WIP-AM
Encyclopedia
WIP is a Philadelphia radio station
with an all-sports format
. Located at 610 AM
, the station adopted its current all-sports format in 1986, making it the first all-sports radio station in the United States. Owned and operated by CBS Radio
, its transmitters are located in the Crescent Park section of Bellmawr, New Jersey
.
, who arranged for a group of Eagles
fans to attend the 1999 NFL Draft
in New York
and demand the Eagles select University of Texas at Austin
running back Ricky Williams
with their #2 pick (which led to the infamous booing of the decision to select Donovan McNabb
), and Howard Eskin
, whose achievements included the Terrell Owens
"funeral" (following the announcement of Owens's four-game suspension from the Eagles during the 2005-2006 season), and a short-lived hunger strike
in support of trading Philadelphia 76ers
superstar Allen Iverson
. The station is also known for hosting the annual eating contest, the Wing Bowl
.
It is also considered to be a sister station to another CBS Radio station, WFAN
, in New York City
. Both stations serve New Jersey
in addition to their licensed cities.
WIP is the flagship radio station for the Philadelphia Flyers
and Philadelphia 76ers
. When both teams are playing at the same time, WPHT and/or WYSP will usually carry one of the games. WIP was also the flagship radio station for the Philadelphia Eagles until 1992, when Eagles broadcasts moved to WYSP-FM
. On February 20, 2008, the station announced that broadcasts of Eagles games would return to WIP, plus remain on WYSP, with each radio station broadcasting different feeds to make it easier for local fans to watch television coverage of Eagles games but to lower the volume on their TV and listen to the game on the radio. The advent of digital television signals was putting television and radio signals too far out of sync. The station also carried Philadelphia Phillies
games on Friday nights during the 2005 season, allowing WPHT to pick up some regularly scheduled programming on Friday nights. In 2008, WIP broadcast the Phillies' March 31 season opener against Washington along with WPHT.
In the 1940s and 1950s, the station was an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System
. From the 1950s until the early 1960s, the station was owned by Metropolitan Broadcasting (successor to Dumont) and had a rock and roll format. In the early 60s the parent company name was changed from Metropolitan to Metromedia, and WIP adopted an MOR format (after an unsuccessful attempt at a Top 40 format branded as Color Radio). With this format, the station played pop hits of the 1960s, along with some 50s pop mixed in. Announcers during this time period included Joe McCauley (the "Morning Mayor"), Ned Powers, Tom Brown, and Chuck Daugherty.
During this time WIP called themselves "The Big W" after a phrase in the 60s comedy, "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," and the slogan was justified. WIP was number one in the market ratings through the 60s and for most of the 70s.
In the late 60s they began including more soft-rock until the format gradually evolved into an Adult Contemporary format which survived through the 70s and into the 80s. The music mix continued to include pop from the previous two decades. In addition, the station was full service in approach, as they had a heavy emphasis on news as well.
After many years of ownership by Metromedia
the station was purchased by Ed Snider
's Spectacor Group, the longtime owner of the National Hockey League
's Philadelphia Flyers
, in 1988. Snider sold the station to Infinity Broadcasting in 1994. Infinity later merged with CBS, and the station is now owned by CBS Radio
.
In addition to music, full-service music stations in that era were typically home to strong news operations, and WIP had local newscasts every hour, seven days a week (at one point they offered half hourly newscasts around the clock). The weekday morning news was so extensive that they had two anchors in later years, and even introduced a 5 a.m. 30 minute newscast. One of WIP’s news reporters, Jan Gorham, remained with the station after the switch to sports and continued to work there until retiring in 2009.
The station hosted a popular radiothon for one weekend a year for several years, raising funds to fight leukemia. The events were staged on a large scale, in venues like hotel ballrooms, with local and national celebrities visiting the live broadcast.
WIP’s best-known contest was Cash Call, a call-out game in which the DJs picked numbers out of the phone book or from postcards submitted by listeners. The intro to the contest was the first 10 seconds of a song called "The Sound Of Money" by the J's with Jamie, a vocal group that recorded lots of commercial jingles and about four commercially available albums, none of which were very successful, despite the group's vocal talents. If the person at the other end of the call could identify the exact amount of money in the “jackpot,” down to the standard 61-cent ending, they won the current jackpot. Players who knew the 61 cents but not the dollar amount typically won a token prize from a sponsor. Every incorrect guess lead to a few dollars being added to the jackpot; a correct guess resulted in the jackpot being reset to $61.61.
