Cleveland Radio: WMJI Snags Keith Kennedy For Morning Drive

Keith Kennedy

Keith Kennedy, longtime morning host at iHeartMedia’s 98.1 WKDD in Akron, Ohio, is leaving the station’s morning show after 16 years to take over mornings at Classic Hits “Majic 105.7” WMJI in Cleveland.

Kennedy announced the move on air Tuesday morning, June 30. His final morning broadcast on WKDD will be Thursday, July 2.  He begins his new role at WMJI on Monday, July 6.

The shift keeps Kennedy within the iHeartMedia family and moves him “up the road” to the larger Cleveland market, about 40 miles north of Akron. He will continue contributing to WKDD in afternoons while adding morning duties in Cleveland.

As Regional Senior Vice President of Programming for iHeartMedia’s North Ohio cluster (covering Cleveland, Akron, Canton, and Youngstown), Kennedy has been a key figure in the company’s operations. He joined WKDD in December 1998 and has hosted mornings there for the past 16 years, building a loyal local audience with a mix of music, local engagement, and personality-driven content on the Hot AC station.

WMJI, known for its Classic Hits format featuring hits from the 1960s through the 1980s, is a heritage station in Cleveland. Kennedy’s addition strengthens its morning offering as the station looks to maintain strong listenership in drive time.

Listeners reacted quickly to the news on social media, with many expressing appreciation for Kennedy’s long run in Akron while wishing him well in the bigger Cleveland market. Station posts confirmed that a “great show” will replace him in mornings on WKDD, though specific details about the new Akron morning team were not immediately announced.

Kennedy, who started in radio at age 14, has deep roots in Northeast Ohio broadcasting. He and his wife Kara are raising their son Landon in the area.

This move represents one of the more notable personnel shifts in recent Northeast Ohio radio, reflecting iHeartMedia’s strategy to leverage experienced talent across its clustered markets.