The departures this week of two legendary Philadelphia media personalities got me thinking about different ways hosts end their tenures. So what’s the best way to deal with changes in on-air talent who have commanded a large audience for decades?
Audiences often feel like they go through a break-up when stations and personalities separate.
“Think of all that we’ve been through and breaking up is hard to do,” Neil Sedaka said.
This week’s events and the pending retirement of one of the market’s most prominent personalities provide opportunities to investigate the mindset as they walk away. So let’s start by looking at personalities who chose to walk away – how they decided and how it’s worked.
Ray Didinger was the first to leave Philadelphia media this week. He retired from 94.1 WIP, where he was a vital part of the station since it went All Sports. He was a cohost and made numerous appearances on WIP shows throughout the week. Simultaneously, Didinger stepped away from NBC Sports Philadelphia, where he was a fixture during Eagles coverage.
Didinger was a Philadelphia sportswriter for over five decades.
If you are unfamiliar with Philly, this information unquestionably fails to demonstrate the extent of the adoration for Didinger. As Operations Manager of WIP (2008 – 2016), I found Didinger’s non-polarizing, universal appeal unparalleled.
Didinger, never the hippest guy on the air, was also lovingly known as “Ray-Diddy.” His unrivaled NFL expertise earned him the nickname “The Godfather.”
As his radio partner of over 20 years, Glen Macnow, explains,” During one Eagles pre-game show, Ray said something brilliant, and Ike Reese (nine NFL seasons, seven with Eagles, current WIP PM drive) said, That’s why you’re the Godfather of football in this town.’ Ray’s the highest authority on football in Philadelphia.”
I wondered how difficult it was to walk away. Ray told me he knew when the moment arrived.
“A few times during the last Eagles season, I was headed to the stadium and thought I’d rather be doing something else,” Didinger said.
“For the first time, it felt like work. I never had that feeling before. That’s when I realized something had changed, and it was probably time to leave.” This information would have stunned anybody who knew Didinger, listened to, or watched him on-air.
I wondered if Didinger worried about being asked to leave. He replied, “That was part of it. I’ve seen many good friends in media shoved out the door. They weren’t exactly fired but offered a buyout. They took the package and ‘retired’ even though they wanted to continue working. After 53 years, I didn’t want to leave with that bad taste in my mouth.”
Family played a significant role in Didinger’s decision. “He has four grandchildren, all in the area,” Macnow said. “His nine-year-old grandson plans to teach him to play Madden, which I think will be hysterical.”
Didinger told Macnow in February of his plans to retire when his contract expired at the end of May. Soon after, he alerted WIP management. Then came the discussion of how to inform an audience that had been loyal for decades.
“Ray’s instinct was to tell listeners just one day before his final show,” Macnow recalled. “He had no idea that people would have so many good feelings about him. Ray just wanted to say goodbye and walk out the door. I said, ‘You can’t do that. It would be unfair to listeners to deny them the opportunity to say goodbye.’”
“Eventually, under what Didinger called “much duress,” he agreed to announce his retirement at the start of May. Macnow planned out retrospectives and features about Didinger to fill the final eight shows.
“I squirmed through the whole thing,” Didinger said, “but Glen kept it from becoming too maudlin.”
For the final two shows (Saturday and Sunday, May 28 – 29), Macnow planned out every break. The station held a party in the Audacy’s Performance Center on Saturday. Macnow & Didinger simultaneously did their show with a live audience of about 50 people.
The assembled included some of the show’s best callers and co-workers, including Dick Vermeil, Seth Joyner, Phil Martelli, and Ed Rendell (who each mean a lot in Philadelphia) and three generations of Didinger’s family. The station provided a cake in the shape of a yellow legal pad – Didinger famously made copious notes on stacks of such tablets.
After Saturday’s big sendoff, Sunday’s show was the opposite — just Glen and Ray in the studio one last time. “Saturday was the stadium concert,” Macnow explained. “Sunday was the cozy unplugged version.”
They took just a handful of callers on Sunday. Since the pandemic, the two have done a feature called “Tell Us Your Story” (a long-form biographical interview with a prominent athlete, coach, or broadcaster). Sunday Didinger told his story, recounting his fascinating and accomplished life.
