Kevin Quinn, the longtime afternoon co-host and assistant program director at Houston's 104.1 KRBE, is off the air after 14 years at the station. His exit came as part of a fresh round of layoffs at Cumulus Media, and his on-air partner Audrey Rose was left to deliver the news to listeners herself, fighting back tears as she did it.
A 14-Year Run Ends Abruptly
Quinn was let go from KRBE on Wednesday, according to RadioInsight, which reported that he departed as assistant program director and afternoon host after fourteen years at the CHR station. Quinn had joined KRBE in August 2013, following stints at radio stations in Florida and Georgia, including as a music director and morning host at WINK-FM in Fort Myers and as program director at 103Q WQGA in Brunswick. He co-hosted the Kevin & Audrey afternoon show, which featured segments like car-line comedy bits and a daily debate, as reported by Chron.
Audrey Rose had co-hosted afternoons with Quinn since March 2022, and she remained in the daypart after his departure, the outlet's report noted. On Wednesday's broadcast, Rose addressed the news directly, telling listeners they deserved to hear it from her and thanking Quinn for his 14 years at the station. She said she would miss working alongside him every day, comparing his departure to losing a friend, and acknowledged that the transition would be difficult. Rose also assured listeners that Kevin & Audrey would continue, though she said she needed their help because, in her words, everyone was feeling the change.
An Emotional Video Captures the Moment
Quinn shared a tearful video of himself listening to Rose's on-air announcement, and footage posted to Instagram showed him sitting in his car as she broke the news, per RAMP. He also posted a separate video describing the experience of receiving unexpected, life-altering news while walking through an empty mall, writing that his time in Houston radio had been the most amazing ride of his life. Quinn, who co-hosted the show with Rose for nearly five years, also owns a Houston-based DJ and wedding entertainment company called Storybook Events.
Part of a Wider Wave of Cuts
Quinn's departure is the latest in a round of cuts that RadioInsight reported had begun at Cumulus Media following an earlier round in August. Barrett Media similarly described the move as the company's second round of staff layoffs this year, noting that the previous round happened over the summer in August, though the outlet reported that the total number of layoffs across all Cumulus markets remained unknown.
The cuts reportedly extended beyond Houston, affecting stations in Minnesota, Tennessee and Pennsylvania. Among them was Nashville's SuperTalk 99.7 WTN, where Brian Wilson said he was notified he would no longer be associated with the station effective November 15, according to the same RAMP report. In August, Cumulus layoffs also hit Mid-Missouri radio, where longtime hosts David Gaines and Simon Rose left KFRU, with Simon Rose having spent 37 years at that station and 33 years at sister station KBXR, per ABC17 News. That same August round saw KNBR broadcaster Greg Papa's co-host Greg Silver let go, as reported by Radio Ink.
Layoffs Follow Bankruptcy Exit
RadioInsight reported that the cuts follow Cumulus Media's exit from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month, with Alden Global Capital becoming the company's controlling shareholder. Cumulus Media itself announced on October 16, 2026 that it had completed its financial restructuring and emerged from Chapter 11, stating it had canceled 100% of its existing funded indebtedness, which it put at approximately $600 million.
