
Craig Carton Leaving WFAN
Semi-relevant RADIO WARS news here, maybe like RADIO-ADJACENT WARS.
Andrew Marchand at The New York Post had it first.
(Craig) Carton will now just do the FS1 program, which will pay him seven figures, according to sources.
He is expected to leave WFAN in a little more than two weeks.
For Carton, the financial difference between WFAN and FS1 was too great and the previous schedule was too daunting to remain on afternoon radio in New York.
Even Audacy president Chris Oliviero, who oversees WFAN, gave Carton his blessing to take the FS1 deal, according to sources.
Carton later confirmed the report.
You may or may not remember that Carton worked at WIP in the mid-90s. He eventually left for New York, ended up in jail on securities and wire fraud, then got out and returned to WFAN amid rumors that he could come back to Philadelphia. Carton later was given a show on FS1 and did both TV and radio at the same time.
Thoughts from James Kratch at our sister site, ESNY:
The news is not a total shock. Marchand reported Carton would need to choose between cable television and radio at some point in April. And everyone knew there was more money in TV than radio. Especially with Audacy, WFAN’s parent company, in dire financial straits. But still: It is a colossal blow for WFAN, which had finally regained a stranglehold on the market and was dominating ESPN Radio New York’s Michael Kay in the ratings battle. And it is a life jacket for Kay, who now has a chance to regain relevancy. Remember: WFAN has not beaten Kay without Carton or Mike Francesa.
The takeaway for me is that we’re doing this all wrong. Carton’s one-year stay in a federal pound me in the ass prison didn’t damage his career, it actually pushed his career to new heights. He came out of the slammer and got not one, but two lucrative jobs.