NYC Radio: MediaCo Poaches Maire Mason From SBS

Veteran radio executive Maire Mason is leaving Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) to join MediaCo as Vice President and General Manager, overseeing local radio and television operations in New York City, Chicago, and Denver—with plans to expand into additional markets.

The move, announced Saturday, represents a significant leadership change in the New York radio market, where Mason has been a prominent figure since joining SBS in 2018 as VP/GM for its flagship stations (including WSKQ-FM "Mega 97.9" and WPAT-FM "Amor 93.1"). 

Maire Mason

She later expanded her role to include oversight of Chicago's WLEY-FM in 2022.

At MediaCo, Mason will manage a portfolio that includes major New York stations such as Hot 97 (WQHT), WBLS, and Luna 107.5 (among others), along with television assets in these markets. Her new multimarket role positions her to lead integrated radio-TV operations amid ongoing industry consolidation.

Mason brings over 30 years of experience, including prior leadership positions at Cumulus Media (where she launched NASH-FM), CBS Radio, and Univision. Her departure from SBS, a leader in Spanish-language broadcasting, may prompt shifts in management for its key urban markets.

The transition highlights trends in broadcasting where seasoned executives are recruited to handle combined media platforms in major DMAs. Further details on operational changes or additional markets are expected to emerge soon.

Most recently, she served as Vice President/General Manager at Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) starting in February 2018, initially overseeing the New York market's flagship stations—including WSKQ-FM "Mega 97.9" and WPAT-FM "Amor 93.1"—where she drove unprecedented revenue growth and exceeded targets consistently. 

In 2021, her New York team achieved standout performance, and in October 2022, she expanded her role to also serve as VP/GM for Chicago's WLEY-FM, further strengthening SBS's urban and Hispanic-format operations.

Prior to SBS, Mason was Vice President/General Manager at Cumulus Media in New York, where she launched NASH-FM (WNSH-FM 94.7), the company's country music station, and led advertising sales operations. She built and grew the sales team for this new format in a competitive market.

Earlier highlights include a more than 20-year tenure at CBS Radio (later Infinity Broadcasting), where she served as VP/General Manager for iconic New York stations such as WCBS-FM, WNEW-FM, and WXRK-FM (K-Rock), managing programming, sales, and operations for some of the market's most legendary brands.

She also held leadership roles at Univision Communications, serving as General Manager and VP/GM, and briefly at Merlin Media.