Pat Paxton has left Audacy according to a company-wide memo distributed by David Field. The memo states that Jeff Sottolano will be promoted to EVP of Programming.
Paxton served as Audacy’s Chief Programming Officer. Field described him as “a key leader in the organization for the past 21 years, spearheading programming and playing a critical role in helping us build many of the industry’s greatest brands.”
Fields’s note also says “Pat has left an outstanding legacy at Audacy which will stand the test of time. We deeply appreciate his many important contributions to our success and everything he has meant to this company.”
Before joining what was then Entercom, Paxton served as national program director for Nationwide Communications and Adventure Communications. He also ran stations in Houston, Orlando, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Iowa and even spent time on TV as a weatherman.
Audacy’s sports stations have thrived under Paxton’s leadership. The acquisition of CBS Radio’s stations in 2017 instantly catapulted the company to the format leadership position, thanks to owning and operating powerhouse brands such as New York’s WFAN, Philadelphia’s WIP, Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket, Chicago’s 670 The Score and others.
The future of Audacy’s programming across all formats will likely continue evolving but for those working on the sports side, the news about Sottolano’s ascension should be seen mostly as a positive. He recently played a role in the launch of the BetQL Audio Network, and prior to moving up at CBS to a corporate role, he once programmed WIP in Philadelphia.
