Roy Laughlin, renowned as the former General Manager of KIIS FM, made an indelible mark during his tenure in the radio industry. Serving as GM for over a decade in his 30s under Gannet, then Jacor & Clear Channel, Laughlin propelled KIIS FM to the pinnacle, holding the position of the #1 billing radio station in the US for an impressive nine years. As Market Manager of the Clear Channel Los Angeles (CCLA) 8 stations, he achieved record annual billings of $300 million.
Laughlin’s strategic prowess was evident as he optimized the performance of Rick Dees over a decade and orchestrated the hiring of Ryan Seacrest. Together with his wife Ellen K, they successfully re-launched KIIS FM in February ’04, reclaiming the #1 spot in the Spring of 2005. Eager for new challenges, Laughlin transitioned to pursue station ownership.
In 2006, Laughlin and his brother founded GAP Broadcasting, acquiring 52 stations from Clear Channel in Texas for $139 million. Serving as an equity partner in Rincon Broadcasting, co-founded with Senior Partner John Hearne, Laughlin played a key role in acquiring the Santa Barbara Clear Channel Cluster in 2006. Concurrently, he revamped the Steve Harvey Radio Show in LA Radio and upgraded the signal at 93.5 KDAY / 93.5 KDAI. Laughlin’s acumen in deal-making was evident in brokering the $25 million sale of move-in Riverside signal 96.1 KWIE to Liberman Broadcasting in 2009. Continuing his successful ventures, Hearne and Laughlin collaborated again to acquire an additional FM move-in to the Riverside/San Bernardino market in 2010.
