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Media Nuggets: iHeart Layoffs, Nick Kayal Extended, and the Philly Wack Pack

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Oct 8th, 2025 · 10:36 AM EDT

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Here’s a relatively-short edition of the Media Nuggets column for you:

1) Sean Brace is out at iHeartRadio. He posted this Tuesday morning:

Started @FoxPHLGambler in 2019 and built up a nice team, partnerships & friendships over the years.
(Damn, even made it through a pandemic)
With that, my time with iheart has come to an end. Industry can be tough at times. We move forward no matter what.

— SB (@Sean_Brace) October 7, 2025

Sean’s departure is part of a larger layoff round that took place across iHeart’s properties.

He had been hosting The Daily Ticket at The Gambler for almost seven full years. Listening on Tuesday afternoon, the station was broadcasting Doug Gottlieb’s show instead, so we’ll see if that’s a permanent thing and they just go with a straight-national lineup. They do have Villanova basketball and some other local pieces in their programming.

2) Former 97.5 the Fanatic host Nick Kayal got a multi-year contract extension to continue hosting mornings on conservative talker 1210 WPHT.

He sent out this message on social media, reading, in part:

As many of you know, Friday, we celebrated our 3-year anniversary of Kayal & Company @1210WPHT! So as we begin year number 4, I am very excited to announce that I have signed a NEW, Multi-Year contract extension with @Audacy to continue doing mornings in Philadelphia! A major thank you to @GREGSTOCKER for choosing me to take over mornings when @Richzeoli went to afternoons. Working with he and @DawnStensland has been great radio and a fun time. A huge shoutout to Market Manager David Yadgaroff for getting my deal done, as well as Dave Scopinich & Rob Kaloustian who continue to believe in what we’re doing.

…

I also have to thank all of the producers (Anthony DiRenzo, Daniel Valdes, Phil Almquist, Dan Borowski & Jimmy Kelly) for their tireless work. My advertisers, thank you. Piazza Auto Group, FBBCF, TMF & the countless others who have invested their brand into my brand. We don’t exist without you! And last but not least, YOU, the audience! For trusting in me and tuning in every morning! We have set record ratings for 3 years and it’s because of your devotion. Thanks so much! We’re just getting started!

3) After a brief stint with Action News, former Eyewitness News anchor Jessica Kartalija has moved on to NewsNation, the Nexstar-owned outlet that debuted in 2021. She’s a national correspondent based out of New York City.

NewsNation’s top talent includes Ashleigh Banfield and Chris Cuomo, who both worked at CNN previously. They’ve got former Fox News guy Leland Vittert and an assortment of anchors and correspondents who have reported at the network level and also in large local markets.

4) Things have been relatively quiet when it comes to the Mike Missanelli and JAKIB Media civil suit. The latest filing in the court system reveals that the judge denied Joe Krause’s motion for “Judgment on the Pleadings and Default Judgment.” This goes back to a June filing in which Krause was seeking “default judgment on the Defendant’s Counterclaim, awarding $500,000, including $25,000 restitution, compensatory damages, punitive damages, and prejudgment interest.”

Additionally, Missanelli’s deposition was scheduled for July 31st but cancelled by Krause and never took place. Krause motioned for summary judgment on that same date, a motion that the judge has yet to rule on. That motion needs to be addressed to determine whether or not this case will end up going to trial after more than a year of discovery.

Krause’s argument is that Missanelli did not fulfill all of the obligations in his contract, which was never signed. Missanelli’s lawyer argues that terms were sufficiently communicated to the point where the contract is considered valid.

5) Jon Marks’ second Fanatic stint is underway and it looks like his 94 WIP callers are along for the ride. I’ve heard Chuck from Mount Airy on the program, but mercifully missed the idiotic Mad Mike, who apparently called a couple of times. Who’s next, Ingy? Angry Al?

One of the things you might recall from Marks’ time at WIP is that he, Ike Reese, and Jack Fritz regularly featured the likes of Chuck, Mike, OG Wade, Black Gritty, Herb from the Northeast, and other regular callers. It was a radio approach straight out of the Howard Stern “wack pack” playbook, which included personalities like Beetlejuice, Asian Pete, and Jeff the Drunk.

It’s on-brand for Marks’ in his second Fanatic run because he did not do performative outrage radio at WIP. His afternoon show was always more Stern-influenced, and that looks to continue as he takes over middays at 97.5. Some of these callers continue to dial up the WIP afternoon show that Spike Eskin now helms, but they’re going to be on both stations now, it would seem.

One thing you may have noticed at the Fanatic these days is that none of the shows take a lot of callers. John Kincade’s show has always been light on phone calls. Same with Unfiltered now. Missanelli historically took more calls than his contemporaries, bringing us the likes of Bernie from Broomall (RIP) and Vicente from Ecuador. Hola Mike!