Atlanta Radio: WTZA Expected To Flip to Talk

Atlanta entrepreneur Will Regan is bringing back the Talk Host Kimmer on WTZA 1010 AM and W271CV 102.1 FM in February, reports Rodney Ho at ajc.com.

Regan, who started RC Media Partners, plans to take over the lease of two stations from K&Z Broadcasting LLC, which currently airs a Spanish language contemporary Christian music format.
He is then expected to purchase the stations outright.

Kim Peterson

Kim “The Kimmer” Peterson, who recently started a three-times-a-week podcast, said he is going to be on from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. He had been most recently on Talk 106.7 and generated strong ratings. But Atlanta-based Cumulus Media sold the station to Educational Media Foundation last year, which switched to a syndicated Christian music format K-Love.

He plans to keep the podcast going as well. “This feels like a whole new thing and I’ve been in the business for 54 years,” said the Kimmer, who will keep his core staff of sidekick Pete Davis, voice guy and comedy relief Jim Gossett and producer Brent “Flounder” Dundon.

Mike Brooks, a host and former law enforcement officer who was also on Talk 106.7, will join in at 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., said he “hopes the listeners like it and it really takes hold with the audience.” He thinks there is still a hole in the market for a station like this.

Shannon Burke

Regan, who grew up loving Neal Boortz on News/Talk WSB, has no experience in radio but was a huge fan of Talk 106.7. He attended the Shannon Burke going-away party at Oxygen Financial last May and was astounded by the turn-out and the loyalty to the show hosts.

“It floored me,” he said. He watched as no other radio station group was willing to resurrect the station format.  So in August, Regan decided to do it himself. He began hunting for a signal to buy, going up and down the dial. The 1010/102.1 combo was the best deal he could find.

Regan would love to have Burke back but Burke has a full-time gig in Orlando so that may be a challenge.