BARRY MAYO

Barry Mayo’s longstanding career left both a positive impact on the radio stations he programmed and managed, as well as paving a path for many future individuals seeking similar industry roles. Over the course of several decades, Barry Mayo’s curation of music designated for airplay on radio stations, many of them appealing to African American audiences, led to unprecedented ratings success. He successfully programmed radio stations in Little Rock, Norfolk, Nashville, and Chicago, before assuming similar responsibilities in New York City.

Barry Mayo transitioned his management skills to station management in 1984. In New York City, he was the first African American to become a Vice President/General Manager for station owner RKO General. Four years later, he became a co-founder and President of Broadcasting Partners Inc., a publicly traded company owning 12 radio stations in New York City, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas, and Charlotte. In 2003, he joined Emmis Broadcasting in New York City to manage three high-profile radio stations, including WRKS-FM (Kiss-FM), WQHT-FM (Hot 97), and WQCD-FM (CD101.9). Four years later, in 2007, he became President of Radio One, the nation’s premier black-owned broadcasting company.

Over five decades, Barry Mayo’s leadership in successful programming, station management, and ownership left an indelible impact on thousands of employees and millions of audience members.

In 2024, Barry Mayo received induction to the Radio Hall of Fame.