Tom Kent

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For other people with the same name, see Thomas Kent (disambiguation).

Tom Kent (born in Winston-Salem, North Carolina), is an American radio personality. As the head of the Tom Kent Radio Network, he hosts syndicated daily, weekend and 24/7 programming each week on AC, HOT AC, CLASSIC HITS, and CHR stations nationwide, which, as of February 2011, is distributed through United Stations Radio Networks. [1]

Biography

Prior to becoming syndicated, Kent worked on the air and in programming at top 40 radio stations WLS in Chicago where he was not only a high profile air talent on the station but was also programming assistant to John Gehron. Kent also worked on the air at KLIF in Dallas, WIBG Philadelphia, WGCL and WIXY in Cleveland, WMXJ in Miami, WAVA in Washington, D.C. where he was also the Program Director and WBZZ (B-94) Pittsburgh.

In addition, Kent worked in the music industry as a promotion executive for Elektra Entertainment, which was a division of Time-Warner's Warner Music Group. While an executive at Elektra, Kent received many awards including "Promotion Rookie of the Year" and "Promotion Executive of the Year" both separate and individual awards in different years. He helped break and bring to the national music spotlight national music recording super star artists Tracy Chapman, Third Eye Blind, Keith Sweat, Moby, Natalie Merchant, Simply Red, Missy Elliott, Gerald Levert, Metallica, Yolanda Adams, and En Vogue.

Tom Kent Begins Syndication

On June 29, 2002, Kent, launched the Tom Kent Organization and its radio network, the TKO Radio Network. It was here that Kent launched what was then oldies programming, centered around the decades of 1964 to 1973. Drawing on inspiration from classic Top 40 disc jockeys, Kent's goal was to create a broad-based persona that, while still appealing to the "adult power demo" (persons 25 to 54, many of whom listened to Top 40 radio at a young age), would be enjoyed by all ages. During this time, Kent created and hosted the programs "Into the Seventies," a five-hour weekly program devoted to 1970s music, and "Hall of Fame Coast to Coast", a general six-day-a-week oldies program. The programming was immensely successful and significantly boosted ratings on the stations it aired. In 2006, Kent turned the network into the "Classic Top 40" network, renaming the weeknight show from "Hall of Fame Coast to Coast" to "Classic Top 40 Weeknights." The long term goal was to create a 24-hour network out of this with similar programming.

Exactly five years after Kent launched the network, on June 29, 2007, he resigned as host and sold the company. The company continued operations through at least 2010 without Kent, some of the content is also distributed through USRN.

Founding of Tom Kent Radio Network

On March 16, 2008, Kent launched a new network, the Tom Kent Radio Network. The initial offerings of the new network are featuring Tom Kent's shows which are being offered 24/7. The network is planning on introducing live shows hosted by other personalities in the future. Programs hosted by Kent include a five hour totally live daily show called, "Tom Kent" as well as two different weekend shows: "The Ultimate Party" (a live five hour Saturday evening party show) and "My 70s Show" (a five hour 70s show). The new network has already begun building a lineup of stations across the country, many of whom also carried his previous offerings. Shows on the new network are live and target adults 25-54. The new Tom Kent Radio Network now has more than 410 affiliates since its launch on 3/16/08.

On March 16, 2010, exactly two years after launching the network, Kent launched two new shows. "Your Live Request Show" which is a daily lunch or drive time live request hour that also doubles as a five hour weekend show. The other "show" is a voice-tracking system identified as "C.L.A.S.S." (an acronym for customized linked automatic system solution). This program is a new show that links Tom Kent's personality in with a local station's music opening the door for TKRN programming for all English speaking music formats all over the world.

On October 27, 2010, The Tom Kent Radio Network launched "LOVIN' LIFE LIVIN THE 80's" with 23 new stations including CHICAGO, COLORADO SPRINGS, and ORLANDO. The program is five hours in length and is being delivered via satellite for weekend programming at radio or a one hour daily feature. It celebrates the pop, the rock and the soul hits of the 1980s and his hosted by Tom Kent.

On April 18, 2011, The Tom Kent Radio Network launched a 24 hour Classic Hits network called "24/7 FUN". The network features Bill Shannon in the morning, Steve Kent and Jackie Newton mid-days and Tom Kent on afternoons and nights. All personalities are also covering weekend shifts.

Kent entered into a distribution deal with ABC Radio Network in February 2009, replacing the departing Dick Bartley.[2] Since February 2012, Kent has since been with United Stations Radio Networks.[1]

Personal life

Kent lives in suburban Cleveland, Ohio with his wife, three kids and two dogs. Kent and his family moved back to Cleveland in 1988 and have lived there since. His son, Steve Kent, fills in on occasion for him on the air. Steve also hosts a portion of middays on Tom Kent Radio Network's "24/7 FUN" channel as well as daughter Jackie. Tom Kent's wife Karen works behind the scenes at the network.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.usrn.com/usrnweb/pages/about/press/PressReleases/TOMKENT.asp
  2. ↑ http://www.citadelmedianetworks.com/Article.asp?id=1095283

External links

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