New morning show taking shape at country music US99

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Jason Pullman

Two and a half months after WUSN 99.5-FM dropped the morning team of Doug Stylz and Justin Roman, the Entercom country music station is about to name their replacement.

Jason Pullman, former morning personality at WUBL in his native Atlanta, is expected to sign on at US99 early next month, according to insiders. Before his 10-year run in Atlanta, which ended in January, he was on the air in Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis and San Francisco.

If all goes as planned, Pullman will be joined by Katie Bright, who most recently has been national director of promotion at Warner Music Nashville. She previously worked in radio in Nashville and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

Since the homegrown duo of Stylz and Roman were cut in early May, the station has been vamping with an all-music morning show.

Earlier this week US99 parted company with morning show producer and weekend host Tony Kelly. The move was described as part of a station restructuring under program director Kenny Jay.

Also forced out after three years as nighttime personality was Kimmie Caruba. A Chicagoan who once worked as morning show intern for iHeartMedia Top 40 WKSC FM 103.5, Caruba joined US99 from two stations in Phoenix.

In a note to staffers Tuesday, Jay wrote: "While moves like these are never easy, they are part of a strategic vision to make us more competitive both on air and in the content space."

Marci Braun

Replacing Caruba from 7 p.m. to midnight is Marci Braun, who'll voice-track the show while continuing as assistant program director and music director.

Braun, who was born and raised in Arlington Heights and graduated from Buffalo Grove High School and St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, has been a pillar of US99 since 2004.

"She brings unmatched knowledge of the music, artists and Chicago to the table every day and now we will share it with our listeners on a consistent basis," Jay wrote.

After 37 years in the country music format, US99 ranked 18th with a 2.7 percent share in the latest Nielsen Audio survey. Its main competitor, iHeartMedia's WEBG 95.5-FM, ranked 25th with a 1.6 share.

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