Two iHeartMedia CHR stations are reshuffling their lineups. The moves follow the April launch of “The Fred Show” on Hot 99.5 WIHT Washington and Z104.3 WZFT Baltimore.
What We Know Nick Gomez moves from evenings to middays at WIHT. He has been on nights since July 2022 and took on Music Director duties the following January. Gomez also programs iHeart’s TikTok Radio. Before WIHT, he served as student PD at William Paterson University’s WPSC-FM and hosted overnights at Z100 in New York.
What’s At Stake Gomez’s shift to middays triggers a cascade of changes across both stations. Premiere Networks’ “On Air with Ryan Seacrest” moves to nights at WIHT, airing 7-11pm. Seacrest’s show also picks up a new midday slot at WZFT from 10am to 2pm. Meanwhile, Elizabethany slides to 2-4pm at WZFT while continuing her APD/afternoon role at WIHT.
What Remains Unclear No announcement has addressed who fills evenings at WIHT following Gomez’s departure from that slot. It’s also unclear whether additional programming adjustments are planned at either station. The long-term scheduling strategy beyond these moves hasn’t been disclosed.
What It Means These changes carry extra weight in Baltimore, where the shuffle is significant. Z104.3’s lineup now leans heavily on non-local and syndicated talent.
The ripple effect is hard to ignore. One programming decision at WIHT reshaped dayparts across two markets. iHeart is clearly investing in Gomez, moving him into a higher-profile slot — a vote of confidence in his growing company role.
Yet the Baltimore picture raises questions. Adding Seacrest’s syndicated show to middays means less local voice on Z104.3. For a station serving a distinct market, that tradeoff matters. Listeners notice when familiar local personalities give way to national programming.
For both stations, the puzzle pieces are still settling. Whether this lineup holds or prompts further adjustments remains to be seen. What’s clear is that the Fred Show launch set off a chain reaction — and Baltimore felt it most.
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David Hill serves as a Music Radio Editor, Columnist and Features writer for Barrett Media. A radio lifer with more than 30 years behind the mic, in the control room, and in the program director’s chair, David’s career spans influential stops at brands such as WIYY 98 Rock, WBAL-AM, and 99X. He has worked across multiple formats and ownership groups, including iHeartMedia and Cumulus Media, developing talent, breaking music, and navigating every major industry shift from diary to PPM and terrestrial dominance to streaming disruption. When he’s not writing or analyzing the industry, Dave runs The Tune Farm, a marketing firm built to help artists and brands grow audience the same way great radio always has—by creating connection, not just impressions. He can be reached at David@BarrettMedia.com.
