Shocker! Darryl Parks OUT At Clear Channel

Darryl Parks

He often referred to himself at “EE”, as in Essential Employee, in his Facebook page posts, but no longer.  Darryl Parks has been fired by Clear Channel Media+Entertainment.

New York-based company spokesperson Angel Aristone confirmed the move with a “he’s no longer with the company” comment and would not elaborate. 

Parks had set the attitude and oversaw the programming for The Big One, WLW in Cincinnatisince 1997.  He was so successful at his job that WLW ranked #1 in all but two months during his tenure.  And since 2010, Parks also pulled double duty with corporate responsibilities as VP for N/T Operation.

Weekends and holidays often found the 54-year-old Parks pulling duty as an on-air as host.  Parks was indeed not only CC’s essential employee, according to media writer John Kiesewetter, he was arguably the most influential person in Cincinnati radio.

Facebook postings expressed shock and dismay:

• Anyone can play music, read sports scores, or buy billboard advertising. Darryl understands tapping in to the passion of the audience and truly connecting with the listener in a way that makes them fiercely loyal to the station, personalities and brand. He puts his heart into his work and expects nothing short of greatness. Listener
• Can't believe it!! You are certainly a force that will be missed. Clear channel is crazy! Listener
• Cincinnatiradio lost an icon today. I'm sorry to hear that you were let go. Listener
• Sad to hear the news that Clear Channel let you go. Their restructuring process must include having lower ratings and revenue.
• Stunned too ... but not. We all know what we all know. Good things are to come for you. Of this I'm certain. Carolyn Gilbert
• Aw Darryl.....I will help you make great content any time and anyplace! Mark Ramsey
• He is Exhibit A for the powerful effect great radio has on listeners. It becomes a part of your life and you don't realize how attached you are until it's pulled out from under you. Listener
• Unbelievable. Clear Channel is certifiably nuts to have let go of Darryl Parks, former WLW programming director and weekend talk show host. As an avid listener and occasional caller to his show, I will miss him tremendously. He is Exhibit A for the powerful effect great radio has on listeners. It becomes a part of your life and you don't realize how attached you are until it's pulled out from under you. Listener

Kiesewetter addsed:  "Parks had a hand in almost every aspect of WLW-AM: talk show topics; the self-effacing promotions; network feeds for Bill Cunningham, Gary Sullivan, the Reds and Bengals; driving the audience to podcasts and online videos and blogs; helping launch Jerry Springer’s national radio show from WCKY-AM; and planning the dozens of studios when WLW-AM, WEBN-FM, WKRC-AM, WCKY-AM and WSAI-AM moved from Mount Adams to Kenwood.

He also supervised Gary Burbank, Jim Scott, Mike McConnell, Eddie Fingers, Tracy Jones, Andy Furman, Dale “Trucking Bozo” Sommers, Steve Sommers, Tom Gamble, Richard Skinner, Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty and everyone else heard on the “Big One” for the past decade."