Observed Signal · Sep 9, 2026 · Hiring · Source: Meedia · Impact: 1/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Zinnow Hands Over Radio Programming, Takes New Role
Ralf Zinnow, program director at Antenne Bayern Group, is transitioning to a new role as head of market development and partnerships, focusing on expanding new brands like Chillout Antenne and 80er 90er Oldie Antenne. He will retain responsibility for the cooperation with BLR, the service company for Bavarian local radio programs. The programming division will be led by a trio of his deputies: Bettina von Bentzel (deputy editor-in-chief, team lead), Nick Lisson (entertainment chief), and Benni Kostal (head of programming design and marketing), who will report directly to management. The transition is described as a joint decision by management, not a demotion, and reflects a strategic move to bolster growth. Zinnow has a long history with the group, joining in 1995 as a volunteer and serving as editor, editor-in-chief, and program director since 2024.
Leadership change at a regional radio group, relevant to AdTech/MarTech but low impact.
Track ANTENNE BAYERN Signals & Market Shifts in Real-Time
Polaris7 autonomous intelligence agents track regulatory filings, primary sources, executive changes, and deal flow 24/7. Create your Polaris7 workspace to monitor these entities.
Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Ralf Zinnow becomes head of market development and partnerships, overseeing new brands Chillout Antenne and 80er 90er Oldie Antenne.
- Bettina von Bentzel, Nick Lisson, and Benni Kostal share program leadership, reporting to management.
- Zinnow retains responsibility for cooperation with BLR, the service company for Bavarian local radio programs.
- Zinnow joined Antenne Bayern in 1995 and held roles as editor, editor-in-chief, and program director since 2024.
- The change is a joint management decision, not a demotion, aimed at growth.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mapped“As head of market development and partnerships of the Antenne Bayern Group, Ralf Zinnow will focus on expanding the group's new brands in th...”
“He also retains responsibility for the cooperation with BLR, the service company for Bavarian local radio programs.”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Radio NRW Promotes Thuge, Thies to New Roles
Radio NRW, the service for local stations in North Rhine-Westphalia, is undergoing leadership changes. Michael Thuge, who joined as Head of Content in April 2026, will become Head of Program, a newly defined role. Current Program Director Udo Kreuer will move to a project manager position focusing on the Radio NRW academy until his retirement in autumn 2028. Lennart Thies, currently managing director of Münsterländischer Medien Services (MMS), will take on the new role of Chief Product Officer at Radio NRW next year. Additionally, Uwe Wollgramm, CEO of ams – Radio und MediaSolutions, will become managing director of MMS and audiowest media GmbH on January 1, 2027, and will also serve as project manager for the planned centralization reforms in the NRW local radio system. He succeeds Thies at MMS and Markus Heuser at audiowest. Lars Gerdau, co-CEO of ams since June, will succeed Wollgramm there.
Jost Wenzel Named Program Director at Radio Regenbogen
Jost Wenzel has been appointed program director (Programmchef) of Radio Regenbogen in Mannheim, replacing Daniel Stupp. Stupp left Audiotainment Südwest citing "differing views on the future strategic direction of the programme." Wenzel, 53, most recently worked as a Radio & Audio Consultant; he ran the program at R.SA (Regiocast) from 2022–2025 and previously held roles at RTL Audio Center Berlin, Energy Deutschland and Kiss FM. Audiotainment Südwest is responsible for production and strategic development of Radio Regenbogen and other stations including bigFM, RPR1. and Rock FM. Radio Regenbogen is described as the largest private radio station in Baden-Württemberg. The article was published on 2026-07-08.
Frank Bachér Appointed New Radio.de Managing Director
Radio.de, the audio platform owned by Madsack Media Group, has announced that Frank Bachér will become its new Managing Director as of November 1, 2026. He succeeds Katja Ostrowsky, who is leaving after ten years; no reasons were provided for her departure. Bachér, a former digital chief at RMS, brings extensive experience in digital media and audio, having held leadership roles at Julep Media, Raudio.biz, InteractiveMedia, and eBay Advertising. He will focus on expanding Radio.de's digital audio offering, strengthening partnerships, and enhancing its sales, product, and data capabilities. The platform, which includes Radio.net and GetPodcast, boasts over 38 million downloads globally, offering around 60,000 radio stations and over two million podcasts in more than 20 languages. Ostrowsky was credited with making the company profitable through international expansion and new B2B and subscription revenues.
Receive all future signals for ANTENNE BAYERN & competitors in your briefing
Never miss material M&A deals, leadership changes, account wins, or product rollouts. Polaris7 monitors 20,000+ primary sources 24/7, delivering verified telemetry directly into your executive briefing.