Veteran radio and TV personality Christopher “Crash” Clark, recently laid off from 99X as a morning host, has landed a new job covering traffic at WSB radio.
Ken Charles, WSB director of operations, branding and programming, sent a note to staff Friday announcing Clark’s hiring, which Clark posted on his Instagram page.
“I’m excited to announce that well-known local traffic personality Crash Clark is joining the WSB traffic team,” Charles wrote. He went on to add, “Crash’s knowledge of Atlanta traffic and his long time experience in the market make him a great addition to our award winning traffic team.”
He said Clark will begin Monday, Sept. 14.
“Truly blessed beyond belief to share this news,” Clark wrote. “WOW. Here we go!”
Neither Charles nor Clark responded to texts and calls from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday.
Clark’s Atlanta media career goes back to 1989 on then-top 40 station Power 99. He stayed when the format changed to alternative rock in 1992 and became 99X. On the Morning X, he played the party-loving goofball. He was also the traffic guy on hip-hop station Hot 97.5 as “Crash D.”
After getting fired in 2005 by 99X over a radio stunt, he cohosted a show in Boston with two other 99X alums, Rich Shertenlieb and Fred Toucher. He eventually returned to Atlanta and worked for Dave FM and V-103 before landing his TV traffic job at 11Alive in 2014.
About 18 months after 99X was revived, Clark began working part time with the new Morning X while maintaining his full-time job at 11Alive.
The TV station didn’t renew his contract at the end of 2025. A few weeks later, he was given a full-time job at 99X that was ultimately short-lived.
WSB Radio’s traffic team has been led by “Smilin’ Mark” McKay since 2014.
‘Sports Extra’ ends after 24 years
11Alive recently ended “Sports Extra,” a long-running Sunday night sports highlights and talk show.
The show used to air for 30 minutes after the regular 11 p.m. newscast.
Instead, the entire hour is now news with sports segments interspersed, said Todd Spessard, 11Alive’s news director.
“It’s the same amount of sports content spread out over the entire hour,” Spessard told the AJC. “It elevates the sports content.”
“Sports Extra” was hosted by sports anchor Maria Martin with help from Reggie Chatman Jr.
Credit: 99X/STAR 94
Credit: 99X/STAR 94
Music format tweaks at 99X, Star 94
Both 99X and Star 94 have made modifications to their respective formats after both made big changes to their on-air staff.
Last month, 99X cut many veteran staff, including Clark, Steve Barnes, Steve Craig and Jill Nelson.
In recent days, 99X has added newer songs into regular rotation by acts such as Turnstile (“Look Out for Me”), Julia Wolf (“In My Room”), Temper City (“Self Aware”), Dominic Fike (“Babydoll”) and Atlanta pop-punk band The Paradox (“Get the Message”). The station also is playing multiple cuts from Noah Kahan, sombr and Tame Impala.
Meanwhile, Star 94, which dropped its Kevin & Taylor morning show last month, is reverting to a more traditional adult pop format it was known for after a six-year foray into dance pop and hip-hop. It now sounds a lot more like B98.5, its most direct rival, which has consistently brought in bigger ratings than Star for much of the past 20 years.
The station’s new slogan is “Star 94, Atlanta’s best variety of the ’90s to today,” replacing “Atlanta’s upbeat variety.” B98.5’s current slogan is “‘90s, 2K and today.”
Star, on top of playing current songs by sombr, Ella Langley, Djo and Olivia Dean, is now featuring songs it played in heavy rotation in the 1990s, such as Natalie Imbruglia’s 1997 hit “Torn,” Aerosmith’s 1998 ballad “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” and Vanessa Carlton’s 2002 pop hit “A Thousand Miles.”
The more hardcore hip-hop songs Star was playing a few days ago, such as T-Pain’s “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’),” Baby Bash’s “Suga Suga” and Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” are largely gone.
Joy FM officially adds 97.9
The owners of the Joy FM Christian pop format have officially taken over the 97.9 FM signal from Atlanta-based Cumulus Media.
Since 2014, 97.9 has aired classic hip-hop as OG 97.9, which features Atlanta hip-hop artist Chubb Rock as a DJ and host. OG is now on 98.9, a weaker signal than 97.9, which had previously simulcast 99X.
Radio Training Network, which is based in Lakeland, Florida, purchased the signal. The Federal Communications Commission has cleared the deal, which was first announced in May.
This will give the owners of Joy FM another Atlanta-area signal, which is strong inside I-285. Since 1998, Joy FM in Atlanta has been heard on 93.3, more of a southside signal centered south of Newnan. For a time, Joy in Atlanta used local talent like Jerry Williams, who joined the station in 1998 and hosted afternoons for 13 years until 2024 and remains operations manager for the Georgia stations.
Joy in Atlanta now uses shows based in Florida.
Joy also has signals in Gainesville (100.3), Lawrenceville (92.5), Columbus (102.1) and Macon/Warner Robins (also 102.1). Radio Training Network has stations in seven states.
Credit: Fox 5 promo photo
Credit: Fox 5 promo photo
New Fox 5 meteorologist hired
Fox 5 recently added new meteorologist Marquise Meda, a Massachusetts native who has spent most of his broadcast career in the Southeast.
He is now providing forecasts during the midmorning hours of “Good Day Atlanta” as well as the noon and 4 p.m. newscasts.
Meda previously worked at WESH Channel 2 in Orlando, Florida and the Weather Channel in Atlanta.
According to his Fox 5 biography, he was inspired to go into meteorology after following Hurricane Katrina two decades ago while he was in middle school. He earned his master’s degree in atmospheric science at the University of Massachusetts and worked as a combat weather forecaster in the U.S. Air Force.
Meda is the station’s fifth meteorologist, joining chief Joanne Feldman, Laurann Robinson, Alex Forbes and Jonathan Stacey.
David Chandley retired from the station in April after 11 years as chief meteorologist.
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