Detroit Radio: CC RIFs Two

Renee Vitale, Nick Craig Have Left the Building

The wave of firings at Clear Channel-owned radio stations claimed two more metro Detroit radio personalities on Monday: WNIC-FM (100.3)’s morning show co-host Renee Vitale and WKQI-FM (95.5)’s Nick Craig, the station’s program director and afternoon drive host.

Vitale told the Detroit Free Press,  the toughest part about being let go from WNIC-FM following Monday’s “Jay Towers in the Morning” show is that she won’t be on the air doing the job she loves tomorrow.

“All I’ve known is radio,” the 33-year-old metro Detroit native Vitale said Monday afternoon. “Radio is my passion; I love what I do. But, this is the reality of the industry, the part that is really hard.”

Vitale  first started working with Clear Channel radio in Detroit in April 2010. On Monday, after wrapping the morning show she has co-hosted with Towers since July 2010, Vitale said a representative from the station told her that she was fired and that the “show is being taken in another direction.”

It was unclear on how – or whether – Vitale’s departure would affect Towers, but Vitale said she believes he will remain on the air. His show was still being prominently promoted on the station’s website.

Craig, after 11 years with the company, was told Monday that he was being let go because they were going in a different direction.

“I’m as surprised as everyone else. It’s definitely not the fun part of the business, but you see it happen regularly,” said Craig, who served as WKQI’s assistant program director, music director and afternoon-drive host.

In Detroit, the broadcasting giant Clear Channel owns WNIC, WKQI, WMXD-FM (92.3), WDFN-AM (1130), WDTW-FM (106.7), WDTW-AM (1310) and WJLB-FM (97.9)

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