WRNN 99.5 Program Director and morning show host Dave Priest has departed the Myrtle Beach news/talk station amid larger cuts at Dick Broadcasting.
Priest hosted mornings alongside Joe Cattenacci for The Hot Talk Morning Show in the South Carolina city. Originally a rock radio DJ in the market, Dave Priest shifted to news/talk at WRNN in 1997 and interviewed candidates like Barack Obama and Donald Trump during his tenure with the station.
“I know I had a lot of ideas, a lot of thoughts, and a lot of beliefs that run contrary to the average South Carolina man or the average person here on the Grand Strand,” Priest told The Post and Courier. “But even though I wasn’t a red hat-wearing kind of person, I still had a lot of people that were in my corner and supported me and what I had to say.”
Priest had been in the market for more than 35 years. He added that listeners have been vocal in their support of him and their opposition to his removal.
“It kind of makes you feel like what you’ve been doing all these years matters, that people actually like what you had to say,” he said. “So, it’s good to get that feedback and support.”
According to the newspaper, Dick Broadcasting cut 8% of its total full-time staffers across its markets. Joe Cattenacci remains in the morning daypart for the station.
We have been listening to Dave Priest on WRNN 99.5 for over 16 years of living here in Myrtle Beach, ever since he cohosted with Steve Porter. We’ve ALWAYS enjoyed him and his team !!
Don’t know why you’d let a veteran talk show host like him leave, especially without a farewell show or tribute to his loyalty all these years, and ESPECIALLY no mention of him since leaving or why. I will now change the station to Liz Callaway mornings on 94.5, unless you quickly get Joe C. the help he needs with the broadcast. Joe is good, but he can’t do it all and needs at least one more cohost.