103.5 Kiss FM’s “The Fred Show” scores multi-year renewal
Includes four other radio stations
As first reported by Radio Insight on Thursday, iHeartMedia has signed a mega-renewal deal with Christopher “Fred” Frederick to continue his morning show at CHR/Top 40 103.5 Kiss FM for the next five years, with a new contract that runs through 2030.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to continue growing ‘The Fred Show’ in Chicago and across the country with iHeartMedia and Premiere Networks for many years to come”, said Frederick in a statement. “I’m privileged to share a studio with some of the most talented and hardest-working teammates in the business. I’m also11 grateful to the many incredible people across iHeart who have championed me not just now, but over the past 23 years. Bob, Rich, Julie, Tom, Bernie, Brad, Thea, Adam, Kris and James — your leadership empowers shows like ours to thrive. A heartfelt thanks as well to Paul Anderson at Workhouse Media, whose partnership has helped shape my career in so many meaningful ways.”
Arriving from iHeart’s WIBT-FM, Frederick replaced Drex as WKSC’s morning host in January 2011 (it was initially known as AM Mayhem and later The Fred And Angi Show when Angi Taylor was his co-host) and was instrumental in dethroning longtime competitor B96 (WBBM-FM) as Top 40 king, which had gone through several unsuccessful morning shows since his arrival, including one hosted by Drex as WKSC continues to dominate the Audacy station in key demos and in overall share numbers. In August, WKSC finished first in all three key demos (adults 25-54, 18-34, and 18-49) simultaneously for the first time.
In April 2023, The Fred Show was syndicated via Premiere Networks to Kiss FM’s sister CHR stations in Raleigh-Durham, Norfolk, Salt Lake City, and West Palm Beach.
“‘The Fred Show’ perfectly embodies what iHeartMedia stands for in connection, authenticity and companionship,” said iHeartMedia Chicago SVP/Programming James Howard. “Fred and the team have built something special. Their humor, heart and honesty resonate deeply with listeners, which is why the show continues to see remarkable growth across the country.”