WFAN (AM)

WFAN pioneered, and has been the most successful example of, the sports radio format. Over the years, WFAN has been the broadcast home to several big names in the world of radio, including the sports-talk team of Mike and the Mad Dog (Mike Francesa and Christopher "Mad Dog" Russo) and the political commentator Don Imus, whose Imus in the Morning program is now nationally syndicated.

WFAN

Daily Programming

The broadcast day begins at 5:30 am (Eastern) with Imus in the Morning, hosted by Don Imus. The political show is syndicated to over 90 stations across the United States with an audience in excess of 10 million, according to the WFAN website. It has become a regular stop on the circuit for Washington insiders, both conservatives and liberals in the media elite, best-selling authors and the occasional presidential candidate. MSNBC began a simulcast of the show in September of 1996.

Related Topics:
Eastern - Imus in the Morning - MSNBC - Simulcast - September - 1996

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The rest of the day is devoted to the world of sports. The 10:00 am to 1:00 pm timeslot is hosted by Joe Beningo, followed by the Mike and the Mad Dog show, which runs for five-and-a-half hours from 1:00 pm to 6:30 pm. The show is hosted by Mike Francesa and Chris Russo. As MSNBC does for Imus in the Morning, the YES Network has been simulcasting Mike and The Mad Dog since March of 2002.

Related Topics:
Joe Beningo - Mike and the Mad Dog - Mike Francesa - Chris Russo - YES Network - March - 2002

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Steve Somers, other WFAN personalities including longtime New York radio fixture Richard Neer, or live sporting events are broadcast during the evening hours. Occasionally, events originate from Westwood One's NFL, NHL and NCAA radio broadcasts.

Related Topics:
Steve Somers - Richard Neer - Westwood One - NFL - NHL - NCAA

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Currently, there is an opening for the overnight shift on Monday-Friday mornings. Tony Paige and Evan Roberts, who have both hosted the majority of overnight shows over the past few months, are considered as top contenders for the position. The most recent overnight host, Chris Carlin, became the sports reporter for Imus in the Morning after the previous sports reporter, Sid Rosenberg, was removed for inappropriate comments made about Kylie Minogue's battle with breast cancer. Additionally, Rosenberg, who had also co-hosted the midday show at the station for four years, resigned from the station on September 12, 2005 after being given an ultimatum by station management for not showing up to host the New York Giants' pregame show the day before. It is unclear whether Benigno will land a co-host, but time has shown that the midday show typically ends up with two personalities.

Related Topics:
Chris Carlin - Sid Rosenberg - Kylie Minogue - Breast cancer - September 12

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WFAN also features the "20-20 Flash", a one to two minute update on sports scores and news, which occurs every 20 minutes (on the hour, twenty after and forty after). The update team consists of Rich Ackerman, Harris Allen, Erica Herskowitz, Bob Heussler, Janice Kerkel, Marc Malusis, John Minko, Jerry Recco, and Joe Tolleson. The station also employs beat reporters to cover the Mets (Ed Coleman), Yankees (Sweeny Murti), and football Giants (Recco).

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WFAN has broadcasting rights for New York Mets baseball, New York Giants football, New Jersey Nets basketball, and New Jersey Devils hockey.

Related Topics:
New York Mets - Baseball - New York Giants - Football - New Jersey Nets - Basketball - New Jersey Devils - Hockey

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Past hosts

Past hosts on WFAN have included Greg Gumbel, Jim Lampley, Pete Franklin, Bill Mazur, Russ Salzberg, Suzyn Waldman, and Jody McDonald.

Related Topics:
Greg Gumbel - Jim Lampley - Pete Franklin - Bill Mazur - Russ Salzberg - Suzyn Waldman - Jody McDonald

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Success of sports format

Over the years WFAN has continued to have a broad-based sports talk and play-by-play format. Ratings gradually rose and in fact at some points WFAN has been the top-billing station in New York and even the country. In 1992 Emmis sold WFAN to Infinity, which would merge with CBS in 1997.

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Ironically,

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WFAN's primary competition is WEPN, the New York ESPN Radio affiliate, located at WFAN's old 1050 kHz frequency.

Related Topics:
WEPN - ESPN

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