McPhee Quits Herald, Moves to TKK Full-Time

By | Boston Daily |

Yesterday Adam Reilly at the Phoenix reported a rumor that Michele McPhee, the Herald’s crack cops-jakes-and-crime reporter, has tendered her resignation to her bosses at the ailing tab.

Sources close to McPhee confirm this, and add that she’s taken a full-time gig at WTKK-FM and ditched daily journalism altogether.

McPhee hosted a Saturday show for TKK for years. First with current Globe metro editor Brian McGrory, and then with a rotating cast of hosts, including former mayoral spokesman and Boston mag contributor Seth Gitell.

Recently she’s been filling the spot vacated by nappy-headed host Don Imus, though that came to an end when the station brought his show back.

This is really bad news for the Herald. Whatever you think of her often pro-cop “The Beat” columns, the hardboiled and tireless McPhee was one of the best-sourced reporters they had, and not exactly someone you can replace quickly. All of that makes publisher Pat Purcell’s “I’m Not Dead Yet” editorial yesterday that much more bittersweet.

UPDATE: Sources have indicated that McPhee will take the 7 p.m. evening slot currently occupied by Bill O’Reilly’s syndicated show. TKK Program Director Grace Blazer offered only a “no comment.”

UPDATE II: Blazer just confirmed the story. McPhee starts as the 7-10 p.m. host on Jan. 7.

  • Wally Pip

    I always thought the Herald was a step up from WTKK…

  • Jon

    This move probably extends the Herald’s life expectancy given that she would have landed them another Murphy-sized lawsuit sooner or later.

  • John

    I love WTKK but can’t stand her squeeky voice and overuse of the word “outraged”. I guess I’ll be reading a bit more of the Herald and listening a bit less to ‘TKK.

  • Neena

    Now perhaps Mr. “We’re Still Here” Purcell will use her salary to hire four reporters and give the Herald back some credibility. But first he’ll have to check with Mike Barnicle.

  • Giselle

    Did anyone really believe anything she wrote? She blurred the line between columnist (her opinion) and reporter (you know – supposed to be objective). The Herald’s credibility just increased ten-fold with her firing.

  • Steve Mosey

    The rumor that Michele Mcphee took the job at WTKK so that she could afford chin reduction plastic surgery, is absurd !

  • Tammi from Billerica

    Michele McPhee is great on the air and in the newspaper. We wish her luck at this gig and look forward to January 7th.
    Keep up the good work and tell us like it is.