Philly Radio: Preston & Steve's New Deal Is Quite Lengthy

Preston & Steve have signed a multiyear contract extension to keep their top-rated morning drive radio program on WMMR 93.3 FM, parent company Beasley Media Group said Thursday. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, according to the Philly Business-Journal.

The deal with Naples, Florida-based Beasley will keep Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison on WMMR through 2030, enabling them to celebrate their 25th anniversary with the station.

The duo have held the top spot in the local ratings since arriving at the rock station in May 2005 with their blend of comedy and music that includes interviews, celebrity impersonations, unusual news stories, and numerous running gags. The show airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

In addition, the pair produce daily full show and highlight episode podcasts, daily/weekly video programs and maintain a remarkable world-wide social media audience.

“Since the day we bought WMMR our goal has been to have Preston and Steve be a part of the station and the Beasley Family for as long as they’d like to be,” Beasley Media Group President Bruce Beasley said in a statement. “This is a huge step in that direction. They are truly the gold standard by which you can measure all other shows.”

In a statement, Preston & Steve said, “Amongst the multitude of things we have to feel blessed for, the fact that we will be able to continue to work for a company we are proud of alongside people we respect and admire is beyond humbling.”

Preston & Steve got their start at the now-defunct modern rock station 103.9 WDRE-FM, working with co-host Marilyn Russell. They departed in 1997 for Y100 (WPLY-FM) with several of their co-workers due to a format change. After four years there, Russell left the show and the independently owned station was sold to Radio One. After being unable to agree to terms for a new contract with Radio One, Preston & Steve signed a deal with WMMR’s former parent company, Greater Media, to launch a morning show there.

They were subsequently sued by Radio One over their non-compete clause, but a a judge ruled that they were no longer in competition with WPLY because that station had switched formats. The duo signed new contracts in 2006 and 2011.

They are past recipients of the National Association of Broadcasters’ prestigious Service to America Award and are 2021 National Radio Hall of Fame inductees.

WMMR is second in overall ratings to iHeart Media’s urban adult contemporary station 105.3 WDAS-FM. Beasley also owns classic rock station 102.9 (WMGK-FM), pop station 95.7 BEN FM, sports talk station 97.5 The Fanatic (WPEN) and country station 92.5 XTU (WXTU-FM). The entire cluster of stations is situated in Bala Cynwyd. Beasley owns 61 radio stations across the U.S.