Another long-running contest late in WIP’s run as a music station was Team Trivia. Two area businesses competed, one on the morning show with Ken Garland, the other on the afternoon show with (Bruce) Stevens and (Nick) Seneca (who had replaced Tom Moran).
As the popularity of music on FM radio grew, stations like Magic 103 (now 102.9 WMGK
) and Kiss 100 began to eat away at WIP’s audience. For a time, the station experimented with general interest talk. Michele Iaia was brought on to host “WIPeople Talk,” a weeknight call-in show from 8 p.m. to midnight. The show would later expand to include a weekend edition, and over time the talk block was expanded to run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (with the station touting that it played music all day and talked all night). One of the regular features was a Friday night segment called Desperate & Dateless, a show that eventually spun off into a stand-alone Saturday night program that included music mixed in with the calls from single listeners.
The local talk was scaled back to make room for Larry King’s syndicated radio show in the overnight hours, and eventually most of the local talk was replaced by music once again. The station later tried a programming experiment known as Midday Infotainment, a features-based midday show hosted by Bill Gallagher and Lynn Adkins. That move pushed Bill Webber out of his longtime midday slot into the early evening shift. The show was canceled in less than a year, and the regular music format, hosted once more by Webber, returned.
As WIP continued adding more current music, it also added the weekly countdown show “Dick Clark’s National Music Survey.” WIP aired the version produced for adult contemporary stations, while WSTW-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, listenable in much of the Philadelphia market, aired the top 40 version.
WIP continued playing music on Saturday mornings for a short time before the transition to all-sports (save for an overnight talk show with Larry King/Jim Bohannon) was complete in 1987.
On September 2, 2011, WIP began simulcasting on 94.1 FM replacing rock station WYSP.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
with an all-sports format
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
. Located at 610 AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
, the station adopted its current all-sports format in 1986, making it the first all-sports radio station in the United States. Owned and operated by CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
, its transmitters are located in the Crescent Park section of Bellmawr, New Jersey
Bellmawr, New Jersey
-Local government:Bellmawr is governed under the borough form of New Jersey municipal government. The government consists of a mayor and a borough council comprising six council members, with all positions elected at large. A mayor is elected directly by the voters to a four-year term of office...
.
Overview
The station is known for its influence on the Philadelphia sports fanbase. Its prominent hosts include Angelo CataldiAngelo Cataldi
Angelo Cataldi is a sports radio personality for 610 WIP in Philadelphia. Airing from 5:30am until 10:00am Eastern time, along with co-hosts Al Morganti, Keith Jones and Rhea Hughes.-Career:Cataldi is a native of Providence, Rhode Island...
, who arranged for a group of Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
fans to attend the 1999 NFL Draft
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and demand the Eagles select University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
running back Ricky Williams
Ricky Williams
Errick Lynne "Ricky" Williams, Jr. is an American football running back for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints fifth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft...
with their #2 pick (which led to the infamous booing of the decision to select Donovan McNabb
Donovan McNabb
Donovan Jamal McNabb is an American football quarterback who is currently a free agent. He was the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback from 1999 to 2009 and spent the 2010 season with the Washington Redskins and a portion of the 2011 season with the Minnesota Vikings. In college, McNabb played...
), and Howard Eskin
Howard Eskin
Howard Eskin is an American sports radio personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.-Career:After Eskin graduated from Northeast High School in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM when evening shift disc jockey George Michael hired him to be his engineer...
, whose achievements included the Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
"funeral" (following the announcement of Owens's four-game suspension from the Eagles during the 2005-2006 season), and a short-lived hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
in support of trading Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
superstar Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson
Allen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. The station is also known for hosting the annual eating contest, the Wing Bowl
Wing Bowl
Wing Bowl is an annual eating contest founded in 1993 by Philadelphia talk-radio hosts Angelo Cataldi and Al Morganti as a celebration of gluttony. The contest was first broadcast on WIP ....
