Matt McMaster has joined 1620 The Zone in Omaha, Neb. as the new host of its morning show, working in the daypart alongside veteran Gary Sharp. The newly branded Gary and Matt Show is slated to air on weekday mornings through the outlet from 6 to 10 a.m. EST.
“I want to thank the very kind folks over at NRG Omaha for giving me this incredible opportunity,” McMaster said in a statement posted to X. “I want to thank everyone at the UNL College of Journalism who helped me prepare for the show of a lifetime. I cannot wait to get back to the Good Life and begin what I know will be an incredible journey with the Gary and Matt Show.”
McMaster, who is a former producer at Good Karma Brands-owned ESPN Chicago, is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where he studied broadcast journalism. He has worked with NRG Media in the past, reporting on sports and news for KLIN Lincoln and anchoring the weekend Husker Hour. Moreover, he has called sporting events for his alma mater while also appearing on the Big Ten Network. Earlier in his career, McMaster was the recipient of an award from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association as well.
“We are excited to have Matt come back to Nebraska and join 1620 The Zone,” Steve King, media operations manager at NRG Media, said in a statement. “His energy combined with his knowledge of Nebraska sports made him the perfect person for the job.”
McMaster’s addition is the latest move in a series of changes that has occurred at the multimedia entity over the last several months. Morning show host Nick Handley announced his departure from the sports talk station last month after he had worked in the daypart for two years. In a message posted to social media, he divulged that the station had declined to renew his contract. Handley had joined the outlet after a nine-year stint at AM 590 ESPN as the host of afternoon drive while also providing play-by-play for Nebraska Cornhuskers baseball.
Additionally, former program director Mark Onwiler, who worked in the role for nine months, recently exited the position and shared that he was unexpectedly in the market for a new job. This past Tuesday, he revealed his new position at the University of Missouri as the manager of Mizzou Student Media.
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