Larry Mendte out at IQ 106.9
Mendte will no longer talk to listeners during their morning commute
Larry Mendte out at IQ 106.9
Molly Eichel, Daily News Staff Writer
Larry Mendte co-anchors the morning news radio show.
Larry Mendte posted on his Facebook page that he had been let go from conservative talk radio station IQ 106.9, where the former anchor had been serving as the morning drive host. In the post, the gracious Mendte makes it clear that his departure from the station was not his decision.
In an interview with the Daily News, Mendte said there was no indication why he was let go from the station, who gave Mendte his walking papers on December 21. Mendte believed his show had solid ratings and loyal fanbase. "It just never really had a spot. They were trying to find a place for it," Mendte said. "I was a big experiment [because I had never done radio before]." Mendte, unlike the other hosts, did not have a contract.
Mendte doesn't know what's in store for IQ 106.9, although rumors have swirled that the station might be sold. Mendte himself has another gig to fall back on: He does commentary pieces for New York's Pix11. "Actually I’m going to get a lot more sleep," Mendte said, laughing. "I was waking up at 4:30 [a.m.]. and not getting home until 8:00 [p.m.]. Something had to give," Mendte said. "I love Philly so much and it was an opportunity to come back."
His post read as follows:
Hello All and Thank You for liking this page.
As most of you know, I have not been on the air for the past week. I have been told that many of you have called the station asking where I am and I thank you for that. The truth is I am no longer working at IQ 106.9. It was not my choice and since my show was by far the highest rated local show I am certain this will fuel the industry rumors that the station is being sold. I hope that is not true as the station fills an important void.
I have no regrets, just pockets full of gratitude. Randy Michaels, one of the great talk radio hosts of all time, personally coached me. I was paid to go to a prestigious talk radio school and I believe I graduated with honors. My show introduced the world to Samantha Pawlucy, the brave little girl who was harassed at school for wearing a Mitt Romney tee shirt. I pressed the city everyday for two weeks to investigate irregularities at the election polling sites and collected stories from listeners; that investigation is now underway. I was growing as an important local voice of dissent in a city that is sorely lacking such a voice.
I love talk radio and hope to be back soon so we can continue our conversation. And so I am leaving this page up when I will soon amend it with a new place and time.
We have call in to IQ program director Leigh Jacobs and will update with his comments.
Earlier this year, Chuck Darrow wrote about Mendte's career change, calling the job a chance at redemption after the Alycia Lane scandal.
Today has been big day for radio news in Philly. Today, Buzz Bissinger talked about leaving his radio show, calling it "trivial."
Comments (52)
I really miss Mendte on the radio. I fin myself not even listening to IQ 106.9 anymore. Can't stand the guys in the morning.— Medord- IQ 106 is a waste of electricity. Tired old white men with tired, old fantasies and no interest in facts. No wonder they didn't want a newsman among them.— Jeff West
- He needed to go. He took away an hour from Glenn Beck. He would say the dumbest things just trying to get ratings.— 1776.Liberty.Bell
- This is all news to me. I can see Mendte doing well on the radio because of his experience doing tabloid TV and the news. My guess is his creepy past might have been a threat to a conservative radio station.— Phillies2008WSChamps
- IQ 106.9 FM radio is a very good station. In addition to Rush and Hannity during the week, it carries interesting and varied programming of a general nature during the weekends.— Pugh
- He was the creepiest blowhard on a station full of blowhards! Mendte made a complete ass out of himself trying to gog all Rush Limbaugh! Don't worry Larry, at least Dawn has a job, and her self esteem is still low enough that she still thinks your a catch! Wake up Dawn— Palin, no way
- He and Bolaris should start a morning show gig.— The Truth Hurts
- How about this: Bring Larry back, 6-9am, sh##-can the lawyer withe the strange funny sounding voice, and pickup the Glen Beck show on time at 9am— cementhead
- I remember WWDB back in the day. Philly had some really good talkers back in the 90's....— Bill8339
- Liberal Talk Radio Dies a Long time ago BTW Brownshirts were Socialist Like The Godless Party of Democrats Unions Burning down Churches, Not letting Republicans Vote what a City— Kevinmac
- just when you thought you heard that name for the last time....— bluefish
- How perfect that an email stalker gets hired as a conservative radio host. Regardless, conservative radio is still a big market - but it's heyday (late 80's thru late 90's) is likely past. Mostly due to the fact that they are too extreme and paranoid, and less factual.
I enjoyed listening to Rush back in the day, getting "the other side of the story". But he's a mere shadow of himself, and all his imitators that followed and are on Fox news - are merely dumber clones.
It's over. The GOP better get it together or become as relevant as the Libertarian or the Green Parties.— phillyPeteZ - The only thing that makes no sense is that Mendte was good and the ratings at the station were exceptional. I am a long talk radio listener and I was truly amazed at how Mendte took to it. He was honest and passionate without going over the top. I thought he had a real good shot and syndication. I think he still does.— Docer
- The title could have read "Larry Mendte Fired".— Sportyrider71
- Karl Rove and his friends have lived their usefulness. The hate mongering of these angry white men didn't play in November, nor will it play in upcoming elections. They are toast. The only folks who don't know are the 20M Kool Aide drinkers who lap up every word.— BigMike100
- Larry Mente is kinda creepy, and now I find out he's a right winger besides.— Bobby257
- Although I appreciate Mendte's efforts to promote IQ 106.9 but at the end of the day he was probably the wrong person to carry the conservative message given his past history. Notwithstanding, Mendte's efforts there is a strong market for conservative listeners who seek some sanity in the era of Obummer with his socialist lite policies. IQ 106.9 has potential they just need the right people to develop it, because it's audiance consists of consumers with economic means and don't mind spending money on quality goods and services. On liberal radio shows their consumers always expect things for free and won't spend money to support sponsors and advertisers. Moreover, the vast majority of potential liberal listeners are on entitlements and won't spend money to support sponsors and advertisers, they believe goods an services should be given for free.— Speak-truth-2-power
- Do you really think liberals spend no money?
