NYC Radio: WFAN Tops For Sports As WEPN Sinks

For the three-month spring book, Craig Carton and Evan Roberts delivered for WFAN 660 AM / 101.9 FM , trouncing WEPN 98.7 ESPN New York’s “The Michael Kay Show,” according to The NY Post citing latest data from Nielsen Audio. 

In the demographic that the stations traditionally have measured themselves upon (men, 25-54), “Carton and Roberts” were second with a 6.3 share in the market over the three-month period, while the Kay Show sank to 11th, with a 3.3 share.

This is the second straight full-ratings book win for “Carton & Roberts” after suffering a loss to Kay in the fall. 

It may not be “Stop the fight!” time, but ESPN continues to diminish radio and, at the moment, it is hard to fathom a Kay comeback.

The most interesting aspect on the horizon is how Carton, 53, will be able to handle his forthcoming new national morning show on FS1, which is expected to start very early, maybe 6 or 7 a.m.. The program is likely to be a couple of hours long. 

When the show begins, Carton will host mornings on FS1 and then his 2-6:30 p.m. WFAN show. Going off the theory that Carton will have to pay attention to sports a little, that is a daily grind.

Carton’s morning TV show will offer an alternative to WFAN’s “Boomer & Gio.” When The Post broke the story months ago that Carton would have the TV Show, Boomer Esiason and Gregg Giannotti – whose show is also on CBS Sports Network – downplayed the idea that there would be any rivalry. They may not be wrong, but the duo could use more competition. 

They are dominating in the mornings, as they finished second in the market with a 9.2 share. (Spanish Language WSKQ was first overall in both mornings and afternoon.)