Jon Marks, the former afternoon drive host at 94WIP, spoke on his YouTube channel about the hiring of his former Program Director, Spike Eskin, as his on-air replacement. Marks, who was joined by former 97.5 The Fanatic host Jamie Lynch on the show, said he and others had speculated about who it might be that would take his place.
Eskin, Marks believes, is someone who can come in and make a difference on the show immediately.
“There’s not a lot of people out there that are ready to come right in,” Marks said. “You want to hit the ground running…you want the show to be pretty good right away.”
Marks, who left the station at the end of the year, said he had talked with Eskin when he was making his decision on whether or not to stay with the station. He said Eskin advised him, “Do what’s best for you.”
Marks asked Lynch his reaction to the news, to which he said he was, “Totally surprised … totally floored,” and speculated Eskin “probably missed home.”
Lynch, who also worked under Eskin, also added, “He’s not like this mutant suit, he does connect with his employees and wants what is best for them.”
Marks said many people had reached out to him as the spot Eskin will be moving into was his before stepping down. “A lot of people asked me what I thought of it and I think its a great move, a slam dunk,” said Marks. “I am not just saying this because I have a relationship with Spike and becuase he hired me at WIP. Spike was very good to me both as a boss…and having a personal relationship, but he is also a very good programmer. He really got the best out of me. He’s been the best PD, as far as coaching talent, that I have ever had.”