.
It is also considered to be a sister station to another CBS Radio station, WFAN
WFAN
WFAN , also known as "Sports Radio 66" or "The FAN", is a radio station in New York City. The station broadcasts on a clear channel and is owned by CBS Radio...
, in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Both stations serve New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in addition to their licensed cities.
WIP is the flagship radio station for the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. When both teams are playing at the same time, WPHT and/or WYSP will usually carry one of the games. WIP was also the flagship radio station for the Philadelphia Eagles until 1992, when Eagles broadcasts moved to WYSP-FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. On February 20, 2008, the station announced that broadcasts of Eagles games would return to WIP, plus remain on WYSP, with each radio station broadcasting different feeds to make it easier for local fans to watch television coverage of Eagles games but to lower the volume on their TV and listen to the game on the radio. The advent of digital television signals was putting television and radio signals too far out of sync. The station also carried Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
games on Friday nights during the 2005 season, allowing WPHT to pick up some regularly scheduled programming on Friday nights. In 2008, WIP broadcast the Phillies' March 31 season opener against Washington along with WPHT.
History
Founded by Gimbels department store, the station first went on the air on March 17, 1922 as Philadelphia's first commercial radio station with the call sign WIP, which people mistakenly think stands for "Wireless In Philadelphia," "We're In Philadelphia" or "Watch Its Progress." In fact, WIP was a call sign randomly issued by the federal government.In the 1940s and 1950s, the station was an affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System
Mutual Broadcasting System
The Mutual Broadcasting System was an American radio network, in operation from 1934 to 1999. In the golden age of U.S. radio drama, MBS was best known as the original network home of The Lone Ranger and The Adventures of Superman and as the long-time radio residence of The Shadow...
. From the 1950s until the early 1960s, the station was owned by Metropolitan Broadcasting (successor to Dumont) and had a rock and roll format. In the early 60s the parent company name was changed from Metropolitan to Metromedia, and WIP adopted an MOR format (after an unsuccessful attempt at a Top 40 format branded as Color Radio). With this format, the station played pop hits of the 1960s, along with some 50s pop mixed in. Announcers during this time period included Joe McCauley (the "Morning Mayor"), Ned Powers, Tom Brown, and Chuck Daugherty.
During this time WIP called themselves "The Big W" after a phrase in the 60s comedy, "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World," and the slogan was justified. WIP was number one in the market ratings through the 60s and for most of the 70s.
In the late 60s they began including more soft-rock until the format gradually evolved into an Adult Contemporary format which survived through the 70s and into the 80s. The music mix continued to include pop from the previous two decades. In addition, the station was full service in approach, as they had a heavy emphasis on news as well.
After many years of ownership by Metromedia
Metromedia
Metromedia was a media company that owned radio and television stations in the United States from 1956 to 1986 and owned Orion Pictures from 1986-1997.- Overview :...
the station was purchased by Ed Snider
Ed Snider
Edward M. Snider is the American Chairman of Comcast Spectacor, a Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment company that owns the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL, the Wells Fargo Center, the Spectrum, the regional sports network Comcast SportsNet and Global Spectrum, an international facilities...
's Spectacor Group, the longtime owner of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, in 1988. Snider sold the station to Infinity Broadcasting in 1994. Infinity later merged with CBS, and the station is now owned by CBS Radio
CBS Radio
CBS Radio, Inc., formerly known as Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States, third behind main rival Clear Channel Communications and Cumulus Media. CBS Radio owns around 130 radio stations across the country...
.
