Jen is done

[raccoonradio]

>>Stated another way, although these stations all run 50 kW day and night, the nighttime signals to the west are equivalent to as little as a few hundred watts.

Thus the complaints over the years about signals like WRKO and WEEI (AM), for those to the west. So many other stations on those
freqs that have to be dealt with. As it is I have noticed, especially in late fall/winter/early spring, just before they switch direction, I have heard "mixed stations" on WRKO--that is, RKO comes in but traces of Baltimore, Binghamton, etc. are in the background
even in places like Beverly and N. Reading. Then when the direction is changed (I think it was at 6 pm on the dot this week)
it gets better in those places. (btw when I worked at WNSH, when the studios were in Hamilton, there was some kind of a printout posted of the exact times in weeks/months when the signal had to be powered down)

The topic of power down/dir change/pre sunrise, pre sunset authorization etc. is covered on RD's RADIO PROS: Engineering Board

http://radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?618968-AM-Station-power-up-down-times

 

[Uncle Kaimbridge]

This is amazing.

Someone sent me this clip of Brien in 2010 on WRKO. I listened to the first 10 min. so far. Other than a couple of growls/voice, and a bit screechy at times, she sounds very "on top" of her game. How in the world she went "from that to this" is astounding.

http://audio.wrko.com/a/35007372/jennifer-brien-is-mad.htm

May she use this whole debacle as a learning experience and get her act together for her future endeavors.

By the sound of that clip, I’d say she had a bullet list of talking points in front of her, which just means she may be reasonably competent hosting a show that is at least minimally choreographed/scripted/cookie cutter, but for a self-propelled, open topic type show where the host has to be always thinking on their feet, she just may not be able to cut it.
That said, I personally didn’t mind the show, but the tardiness/absenteeism was a legitimate issue (hey, LeVeille managed to always make it down from NH on time, I believe by taxi, no less!).
As for the future, Overnight America is a decent show with a local track record (re: WTKK), with (Jon) Grayson even sounding like Leveille in sound and style, just maybe a bit faster paced.
The only issue is show time——OA starts at 1am, so either NightSide would have to be extended an hour (or the first hr. be replayed, like they did when they first tried canning Leveille), or an hour fill show introduced: Maybe a daily news and/or financial roundup, either in-house (could be pre-recorded earlier in the evening) or network/syndicated/brokered (hello, Barry Armstrong?, Rubino & Liang?, Bill Kelly [...would double as a treatment for insomnia! ]?)?

 

[raccoonradio]

Ha about Bill Kelly...btw Gayle Fee/Inside Track in the Herald mentions the Jen dismissal but no room I guess to mention her attendance record. Fee also mentions what Bev Tilden and Bruce Mittman are up to these days.

Tilden:
>>just landed a gig as the general manager of Cape Cod Broadcasting, its four radio stations and capecod.com...Mittman and his partner Jim Leven just added five new radio stations to their portfolio. The duo’s Community Broadcasters LLC now operates 15 radio stations in four markets in upstate New York.

http://bostonherald.com/inside_trac...com_boston_and_jen_brien#sthash.t1KT4RPG.dpuf

Thought Leveille lived in Burlington (maybe there by taxi, or maybe a friend gave him a ride). Maybe he's retired in NH. To make it to BZ every night I'd hope if it were NH it was in southern NH within easy reach of I-93.

 

[Cap-n Spackle]

Leveille grew up in Burlington, but he resided in Malden and Newton (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31eFcUlNoo4) during his 'BZ days, before retiring to Maine.

Today Brien wrote "fight for what u believe in. always. the truth wins in the end-" on FB, prompting a FB "friend" to chide her for her "trite expressions and cryptic statements when you have people worried about you".

 

[raccoonradio]

Exactly. She was a no-show for a responsible job. And, as Lily Tomlin's Edith Ann character would put it, "that's the truthhhhhh."

