Originally posted Friday, August 23, 2019 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
Former Talk 106.7 host Shannon Burke has quickly landed on his feet with a new afternoon drive-time job in Orlando.
Next month, he will join Bubba the Love Sponge on Florida Man Radio on two signals: an FM translator W288CJ at 105.5, serving Orlando's northern suburbs, and WDYZ-AM 660, which covers most of Orlando. Bubba, once known as a controversial "shock jock," will take mornings starting next month.
"The great talent and notoriety of our hosts will wake up talk radio in Orlando," said radio station own Shane Reeve to Radio Business Report. "Florida Man Radio will prove that there can still be creativity and real topics discussed on Orlando radio that affect each and every one of us."
In an interview, Burke said his wife Kim is being treated for colon cancer and is well entrenched in Orlando, making a move there all the more urgent. He also said it will be nice to compete against his former employer Real Radio 104.1.
Unfortunately, he said budgetarily, JVC Media couldn't immediately bring down Burke's sidekick Kara Stockton. He hopes if they can generate decent ratings and revenues quickly, he'll be able to do so.
Burke came to what as then News/Talk 106.7 in 2016 and quickly made a mark during mid mornings and building a loyal audience. Unfortunately for Burke, Atlanta-based Cumulus Media took an offer from the owners of nationally syndicated Christian pop format K-Love and handed off the signal to them in June.
So he’s back where he build his radio career: Florida.
Burke was once a ratings magnet at an Orlando station in the 2000s on Real Radio 104.1, but lost his job in 2009 after he had his own "Florida Man" moment: he was arrested for shooting his then-wife's dog and grazing her in a drunken rage. He spent several months in prison and has since made been sober, made amends and readjusted how he approached life.
"That was a very humbling experience," Burke said in 2016. "It changed who I am as a person. I took responsibility for what I did. There was no intent to harm anyone."
The animal cruelty charge stung especially hard. "The dog was hurt but it was an accident," he said. "Look at my history. I'm a huge animal lover. I'm an animal rights activist. That was the horrible irony of the whole thing."
He later found work at an AM talk station in Orlando and did an on-line only show for several years. He also briefly worked with Bubba the Love Sponge in Tampa.
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