Pittsburgh Radio: Newsradio KDKA Adds Rick Dayton for PM Drive

Rick Dayton

Entercom has announced news veteran Rick Dayton as afternoon drive host for Newsradio KDKA 1020 AM / 100.1-FM, the authoritative news and talk voice of Pittsburgh. “KDKA Radio Afternoon News hosted by Rick Dayton” will be heard weekdays from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., effective December 7.

“Rick is ingrained in the local community and has a tremendous news reputation in the market,” said Michael Spacciapolli, Senior Vice President and Market Manager, Entercom Pittsburgh. “He is a beloved personality who will engage the listeners daily with content and information and I’m excited to welcome him to our weekday lineup.”

“After spending more than a decade back home in western Pennsylvania, I am honored to join KDKA Radio and build on its iconic legacy,” said Dayton. “To talk with KDKA’s loyal listeners each day and to discuss important issues is something I do not take lightly. I cannot wait to get those conversations started on Monday afternoon.”

Dayton is a broadcast news veteran with over 30 years of experience. Previous roles include sports director for the North Carolina News Network; reporter and anchor at WOWK in Charleston/Huntington, WV and anchor for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. He most recently served as a fill-in host for KDKA Radio Afternoon News and also hosted the station’s “Pre-Debate Tailgate” on the evenings of the presidential and vice-presidential debates.

At KDKA Radio, Dayton is taking over the time slot recently occupied by Wendy Bell, a controversial and opinionated host who was removed from the air by Entercom in early September after suggesting on her show that park rangers “shoot on sight” people vandalizing public monuments, reports TribLive.com.

Though she brought negative publicity to KDKA, Wendy Bell had a significant number of loyal followers. For his part, Dayton, who has accumulated his own large share of fans with his congenial manner as a television news anchor and quizmaster, said he is bringing his own style to the radio airwaves. And he added that he has not been urged to be as provocative as his predecessor.

Last May, CBS, owners of KDKA-TV, announced staff cuts and Dayton was among the casualties. It left many of his devoted followers in shock but he took the dismissal in stride.

“Television was never about me being on television. Television happened to be the way that I went about telling stories, but it wasn’t who I am,” Dayton said. “So, to go to KDKA Radio now and be able to do it on radio, sure you don’t have pictures, but that’s one of the things that I can’t wait to do. To be able to use my voice, to be able to use my contacts, to be able to educate, to be able to inform, to be able to help other Pittsburghers when they have difficulty or trouble, that’s what I’m so excited about.”