Cadillac Jack Seville no longer hosting afternoon drive slot on 98.1 WOGL
The host says he "will no longer be doing Afternoon Drive at WOGL."
98.1 WOGL's "Cadillac" Jack Seville's stylings will now be conspicuously absent from afternoon drives in the Philadelphia area, with the jock saying this week that he has been removed from the time slot at the station.
Seville confirmed to Philly.com Thursday that he "will no longer be doing Afternoon Drive at WOGL," but declined to comment further. The host also announced his departure from the time slot (2 to 7 p.m. weekdays; 3 to 7 p.m. Saturdays) on Facebook, writing that his longtime afternoon-drive radio career is taking "a time-out" at the moment. His host bio has been removed from the WOGL website.
The reason behind the change is unclear. However, several reports, including one from noted media reporter Tom Taylor, have indicated that the move is part of staff cuts at WOGL, as well as other stations owned by CBS Radio Philadelphia. Those potential cuts reportedly include several other staffers, both on-air and off-air. WOGL did not respond to a request for comment.
Seville joined WOGL in 2004, and began helming afternoons in September 2008 following the death of "Big" Ron O'Brien in April that year. Prior to his run at WOGL, Seville worked afternoons at WEGX "Eagle 106" here in Philly, and had stints at KQLZ "Pirate Radio 100.3" in Los Angeles, and 105.1 WAVA in Washington, among other stations.
Seville's news follows the exit of former WOGL program director Anne Gress, who left WOGL last month after 14 years. As Radio Insight reports, 96.5 WTDY "Wired" program director Bobby Smith was promoted into that role following Gress' exit.
The changes at WOGL come amid a merger between CBS Radio and Entercom Communications Corp., the suburban Philadelphia-based media company that announced a $4 billion deal that includes Philly radio stations including WOGL, WIP, WXTU and others back in February this year. Should that merger take place, the pair will become the US's second-largest radio station group with 244 stations total, second only to iHeartMedia, which owns 862 stations.
This change is the latest in a recent line at WOGL. Back in April, former host Bill Zimpfer left his spot on WOGL's Breakfast Club in April due to a low contract offer. Co-host Valerie Knight was let go from the station in December last year after almost 15 years at WOGL, and was replaced by Marilyn Russell, formerly of 95.7 BEN-FM.