I'm actually still on vacation, so I'm not able to do any original reporting on the press release about Nancy Alexander's move from the morning drive shift to afternoons on WMTX-FM (Mix 100.7) next Monday.

I will note that, in typical press release fashion, it appears to bury the big news a bit -- saving the fact that longtime area media personality Alexander will be replaced in mornings by a program syndicated from New York City, Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, for the last paragraph.

Also towards the bottom, comes news that Alexander will get a new partner. Her current co-host Chris Randolph moves to the late morning, 10 a.m. shift and assistant program director Kurt Shriner joins her in afternoons.

One other thing it didn't mention at all; among the big commercial stations in mornings, Alexander was the biggest female star standing, with past jobs as a feature reporter on WTVT-Ch. 13 and status as a finalist for the co-hosting job with Regis Philbin which went to Kelly Ripa (especially after Clear Channel's decision to let Sharon Taylor go from the morning team at sister station WFLA-AM).

Now that Alexander has been moved to afternoons, it seems the big local morning radio shows on WFLZ-FM (933 FLZ), WLLD-FM (Wild 94.1), WHPT-FM (The Bone) and WFLA-AM (Newsradio 970) either don't feature women among the core staff or feature them in mostly supporting roles. Generally, morning shifts are considered the more prestigious in commercial radio.

I've often talked about my bad luck with vacations; big news always breaks while I'm away, it seems. Until I can get back to the office tomorrow, click below for the text of the press release:

Nancy Alexander Moves to Afternoon Drive on Mix 100.7/WMTX-FM - TAMPA BAY
 

Clear Channel Tampa’s WMTX-FM/Mix 100.7 moves their best talents around!  10 year morning vet, Nancy Alexander, will be moving to Afternoon Drive as of Monday December 7th! 

“Nancy is a remarkable, unbelievable talent everyone adores” comments OM/Program Director Doug Hamand.  “With the new audience measurement tool (Portable People Meter) it’s an incredible opportunity to expose her talents to a much larger available audience”.  “She will be fantastic in the office and on the way home” Hamand concluded.

“Nancy’s top of mind sense of humor and ability to entertain makes her move to afternoons a bonus to all of us who want an escape from the doldrums of work and the commute home,”  added Dan DiLoreto, President/Market Manager.

Now, a sassy quote from the New Queen of Prime Time Radio, Nancy Alexander, "I begged my bosses to please let me continue to wake up in the middle of the night to go to work!  Wait.  No, I didn't”. 

Also Nancy’s current morning partner Chris Randolph will be moving to mid-day's (10a-2p), Assistant Program Director Kurt Shriner will join Nancy weekdays from 2p-6p.  And starting on 12/7 syndicated morning personality Elvis Duran 6a-10a.