Michael Howard DelGiorno (born August 30, 1964) is an American talk radio host with a radio career spanning over 40 years.[1] Delgiorno hosts the morning drive time show on 1510 WLAC in Nashville, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. His program is syndicated to other iHeart conservative talk stations including KEX in Portland, KTOK in Oklahoma City and KAKC in Tulsa.[2]
Michael DelGiorno | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 30, 1964 |
| Occupation(s) | Talk show host and author |
| Relatives | Bob DelGiorno (Father) |
Early life
editDelGiorno was born on August 30, 1964, in Flint, Michigan.[3] His father, Bob DelGiorno, worked as a radio personality for over 50 years.[4]
Career
editWLAC Nashville, 1850 Mainstreet Podcast, and Syndication (Present)
editIn June 2023, Michael DelGiorno began co-hosting the podcast '1850 Main Street' with fellow conservative David Zanotti.[5] This podcast addresses various topical issues from a conservative viewpoint.
DelGiorno's inaugural broadcast on WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee, occurred on November 6, 2023, where he hosts a morning show from 5:00 AM to 8:00 AM.[6] Following its launch, the show has rapidly expanded, achieving syndication by iHeartMedia across the United States. According to a post by Michael DelGiorno on X (formerly known as Twitter) dated April 19, 2024, the program is now aired on 22 stations.[7] On September 24, 2024, iHeart announced that DelGiorno's program would be made available on its national conservative talk network to non-iHeart-owned stations, through its syndication and network arm Premiere Networks; the rollout fills a longstanding hole in Premiere's news-talk lineup, which had left the slot open for local shows.[8]
99.7 WWTN, Nashville (2007–2023)
editBefore joining WLAC, DelGiorno was on 99.7 WWTN in Nashville, Tennessee, from 2007[9] to March 2023. DelGiorno left WWTN for unspecified reasons. His final broadcast on the station was on Friday, March 17, 2023.[10]
KFAQ, Tulsa (2002–2007)
editBefore his tenure at WWTN, DelGiorno hosted a talk radio program on KFAQ in Tulsa, Oklahoma, from 2002 to April 2007.[11] In 2002 he helped to establish KFAQ as a talk radio station, switching from its previous format as a country music station known as KVOO. His co-host Gwen Freeman succeeded him after his departure, but shortly afterward (February 2008), also left KFAQ, initially joining him as co-host of his Nashville program.[12]
KTBZ "The BUZZ" AM 1430, Tulsa
editDelGiorno served as the Operations Manager of Clear Channel Radio Tulsa and hosted the morning show on KTBZ "The BUZZ" AM 1430.
KRMG, Tulsa
editIn 1991, DelGiorno was named operations manager and program director of NewsTalk 740 KRMG. At KRMG, he was twice voted "Oklahoma Radio Personality of the Year" by the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters.
WNTR Network
editPrior to working at KRMG, DelGiorno worked as vice president for programming at the WNTR network.[13] The WNTR network was owned by Pat Robertson’s company, Broadcast Equities, Inc.[14][15]
Personal life
editMichael DelGiorno is a Christian.[16] He is married to Andrea DelGiorno, and together, they have three children: Anna, Alex, and Nick.
Memoir
editIn 2004, DelGiorno published a memoir entitled "Standing Up for What's Right" (ISBN 0975578405), where he shared insights into his radio career, political and religious beliefs, and personal experiences, including his struggle with being born with a clubfoot and facing personal bankruptcy.
Controversies
editDelGiorno saw controversy while in Tulsa, Oklahoma. An outspoken critic of gambling and Indian casinos, DelGiorno was banned from two separate Indian casinos based upon allegations of inappropriate conduct. DelGiorno admitted on the air that he had been gambling but never admitted to the allegations of misconduct.[17][18]
Additionally, DelGiorno was sued for defamation by Tulsa City Councilor Bill Christiansen over remarks made on the air about Christiansen's business practices. The suit was settled before trial. Terms of the settlement were confidential, but DelGiorno's former radio station, KFAQ, was required to run a retraction and apologize for DelGiorno's remarks, which the station admitted were not true.[19]
In 2016, DelGiorno played a role in a controversy involving Williamson County School Board member Susan Curlee. The controversy stemmed from Curlee's alleged mishandling of information related to a bullying incident concerning a minor student, identified as John Doe. DelGiorno discussed this incident on his radio show after receiving and then reading a leaked email from the superintendent, which was meant to remain confidential. This action potentially compromised the board's legal position and raised concerns about privacy violations. Curlee resigned in August 2016.[20][21]
His radio show has been noted to regularly feature anti-Muslim activist Cathy Hinners.[22]
References
edit- ^ "About Michael DelGiorno | Talk Radio 98.3 WLAC". 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ RadioInsight.com "Michael DelGiorno to Host Mornings at WLAC, KTOK, KAKC" Oct. 27, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2024.
- ^ "Michael DelGiorno - Supertalk 99.7 WTN". 2007-08-17. Archived from the original on 2007-08-17. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "WWL radio morning man Bob DelGiorno marks a half-century in broadcasting today | Movies/TV | nola.com". 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "1850 Main Street ™ – Real Questions, Real Answers". 2023-06-21. Archived from the original on 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "About Michael DelGiorno | Talk Radio 98.3 WLAC". 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "Michael DelGiorno's Expanded Station List on X". Retrieved 2024-04-25.
- ^ "Premiere Networks Adds Your Morning Show with Michael DelGiorno". RadioInsight. 2024-09-24. Retrieved 2024-09-25.
- ^ "Supertalk 99.7 WTN - Michael DelGiorno". 2007-04-27. Archived from the original on 2007-04-27. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "Michael DelGiorno Out At SuperTalk 99.7 WTN - Barrett News Media". 2023-03-28. Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "KFAQ - Tulsa's Talk Radio 1170". Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "Cognitive Dissonance, Personified - DelGiorno's gone to Nashville, which begs the question. Is Opryland even more reactionary conservative than Tulsa? - Columns - OpEd - Urban Tulsa Weekly". 2012-05-05. Archived from the original on 2012-05-05. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ Yorke, Jeffrey (1991-02-26). "BLAZE TURNS OFF WNTR". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "TICKER". The Virginian-Pilot. 1993-09-11. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ Yorke, Jeffrey (1990-02-27). "ON THE DIAL". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "tulsaworld.com: News". 2006-08-27. Archived from the original on 2006-08-27. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
- ^ "tulsaworld.com: News". 2006-08-27. Archived from the original on 2006-08-27. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Tulsa Today - DelGiorno Delusions Part One". 2006-02-21. Archived from the original on 2006-02-21. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Tulsa World: Radio station retracts remarks". 2007-12-21. Archived from the original on 2007-12-21. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Williamson County Board of Education, board member implicated in draft federal complaint | News | williamsonherald.com". 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Curlee officially resigns from county school board's 12th District seat | News | williamsonherald.com". 2023-11-07. Archived from the original on 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
- ^ "Highway 41 Toy Convoy will roll Nov. 1". Shelbyville Times-Gazette. June 30, 2020.