More adjustments to morning radio

For those who listened to Atom Smasher and Maria Todd in the mornings on KRBE, you’ve probably noticed their absence this morning. Last Friday was their last show on the Top 40 station. Cumulus Media, which owns KRBE, announced that a new morning show team will be debuting on July 24th.

Though we can’t get our hands on the specific numbers, it seems that the KRBE morning show never truly recovered in ratings from the departure of Sam Malone last year. No details have been released about the new morning show, but we’re sure it will include bad jokes, fake laughter, clueless listener’s phone calls and plenty of music from artists that you’ll forget this time next year.

It looks like there may be more changes in store for KRBE. The station's Program Director, Tracy Austin, has accepted a similar position at a radio station in Australia and will be moving down under when her contract expires next month. Also, rumor is that long-time afternoon DJ Scott Sparks is leaving the station sometime this month and may be moving to mornings at the newly-named K-Hits 107.5.(We wish all four the best – they are some of the nicest people you will ever meet.)

It’s doubtful that the format of KRBE will change. The station is still ranked in the Top 10 in ratings and it’s been a flagship Top 40 station for decades (it’s the only one left in the Houston market). We’ll wait and see if the new morning show can veer us away from our satellite radio and iPods Houstonist listens to on the way to work. We doubt it will.