Huge radio news out of Philadelphia. Longtime on-air personality Andre Gardner is exiting 102.9 WGMK. Beasley Media Philadelphia is making cuts, which unfortunately have claimed Gardner.
Gardner was hosting afternoons for the Philadelphia Classic Rock station, and had been with the brand since 2002. Prior to arriving in Philly, he spent nearly a decade in New York City serving as PD of WXRK. Other stops during his career have included the former WYSP in Philadelphia, and stations in Dallas, Atlanta, and Florida.
Beasley Media allowed Andre to host one final show and inform his audience of his departure. Gardner dropped the news on-air around 2:20pm ET. Most companies don’t allow talent that luxury but Gardner’s reputation, relationships, and accomplishments earned him that trust from the organization.
Gardner’s first quarter-hour of music included “Glory Days” by Bruce Springsteen, “Changes” by David Bowie, “That’s All” by Genesis, and “What It Takes” by Aerosmith. Ironically, those songs were not pre-planned.
For his final show, Gardner opened up by explaining that it’s a momentous day, but for different reasons than listeners may think. He then informed them that it was his last day on the radio station. The radio veteran reflected on his 22 and a half years, and explained that the radio business has its share of challenges, issues that are not unique to Beasley Media. He reminded the audience that Beasley is working hard to deliver quality programming, but to do so, business decisions have to be made sometimes.
Gardner shared that he was informed last night that his position was being eliminated. He extended a thank you to VP Paul Blake and PD Eric Johnson for allowing him to host a final show. He then told the audience he wanted to celebrate the good times, play a few favorites later in the show, and hear from those who’ve listened to him throughout the years.
Beasley Media has not announced yet on who will replace Gardner in afternoons on WMGK.
