WIP morning show losing its longtime producer amid Audacy layoffs
Joe Weachter’s departure comes as Philadelphia-based parent company Audacy, which recently emerged from bankruptcy, completed another round of layoffs last week impacting over 200 employees.
One of the reasons Angelo Cataldi became Angelo Cataldi in Philly was a producer behind the scenes named Joe Weachter.
94.1 WIP listeners have probably heard Weachter’s name. Some likely dealt with him directly in his role as Cataldi’s call screener. But 94.1 WIP’s longest-tenured employee is leaving the station after 38 years, morning show host Joe DeCamara announced Monday, and retirement means a chance to sleep in for the first time in nearly four decades.
“He’s my best friend here at the station,” longtime WIP morning show cohost Rhea Hughes said during Monday’s show. “Every morning he gets here at 3:20 a.m. and I’m here at 3:30 a.m. We have a cup of coffee, chitchat, make fun of people.”
DeCamara, who described Weachter as a “legend” and his departure as “bittersweet,” said his final day at the station will be Thursday.
One of Weachter’s first jobs at the station in the early 1990s was working as a producer for veteran Philly sports talker Jody McDonald, before being plucked to run WIP’s morning show.
“He was so good at it, Angelo Cataldi noticed it and said, ‘Guess what? Give me that Weachter guy and let him produce my morning show,” McDonald said. “Much like yours truly, Angelo knew good talent when he was there.”
Following Cataldi’s retirement in 2023, Weachter remained on the morning show, where he’s helped DeCamara and former Eagles fullback Jon Ritchie continue to dominate Philly radio ratings. WIP’s morning show easily tops the competition at 97.5 The Fanatic and regularly finishes No. 2 in its time slot, behind perennial ratings champs Preston and Steve at WMMR.
“I can’t express to you how much he has done to make this show what it is,” said cohost and producer James Seltzer. “You don’t always see it and hear it, but everything that we do, Joe Weachter is a part of.”
“Joe Weachter is one of the most important figures in all of Sports Talk Radio,” wrote former WIP host Marc Farzetta. “His great work ‘behind the glass’ raised the bar!”
Weachter’s departure comes as Philadelphia-based parent company Audacy, which recently emerged from bankruptcy, completed another round of layoffs last week impacting over 200 employees.
Among those let go was longtime WIP producer Dave Breitmaier, who has been at the station nearly 25 years and mostly managed remote broadcasts.
“A huge thank you to the producers and engineers — we pulled off the impossible time and time again,” Breitmaier wrote in a goodbye note on social media. “And to the amazing hosts: even though live always been more of a geek than a jock, you guys always made me feel like a brother. Grateful for all the memories and moments with the best sports fans in the universe.”
Elsewhere in Philadelphia, Big 98.1 afternoon host Trey Morgan was among those to exit the company, according to Barrett Media, which tracked all the cuts. Morgan joined the station in 2022 as afternoon host following a lineup change and rebrand from WOGL.
On Monday, Audacy announced four departures from its executive leadership team: chief operating officer Susan Larkin, chief digital officer J.D. Crowley, chief marketing officer Paul Suchman, and executive vice president and general counsel Andrew Sutor.
The company also took the interim tag off CEO Kelli Turner’s title after replacing David Field in late January and promoted three new executives: Chris Oliviero as chief business officer, Bob Philips as chief revenue officer, and Mike Dash as executive vice president and general counsel.
Audacy, the second-largest radio company in the country, owns six radio stations in Philadelphia. In addition to WIP and Big 98.1, the list includes KYW NewsRadio, New 96.5, 1210-AM WPHT, and B101.