Home Login RADIO ONLINE RSS Facebook
Advertisement

Kathy Romano Departs WMMR's Preston & Steve After 22 Years


Kathy Romano
Kathy Romano

Kathy Romano, a longtime co-host of the Preston & Steve morning show on 93.3 WMMR in Philadelphia, is leaving the station after 22 years. Her departure, announced on-air and in a heartfelt Instagram post Thursday, comes as part of broader cutbacks at Beasley Media Group, WMMR's parent company.

"This was in no way my choice or Preston & Steve's choice," Romano wrote. "We are devastated. It's been the ride of a lifetime sharing mornings with the best team and the most incredible listeners."

Beasley confirmed that Romano's contract was not renewed, saying in a statement, "We are very grateful for her many contributions over the years and wish her the very best in her next chapter."

Romano, who joined Preston & Steve in 2003, also hosted Her Story, a weekly show spotlighting women making an impact across the Philadelphia region. Her last day on the air will be Friday.

During Thursday's show, an emotional Preston Elliot informed listeners of the news, calling it a "profoundly sad" moment. Cohost Steve Morrison added, "The way you have handled what is happening has been some of the most professional, some of the most amazing and mature displays of how this goes than I've ever seen."

Romano compared the experience to an unwanted breakup: "There's a little anger in there, but I'm heartbroken."

Preston & Steve, which originated at Y100 in 1998 and moved to WMMR in 2005, has long dominated Philadelphia's morning radio ratings. Elliot and Morrison signed contract extensions in 2022 that keep the show on the air through 2030. Fellow co-hosts Casey "Casey Boy" Fosbenner, Marisa Magnatta, and Nick McIlwain will remain with the program.

"This isn't a goodbye - just turning the dial to what's next," Romano wrote.

Advertisement

Latest Radio Stories

Cumulus Media Adopts Xperi's AutoStage Analytics
Cumulus Media and Xperi
Cumulus Media and Xperi
Cumulus Media has become the first commercial broadcaster to license Xperi's AutoStage Broadcaster Portal Premium, a new audience intelligence platform that provides near-census-level insights into in-car radio listening. The agreement makes Cumulus the launch partner for the next-generation analytics More

Connoisseur Media Expands Weekend Syndication Lineup
Robby's Top 20 Countdown and She's Country
Robby's Top 20 Countdown and She's Country
Connoisseur Media is expanding its syndicated programming lineup through its partnership with Compass Media Networks, adding two original weekend shows to its national distribution portfolio: "Robby's Top 20 Countdown" and "She's Country." The move builds on the companies' existing relationship, which More

Nielsen: Audio Still Dominates Podcast Consumption
Nielsen
Nielsen
Audio remains the primary way consumers engage with podcasts despite the rapid growth of video-enabled platforms, according to Nielsen's new report, Lean In vs. Lean Back: Profiling the Podcast Listener and Viewer. The report finds that 90% of monthly podcast consumers listen to More
Advertisement

Report: Howard Stern Cuts Staff, Show Schedule
Howard Stern
Howard Stern
Howard Stern has reportedly laid off about a dozen staff members as he prepares to reduce his SiriusXM schedule to one new show per week beginning after Labor Day. According to a report by Page Six, staffers were notified during a Zoom meeting on Monday that the longtime host will scale back from his More

Infotainment Systems Fuel Digital Audio Growth
Edison Research at SSRS
Edison Research at SSRS
The growing adoption of in-car infotainment systems is accelerating digital audio listening, according to new data from Edison Research's Share of Ear study. The report shows ownership of infotainment platforms such as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay has more than doubled since 2019, rising from 18% of More

Beasley Promotes Roldan to Tech Leadership Role
Jose Alberto Roldan
Jose Alberto Roldan
Beasley Media Group has promoted Jose Alberto Roldan to the newly created position of Head of Technology and Infrastructure. In the role, Roldan will oversee the company's technology strategy, information technology operations, infrastructure, cybersecurity and enterprise systems while continuing to lead More

Return to Menu

Advertisement

Subscribe to our Newsletter
Radio news and headlines delivered right to your e-mail box -- and it's free.

Advertisement

Advertisement