As we told you last week, WFAN had some modest gains in the overall April Nielsen PPM ratings, while ESPN 1050/WEPN saw no change.

However, the upstart sports talker did see a gain in a key demographic. 

The Daily News reports in April WEPN’s syndicated morning show Mike and Mike beat WFAN’s Boomer and Carton for the first time among Men 18 to 34.

Meanwhile, the team of Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton was tops in an important demographic.

“WFAN continues to be first by a wide margin in Men 25 to 54 in morning drive,” WFAN operations manager Mark Chernoff, tells FishbowlNY.

Boomer and Carton were put together following the dismissal of Don Imus in 2007.

Among Men 25 to 54, weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., ‘FAN held a 5.9, while rival WEPN was 10th with a 3.5.

As for the start of May, WFAN is third with a 5.8 and WEPN was 16^th with a 2.7, in numbers obtained by FishbowlNY.

Delving into the 18 to 34 male demo, according to WFAN, only the first week of May has been released. WFAN was number two with a 7.6 rating. WEPN took ninth with a 4.4.

If you missed it last week, on Friday morning Charles McCord walked away from his newsreader/sidekick role on WABC-AM-based Imus in the Morning. He had announced his retirement last month.

It was McCord’s final chance to take a ”loving” shot at his longtime friend, colleague, and on-air partner.

“I’m sick of it. I just want you to know, I’m sick of it and I’m gonna be damn glad to be going down to Arkansas because I’m not going to have to sit here and stare at that freakin’ frame of yours,” McCord ranted. “For God sake, enough already. Stop eating voodoo food. Eat something that requires silverware–a knife and a freakin’ fork! Look at you. For God sake, you look like Phyllis Diller.”

Imus led the laughter in the studio.  Here’s a link to McCord’s last hurrah.

McCord had worked with Don Imus since the early 1970s at WNBC.

Connell McShane of Fox Business Network, which simulcasts Imus in the Morning, takes over for McCord starting today.

Johnny Carson had Ed McMahon, Michael Jordan had Scottie Pippen, and for the better part of the last 40 years Don Imus has had Charles McCord.

The veteran newsman/sidekick for the Imus in the Morning show officially announced his retirement, effective May 6. It was first reported by the Daily News this morning.

By the time the story hit newsstands, Imus was already discussing his longtime collaborator’s future. He said that McCord was looking forward to spending more time with his family. Imus added that the first order of business for McCord is to go fishing in Arkansas—alone. Imus told his 77 WABC listeners (and nationwide radio and TV audience) that Connell McShane of Fox Business Network (which simulcasts daily) will take over the news updates beginning Monday, May 9.   

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As we reported last week, veteran radio talker Sid Rosenberg is joining 1010 WINS as morning sports anchor. The one-year deal starts Monday.

Rosenberg, known for having strong opinions and making controversial comments on WFAN (especially with Don Imus), may not have been the first choice for many to get the WINS gig.

“What people have to understand is, I have not given up on my radio talk show….That hasn’t changed,” Rosenberg tells FishbowlNY. ”But given the opportunity on top of that to get my voice on one of the most listened to stations in the country…it was a no brainer for me.” 

A polarizing radio figure, Rosenberg says on WINS he’ll find a way to inject his personality into the sportscast.

“It’s going to have a lot of New York flavor, obviously,” Rosenberg, a Brooklyn native, joked. “Just my accent alone gives you that. Certainly, it’s going to be energetic and it’s going to be enthusiastic, and there will be audio every now and then that will make you chuckle.”

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We recently reported that 1010 WINS has agreed to hire controversial talk show host Sid Rosenberg. Newsday first had the story. Other sites have Rosenberg set to start on December 15.

FishbowlNY has learned from sources close to the situation that the deal hasn’t been signed yet, but should be completed within the next one to three weeks.

The abbreviated morning shift will run from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.   

Technical issues are one of the factors delaying the deal, as Rosenberg will be hooked up from Florida. He hosts an afternoon sports show on WQAM in Miami.

The source says Rosenberg would make a nice hire for WINS because of the creativity and energy he brings, and of course his New York roots (professionally and personally).

