Virgin Takeover is going to need a new host
Virgin Radio 96 is losing another personality, but at least this time it’s not another poaching from The Beat.
Tony Stark, the evening announcer who hosts Virgin Radio Takeover and Virgin Live on CJFM-FM from 7pm to midnight Monday to Thursday, as well as Sunday afternoons, is leaving to return to CJCH-FM (101.3 The Bounce) in Halifax, where he’s accepted a job as their afternoon drive host. Stark came to CJFM two years ago from CJCH, where he hosted the 10am to 2pm timeslot.
Stark’s last day at Virgin hasn’t been decided yet. He’s currently substituting for the vacationing Andrea Collins as the afternoon drive host there.
It’s “gonna be tough to leave a great city like Montreal,” Stark tells me, but an opportunity for a high-profile job in a market he’s familiar with (and has “a great vibe”) was just too good to pass up.
CJCH-FM is owned by Bell Media, which is in the process of buying Astral Media and CJFM.
Virgin has posted an opening for Stark’s position, with the same on-air times. Interested parties can apply to brand director Mark Bergman by Aug. 14.
Bergman jokes: “In search for people with the names Clark Kent, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker!”
UPDATE (Aug. 12): Stark isn’t leaving after all. Bergman and Stark said this weekend that he’s actually sticking around, for unforeseen and unspecified “personal reasons.”
Another happy Astral employee!!
The high turnover rate of staff at Astral speaks volumes about management on Fort Street. Hello Virgin? I have a request: Could you play “Exodus” by Bob Marley?
or “another one bites the dust”
Was that his real name ? Wish someone on radio was named Johnny Fever…..
Mysteries of “personal reasons”. It is all encompassing and no one dares ask questions for the reasons may be distasteful to our sensitive self absorbed lives. A great parlour trick by PR people. “I’m leaving politics for family reasons” “how dare you bring his family into this discussion, they are off limits, shame on you” “I am prolife and my unwed, teenage daughter is pregnant and we are extremely religious” “what contradiction, stop asking questions about their beliefs this is not the time or place”
Lovely game this personal reasons.
I suppose, but this isn’t some mysterious resignation. It’s a mysterious un-resignation. Something has changed, and it’s not so ridiculous to think that it might, indeed, be personal.
Pingback: Isabelle Racicot joins Virgin Radio – Fagstein