Longtime 102.9 WMGK Host Ray Koob Laid Off

PHILADELPHIA – Ray Koob, a longtime radio host at Philly's 102.9 WMGK station, has been laid off.

News of Koob's ouster broke on his Facebook fanpage Tuesday.

"Thank you all for 16 years of incredible fun on the radio! Man, we had some fun..." the post reads.

Then in the comments, Koob replied to fans who were first confused, then saddened at the news.

When asked if he was leaving the station, Koob replied simply: "Laid off, removed, fired..."

One fan pleaded Koob to come back to the station, but his response did not offer much hope of him coming back on the air for WMGK.

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"That's incredibly unlikely, but I'm keeping this page up," he wrote. "Let you know when I know..."

WMGK, which is owned by Beasley Media Group, LLC, has already removed Koob's profile from the station's website.

A Change.org petition has been launched urging the station to give Koob his job back. So far, it's got about 60 of the 100 signature goal.

Below is part of the petition's text:

Ray Koob, his voice has been a staple in Philadelphia for over two decades and he has always drawn us to listen. He's informative, funny, cool, not to mention the friendships that were formed through him. He is the foundation for programs such as "Get the Led Out" and "Jones For the Stones. He has taken a simple radio program and built up groups, both online and on the air that have become like families. To be honest, a lot of us only listen to WMGK while Ray is on the air. Without him, you will lose a lot of listeners.

Koob's radio spot, "Ray Koob in the Nighttime" ran from 7 p.m. to midnight on weekdays.

Philly.com reports it's unclear how the station will fill the four-four program block with Koob out.

While fans are upset, Koob seems to be taking his departure in stride.

"The best endings are endings of your own choosing," he wrote on Facebook. "This sucks today, but there's always tomorrow!"

Patch has reached out to 102.9 WMGK for more information and will update the story when details are made available.

Image via Shutterstock/Forest Run