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Sid Rosenberg, the oft-troubled, talented sports radio host is headed back to New York on a regular basis.

Newsday reports Rosenberg, the former WFAN host and contributor, will be the weekday morning sports anchor at 1010 WINS.

The report says Rosenberg will be based in South Florida, where he does an afternoon talk show on WQAM.

Rosenberg, 43, had been a regular on the Imus in the Morning program and midday host at the ‘FAN.

While popular with fans, Rosenberg had several controversial moments on the Imus show. It boiled over for managment on September 12, 2005, when he failed to show up as host for the New York Giants pre-game show, although was spotted at an appearance for FHM in Atlantic City. WFAN execs gave Rosenberg the option to resign or be fired. He resigned.

Rosenberg continued to join Don Imus on the phone. Earlier this year, he returned to WFAN as an occasional host.

WINS and WFAN are owned by CBS Radio.

Newsweek compiled its Power 50, a list of the highest-earning political figures of 2010.

The grouping, gathered by intelligence and research firm Wealth-X, includes several big name media personalities.

Rush Limbaugh is atop the list. Limbaugh’s estimated earnings are $58.7 million. He is heard weekdays on WABC Radio from noon to 3 p.m. as part of his nationally syndicated show.

Glenn Beck, whose syndicated program is heard from 9 a.m. to noon on WOR Radio, is number two. His estimated earnings are listed at $33 million. (Beck also hosts a show each day on Fox News Channel.)

Sean Hannity secured number three on the “Power” list. The WABC afternoon drive host (syndicated through Citadel Media) made $22 million in 2010.

Also syndicated with Citadel Media is Don Imus. The legendary morning man, who is number seven, pulled in $11 million. 

Additionally, Mark Levin made Newsweek‘s survey. The evening show host, heard locally on WABC, tied for 13th with an estimated $5 million.

President Obama, who many of the above consistently railed against, was tied for 19th (with Bill Maher), earning $4 million in 2010.

WABC is giving the coveting 10 a.m-noon slot to Joe Crummey. The shift had been hosted by Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski, and more recently Mark Simone.

The show, which sits between Don Imus and Rush Limbaugh, is the only non-syndicated daytime show on the station. Program director Laurie Cantillo tells FishbowlNY it will remain that way.

Crummey, a veteran of New York radio, was a DJ at WAPP and WNBC in the 1980s.

He changed career paths by becoming a talk show host at such stations as KFI and KABC in Los Angeles.

“Joe likes to call himself ‘an average Joe with a Crummey radio,’ but the truth is he’s anything but,” Cantillo says. “Joe is a deep thinker who finds fresh ways of looking at topics.” She says that’s what makes Crummey’s style unique.

The show, expected to focus on everything from politics to pop culture, starts on Monday, October 11.

Citadel Broadcasting Corp., one of the biggest radio companies in the U.S., announced Sunday that it was entering Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in order to restructure its massive debt.

Under the terms of a pre-negotiated reorganization plan, Citadel’s $2.1 billion loan will be converted into $762.5 million. The company will also gain access to $36 million in cash in order to fund the restructuring.

Citadel said yesterday that 60 percent of its senior secured lenders agreed to the reorg plan before the company filed in bankruptcy court in Manhattan.

“We are pleased with the support from the majority of our senior lenders, and we look forward to working with the remaining senior lenders and other stakeholders to ensure a complete and expeditious restructuring,” said Citadel CEO Farid Suleman in a statment. “Our business will continue as usual and the company will work to emerge from the restructuring process as quickly as possible.”

With 166 FM stations and 58 AM stations, Citadel is the third largest radio group in the country. It also owns radio network Citadel Media, which produces shows including “ABC News Radio” and Don Imus‘ show “Imus in the Morning.”

TVNewser has some breaking news: infamous talk radio DJ Don Imus will be joining Fox Business Network October 5.

Reports TVNewser:

“Imus signed a multi-year deal with FBN to simulcast ‘Imus in the Morning’ weekdays from 6-9amET along with his radio syndication. The announcement stated that Imus will be incorporating more business news into his format.”

Breaking: Don Imus Joins Fox Biz

Earlier on FBNY: Don Imus Toes The Racist Line…Again