Rob Ellis announced at the end of his show on Friday that he was leaving 97.5 The Fanatic in Philadelphia. According to local reports the decision was mutual between Ellis and station executives. Ellis’ contract was set to expire.
The midday host jumped to The Fanatic two years ago after spending a few years at WIP. It was Ellis’ second stint working for the radio station. He previously hosted shows for the station when it operated on 950AM prior to moving to the FM dial.
The Fanatic hasn’t revealed who will replace Ellis alongside Harry Mayes. The pair previously led WIP’s Michael Barkann and Ike Reese in the ratings but after making lineup changes, WIP’s new midday show with Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie has taken the lead.
During his final shift, Ellis added, “I felt like it was best for everyone involved to just walk away. More than anything else, I needed a little balance in my life, and I haven’t done the best job at that over the last couple of years”.
Ellis will remain involved with CSN Philadelphia. According to Philly.com his role could increase following the departures of several high-profile reporters as the regional television channel looks to introduce more opinion and debate, and attract more millennial viewers.
Jason Barrett is the President and Founder of Barrett Media since the company was created in September 2015. Prior to its arrival, JB served as a sports radio programmer, launching brands such as 95.7 The Game in San Francisco, and 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He also spent time programming SportsTalk 950 in Philadelphia, 590 The Fan KFNS in St. Louis, and ESPN 1340/1390 in Poughkeepsie, NY. Jason also worked on-air and behind the scenes in local radio at 101.5 WPDH, WTBQ 1110AM, and WPYX 106.5. He also spent two years on the national stage, producing radio shows for ESPN Radio in Bristol, CT. Among them included the Dan Patrick Show, and GameNight.
You can find JB on Twitter @SportsRadioPD. He’s also reachable by email at Jason@BarrettMedia.com.