Regardless - there are no "Liberal radio shows".
AM radio is mostly a conservative talk show bubble of anger and misinformation.
Enjoy!
— phillyPeteZ - Lopez I've told you before, stop wishing away the few producers left. who's going to pay for your welfare check?— MilesLong1
- What is wrong with Dawn Stensland to stay with this guy?— PhillyTerm
- Intelligent talk radio? Did I just read that? Is that what they call an oxymoron (no pun intended)?!!— mfaref37
- This comment has been deleted.— moretea4me
- You do realize that that largest radio ownership in the Country (Clear Channel) is owned by conservatives?
Whatever... Make your bubble smaller if you like.— phillyPeteZ - Joel A Spivak, Irv Homer, Dominic Quinn, Wynn Moore, Dr Jim Corea, Dick Clayton, Bernie Herman, Don Henderson, Bill Corsair, Steve Friedman (Mr Movie), Steve Fredericks, Bob Grant....YES, Talk Radio RULED in Philly!
— guitarman - Oh boy, has Lrry found the hot water again?— Atomic Fury
- i didn't even know there was a 106.9— Zero
- Later again, Larry. Much.— PhillySubsMac
- Don't pick on my pop, lol.— LarsMendte2
- Here's a hint: indicating you're a defender of the Constitution, but in the same breath asserting that we don't "need" semiautomatic rifles, is going to reduce your credibility.— operagost
- Maybe Booker will get the gig, he always gets Larry's seconds. who ha— Captain Terrific
- @BIB139: Spot on for today's talk radio, where the caller is nothing but a 25 second sound bite if he or she is lucky. And the atmosphere is mostly catered to the 1% Republicans.
There was a time in this town where callers actually had 5 to 10 minute conversations with the host. Hosts like Bernie Herman, Susan Bray, Dominic Quinn, Irv Homer, Paul W Smith, Bill Corsair, Al Julius, the Old Overnights Dom Giordano and the like are no longer with us. In those days it was talk that was reasonable, middle of the road and most importantly, respectful to the caller and the host. Those days are long gone.— DelawareRiverRat - Rush the Canadian Prog Rock band?? Great stuff. Rush the big headed windbag? Tool.— athousandgods
- People who listen to talk radio fool themsevles into thinking that they have a voice in the community. Hardly! It's nothing more than a place to vent, not unlike your local taproom. Once you're done, nobody remember's what you said... but you.— BOB139
- "the gracious Mendte". Is this the Onion?— Earl J
- Poor Larry. Mid-life loser.— The Baron
- if you can't make it as a conservative radio host, you probably can't do anything else. because pandering to those delusional nutjobs that listen to that stuff is one of the easiest jobs on earth. "blah blah blah, Obama's a muslim destroying our nation... blah blah blah .... socialism.... poor people are ruining our economy.... blah blah blah... hint as something vaguely racist.... blah blah"— Ryan
- When you speak do you hear your friends saying things like "This one time at band camp..."Idiot. (HTML deleted) — mephisto
- When you speak do you hear your friends saying things like "This one time at band camp..."
Idiot.— mephisto - I have heard that conservative radio is dying across the Country.— BobSG
- Yes, it is. You should stop listening to it.
Idiot.— mephisto - This town begs for a talk show that caters to Philadelphia and the surrounding towns in NJ, PA and Delaware. A LONG time ago, WWDB and WCAU used to do it. No more. Smerconish went national. Giordano appears to be a mouthpiece for the 1% Republicans. The shame of the matter is most folks here 40 and under have no clue as to what a great town this was for talk radio.— DelawareRiverRat
- I thought Mendte had a great show. He was forthright, honest, and able to do more than just read cue cards. He stood the test, and I don't know why he's going. He did a good job on 106.9, and it's too bad he was given his walking papers.— Yermak29
- Still no Rush today. Vacation @ 3 weeks and counting.— teddybear415
- wow if 106.9 is sold, I'll be listening to Rush and Coast to Coast on the Internet I guess. Always wondered how Conservative talk radio could survive in a Liberal Turd world market like Philthydelphia.— MilesLong1
- typical rush listener.
blathering, arrogant, clueless and diminishing in numbers.
the caustic right, america's brown shirts!— the lopez! - Rush's numbers are diminishing? Any proof of that or are you just another lying liberal Demopuke? — mephisto
- Now that Buzz Bisinger has quit 1210, just a thought that maybe Larry could take his place?— bartm
- Wow, his greatest accomplishment was the girl with the Romney T-Shirt. How the newscaster has fallen. Next job, QVC.— neddyflanders
- who cares.— Tyrone Biggums
- I doubt that Larry's IQ is as high as 106.9. Maybe "The Gracious Mendte" was stalking someone at that station too.— carl and sons
- Have you ever met Larry Mendte? He is pretty freakin smart. Like scary smart. — Medord
- What was that, 6 years ago? Give it a rest. At least the guy got up and told the truth about everything. Recently a judge threw out the case because Lane lied about everything. Give it a rest and give the guy a break. — Jill
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