KFI's John & Ken Added To WOR-NYC Line-Up

The evolution slowly continues at Clear Channel-owned WOR 710 AM in NYC.

Big news out of New York City:the new ownership of WOR cancelled our show, replacing us with one of their own... fb.me/1vE1v7znV
— Mike Gallagher (@radiotalkermike) January 2, 2013

On the day that syndicated Salem talker Mike Gallagher got the word that ‘the new owners’ had cancelled his 10a-12n airing, WOR started airing KFI Los Angeles’ John and Ken from 9p to 11p.

The first hour was a simulcast of their PM Drive show on CC’s KFI and the 10p hour was a custom-live hour for WOR.   They have not yet been added to the website line-up.  And WOR has yet to adopt the Clear Channel website template.

John Koblyt and Ken Chiampou have history in the New York metro area. They did afternoon drive on WKXW New Jersey 101.5 (Trenton) from 1990 through late ’92, when they left for KFI.  While at NJ101, they gained national notoriety for heavily criticizing New Jersey governor Jim Florio for passing the largest state tax hike in United States history immediately after taking office. During this period, their ratings quadrupled to 600,000 listeners. Kobylt criticized Florio for reneging on his promise not to raise taxes. A caller, postal worker John Budzash, then suggested the idea of Hands Across New Jersey, a protest that would symbolically cut the state in half.. When other callers noted that blocking traffic was illegal, the movement turned into a rally in front of the State House in Trenton.

The duo eschew any party labels or loyalties. Kobylt has indicated that his role is "to identify who the bad guy is and what the bad act is so that people feel it viscerally... pointing out how they were screwed in some way."

Mostly fiscally conservative on issues like taxes, they also frequently lean conservative with regard to crime.  They are staunch opponents of illegal immigration and government employee labor unions. They support strong sentences for child molesters and murderers, the death penalty, Megan's Law and Jessica's Law. They also oppose driver's licenses for illegal immigrants. They are libertarian in other aspects, such as being pro-choice, supporting gays in the military and gay marriage, opposing the influence of the Religious Right on American politics, opposing the Iraq War, opposing funds for public transportation, and opposing tax increases.

Also Wednesday, WOR and syndicated talker Dave Ramsey reached agreement on a new contract.  Ramsey will hold down his usual 2p to 4p time slot on WOR.

Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are expected to eventually move from WABC 770 AM to WOR.  The term of the Ramsey contract was not announced. What happens to Ramsey remains to be seen.

It has been reported that Limbaugh and Hannity each have another year remaning on their deals with Cumulus-owned WABC.

As for Gallagher, he expects to find himself back on Salem's secular talker, WNYM 970 AM The Answer soon.