More On: maggie gray
WFAN pressure focused on Maggie Gray, Marc Malusis after Craig Carton shakeup
WFAN’s lazy, dull programing is only getting worse
Craig Carton may have shot at WFAN return under new boss
WFAN’s midday show, “Moose & Maggie,” is safe for now, but the program will be on the clock in 2021, The Post has learned. With Craig Carton’s return to FAN after three years away,
WFAN’s midday show, “Moose & Maggie,” is safe for now, but the program will be on the clock in 2021, The Post has learned.
With Craig Carton’s return to FAN after three years away, including one in prison, set to begin on Monday and with the success of “Boomer & Gio” in the mornings, FAN’s plan is to give Maggie Gray and Marc Malusis some runway.
Either Gray or Malusis still could decide to leave, if there is an opportunity, as new contracts need to be signed, but the expectation at the moment is that they will start next year in their same spot.
Gray is valued more by FAN than Malusis, though her tenure there has been rocky. Originally, Gray was hired to team with Chris Carlin and Bart Scott to replace Mike Francesa upon his faux retirement.
After one ratings book, Francesa came back and CMB was demoted to 1-3 p.m. After Carlin was let go and Scott left for ESPN, Gray was moved to mid-morning with Malusis. Gray, according to sources, has not enjoyed much of the bumpy ride.
Gray has looked to try to leave, but so far there have been no full-time opportunities at ESPN and SiriusXM, according to sources.
She may have to settle for a lower salary since she originally came in as an afternoon host and now is in middays. Malusis showed class last week after the announcement of Carton’s return at the end of “Boomer & Gio.” Minutes later, Malusis spoke with excitement about Carton’s return.
This was big of him considering that FAN’s first choice was to bring Scott back to team with Carton. If that had happened, Evan Roberts would have likely shifted back to middays with Gray, leaving Malusis without a chair at FAN.
Instead, Malusis is hanging on to his seat, though he is going to likely need some ratings results to keep the job.
At one point, FAN was going to make a clean sweep from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Instead, it is opting to take a breath before figuring out its next moves.
This all adds up to more ratings intrigue between FAN and ESPN going forward. “The Michael Kay Show” vs. “Carton and Roberts” is the headliner because Carton is every bit the lightning rod that Francesa was in such a battle.
The local lead-in that “Moose & Maggie” provides could be a difference maker in afternoons as ESPN New York has national programming with an hour for Mike Greenberg and another for Max Kellermann prior to Kay.
Broadway Joe from Saddle River
Pretty cool for Joe Benigno to receive an on-air call from Joe Namath to wish him luck in retirement.
“Is this really Joe Willie?” Benigno said after Roberts introduced him.
From “Joe from Saddle River” to being called by Namath in retirement is not too shabby.
Inside baseball
YES has made a big behind-the-scenes change in its game broadcasts for next year, removing longtime respected producer Bill Boland and director John Moore, a spokesman confirmed.
In their place, Troy Benjamin will produce while Dan Barr will direct. Benjamin has been a No. 2 producer on Yankees and Nets games for years, while Barr directed the Nets the last couple of years. Before moving to YES, Barr had been SNY’s Mets director.
Clicker Books
Papa Clicker has a near all-time high rating for “Wheels of Courage: How Paralyzed Veterans from World War II Invented Wheelchair Sports, Fought for Disability Rights, and Inspired a Nation.” Papa Clicker says David Davis has written one of the best sports books of the year, but it is more than a sports book because of its inspiring nature. The book earns 4.55 out of 5 clickers.
