WFAN's Mark Chernoff to step down in 2021
WFAN's Mark Chernoff at the station's old studios in Astoria in 2008. Credit: Newsday/Alan Raia
Mark Chernoff, a key executive at WFAN since 1993, will step down from his day-to-day role overseeing WFAN and CBS Sports Radio later in 2021.
Entercom, WFAN’s parent company, made the announcement on Monday in the form of a staff memo from Chris Oliviero, senior vice president and market manager for Entercom New York.
In the memo, Oliviero said Chernoff will step down "after a worthy successor has been identified — which trust me will be no easy task."
Chernoff, 69, does not plan to retire. He is under contract and according to Oliviero’s memo will stay on as an adviser after the hiring of his successor is complete.
He will be a member of the search committee and in the meantime will remain fully responsible for station operations.
"I was lucky enough to first meet Mark in 1998 in his windowless sub-sub-basement office out at the Kaufman Astoria Studios in Queens," Oliviero wrote. "I was a college grad groveling for part-time board op shifts at WFAN.
"That began a relationship that has evolved into one of the most rewarding, important and genuine friendships of my entire life. One that I have and always will cherish.
"When people think of WFAN, names like Imus, ‘Mike & The Mad Dog’ or Boomer [Esiason] often come to mind, but no name has been more responsible for the consistent excellence of THE FAN than ‘Chernoff.’ "
The move comes amid a transition toward younger on-air personalities at the station, with the recent departures of the likes of Mike Francesa, Joe Benigno and John Minko.
Chernoff declined an interview request to discuss the news.
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
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