Twin Cities Radio: Brian Oake Exits Cities 97.1 FM

Twin Cities radio personality Brian Oake has departed KTCZ Cities 97.1 as part of a raft of changes announced by parent company iHeartMedia on Wednesday.

Oake confirmed to Bring Me The News that he's no longer with the station after the radio giant announced changes to its afternoon schedules that saw Zach Dillon moved from KDWB to Oake's Cities 97.1 drive time slot.

Dillon's co-hosting slot alongside Falen Bonsett on KDWB's "Falen & Zach" afternoon show is being filled by Colt Parkey, who is returning to KDWB after four years in Texas.

The statement from iHeartMedia made no reference to Oake or provide any clarity on his status. He was still listed on the Cities 97.1 schedule on Wednesday, but his picture had been removed from his profile, his name has been removed from the "On-Air" menu, and Wednesday afternoon's show was nonstop music.

"The audience has come to know and love Zach and his smooth style over the years while keeping Minnesotans up to date about what’s hot and happening in the Twin Cities," the statement says. "It’ll be great to take advantage of that for the Cities audience."

Oake was quietly moved to the afternoon slot at Cities 97.1 in November, having rejoined the station as morning show host in 2021. He served as Cities 97 afternoon host from 2001 before moving to mornings in 2012, and then left for rival The Current in 2016. But he left The Current in abrupt circumstances in 2019.

The iHeart announcement says that Dillon, who has been with KDWB since 2016, is taking on the afternoon host/assistant program director duties at Cities 97.1 while retaining his assistant program director duties at KDWB.

Bonsett, who was a longtime KDWB morning co-host on "The Dave Ryan Show," will be joined in afternoons by Parkey under the newly named "Falen and Colt Show."

Parkey is returning to the Twin Cities station after spending time at iHeart Radio's 106.1 Kiss FM at KHKS Dallas. He hosted afternoons at KDWB from 2018 to 2020 before his move to Dallas.

"The debut of the new Falen and Colt Show brings a fresh dynamic to the Twin Cities’ airwaves. With Falen’s 12 years of experience on 101.3 KDWB and Colt’s enthusiasm for interacting with listeners, it’s clear they’ll bring a lot of energy and entertainment to the afternoon time slot," said Greg Alexander, iHeartMedia Minneapolis Market President.