 

[jsh193]

At one point during last nights broadcast a listener called in and stated ( and I para phrasing because it was 3 in the am) that at one point WBZ gave Morgan 2 nights a week, then gave him one night a week , then took away all scheduled nights. And Morgan agreed that that was true. Morgan also stated that the next time he knows that he is scheduled to be on the air is when he covers for Jordan Rich in November. To me he sounded a little sad. It seems if this guy jumps out of his bed to come to the station to help you out, he should be treated better than that. Still he and everyone else knows hat Jenn is gone I would like to think that WBZ might reach out to him.
I am not sure if I would want to hear Morgan every night but a rotation of him Jordan and Bradley or someone else would be interesting. As long as it is a long broadcast of a creative talent that will show up for work

 

[jsh193]

My theory had been that BZ wanted to hire BradleyJay but may have thought about being unfair to Morgan and his role as loyal #1 fill-in over the years. Brien was sort of of way of splitting the difference, when none of the other auditions seemed to standout.

So if I had to predict now I'd say Morgan is the same guy that wasn't hired three months ago. He won't get the job. BradleyJay has the best shot if they don't want to go through the process again. If they do again audition, it could be anybody and maybe someone from out of the market?

Mkes perfect sense. But Bradley J loves travel if his facebook page is any indication. I wonder if that came into the mix. Pus he has that other radio gig.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

At one point during last nights broadcast a listener called in and stated ( and I para phrasing because it was 3 in the am) that at one point WBZ gave Morgan 2 nights a week, then gave him one night a week , then took away all scheduled nights. And Morgan agreed that that was true. Morgan also stated that the next time he knows that he is scheduled to be on the air is when he covers for Jordan Rich in November. To me he sounded a little sad.

Does this mean that Morgan White, Jr. will only be on 'BZ's weeknight overnight show until arrangements can be made to pick-up "Overnight America"??

BTW, were 'BZ to pick up "Overnight America", they could replay the final hour of the previous night's show from 12:05 to 1 A.M. the next night and pick-up the rest of the show live.

Or, they could stretch all-news to 9:05 P.M., push "Nightside" back to 9:05 P.M.-1 A.M., and pick-up hours 1 through 4 of "Overnight America" from 1 to 5 A.M.

Or do what they did when they briefly picked-up the show and repeat one hour of "Nightside" from 12:05 to 1 A.M. and pick-up hours 1 though 4 of "Overnight America".

But that would be sad.

Hopefully, either Morgan White, Jr. or Jordan Rich will be heard each weeknight (Sunday-through-Thursday nights/Monday-through-Friday mornings) from 12:05 to 5 A.M. and that it will happen soon.

 

[LJB]

I've never posted here before but I've listened to BZ for years. I hated how LeVeille was treated--I think someone handed him a note while he was on the air about 4:30 am saying that this was to be his last show. Don't know why I woke up and heard that but it was rotten. We did get him back but only to have him quit a few years later--this time on his own terms.
I was ok with Jen at first. She was pretty good with the callers and she got some interesting topics going. She didn't go on and on about sports and other things that either interest you or they don't interest you at all.

It was after Peggy died............wow. What a meltdown. I felt embarrassed for her. Wouldn't they let her take some time off? She sure needed it. After that she became mean to her mother on their little chats--mom asked why she never called anymore and she said she had lost her cell phone. Mom said--You mean you have no access to a phone? You can never call me? And then went on to say that her tumor had (been cancerous?) --well, there was friction and Jen is saying nothing. Finally, maybe the next night she announced that she would never get another cell phone. ??? huh. A few nights later she announced that she would get a cell phone because she needed it to keep in touch, to know if she was needed (at work?)--pretty vague, pretty changeable.
Then there was the moving to Boston and asking the audience to find her an apartment. I was disliking her by then. That's unprofessional. You keep most of your personal life to yourself, separate from your work life. She got more and more vague--like tonight I'm going to sleep in Boston, no long drive. What? There were also nasty comments about her sister and how she was not like her sister. Inappropriate. She said her father was an alcoholic--okay, she told us that early on and I was okay with that if it was just a fact.

Then the not showing up and not even telling anyone. I'd still like to know what that was about.

