There are radio hires that fill vacancies.
Then there are radio hires that send a message.
This one feels like the latter.
Audacy has tapped Dave Jackson to become the new Brand Manager of 105.5 Kiss-FM (WKXJ), adding Chattanooga to an already impressive portfolio that includes some of the most recognizable brands in the Carolinas.
And while it may look like a simple addition of responsibilities on an organizational chart, don’t be fooled.
This move says a lot about what Audacy believes Chattanooga can become.
Because Dave Jackson isn’t being handed the keys because he’s available.
He’s getting them because he has a track record.
For more than a decade, Jackson has programmed B93.7 (WFBC-FM) in Greenville, helping guide one of the South’s most successful CHR stations through an era when Top 40 radio has faced more competition than ever before.
TikTok.
Spotify.
YouTube.
Podcasts.
Gaming.
Social media.
Every screen and speaker imaginable competing for attention.
And yet, B93.7 has remained a force.
That’s not luck.
That’s execution.
Before Greenville, Jackson sharpened his competitive instincts at SummitMedia’s Hot 98.1 (WHZT), programming one of the region’s top rhythmic brands. Long before the management titles arrived, he was learning the business from the ground up as a mixer—building instincts that can’t be taught in conference rooms or PowerPoint presentations.
And maybe that’s why this story feels different.
Dave Jackson understands both the art and the science of radio.
He knows the music.
He understands talent.
He recognizes that listeners don’t care about internal strategy meetings.
They care about whether a station feels like part of their lives.
Now, he turns his attention to Chattanooga.
And let’s be honest…
105.5 Kiss-FM already has a legacy.
Generations of listeners have grown up with the station.
First crushes.
Prom nights.
School drop-offs.
Summer road trips.
Breakup songs.
Victory songs.
The soundtrack of growing up in southeast Tennessee and northwest Georgia.
The challenge isn’t introducing Kiss-FM to Chattanooga.
The challenge is keeping it essential.
According to Audacy, Jackson will work alongside the existing local team while focusing on maintaining the station’s community connection and continuing to evolve the brand for today’s listener.
Translation?
This isn’t a teardown.
It’s a tune-up.
And if history is any indication, competitors should probably take notice.
Because Jackson has quietly built a reputation as one of those programmers who doesn’t chase every shiny object.
He focuses on consistency.
Culture.
Connection.
The little things listeners notice even if they can’t quite explain why.
The station sounds tighter.
The personalities sound more invested.
The promotions feel more local.
The experience simply feels… better.
Top 40 radio has never been more challenging.
Audiences have endless choices.
Loyalty isn’t guaranteed.
Attention spans are shrinking.
Which is exactly why leadership matters.
Dave Jackson now inherits one of Chattanooga’s most recognizable brands.
The question isn’t whether he’ll change it.
The question is how much stronger he can make it.
Because if his past success is any indication, Chattanooga’s pop landscape may have just added one more reason for listeners to stay on the preset.
And somewhere in the Scenic City, another CHR programmer probably just updated their competitive analysis.
Because Kiss-FM didn’t just hire a Brand Manager.
It hired someone who knows how to compete.
On The Dial covers breaking radio industry news, including layoffs, programming changes, talent moves, and broadcast trends across the United States.
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