UPDATE 4/13/09 10:55 PM: WKDD program director Keith Kennedy has a statement on the below item, which we’re reprinting here:
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Obviously, Matt is the fabric of WKDD and my hope is he’ll continue to host mornings on WKDD for a very long time to come. You can’t think of WKDD without thinking of Matt. The re-invention of WKDD mornings in recent months with the addition of Krissy Taylor has brought new life into WKDD, and we’re thrilled with the results. Matt is and continues to be the star of WKDD mornings. We’d love to have him on ‘KDD mornings for another 30+ years. On the air, Matt has hinted at retirement, and I hope he’s kidding. When he feels he is ready for a change, we’ll need to be ready, thus the ad.
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And as for the WKDD morning personality himself, Matt Patrick offers this response to OMW:
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My contract expires the end of the year. WKDD and I are having spirited discussions on my future. I was under the impression these were private. Seems we’ve moved into the public arena.
I appreciate Mr. Kennedy’s kind response in OhioMediaWatch, to his ALL ACCESS ad. It’s quite frankly….nonsense..but I guess it makes for fun reading!
I am being guided by my legal team, and beyond this I will have no further comment until such time as WKDD and I come to some kind of agreement on my contract.
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The original item is below:
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We hadn’t yet checked out the AllAccess Job Openings scroll for Monday, when a couple of readers pointed out the job ad we’re reprinting below:
Morning Show Market #74
In just a few short weeks Conan O’Brian has a tough assignment. Like Jay Leno before him, Conan is replacing a legend. Could you do what Conan and Jay have done?
At the end of this year WKDD/Akron will be losing our legend. After almost 35 years in morning drive on the same station, our host is moving onto his next radio chapter in talk radio. Do you have what it takes to replace him?
WKDD-FM is looking for an entertaining personality to anchor morning drive. We are an Adult CHR, entertaining women every morning in their late 20’s – early 40’s. We host family friendly events year round, and our product is the same on the air.
This is not an immediate opening, but we are looking for qualified applicants to possibly begin on January 4, 2010. (This is radio and as you know, things could always change. For example he could stay another 35 years.)
Send all materials including ratings history to WKDD-FM, 7755 Freedom Ave NW, North Canton, Ohio 44720. Attention: Keith Kennedy. Please no calls. Clear Channel Radio is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
It is no secret that the aforementioned Akron “radio legend”, WKDD/98.1 morning icon Matt Patrick, has talked on the air about retiring from his wakeup duties on the hot AC station.
We hear it happened again on the station’s April Fools’ Day morning show…though since he’s talked about it before among other jests, we don’t know if the talk was “for real” or not.
(For more from the “I’m Gonna Talk About Hanging It Up Department”, check out Clear Channel classic hits WMJI/105.7 morning fixture John Lanigan…particularly around contract time.)
As noted in the ad, WKDD’s Patrick has his shoes firmly in another wing of radio, as mid-morning host at sister talk station WHLO/640 (“his next radio chapter in talk radio”). It’s assumed that when he does eventually step down from the WKDD morning show, Patrick will continue hosting his AM talk show.
That’s all we know at this point. We’ll pass along any other details as we hear them…
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