History has been made at Cumulus Media Detroit’s WJR-AM. For the first time in the station’s 101 years on air, a woman will serve as Program Director. The company announced that 40-year WJR veteran Ann Thomas will fill the role. She previously served as the Assistant Program Director and Executive Producer for WJR.
Thomas started as an intern in 1982 before securing a full-time role as a Producer of WJR’s The Other Side of the News. Her hard work and talent saw her advance to become an award-winning reporter and anchor. In 1999, Thomas took on the role of Executive Producer for the Paul W. Smith Show. Apart from her mainstream duties, Thomas also made significant contributions to The Healthy Woman Show, Opportunity Detroit, The WJR Gardening Show, and Women Who Lead, a show she initiated 11 years ago.
In a concurrent announcement, Cumulus Media revealed the promotion of Mike Wheeler, the former WJR Program Director, to Operations Manager for Cumulus Detroit/Ann Arbor. In his new role, Wheeler, a Detroit native, will oversee operations for Cumulus Media’s four Detroit stations and four Ann Arbor stations.
Cumulus Detroit Market Manager Steve Finateri said, “Ann Thomas is the heart and soul of WJR and has been deserving of this move for a very long time. Her fingerprints are already all over this heritage, award-winning radio station, but we are all excited to see what the future holds with Ann in the driver’s seat!”
Thomas commented, “I am deeply honored to be promoted to WJR Program Director. WJR is THE ‘Great Voice of the Great Lakes,’ and I am looking forward to serving our audience in any way I can.”
