Philly Radio: OM Andy Bloom OUT At WIP, WPHT

Andy Bloom

In what appears to be a budget issue, Andy Bloom, the operations manager for Sportsradio WIP 94.1 FM and Talk WPHT 1210 AM, is “no longer with CBS Radio” according to CBS Radio Philadelphia Market President David Yadgaroff.

Bloom had been in charge of two of CBS Radio’s six Philadelphia stations. One of his main jobs seemed to be dealing with the volatile personalities at WIP, most recently dealing with significant turnover and often a melodrama of sorts surrounding afternoon drive host Josh Innes this year.

WIP is currently locked in a ratings war with upstart sports talk station 97.5 The Fanatic, which this year hired former WIP host Anthony Gargano to start a local morning drive program to challenge WIP morning show stalwart Angelo Cataldi.

While WIP still produces solid ratings, The Philly Business Journal reports WPHT has struggled. In October, it netted just a 1.5 share, only good enough for 21st in the market and the lowest rated of the six local CBS stations.

In an interview last month, Bloom said the conservative talk station just needed to establish some continuity, noting that the current lineup of hosts had been in place for a year and that would soon pay dividends.

Bloom earlier programmed rocker WYSP, and was the program director when it became the first station to simulcast “The Howard Stern Show” in 1986.

In between Bloom held programming positions for Chancellor Broadcasting and Emmis Communications. From 1993 – 2002, Bloom was VP of programming for Emmis’ International Division, working in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Budapest, Hungary. He took a four-year break from radio, working as communications director for Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH) before returning to CBS Radio in 2007.