Long-time Michigan Programmer Darrin Arriens Passes from COVID-19 Complications in N.C.

Darrin Arriens

Thirty-year broadcast veteran Darrin Arriens passed away Tuesday (4/21), following a lengthy battle with complications stemming from a COVID-19 infection, in North Carolina.  Arriens was a well-known radio programmer in Michigan, having served as Program Director of WKLQ and WLAV in Grand Rapids, the latter when the station won the Marconi Award for Medium Market Station of the Year in 2008.

He also served as PD for WMMQ in Lansing and WRIF in Detroit.  Outside of Michigan, Arriens had stops at KSKS-FM (Fresno, CA); WGTL-FM (West Palm Beach, FL) ; KKMG/KKFM-FM (Colorado Springs, CO) and KHYT-FM (Tucson, AZ).

Since 2017, Arriens has been Director of Operations at Entercom’s cluster of stations in Charlotte, N.C.  He was 52.  At press time, no services have been announced.