NYC Radio: WFAN PD Says Chris Christie Is "Worth Pursuing"

Chris Christie

WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM will "be looking to do stuff" at the end of the year, when longtime afternoon drive host Mike Francesa's contract with the station ends, said Mark Chernoff, the station's program director and vice president of its parent company, CBS Radio New York.

Current NJ Governor Chris Christie, whose name has been rumored as a possible replacement for Francesa, is among "plenty of candidates" the station is contemplating to fill the void left by Francesa, Chernoff said.

"I would certainly at least want to consider him," Chernoff said in an interview this week.

"If he's interested and we're interested, it's worth pursuing."

According to northjersey.com, the same attributes that catapulted Christie to national fame in his first term – unabashed volubility and acerbic reflexes – translate well to sports talk radio, radio industry experts say, and those qualities may soon serve him in a second act that is potentially far more lucrative and certainly less consequential.

Christie's frequent co-hosting appearances on WFAN's "Boomer and Carton" show – he's done it 10 times since last year – have fueled rumors that he could be a contender for Francesa's afternoon slot.

Francesa is set to leave the station at the end of the year, and Christie will leave office less than three weeks later.

Christie would be unlikely to command the nearly $4 million salary that Francesa reportedly earns, industry experts say, but a full-time job in radio could at least maintain his family's quality of life.

Chernoff said Christie's appearances have been popular with listeners, regardless of whether they agree with his opinions. He has certainly drawn attention to the morning show whenever he appears. His most recent appearance, last week, led to viral news stories about a meatloaf lunch with Trump and stinging responses from Philadelphians after Christie called Phillies fans "angry, awful people" and said the team's ballpark is "not safe for civilized people."

Francesa has been a mainstay of WFAN from 1 to 6:30 p.m. since 1989 and a perennial ratings leader, whether by himself or with his longtime on-air partner, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo, who left in 2008 for Sirius XM Radio.