End of the Line for 'Chunky Radio' at NOW FM

Chunky, the wild personality who worked nights at 92.3 NOW FM/WXRK since its flip in March 2009, is out. Chunky did his final shift yesterday at the CBS-owned Contemporary Hit Radio station. Starting Monday, ex-Philadelphia morning co-host, who also uses just one name--Zann-- gets the 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. starting Monday, according to All Access. Chunky, who remains under contract with CBS for an unspecified time, has no future radio plans for the moment. "I'm kind of trying to see what's out there," he tells FishbowlNY. "I'm going to test waters a little bit." The handwriting may have been on the wall for Chunky when Rick Gillette was brought in as program director in March. "It could be," Chunky admits. "It could be anything. Just going in a different direction, that's what I got." Although he wasn't happy exiting, Chunky understands it is radio's "M.O." "I don't really think about stuff like that," Chunky admits. "I just keep it going." Chunky made his way to New York when previous PD Dom Theodore hired him. He had also worked for Theodore in Detroit. During the three-year run, the ratings blossomed. The most recent Arbitron overall figures show the station in eighth place with a 3.3. But Chunky says he didn't focus on the ratings breakdown for his nightly show. "We did everything we could to grow the cume [listership]," Chunky says. "It's kind of like going on a diet...It's a long-term thing, especially in the New York City market where everybody is fighting for tenth of shares." He says the experience was filled with positives, primarily because of his interaction with the fans. "Everybody was so great... I tried to connect with people and tried to talk to them a lot," Chunky says. "We were in the clubs a lot and you get to meet a lot of listeners. Everybody was really nice." Along with the loyal listeners, Chunky saves his biggest praise for his former employer. "I had a really good time there. I loved CBS, they [took] great care of me," Chunky says. "Everything was awesome."

Fishbowl

End of the Line for 'Chunky Radio' at NOW FM

Jerry Barmash

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Jerry Barmash