1970s and 1980s
By the early 1970s, WIP evolved to an adult contemporary format, and for a while, they were heavy on 1950s and 1960s rock and roll oldies. At the height of its popularity as a full service/adult contemporary station in the early to mid-1970s, WIP was the home to some of the most well-known air personalities in the city, including popular rush hour host Ken Garland (who had replaced legend, Joe McCauley, the "Morning Mayor,") late morning host Bill “Wee Willie” Webber, early afternoon host Tom Moran, late PM host, Dick Clayton, evening host Tom Lamaine, and overnight host Nat Wright. Weekend coverage included Allan Michaels, Alan Drew and Bill St. James. During this time, Metromedia's station in New York, WNEW, had similar programming and it was not uncommon for DJs to swap back and forth for subbing duties. WNEW's Julius LaRosa was a frequent guest. WIP’s presentation, like other full-service stations, was heavily dependent on its personalities to entertain the audience as much as the music itself.In addition to music, full-service music stations in that era were typically home to strong news operations, and WIP had local newscasts every hour, seven days a week (at one point they offered half hourly newscasts around the clock). The weekday morning news was so extensive that they had two anchors in later years, and even introduced a 5 a.m. 30 minute newscast. One of WIP’s news reporters, Jan Gorham, remained with the station after the switch to sports and continued to work there until retiring in 2009.
The station hosted a popular radiothon for one weekend a year for several years, raising funds to fight leukemia. The events were staged on a large scale, in venues like hotel ballrooms, with local and national celebrities visiting the live broadcast.
WIP’s best-known contest was Cash Call, a call-out game in which the DJs picked numbers out of the phone book or from postcards submitted by listeners. The intro to the contest was the first 10 seconds of a song called "The Sound Of Money" by the J's with Jamie, a vocal group that recorded lots of commercial jingles and about four commercially available albums, none of which were very successful, despite the group's vocal talents. If the person at the other end of the call could identify the exact amount of money in the “jackpot,” down to the standard 61-cent ending, they won the current jackpot. Players who knew the 61 cents but not the dollar amount typically won a token prize from a sponsor. Every incorrect guess lead to a few dollars being added to the jackpot; a correct guess resulted in the jackpot being reset to $61.61.
Another long-running contest late in WIP’s run as a music station was Team Trivia. Two area businesses competed, one on the morning show with Ken Garland, the other on the afternoon show with (Bruce) Stevens and (Nick) Seneca (who had replaced Tom Moran).
As the popularity of music on FM radio grew, stations like Magic 103 (now 102.9 WMGK
WMGK
WMGK, known as "Classic Rock 102.9 MGK" or "Philadelphia's Classic Rock: 102.9 MGK", is a Classic rock formatted radio station which is broadcast in the Philadelphia area. The station features popular Philadelphia radio personality John DeBella and former Howard Stern Show censor Andre Gardner. ...
) and Kiss 100 began to eat away at WIP’s audience. For a time, the station experimented with general interest talk. Michele Iaia was brought on to host “WIPeople Talk,” a weeknight call-in show from 8 p.m. to midnight. The show would later expand to include a weekend edition, and over time the talk block was expanded to run from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (with the station touting that it played music all day and talked all night). One of the regular features was a Friday night segment called Desperate & Dateless, a show that eventually spun off into a stand-alone Saturday night program that included music mixed in with the calls from single listeners.
The local talk was scaled back to make room for Larry King’s syndicated radio show in the overnight hours, and eventually most of the local talk was replaced by music once again. The station later tried a programming experiment known as Midday Infotainment, a features-based midday show hosted by Bill Gallagher and Lynn Adkins. That move pushed Bill Webber out of his longtime midday slot into the early evening shift. The show was canceled in less than a year, and the regular music format, hosted once more by Webber, returned.
As WIP continued adding more current music, it also added the weekly countdown show “Dick Clark’s National Music Survey.” WIP aired the version produced for adult contemporary stations, while WSTW-FM in Wilmington, Delaware, listenable in much of the Philadelphia market, aired the top 40 version.
Sports radio
WIP’s transition to sports was gradual, unlike many so-called format flips that happen instantaneously. The station began adding sports programming in the mid-1980s. More and more sports hosts were brought on to replace the music hosts that left, including Ken Garland, who moved to cross-town WPEN-AM, then a nostalgia-based music station. Garland was initially replaced by WIP part-timer Jeff Brown before the sports-based morning show debuted. Bill Webber’s show, then limited to 9 a.m. to noon, was the last regularly scheduled weekday music program. Webber also would eventually join WPEN, hosting his familiar midday slot on Saturdays.WIP continued playing music on Saturday mornings for a short time before the transition to all-sports (save for an overnight talk show with Larry King/Jim Bohannon) was complete in 1987.