The final 15 minutes were emotional and powerful. The two shared memories and stories of their partnership, accomplishments, and friendship. Didinger also spoke of the connection built with the community over more than a half-century.
Asked if they would have done anything differently, both Macnow and Didinger commented they wished their voices hadn’t cracked at the end. I found their quivering voices: poignant, raw, and authentic as I listened.
Didinger concluded that giving the audience one month’s notice before retiring “was just about right. I didn’t want a ‘Victory Tour.’ I wanted something respectful but not over-the-top. I think we accomplished that.”
The phrase “Victory Tour” brings us to an upcoming retirement. Angelo Cataldi will finish an incredibly successful 30-year run as WIP’s morning man at the end of the year. In a profile piece, the Philadelphia Inquirer once said, “Every morning, Cataldi sets the agenda for the region’s sports fans while making them laugh.”
After working with Angelo for eight years, I feel obligated to tell you about him. Initially, one of the most complex people to learn to coach, but ultimately one of the easiest. His preparation and intelligence are second to none.
Here’s an example of Angelo’s character and loyalty. He was ready to retire at the end of 2021 but was convinced to do one more year after a few management concessions. One was to reinstate a marketing employee laid off because of budget reductions at the start of the pandemic.
The woman had been with the cluster for 28 years before being cut. Angelo thought her release unfair. He also recognized the value she could bring to his show. She got back to work on the morning show for his final year. That’s who Angelo is.
Cataldi’s retirement was a long time coming. “The decision to retire has been weighing on me for at least six years,” he told me. After all the years, like most morning show people, he’s never grown accustomed to the hours.
What keeps Cataldi motivated, especially if he’s been thinking about retiring for six years? Always honest, Angelo admits, “Two things have kept me going at 71: The first is ego. People care what I have to say. It is not easy to give that up. And second is fear. I look forward to shedding the burden of doing a show every day but be careful what you wish for. How will I occupy my days when the mic is turned off? It is present in my thoughts every day.”
For years, I’ve told those I coach that they aren’t doing it right if they aren’t exhausted at the end of a show. I’ve commented on Angelo’s preparation and devotion to his craft. I’ve NEVER heard him “phone-in” a show. When it comes to work ethic, he is uncompromising and aware of the price he pays for this standard.
“Giving my all every day is not negotiable, so the toll becomes greater every year. Often, at the end of shows now, I am not clear-headed. The fatigue is so much more incapacitating now,” said Cataldi.
Like Didinger, grandchildren factored in Cataldi’s plans. He used to talk about moving to California, but that’s changed. “There was a time when I pondered a move to the West Coast to finish out my days in the splendor of sunshine and In’ n Out burgers. Then I met my three newest grandkids, and that plan changed dramatically. With age comes wisdom, I guess.”
Cataldi’s impending retirement comes up frequently on his show. If it’s not a “Victory Tour,” it’s at least a “Goodbye Tour.” He says he has no regrets, “at least not yet.” He is, however, introspective about his legacy: “How do I want to be remembered? Watching the outpouring of adoration for (Jim) Gardner (longtime ABC-6 TV news anchor who recently announced plans to retire) and Didinger has me wishing for a far different sendoff.
I never really aspired for love from our listeners. Loyalty and respect are far more important to me. I want to walk out the door with just one lasting impression. I worked hard every day, as hard as I could. I never took a segment off, let alone a show. I earned the audience I had right up to the end.”
There are the stories of two unique and outstanding talents, Ray Didinger, who just walked away on his terms, and Angelo Cataldi, scheduled to do so at the end of the year. Next week, we’ll continue the topic with the end of Mike Missanelli’s run on 97.5 The Fanatic and the more difficult instance of when personalities don’t choose to leave on their own.
Andy Bloom is president of Andy Bloom Communications. He specializes in media training and political communications. He has programmed legendary stations including WIP, WPHT and WYSP/Philadelphia, KLSX, Los Angeles and WCCO Minneapolis. He was Vice President Programming for Emmis International, Greater Media Inc. and Coleman Research. Andy also served as communications director for Rep. Michael R. Turner, R-Ohio. He can be reached by email at andy@andybloom.com or you can follow him on Twitter @AndyBloomCom.
