Veteran Programmer Michelle Matthews Dies at 54

RADIO ONLINE | Monday, December 1, 2025 | 3:53pm CT

Michelle Matthews

American General Media's Albuquerque cluster is mourning the loss of Operations Manager Michelle Matthews, who passed away Thanksgiving morning following a battle with health issues. She was 54.

Matthews joined AGM's Albuquerque group in May, bringing with her decades of programming and leadership experience across major markets, including Detroit, Columbus, St. Louis, Omaha, Wichita and Sioux City. Known for her strategic vision and steady leadership, she held pivotal roles throughout her career, shaping formats and guiding teams at some of the nation's most respected radio brands.

Prior to joining AGM, Matthews served as Program Director at Hot AC WDVD-FM/Detroit, a position she exited late last year during company-wide staff reductions. Before her Detroit tenure, she spent eight years as Operations Manager for Saga Communications' Columbus, OH cluster, overseeing programming for WSNY (Sunny 95) and WVMX (Mix 107.9).

Her earlier career included leadership roles as Program Director at Classic Hits KLOU/St. Louis, Digital Program Director for iHeartMedia/St. Louis, and Operations Manager and Regional Programming Manager for Clear Channel stations in Omaha, Wichita and Sioux City. Matthews also worked with Saga in Springfield, IL and held additional roles in Denver and Springfield, MO.

Matthews is survived by her husband, Jonathan, and her sons, Kiefer and Ryan. Additional details will be shared as they become available.