{"id":669931,"date":"2026-05-28T10:46:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:46:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/669931\/"},"modified":"2026-05-28T10:46:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-28T10:46:10","slug":"programming-shift-from-oldie-goldies-at-center-of-joe-bullard-age-bias-suit-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/669931\/","title":{"rendered":"Programming Shift From \u2018Oldie-Goldies\u2019 At Center Of Joe Bullard Age Bias Suit. | Story"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has been nearly a year since longtime Tallahassee personality Joe Bullard abruptly exited urban AC \u201c96.1 Jamz\u201d WHBX<\/a>, a station he\u2019d worked for since 1997. Bullard sued the station last August<\/a> for age discrimination, and court maneuvers during the past year offer some insight into what led up to the split for one of the market\u2019s best-known personalities and programmer.<\/p>\n

Bullard originally filed suit last year in Leon County Circuit Court. However, after the complaint included claims under the federal employment law, the cased moved to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida. The dispute has since evolved into a broader legal battle that sits at the intersection of programming strategy, workplace allegations, and the broadcaster\u2019s bankruptcy.<\/p>\n

In an updated complaint filed in February, Bullard alleges Cumulus systematically pushed him out because of his age after nearly three decades with the broadcaster. Bullard, 72, alleges the campaign began in early 2025 when consultant Kenneth \u201cSmooth\u201d Smoot told him the station was headed in a \u201cdifferent direction\u201d and directed him to stop playing \u201colder\u201d music during his show, \u201cspecifically citing artists such as Anita Baker and Gladys Knight as \u2018too old.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

The complaint says Bullard\u2019s midday programming had long centered on what he described as the \u201cGolden Age of Soul,\u201d blending Motown, gospel, blues and R&B music popular with older listeners.<\/p>\n

Bullard claims that after objecting to the music directives, management gradually stripped away key responsibilities and interfered with his ability to perform his job. Allegations include software needed for station logs was removed from his work computer, requests for technical support were denied, and duties including remote broadcast approvals were reassigned to younger staff. He says by June 2025, a majority of his duties had been taken away as part of \u201ca plan to constructively terminate him and force him out.\u201d<\/p>\n

The dispute escalated during a June 17 meeting, where Bullard says he was confronted with allegations that he had made sexually inappropriate comments to a Disney employee during an event. Bullard denied the claims, but he was later informed by management he had been barred from Disney properties in a professional capacity. According to the complaint, the Disney issue was not the real reason he lost his job. Instead, Bullard alleges it was part of a broader effort to force out the station\u2019s oldest program manager after disputes over the type of \u201colder\u201d music he played on the air.<\/p>\n

Cumulus Seeks Dismissal<\/p>\n

Cumulus is contesting the claims and has asked the federal court to dismiss the lawsuit. In a court filing, the company argues Bullard has failed to present sufficient factual allegations linking the company\u2019s actions to unlawful age discrimination despite multiple amended complaints. The broadcaster contends many of the allegations are \u201cconclusory\u201d and based on Bullard\u2019s beliefs rather than facts.<\/p>\n

Cumulus also argues that targeting younger audiences through music programming doesn\u2019t itself establish age discrimination. Citing prior court decisions involving radio and television companies, the filing says decisions \u201cto target a younger audience\u201d do not automatically constitute proof of discriminatory animus against older employees. The company also points to Bullard\u2019s own allegations showing that several managers involved were themselves in protected age groups, including employees in their 50s and 60s.<\/p>\n

Was He Fired?<\/p>\n

A central issue in the case has become whether Bullard voluntarily resigned or was effectively forced out. Bullard insists he never resigned from the company despite later being told his resignation had been accepted. But Cumulus presented the court with emails to support its position that Bullard resigned during the June 17 meeting. One asks Bullard to put his verbal resignation into writing.<\/p>\n

Cumulus also argues Bullard\u2019s legal theory doesn\u2019t add up because he simultaneously claims he was \u201cconstructively discharged\u201d \u2014 meaning workplace conditions became so intolerable he was effectively forced to quit \u2014 while also insisting he never actually resigned. In its filing, Cumulus calls Bullard\u2019s claims \u201clogically incongruous and fatally flawed.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Ripple<\/p>\n

The legal fight between Bullard and his former employer was further complicated in March when Cumulus\u2019s bankruptcy filing<\/a> triggered the automatic stay provisions of federal bankruptcy law. For now, it means the lawsuit remains on hold until that case is resolved. In the meantime, Bullard is working as a consultant<\/a> for Florida A&M University-owned gospel \u201cThe Flava Station\u201d WANM (90.5).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"It has been nearly a year since longtime Tallahassee personality Joe Bullard abruptly exited urban AC \u201c96.1 Jamz\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":669932,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[53],"tags":[88,7056,216,3],"class_list":["post-669931","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-music","tag-entertainment","tag-free","tag-music","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669931","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=669931"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/669931\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/669932"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=669931"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=669931"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=669931"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}