Is there no one in the entire area who is qualified to host a well balanced, interesting, congenial overnight talk show? Has the gift of gab, courtesy to callers, intelligence and knowledge in many areas of interest, able to recruit and interview guests, reliable enough to show up for work, balanced enough to sense when a topic has worn itself out and it's time to change the subject, not a political radical on one side or the other, decent, honest, has a good guy aura about them--likable. Is there no one? Or would that person be too expensive to hire? I guess it's a tall order.

No, I don't want Morgan. His voice drones and he's boring. I don't want Bradley J--but I like him the best. If he wanted to do it, I think they could train him. My problem with him is that he doesn't seem to do his homework. He comes in with one topic and tries to spread it out to last all night. He should come in with plan A, plan B, plan C---lots of ideas so that if a topic doesn't fly, gets stale, is too controversial--he can keep the show going merrily along. I like it when they TELL us what the topic will be and they say that in the NEXT hour the topic could be X or we could keep talking about topic A if there is enough interest. Give us something to look forward to, some structure to the program, let us know you have actually put some thought into it. Look how Dan Rea is always prepared. He's too conservative for me but he does an excellent show. Bradley J. can do an impressive interview WHEN he has bothered to get a guest to interview. He's funny and polite to callers.

Jordan is the true professional to me. Never misses a beat, knows just what to say and do. His interests are too narrow though--it's music or theater. He's fine but not for every night.

Now I'd said what I wanted to say. It probably won't make any difference but I do wish WBZ could still get someone local and someone excellent. Maybe they can't afford to pay anyone. With all the infomercials we have to put up with you'd think they'd make enough to be able to hire the kind of person who would live up to the station's long time reputation.

 

[Bos79]

Shouldn't be too hard. Rich would seem to fit in pretty nicely. But, hasn't Rich lobbied for just about every evening and night gig which became available, most notably when the brain tumor put Paul Sullivan hors de combat? He just seems snake-bit for as long as anyone can remember when it comes to getting more air time. Either somebody doesn't like him, or he has something else going on which now precludes weeknights.

After reading that Brien got whacked, I listened to 'BZ's overnight last night for the first time since Raleigh held the job. White was already pitching the job, practically reciting his resume over the air. Maybe he didn't bring his 'A' game on short notice, but the first two hours were the radio equivalent of watching paint dry.

Regards,
TSB

Jordan wanted Sullivan's job. Lost out to Dan Rea. He wont take overnights because of his production company. They should try to change his mind if they can get him to do more of the type of show he used to do then the guest filled show he's doing now.

 

[JaneChristo]

Jordan wanted Sullivan's job. Lost out to Dan Rea. He wont take overnights because of his production company.

Remember, a lot has changed in Jordan's life in the last year. He just might want to try something different.

I know he was a fan of the old personality era of Glick, Maynard, Ken Mayer, etc.

If anyone could make overnights count again (and have some fun)...it's Jordan!

 

[thirdendorsed]

The fact that there was strong audience reaction which ran ahead of the programmer's judgment seems to be a strong endorsement of the notion that there is an involved audience during the overnight. The Brien saga may enhance, rather than diminish, the daypart.

 

[thirdendorsed]

Very rarely do I enjoy seeing someone gassed (at least someone who is not in management), so I find all the speculation about this woman's life to be inappropriate. In some respects, she was sharing more about her personal life than others have done in that shift and more than is routine for anyone in broadcasting. It is an approach that might work with the nighttime denizens since in the wee small dark hours the voice on the radio is a friend. So I really think roasting her over tidbits you learn about her personal life from listening on-air is commenting on a subject in which you are still rather uniformed. Who knows what management was looking for, or whether the support was there. I hardly think a 50-clear is going to give someone a mic and 5 hours of air time and say "go to it." We don't know what she thought she was supposed to be doing or what approach the alleged managers wanted. Radio programmers have infinite capacity to drive talent crazy and an even bigger capacity to lie. It's easy to look in from the sidelines and say "what a great gig" and another thing entirely to be doing the job while being fed a lot of contradictory stuff about what job you are supposed to be doing. It's time to lay off.

