Exclusive: Carol Blackmon, Rene Miller cut from Majic 107.5/97.5

Blackmon has been with the station since the spring of 2009. At the time, Radio One GM Tim Davies cited to me the reasons why he hired her: her experience in the market, her excellent delivery, her professionalism and her ability to connect with the listeners and music.

Blackmon built her name in this market as morning co-host with Mike Roberts on V-103 in the 1990s and TV host for the Georgia Lottery for at least 15 years.

Miller joined the R&B station in May of 2013. She, too, has been hosting the Georgia Lottery for 21 years and was the afternoon host at Smooth Jazz 107.5, the station that preceded Majic, from 2001 to 2008. She also worked at Jazz Flavors on 104.1 in the 1990s.

Majic's ratings have been in the dumper lately. Its share of 3.7 (tied for 13th) in June was its worst monthly performance in several years and far behind direct rival Kiss 104.1 at 7.1. Its ratings had begun to slip off even before the arrival of three classic hip hop stations in late 2014. And the station was unable to take advantage of V-103's temporary ratings woes in 2013 and 2014.

Program Director Derek Harper referred questions to Radio One corporate communications VP Yashima White AziLove. I am awaiting a response from AziLove to see whether Majic plans to go jockless during mid-days and nights for budgetary reasons or replace them with less pricey talent.

So the underlying message there is: budgets needed to be cut and they need to find people in those time slots at lower salaries.