content operations across the company at the local, regional and national levels.
He will report to Jeff Sottolano, executive vice president of programming. In accepting this new position, Walker will depart his role as director of programming and operations for Audacy Greensboro.
“Clay has already proven himself to be an adept and innovative thinker as it relates to the evolution of our content production and distribution systems,” said Sottolano. “I am excited to see him and John partner more closely with our central, regional and local content and technical operations teams.”
Meanwhile, with the number of critical transmission, distribution, NOC and facilities projects requiring attention, John Kennedy, senior vice president of technical operations, will oversee a “refocused broadcast engineering function.” Kennedy will manage Audacy’s acquisition, distribution and production equipment and solutions, including Audacy’s Network Operations Center. He reports to the company general counsel.
“With expertise in broadcast engineering standards, regulatory needs and equipment, the broadcast engineering function is accountable for ensuring that Audacy’s radio and streaming solutions have 99.99% uptime and meet listener, advertiser and FCC expectations,” said Audacy in a company press release.
Walker has 20 years of experience in the broadcast industry, 17 of which spent at Audacy. Kennedy joined Audacy in 1999. He serves on the NAB Radio Technology Committee and is a member of the Society of Broadcast Engineers and the IEEE/Broadcast Technology Society.