On September 2, 2011, WIP began simulcasting on 94.1 FM replacing rock station WYSP.
Notable dates in WIP's history
- September 2, 2011 - WIP moved to 94.1 FM becoming 94 WIP, with 610 AM as its simulcast.
- April 1, 2011 - WIP broadcasts Philadelphia PhilliesPhiladelphia PhilliesThe Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
baseball along with WPHTWPHTWPHT is a CBS Radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, broadcasting on 1210 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it broadcasts in an omnidirectional pattern that allows it to cover most of the eastern half of North America at night. It uses the nickname "Talk Radio 1210 WPHT." The...
. This would be the first of many Phillies baseball broadcasts in 2011 on WIP. - January 9, 2009 - WIP Mid-day hosts Anthony Gargano and Glen Macnow simulcast their show with 660 WFAN Mid-day hosts Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts. Dubbed "BroadwayBroadway (New York City)Broadway is a prominent avenue in New York City, United States, which runs through the full length of the borough of Manhattan and continues northward through the Bronx borough before terminating in Westchester County, New York. It is the oldest north–south main thoroughfare in the city, dating to...
vs. Broad StreetBroad Street (Philadelphia)Broad Street is a major arterial street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and is nearly 13 miles long.It is Pennsylvania Route 611 along its entire length with the exception of its northernmost part between Old York Road and Pennsylvania Route 309 and the southernmost part south of Interstate 95...
," it was one of the first times WIP has linked up with another radio station in America. The show was used as a forum for both towns to squabble about who will win the NFC playoff game between the Eagles and Giants (The Eagles would go on to defeat the Giants, 23-11 two days later). - March 28, 2008 - Long time mid day show producer, Bubba, was unceremoniously "let go". He produced the first show from the new WIP studios and also produced Steve Fredericks' last show as a full time host on WIP.
- March 25, 2008 - Steve Martorano's last day on the mid-day show with Anthony Gargano. Martorano, whose contract was not renewed, was replaced by Glen MacnowGlen MacnowGlen Harry Macnow is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sports talk radio host on 610 WIP.-Background:Macnow was born in New York City, and raised in Buffalo, New York...
. - March 21, 2007 - Former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Mitch Williams makes his debut on the WIP Morning Show with Angelo Cataldi.
- April 21, 2006 - WIP rehires Steve Martorano, giving him a two-year contract with an option for a third.
- March 20, 2006 - WIP fires Mike MissanelliMike MissanelliMike Missanelli is an American sports radio personality for ESPN affiliate, 97.5 The Fanatic, in Philadelphia.Missanelli began his career in Bristol, Pennsylvania as a newspaper writer, working at the Philadelphia Inquirer and eventually moved over to radio working on-air at 610 WIP and 93.3 WMMR. ...
for on-air and off-air altercations with co-workers. - February 13, 2006 - First broadcast of "Mondays with Mo," on the Glen Macnow show, with Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
coach Maurice CheeksMaurice CheeksMaurice Edward "Mo" Cheeks is a retired American professional basketball player and assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He was the head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association from May 23, 2005 to December 13, 2008...
. - February 11, 2006 - First broadcast of the "Rhea Hughes show," 9 a.m.-11 a.m. Saturdays.
- October 8, 2005 - The date of the first Philadelphia PhantomsPhiladelphia PhantomsThe Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were...
game to be broadcast on radio (on WIP). - September 16, 2005 - WIP announces a deal with the Philadelphia Phantoms to broadcast games.
- September 12, 2005 - WIP announces that it has obtained the rights to broadcast the "Terrell Owens Show" at 5 p.m. on Fridays during the Howard EskinHoward EskinHoward Eskin is an American sports radio personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.-Career:After Eskin graduated from Northeast High School in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM when evening shift disc jockey George Michael hired him to be his engineer...
show. The show originates from WAXYWAXYWAXY is a radio station licensed in South Miami, Florida broadcasting on 790 kHz with a sports talk format. The station is owned by Lincoln Financial Media, which was previously known as Jefferson-Pilot Communications...
in Miami, FloridaMiami, FloridaMiami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
. - September 12, 2005 - First broadcast of Brian Dawkins on WIP's "Morning Show" discussing the Eagles' game from the previous day.
