Cumulus Media Names Brian Philips EVP/Content & Audience

Cumulus Media Inc. today announced that it has appointed Brian Philips as Executive Vice President, Content and Audience, effective May 6, 2019. Mr. Philips will report to Mary G. Berner, President and Chief Executive Officer of Cumulus Media.

He succeeds Michael McVay, who is returning to full-time consulting, with Cumulus as his first client.

Brian Philips

Philips brings to Cumulus Media more than 30 years of leadership and programming experience across a range of media. He previously served as President of Viacom/MTV Network’s CMT channel, where he led the music network’s successful forays into long-form script series, tentpole awards shows, concert specials, and feature films. He also developed CMT’s successful national radio network. Under his stewardship, the channel grew from 36 million to a peak of 90 million homes, and set the record for the longest documented ratings growth streak among ad-supported cable networks.

Before his work in television and film production, Philips enjoyed an award-winning radio career, with more than 15 years leading radio programming at a number of major market stations, including Cumulus stations WNNX-FM and WWWQ-FM (Atlanta), and KPLX-FM (Dallas-Ft. Worth).

Berner said, “We are excited that Brian is joining our leadership team. 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 added, “I would also like to thank Mike 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, “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.”

Mike McVay

Berner further comment, "Three and a half years ago and two days into my tenure at Cumulus, I made my first trip to Nashville with Mike McVay. It was clear from the initial and abundant feedback from our programmers that our corporate programming effort needed a reboot. Mike agreed. So as we headed to the office from the airport, I asked him, “What would you do if you were me?” For the rest of the ride, he outlined a broad plan for change and by the time we reached our destination, I was convinced that Mike was the perfect guy to lead our programming organization. It’s always nice to be right but, given how much was at stake, it was especially great to be right about Mike.

"Mike’s accomplishments since his appointment as EVP, Content and Programming in 2015 are too numerous to count. To name just a few, under Mike’s leadership of the Office of Programming, we reversed four years of ratings share declines, and saw years of ratings share growth. We are currently posting the best ratings since 2011 on some of our biggest and most important stations. Mike has helped to expand Westwood One’s programming, participating in the launch of several new shows, including the very successful The Ben Shapiro Show. Mike has also led us in increasing our reach beyond over the air listening to include smart speakers and all online listening. The “collective contests” he initiated have greatly benefitted our markets from small to large. And perhaps most importantly, his commitment to our FORCE values has driven a significant improvement in our programming culture. A reboot, indeed.

"Last summer, Mike told me he wanted to return to the flexibility of his highly successful consulting career. I asked, and he agreed to stay on to ensure a smooth transition and to lead the search for his replacement."