After firing afternoon host Josh Innes in August, it is "no surprise" that Philadelphia-based WIP-FM "went in a different direction" with his replacement, former SNY host Chris Carlin, according to Rob Tornoe of PHILLY.com. WIP Program Dir Spike Eskin over the last year has "reshaped" the station's lineup. However, it is "not an understatement" to say Carlin "was an unlikely choice." Carlin said that fans have been "warm and receptive" to his new weekday afternoon show with co-host Ike Reese. That alone is "no small feat: Philadelphia fans can be very territorial when an out-of-towner's loyalty to local sports teams comes into question." Carlin began in N.Y. with WFAN-AM, but he has "spent the last eight years on television," hosting "Loud Mouths" for SNY. He also has "served as the play-by-play announcer for Rutgers football for the last 13 years." Tornoe: "Why would someone want to leave a comfy television gig in the largest media market in the country to host afternoon radio in Philadelphia?" Carlin said, "The one thing I really learned about myself is being a talk show host in radio is ultimately what I really wanted." Tornoe noted when the afternoon spot "suddenly became open at WIP, Carlin sent a note to Mark Chernoff, his former boss at WFAN, which, like WIP, is owned by CBS Radio." There has been "some speculation that taking the job in Philadelphia is just a stopgap for Carlin until WFAN's Mike Francesa retires." But Carlin said, "No one brought up the idea when I decided to go for the job in Philly" (PHILLY.com, 11/22).