- July 27, 2005 - WIP signs a long-term agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers to retain broadcasting rights.
- July 5, 2005 - Mike Missanelli rejoins WIP, being paired with Anthony Gargano in the 10 a.m.-3 p.m. slot, Middays.
- June 30, 2005 - Steve Martorano leaves WIP when his contract expires.
- June 21, 2005 - WIP begins simultaneously broadcasting over the InternetInternetThe Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
. - September 9, 2004 - Howard Eskin is suspended by WIP for 30 days to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by Richard SpragueRichard SpragueRichard E. Sprague was an American computer technician, researcher and author. According to American journalist Dick Russell, who dedicated seventeen years to the investigation of John Kennedy assassination, Sprague was "the leading gatherer of photographic evidence about the Kennedy assassination"...
, a lawyer for former 76ers star Allen IversonAllen IversonAllen Ezail Iverson is an American professional basketball point guard and shooting guard. He was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers with the number one pick in the 1996 NBA Draft. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1996–97 season...
. - August 14, 2004 - WIP begins broadcasting from its new Bala Cynwyd location.
- July 23, 2004 - WIP program director Tom Bigby leaves to take a similar position with Infinity sister station KRLD 1080-AM in Dallas.
- May 24, 2004 - Intune Media announces the launch of a new website for WIP.
- April 16, 2004 - Steve Fredericks retires.
- May 23, 2003 - WIP sends a "cease and desist" letter to 93.3 WMMR's Joe Conklin over comments made about WIP on-air.
- May 1, 2003 - Mike Missanelli officially leaves WIP to begin a morning show called Philly Guys on 93.3 WMMR.
- January 2003 - Joe Conklin leaves WIP.
- August 14, 1998 - WIP signs a five year deal with the Philadelphia Flyers for broadcasting rights through the 2003 season.
- November 1990 - Angelo CataldiAngelo CataldiAngelo Cataldi is a sports radio personality for 610 WIP in Philadelphia. Airing from 5:30am until 10:00am Eastern time, along with co-hosts Al Morganti, Keith Jones and Rhea Hughes.-Career:Cataldi is a native of Providence, Rhode Island...
joins the Morning Show, teaming with Tom BrookshierTom BrookshierThomas Jefferson "Tom" Brookshier was an American professional football player, coach and sportscaster. He was a starting defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles for seven seasons from 1953 to 1961...
as "Brookie and the Rookie". - November 1988 - WIP becomes all-sports talk except for the morning drive.
- September 1986 - WIP starts broadcasting sports talk with Howard Eskin in the afternoon from 5 p.m.-6PM.
- March 17, 1922 - WIP makes its first broadcast.
- March 16, 1922 - WIP is created.
Specialty Programming
- Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
games (during basketball season) - Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
games (during football season) - Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
games (during hockey season) - Philadelphia Union games (during soccer season)
Current Hosts
- Ed Benkin (late nights and Sports Updates, also a sports reporter for sister station KYW 1060))
- Angelo CataldiAngelo CataldiAngelo Cataldi is a sports radio personality for 610 WIP in Philadelphia. Airing from 5:30am until 10:00am Eastern time, along with co-hosts Al Morganti, Keith Jones and Rhea Hughes.-Career:Cataldi is a native of Providence, Rhode Island...
(November 1990-present) - Morning Show (5:30AM - 10:00AM) - Big Daddy Graham- (January 1996 - present) - Overnight Show (2:00AM - 5:30AM)
- Rob Charry (Weekend afternoons)
- Garry CobbGarry CobbGarry Wilbert Cobb is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League and current radio personality on WIP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is the author of a book entitled Don't Be Clueless: 7 Keys to Life in the Real World, which is targeted to the challenges of urban youth...
(Weekend evenings) - Joe Conklin (?-January 2003, May 3, 2006-present)
- Left WIP in January 2003 to begin a show with Mike Missanelli on 93.3 WMMR. Currently in a free lance period, usually on the Morning Show, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Ray DidingerRay DidingerRay Didinger is an award-winning American sportswriter, author, film writer, radio host, TV commentator, and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame .-Early life and career:...
