R.I.P.: Liz Wilde, Influential Former Radio Personality

Liz Wilde (1971-2024)

Radio personality Liz Wilde has died from complications of cancer. She was 53. 

She left a significant legacy in the radio industry. Starting her career in 1985 at WIIS and WAIL in Key West, FL, she was initially known as "Ann with The Plan"1. Her big break came at WSHE in Miami, where she rebranded as Liz Wilde and launched The Liz Wilde Show, which became a game-changer in rock radio1.

Liz Wilde’s influence extended beyond her radio shows, as she was known for her connections with notable figures like Gene Simmons and Lenny Kravitz.

Wilde, born Anne Whittemore, was best known for her shock jock radio program Liz Wilde. After much success at WSHE as the evening air personality, Liz moved her show to the Northeast, taking over the night shift of rock station WAAF-FM in the Boston, Massachusetts radio market. After having great success in the evening slot for 18 months, The Liz Wilde Show was moved to afternoon drive-time setting record ratings for WAAF and making them competitive with rival rock station WBCN (FM) in that daypart for the first time. 

With her ratings success in Boston, Wilde moved to WLUP in Chicago, Illinois in March 1995. Her show aired in the morning drive-time slot from 6am-10am on WPLL in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She moved on to rock-and-roll pioneering station WMMS 100.7 FM in Cleveland, Ohio. Her show also aired on KLLI in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas market, and most recently on WRXK in Ft. Myers, Florida from November 2004 until March 2006.

At the pinnacle of the Liz Wilde Show's popularity, the show was nationally syndicated on over 34 radio stations in 2001 by radio company Fisher Entertainment. The company dropped the show after selling its Portland, Oregon stations KOTK and KWJJ to Entercom Communications, and merging the Fisher Entertainment division and other Fisher subsidiaries into the main company Fisher Communications.