Philly Sports Media Power Rankings: Radio
Hello, minion beings.
Yesterday, we established a pecking order of relevance with our Philly Sports Media Power Rankings for TV. Today, comes the radio folks.
Buckle TF up.
This is a difficult list to create, because some personalities are inextricably linked to their partners, at least at the current stage of their career. In some cases, brands rise above individual. In other cases, individuals command their place.
I want to make one thing clear: this is not based solely on the ratings. Because there is one local host who will undoubtedly email or text me after this to deride an ostensible peer as being “irrelevant” because no one listens to them.
Total audience is of course a part of it, but we find that factors such as relevance, uniqueness, positioning, and current juice should all play a part.
While this doesn’t include him because he’s not currently on the air, want to give a special hello to Big Daddy Graham. Hosts a quizzo at 7 in Sea Isle, drives to Philly to do this radio show until 5 a.m. Hard to match that work ethic and joy for the job he has. We wish him well and can’t wait to hear him on the air again.
The list.
10) Natalie Egenolf
Natalie is well liked at both 97.5 and NBC Sports Philly, as evidenced by the announcement of her new show, Birds Outsiders. She serves a great role on Mike Missanelli’s show. She’s an ample sidekick (along with Tyrone, who just missed the cut) who serves as a sturdy foil to Missanelli.
9) Joe Giglio
I disagree with basically everything he tweets, but Giglio has carved out a niche in the mold of Eliot Shorr-Parks where the hotter your take is, the better. It’s the Art Of The Take, really, and Joe has mastered it, for better or worse. Got to respect the game.
8) Sean Brace
Sean was basically just handed the keys to a radio station, 102.5, FOX Sports The Gambler– an FM band dedicated, mostly, to betting which also simulcasts national FOX Sports shows. It’s a good space to be in right now, and being the lead at a station on the come up, as they say, is even better.
7) Harry-Eytan-Mike-Tony and the 97.3 ESPN crew
Odd choice here. Odd choice. But if Eytan is to be believed, 97.3 recently cracked the Philly market stream ratings for the first time ever, likely due to Harry and Eytan constantly pushing their show hard. The recent addition of Tony Bruno three times per week makes the station, run by Gill (whose show I’ll be on at 4:30 today tune in and we’re totally not biased), all the more relevant. There’s something to be said for local names going out and finding a way to keep themselves out there, and everyone here has done just that. Kudos.
6) Marc Farzetta
Judas. Kidding. Farzetta was Angelo Cataldi’s longtime heir apparent, something something went and got married in Italy, and then returned only to announce (for us to announce) that he was headed to the 97.5 morning show. Many rumors peg Cataldi as being NOT THRILLED about these events and vowing to stay in radio long enough to destroy Farzetta. I like a good grudge. Anyway, Farzetta gets increasingly important roles in Philly sports media. That’s power to me.
5) Jon Marks and Ike Reese
Hard to argue with the 2 p.m. slot on 94 WIP. Marks and Reese have been around individually it feels like forever, and both have fallen up into drive time roles on the preeminent local sports talk station.
4) Anthony Gargano and Jason Myrtetus
Gargano was cast aside from the morning show and, per birdies, was given the option to take or leave the mid-day show. To his credit, he took it– a time slot better suited for his persona. He pairs well with Myrtetus, who has held roles in local radio ranging from assistant PD, to Mike Missanelli’s producer, to now co-hosting with established talkers like Gargano.
3) Glen Macnow and Ray Didinger
Both guys are accomplished enough to get their own spot on this list (Ray is on our TV list), but they come as a package deal on the radio now, and I’m sure they’re each fine having it that way. While they might win a popularity contest, we can’t in good conscience put them any higher seeing as though they’re on mostly weekends.
2) Angelo Cataldi
He is the OG and has full autonomy at WIP. Not much needs to be said. He loses points for doubling down on his shtick, being rigid, and occasionally and needlessly burying local sports persons for ridiculous and unfounded reasons. But, he’s entertaining and an excellent interviewer. One could imagine a world where he, not Mike Missanelli, had his show on NBC Sports Philly, but I suspect he’s too set in his ways to change any element of his show for TV.
1) Mike Missanelli
There’s really not much of a debate here. Mike has been doing his thing in the 2 p.m. slot for years now and is about as steady as they come. He’s competitive, and would probably tell you that he deserves to be number 0 on this list, because there should be no list, only Mike, but that’s part of what makes him successful. Credit for the willingness to try new things with his show on NBC Sports Philly, and generally accept other local media jobs he doesn’t have to take on. He’s the best.