Talker Yanks Sinatra

Philly's WPHT yanks Frank from Friday

Sid Mark, who's been ring-a-ding-dinging the sounds of Frank Sinatra for 55 years, has learned that 1210 AM WPHT will eliminate his Friday radio program.

According to Michael Klein a columnist at philly.com writes, Sunday With Sinatra - Mark's five-hour marquee show (8 a.m. to 1 p.m.) - is not going anywhere, he's been told. He expects to inform his audience Sunday morning about the imminent change.

WPHT (the Big Talker) is retooling its lineup over New Year's, moving morning talker Michael Smerconish to 3 to 7 p.m. and eliminating the syndicated talk shows of Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity (who have not yet found new Philadelphia stations).

WPHT has not announced who will follow Smerconish at 7.

Friday nights were a challenge from spring till fall, when Phillies games affected Mark's 6-to-9 p.m. time slot. For a spell several years ago, Friday night Phillies games were carried on 610 AM WIP, lest they bump Sidney.

That a Sinatra show exists on a talk station is testament to the appeal and passion of Mark, who joined WPHT one month after the death of his longtime station, WWDB, in 2000. WWDB had briefly shifted the Friday show to Saturdays.

Mark's Sinatra affiliation began in November 1955 when the overnight rock-and-roll DJ on 1340 AM WHAT failed to show up for work and Mark, a jazz spinner, solicited requests because he had no playlist. From 2 to 3 a.m., Mark played Sinatra, and all station owner Dolly Banks had to hear was that the phones had lit up.

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