 

[Blackroc]

I still think program content was irrelevant (to the firing). Since I don't listen I haven't heard anyone comment on what may have happened two weeks ago? I have to assume that --week-- plus the day off on Tues morning was the final straw for management? Al I know for sure was the preceding host and the fill-ins never seemed to know what was going on?

If it wasn't a Vaca week and she wasn't ill, I'm assuming management told her to report this week (or else). When she didn't-- it appears-- it was over.

+ LeVellie didn't live in NH or Burlington. He said he was getting out of a Newton duplex to move to Maine.

 

[thirdendorsed]

I don't listen ... I haven't heard what may have happened ... I have to assume ... Al[sic] I know for sure ... I'm assuming.

STOP. Stop right now. Stop assuming and speculating about someone's career and life. Anyone who has been behind a microphone in a major market for more than 13 weeks who joins this sort of spittle is a Class A Jerk. Never assume what a particular talent has gone through. Never assume you know what they were told when they were hired and what they were told while they worked. Never trust anyone anywhere in management any time and any place. (Rule #1).

And to the wannabees who sit on the sidelines, you really need to be ashamed to be drawing conclusions about another person based on "I'm assuming," "I haven't heard," "I don't listen," and "All I know." You're talking about a person who did a chat show

 

[Vinnie914]

STOP. Stop right now. Stop assuming and speculating about someone's career and life. Anyone who has been behind a microphone in a major market for more than 13 weeks who joins this sort of spittle is a Class A Jerk. Never assume what a particular talent has gone through. Never assume you know what they were told when they were hired and what they were told while they worked. Never trust anyone anywhere in management any time and any place. (Rule #1).

And to the wannabees who sit on the sidelines, you really need to be ashamed to be drawing conclusions about another person based on "I'm assuming," "I haven't heard," "I don't listen," and "All I know." You're talking about a person who did a chat show

She never showed up for work, her show was completely dysfunctional, she was unprofessional and management made the right decision to get rid of her. Time to move on.

 

[Omnibus]

She never showed up for work, her show was completely dysfunctional, she was unprofessional and management made the right decision to get rid of her. Time to move on.

The insiders this posters knows at BZ have reported That Woman...I'll think of her name sometime... was on drugs - prescribed or illegal. Obviously she 'blew' up her career. Totally self-destructive. Trust she will get help and put her life together.

 

[Pippi]

if Jen had unscheduled absences then she deserves to be fired, but the two times I listened to her I thought the content was okay, not great but slightly above the typical local show. One of the times I heard the show was when she was soliciting suggestions for relocating. She made it clear it had to be a house because her dogs need a yard. Now I read that she recently moved and gave her dogs away. Is that true? If so, talk about bad timing!

 

[TheTimeTraveler]

Clearly Jen had issues, and it's too bad she wasn't able to work thru them on her own without having to air them. With that said, it's time to move on to someone new.

I've heard a lot of names mentioned; all of whom who currently have paying positions. How about something different for the interim?

When Gary LaPierre and Ed Walsh retired they brought back each of them for a few weeks to fill in for vacations. Why not see if Steve L. would like to "fill in" for a little bit until a permanent replacement is selected?

Speaking of permanent replacements, what about Peter Meade from the Boston Redevelopment Authority? He worked at WBZ some years ago, and will be leaving the B.R.A. when Boston's Mayor Menino retires in a few months..... I think anything would be better than having a syndicated program (WBZ has been there and done that!).

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

If Dan Rea had been the one to leave 'BZ, Meade would be a good choice.

But WBZ-1030 has a tradition of "light", entertaining talk shows in the overnight hours, and that, in my opinion, would disqualify Meade.

In my opinion, the only two choices for the job are already at 'BZ: Jordan Rich and Morgan White, Jr. Either would be ideal and uphold 'BZ's tradition of entertaining talk in the wee hours.

And if Jordan gets the weeknight all-night gig, Morgan should replace him on weekends.

BTW, yesterday (October 4th), I sent an E-Mail to WBZ program director Peter Casey urging him to pick either Rich or White to replace Jen Brien. In that message, I also suggested that if Rich gets the weeknight overnight job that White replace Rich on weekend overnights.