97.5 The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano off the air after update anchor and co-host is let go
Amid all the talk of the coming NFL Draft, there was a notable absence Thursday morning on 97.5 The Fanatic: Anthony Gargano.
For the third straight morning, the Fanatic’s morning show host was missing from his own radio program, as was update anchor and co-host Maureen Williams. Eytan Shander, who often co-hosts with Gargano in the mornings, filled in alongside Geoff Mosher and Joe Tordy on Tuesday. Shander and Tordy also filled in for Gargano on Thursday.
According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Williams, who helped launch the show for The Fanatic back in 2015 along with Gargano and producer Jamie Lynch, has been let go by the station. Crossing Broad was first to report the news of Williams' dismissal.
Gargano was reportedly upset over Williams’ dismissal, and sources say he will likely miss the rest of the week.
ANTHONY GARGANO / Twitter
Former Sixers star Charles Barkley (second from left) poses with (from left) Anthony Gargano, Maureen Williams, and producer Jamie Lynch at Fanatic Fantasy Fest in 2015.
Program director Matt Nahagian declined to comment on the situation, and Gargano could not be reached for comment.
The removal of Williams is the latest blow to a show that initially showed promise, but has yet to seriously threaten the ratings dominance of longtime 94.1 WIP host Angelo Cataldi. Back in October, former co-host Jon Marks left the show to take a job as the evening host at WIP.
All these moves come after 97.5’s former parent company, Greater Media, completed its sale to Beasley Media Group last year. Since its acquisition of Greater Media’s 17 radio stations, Beasley’s stock has posted a 90 percent year-over-year increase in revenue, according to its fourth-quarter earnings report.
But Beasley has also reported the former Greater Media stations’ revenue decreased 6.1 percent (or approximately $2.3 million) in the fourth quarter, with about 60 percent of the decline attributable to the Philadelphia market. That could mean that more cost cutting is in cards for the Fanatic and three other Philadelphia radio stations, WMMR 93.3 FM, WMGK 102.9 FM, and WBEN 95.7 FM.
One thing Beasley has said all along is there are no plans to mess with any of the on-air talent in Philadelphia.
“Why would we get rid of a Preston and Steve or a John DeBella?” CEO Caroline Beasley told the Inquirer’s Jon Takiff last year. “That’s what we’re paying for. Why tear that apart?”