(Saturday Afternoons from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM with Rob Ellis) - Hugh Douglas - Morning Show (5:30AM - 10:00AM) (Weekend afternoons)
- Mark Eckel (weekday evenings)
- Rob Ellis(weekday evenings) "Ellis in the evening"
- Howard EskinHoward EskinHoward Eskin is an American sports radio personality for WIP-FM 94.1/WIP-AM 610 in Philadelphia.-Career:After Eskin graduated from Northeast High School in Philadelphia in 1968, he got his start in local radio at WFIL-AM when evening shift disc jockey George Michael hired him to be his engineer...
(September 1986-Present) - (Weekdays 3:00PM - 7:00PM)- Ended full weekday 3-7 pm slot on September 2, 2011. Eskin's final full-time show was the first show on 94 WIP-FM. In 2011, Eskin will begin a Saturday show on WIP.
- Marc Farzetta (Sunday nights 11:00 PM-2:00 AM) (appears on morning show sometimes)
- Reuben Frank (weekday evenings)
- Anthony Gargano - Middays (10:00AM - 3:00PM)
- Jason Myrtetus-Friday and Saturday evenings-Asst Program Director and Voice Over talent
- Sonny Hill (Sunday mornings)
- Peter Solomon (Sunday mornings)
- Rhea Hughes Morning Show (5:30AM - 10:00AM)
- Paul Jolovitz (late nights)
- Jon Johnson(late nights and Sports Updates)
- Keith Jones - Morning Show (5:30AM - 10:00AM)
- Glen MacnowGlen MacnowGlen Harry Macnow is a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania sports talk radio host on 610 WIP.-Background:Macnow was born in New York City, and raised in Buffalo, New York...
- Middays (10:00AM - 3:00PM), - Al MorgantiAl MorgantiMichael "Al" Morganti is a nationally recognized hockey analyst who has covered the National Hockey League and international competitions. He is currently a pre and post-game analyst for the Philadelphia Flyers of the NHL for games broadcast on Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and occasionally, The...
- Morning Show (5:30AM - 10:00AM) - Brian Startare (weekday evenings)
- Steve Trevelise (Friday and Saturday nights 1:00 AM to 5:00 AM)
- Ike ReeseIke ReeseIsaiah "Ike" Reese is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in fifth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
- (Weekdays 3:00-7:00PM)
Sports Update Anchors
- Rob Charry (11:00 AM to 7 PM weekdays)
- Rhea Hughes (morning show)
- Steve Trevelise (11:00 AM to 7 PM weekdays)
- Sue Shilling
- Joe Altimonte (weekends)
- Jon Johnson (weeknights and weekends)
- Marc Farzetta (morning show and weekends)
- Jan Gorham-Recently left the station after working at WIP for over thirty-three years. Jan was known not to mince words "No more misery for Barbaro, he's dead"
- Ed Benkin(also with KYW 1060, a sister station)
- Eytan Shander
Former
- Tom BrookshierTom BrookshierThomas Jefferson "Tom" Brookshier was an American professional football player, coach and sportscaster. He was a starting defensive back for the Philadelphia Eagles for seven seasons from 1953 to 1961...
Deceased) - Tony BrunoTony BrunoFor Tony Bruno, the musician, see Tony Bruno Tony Bruno is an American sports talk radio personality in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
- Bill CampbellBill Campbell (sportscaster)Bill Campbell is a longtime sportscaster in the Philadelphia area.Campbell began his broadcasting career at the age of 17 at a radio station in his hometown of Atlantic City. He moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1941 as a minor league baseball announcer, and then settled in Philadelphia in...
- Craig CartonCraig CartonCraig Harris Carton is an American radio personality who currently co-hosts the Boomer and Carton in the Morning radio program.-Biography:...
- Pat CrocePat CrocePasquale "Pat" Croce is an American entrepreneur, sports team executive and owner, author, and TV personality....
- Steve Fredericks (1992-April 16, 2004)
- Retired from WIP on April 16, 2004.
