UPDATE: WPHT to announce Dick Morris as new afternoon host
Dick Morris comes to Philly
UPDATE: WPHT to announce Dick Morris as new afternoon host
Molly Eichel, Daily News Staff Writer
In today's column, I teased a big announcement over at WPHT happening at 11 a.m.
Well, I've got it a bit early.
Conservative commentator Dick Morris will take over the spot currently held down by Steve Matorano and Rich Zeoli. Matorano and Zeoli will move to a night slot. Depending on the Phillies' schedule, they'll be on from 6 to 10 p.m. I hear Gary R'nel will cohost but that's not confirmed yet. Savvy listeners can note that Morris auditioned on WPHT a couple of weeks ago.
Morris will make the announcement today at 11 a.m. when he's scheduled to speak at at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference). He'll begin his hosting duties on April 15 (the same day Michael Smerconish is set to start his new show on SiriusXM), which will run from 2-6 p.m.
As I told you earlier, the schedule will shift in Smerconish's absence. Chris Stigall and Paige Powers will be on from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Dom Giordano takes 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
UPDATE: I chatted with operations manager Andy Bloom, who compared Morris' new gig akin to Howard Stern coming to WYSP (where Bloom was the program director) in 1986. "I see him as a lot better than Smerconish," Bloom said, when I asked him if he saw Morris as the next Smerconish-style syndicated personality. Bloom said that it would take awhile for Morris to reach syndicated levels but he thinks Morris will "probably be too big for one radio station to contain him."
Morris will be in Philadelphia in the nascent months of the show and then broadcast from his homes in New York and Florida. "I’m very excited about the long form of radio--where I can talk for four hours without getting interrupted, and where I can do the interrupting--is a lot of fun. I’ve always felt chaffed by the soundbite construct of television and I really love the opportunity to expand and, as friend of mine said, to bloviate," Morris told me.
Morris said that he thinks the show will be about two-thirds national news, one-third local, dropping notes on his displeasure with both New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett. "[The show] will really give me a chance to articulate how I think the Republican party can come back and win again," Morris said.
Morris is excited to explore the Philadelphia area. "We publish childrens' books and they all center on my Golden Retriever, Dubs. The third book, which is coming back next month, is Dubs Goes to Philadelphia," Morris said, noting that the book was written before the radio gig was even on the table. "Dick and Dubs are going to Philadelphia at about the same time."
This comment has been deleted.— Strongbow- Glad to see baldy hitting the bricks. I can finally listen to WPHT again in the middle of the day. But Dick Morris? I can't imagine anyone is looking forward to him. — JerryCurlan
- WOW! What a way to fail upward! Who on earth would listen to this complete loser?— Lombard Street
- Live and local ?— exgeman
- I think so. — Julius May
- So this is what passes as a big announcement these days? How pathetic is that. I'm sure the morons who still listen to that garbage will be pleased.— JLH
- Well I guess I won't be tuning into 1210 in the afternoon anymore. Having this guy on TV is more than we need.— nick1300
- He's not on tv anymore. He was kicked off fox news— MilesLong1
- Look at all of the obamatrons whining lol!
You did not get the memo, your obamatronic radio diva mike "I ruined my radio career" smerconish, is finished and now the market, naturally responds or PHT go BYE BYE!
Sorry Obamatrons, party is over, get a non existent job fools!— Paul Revered - mUMFORD AND sONS AREN'T EVEN RELATED. WTF?— PresidentSpock
- Talk about jumping the shark. The guy is a hack and about as conservative as smerconish. Just talks the talk to earn a buck. Last month he was on piers morgan talking about how the gop needs to moderate. Hello 106.9 IQ, you win.— Chuck2012
- Glad to see smerconish go, but Dick Morris? Really? If 'PHT wasn't following their "Live & Local", then why not Dennis Miller's syndicated show?— exgeman
- Just heard Dick Morris talking to Dom and he immediately began by trashing not Obama, not the left, but Chris Christie. So much for the 11th Commandment. This is the guy that brought America Bill Clinton.— Chuck2012
- I have a feeling 1210 is in disarray and broke right now after paying Smerconish to walk away from the disastrous decision to put him on 12-3 against Rush on 106.9 Kind of ironic since 106.9 was looking very shaky for a while but now seems to have come out of this on top and it's 1210 that might be going away if they can't stabilize things!— Strongbow
