Fox Sports and WFAN-AM reached a multiyear agreement that allows Fox to nationally air "The Mike Francesa Show" on FS1 and FS2 live. The show's weekday telecasts begin March 24 on FS1 from 1:00-4:00pm ET and on FS2 from 4:00-6:00pm. The show also will be streamed live via Fox Sports Go (Fox Sports). Francesa said that there was "more than one offer made for simulcasting the show" and the pact with Fox is "a four-year deal." Francesa yesterday on his radio show said, "They were very impressive when I started meeting with them over the Super Bowl week when they came to town. They really were very much into it, they really wanted to bring Fox Sports to New York ... and that's their plan to help them do that" (NJ.com, 3/12). Francesa said Fox' two-channel plan "doesn't make any difference to us." He added that Fox' deal "allows both outlets to be used, presumably in part to help promote both upstart channels." On Long Island, Neil Best notes FS1 is "available in significantly more homes than FS2, however, so some viewers will be shut out of the final two hours." Francesa said yesterday in an interview that the inclusion of FS2 "was not a big part of the negotiations and that he initially 'didn't see it being that big of an issue'" (NEWSDAY, 3/13).
SALK AWAY: WEEI-FM host Mike Salk yesterday in a station memo announced his departure from his afternoon drive show for "another opportunity." In Boston, Gayle Fee notes the station has "not named a replacement" for Salk, whose departure "was not unexpected" (BOSTON HERALD, 3/13). A spokesperson for WEEI-FM parent Entercom Communications said that the station will "use a rotating cast of hosts" alongside co-host Michael Holley "while searching for Salk’s permanent replacement" (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/13).
