Mike Marino built a career on adaptability, moving fluidly between Rhythmic AC, Modern AC, and Urban AC radio at stations coast to coast. Industry colleagues are now remembering him following his death Thursday after a private battle with cancer.
Friend and business partner Jason Hillery, Operations Manager for Midwest Communications’ Green Bay properties since 2004, shared the news of Marino’s passing on social media, saying, “He put up one heck of a fight and never let his diagnosis deter or distract him from working with morning shows around the country and programming his syndicated Urban AC format. Anyone who knew Mike knew he was the king of many formats, but Urban AC was his baby, and he mastered it.”
Marino got his start as Music Director and Assistant Program Director at KGGI in Riverside, California, in 1988, where he spent five years helping the station “quadruple” its music against competitors on its way to strong ratings. In 1994, he moved to San Francisco for a one-year run as Assistant Program Director at KMEL-FM. In January 1996, CBS Radio hired him to launch KMXB, “Mix 94.1,” in Las Vegas.
From there, Marino programmed WKRQ in Cincinnati and KHHT in Los Angeles, before taking on similar duties at KYSR under Clear Channel ownership starting in September 2005.
Since 2001, Marino operated as President of GotRooster.com, formerly known as TheBitXChange Prep, and AmeriCountry.com Content Services. He also consulted for the conservative talk show The Regular Joe Show, Marker Broadcasting’s Rhythmic Adult Contemporary station KMRJ-FM in Palm Springs, California, and KOKO-FM 94.3 in Fresno. From 2012 through August 2019, he consulted for a Rhythmic AC station owned by Max Media.
