Veteran programmer Ronnie Stanton returns to his on-air roots, starting Monday, Jan. 12, joining Melanie Martin on the Z103.5 (CIDC-FM) Toronto morning show.

Stanton joined Evanov Communications last fall as Senior Brand Manager for the company’s GTA stations Z103.5 and Lite 92.1 (CKPC-FM). Moving forward, he’ll now be part of refreshed morning show, The Z Morning Zoo with Mel and Ronnie, airing weekdays from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

Evanov said in a release that the concept of the new show is to offer listeners the opportunity to “wake up to fun,” with high-energy dance and hit music, listener interactions, contesting and more.  

“I’m beyond excited to wake up the GTA with the fabulous Mel! Z103.5 has deep roots and a proud history, and we’re going to honour those traditions that our loyal audience loves while bringing fresh energy and new twists to the mix. With dance music, prizes, and a bunch of fun — The Z Morning Zoo will add more spark to weekday mornings.” said Stanton, in Evanov’s announcement.

Paul Evanov, President & CEO of Evanov Communications Inc., said the evolution of the morning show is an exciting next step for the brand.

“Z103.5 has always been synonymous with energy, personality, and the biggest dance and hit music. The Z Morning  Zoo with Mel and Ronnie represents the next chapter in that story,” said Evanov. “Bringing together Ronnie’s creative vision and Melanie’s deep connection with our audience gives us a morning show that feels fresh, contemporary, and distinctly  Z103.5. We’re thrilled to offer our listeners a wake-up show that truly reflects the evolution of the station and the  dynamic spirit of the GTA.” 

Stanton most recently led Classic Hits programming nationally at Rogers Sports & Media, in addition to serving as Content Director for JACK FM (CJAX-FM) and KiSS Throwbacks (CKKS-FM) in Vancouver. Prior to that, he served as Chief Content Officer for Virgin Radio International, also holding roles including Vice-President, Audio at Corus Entertainment.

Martin returned to Z103.5 in September 2024, formerly hosting the morning show alongside Jimmy T.