Former Comcast SportsNet host Ron Burke returning to TV
For the first time in more than 30 years, Ron Burke won't be seen or heard in Philadelphia.
Veteran broadcaster Ron Burke was one of the more recognizable personalities to be shown the door at then-Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia last year, an exodus that has continued into 2018 at the rebranded NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Since leaving the network that was his home for 19 years in January 2017, Burke has kept himself busy working a series of gigs that included part-time anchor duties on FOX 29 and some podcasting on Wildfire Radio alongside former 97.5 The Fanatic host Jason Ashworth. But after having spent more than 30 years covering Philadelphia and its sports scene, he's now heading nearly 1,200 miles south.
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Burke announced on Twitter that he has taken a job as a weekend morning news anchor and reporter at WPBF, an ABC affiliate in West Palm Beach, Fla. It's a return to the mornings, where he spent a large portion of his career hosting Comcast SportsNet's morning news report, Sportsrise.
"A whole new world has opened up. Can't wait to get to it," Burke wrote on Twitter.
Reporters and media personalities took to Twitter Monday night to congratulate Burke on the move.
Burke was part of the first CSN crew in 1997. In addition to his stint on Sportsrise, he was the anchor of CSN's SportsNet Central and hosted Eagles Extra, as well as the network's draft specials for both the NFL and NBA. Before joining CSN, he was the sports anchor for NBC10.
Meanwhile, the exits have continued at NBCSN Philly, as the network continues to shift from original reporting to focusing on shorter digital pieces and opinion and debate shows, such as the recently launched telecast of Mike Missanelli's 97.5 The Fanatic show.
"I know debate TV is what these sports networks are moving towards, but to me a show still needs to balance entertainment and being informative," Burke told the Inquirer and Daily News last year. "We're in a day and age where there's so much to watch, you really need to focus on what will connect with your audience."
Earlier this month, the network parted ways with Sixers insider Jessica Amerato, just weeks after declining to renew the contract of popular Sixers sideline reporter Molly Sullivan. In April, NBCSN Philly parted ways with Marshall Harris, who has kept busy hosting segments on SportsRadio 94.1 WIP and calling Spikeball on ESPN2.
NBCSN has announced one recent hire: Taryn Hatcher, a former CSN intern and Rutgers grad, who will cover all four teams as a multi-platform host and reporter. Hatcher's first day was Monday.