- Jody MacDonald(currently filling in at WIP)
- Lenny Stevens (Handicapping show, Saturday late nights)
- Steve Martorano (November 1987-June 30, 2005, April 21, 2006-March 25, 2008)
- Left WIP June 30, 2005 after his contract was not renewed to make way for Mike Missanelli. Was rehired after Missanelli was fired.
- Last Day at WIP Radio 3/25/2008. Will be consulting for CBS Radio and All Star Promotion, which handles athlete endorsement deals.
- John MarzanoJohn MarzanoJohn Robert Marzano commonly referred to as Johnny Marz was an American catcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1987 to 1998 for the Boston Red Sox, Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners, generally as a backup catcher...
(deceased) - John McAdams(Deceased)
- Sweeny Murti
- Lucy Jones
- Jack McCaffery
- Donna McQuillan
- Jay Sapovits
- Mike MissanelliMike MissanelliMike Missanelli is an American sports radio personality for ESPN affiliate, 97.5 The Fanatic, in Philadelphia.Missanelli began his career in Bristol, Pennsylvania as a newspaper writer, working at the Philadelphia Inquirer and eventually moved over to radio working on-air at 610 WIP and 93.3 WMMR. ...
(1992-May 1, 2003; July 5, 2005-March 20, 2006)- Left WIP in 2003 to work for 93.3 WMMR and was fired 14 months into a 2 year contract April 2004. He later returned to WIP in July 2005 only to be fired in March 2006 after both physical and verbal altercations with co-workers.
- Dave O'Neal
- Sal Violante (1993-1995, Hosted Saturday Morning Sports Page)
- Joe Pellegrino
- John Kincade
- Kris Gamble
- Ken Garland (music; deceased)
- Bill Webber (music; deceased)
- KJ Fergusson (music)(Production)
- Tim Marshall (music)(Production)
- Tom Moran (music)
- Tom LaMaine (music)
- Nat Wright (music)
- Dick Clayton (music)
- (Bruce) Stevens and (Nick) Seneca (music)
- Mike Stevens (music) Moved on to Television Career as anchor/reporter in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Sacramento, NY, Michigan, Columbus Ohio. Also worked in radio at WCBS am
- Jeff Brown (music)
- Catey Hill (music)
- Dave Zubriski (music)(Production)
Frequent broadcast locations
- Benny the Bums, South Philly (Rob Charry, during NFL Sundays. Stadium Holiday Inn)
- Borgata Hotel, Casino & Spa (Howard Eskin's Tuesday show and Morning Show Fridays. One Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401. http://www.theborgata.com/)
- Chickie's and Pete's (Midday Show Fridays; Anthony Gargano and Hugh Douglas for Philadelphia Eagles pregames. 1526 Packer Avenue, Philadelphia, PA.) http://www.chickiesandpetes.com/page/page/790062.htm)
- AT&T Pavilion at the Wachovia Center (Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia EaglesThe Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
pregames) - Landmark Americana Tap and Grill (Unnecessary Roughness with Anthony Gargano and Jon RunyanJon RunyanJon Daniel Runyan is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He is a former American football offensive tackle in the National Football League, where he played for fourteen seasons. He was a participant in the 2003 Pro Bowl following the 2002 NFL season...
. West Chester, PA http://www.landmarkamericana.com/) - Lincoln Financial FieldLincoln Financial FieldLincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
- McDonald's (Midday Show Thursdays, McDonalds in Glassboro)
- Slack's Hoagie Shack (http://slackshoagies.com/)
- Wachovia CenterWachovia CenterThe Wells Fargo Center is an indoor arena located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
- Citizens Bank ParkCitizens Bank ParkCitizens Bank Park is a 43,647-seat baseball park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and home of the Philadelphia Phillies. Citizens Bank Park opened on April 3, 2004, and hosted its first regular season baseball game on April 12 of the same year, with the...
- Steven Singer Jewelers (Morning Show) http://www.IHateStevenSinger.com
Former special weekly shows
- "The Terrell Owens show" with Terrell OwensTerrell OwensTerrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, hosted by Dan LeBatard (Fridays, 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., during the 2005 NFL season. Broadcast live from a 790-AM "The Ticket" in Miami, FL.)