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Greater Media is done 10/31

D

Deleted User

Someone mentioned to me that Beasley takes over 11/1. I don't know what time..... I assume midnight.

I expect new sweepers and ID's will be in order....

let the fun begin
 
Pretty sure the trades mentioned it when the release about Entercom buying the Charlotte stations came out.
 
Tuesday is the day. Greater Media employees have all been given severance letters outlining what they will receive if they are terminated after the close because GM is responsible for the payouts. Beasley will decide who to "hire" after Tuesday. Welcome to big time radio GM people--no more country club. Expect major changes within days.
 
gaveitup said:
Tuesday is the day. Greater Media employees have all been given severance letters outlining what they will receive if they are terminated after the close because GM is responsible for the payouts. Beasley will decide who to "hire" after Tuesday. Welcome to big time radio GM people--no more country club. Expect major changes within days.
Click to expand...

From everyone I have talked to, that seems like an accurate statement.

One of my friends, a long time GM employee who worked across the cluster was cut loose a couple of months ago, as were quite a few other people.

I agree with you 100 percent on the change in corporate culture that is going to blow into that cluster on Tuesday..... and it is going to be a rude awakening, based on what people have said about the events that happened after the CBS/Beasley swaps that happened not so long ago. People are going to be working for half of what they are making now, and then some.

Peter Smyth and a couple of other folks are going to go to the beach with tractor trailer loads of money, some people have been sent to the beach with an empty pail and a shovel.... and in quite a few markets there are hundreds of people trying to figure out if they will have a job on Tuesday.

can someone make a Beasley version of this? https://www.indymedia.org/media/2005/12//830350.mp3
 
MRBIboredop said:
From everyone I have talked to, that seems like an accurate statement.

One of my friends, a long time GM employee who worked across the cluster was cut loose a couple of months ago, as were quite a few other people.

I agree with you 100 percent on the change in corporate culture that is going to blow into that cluster on Tuesday..... and it is going to be a rude awakening, based on what people have said about the events that happened after the CBS/Beasley swaps that happened not so long ago. People are going to be working for half of what they are making now, and then some.

Peter Smyth and a couple of other folks are going to go to the beach with tractor trailer loads of money, some people have been sent to the beach with an empty pail and a shovel.... and in quite a few markets there are hundreds of people trying to figure out if they will have a job on Tuesday.

can someone make a Beasley version of this? https://www.indymedia.org/media/2005/12//830350.mp3
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Smyth is near or over 70. It's been down hill for Greater Media since they dumped WTKK 96.9. He predicted the Egan and Braude would fail as soon as they left TKK which some say he engineered. Look who has the last laugh. Egan and Braude are a success and a ratings leader on WGBH-FM 89.7 and Smyth is going out the door...to be sure with a load of cash. Smyth not a bad guy but his format change in the long run was the first sign of trouble with Greater Media. Wish Smyth well in retirement.
 
Tilden said:
Smyth.... He predicted the Egan and Braude would fail as soon as they left TKK which some say he engineered. Look who has the last laugh. Egan and Braude are a success and a ratings leader on WGBH-FM 89.7 and Smyth is going out the door...to be sure with a load of cash. Smyth not a bad guy but his format change in the long run was the first sign of trouble with Greater Media. Wish Smyth well in retirement.
Click to expand...

Couple of corrections

96.9 was a money loser as FMTalk. As Hot 96.9 it is a money maker.

No one predicted E&B would fail at GBH, no one wished them ill. There was a format change, and everyone I know at GM wished them well and was happy when they landed at GBH.

You are apparently in another one of your delusional "causes".
 
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Tilden said:
Smyth is near or over 70. It's been down hill for Greater Media since they dumped WTKK 96.9. He predicted the Egan and Braude would fail as soon as they left TKK which some say he engineered. Look who has the last laugh. Egan and Braude are a success and a ratings leader on WGBH-FM 89.7 and Smyth is going out the door...to be sure with a load of cash. Smyth not a bad guy but his format change in the long run was the first sign of trouble with Greater Media. Wish Smyth well in retirement.
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Smyth has to be in the top two or three group heads in the post consolidation years along with folks like Ed Christian at Saga.

A group head's career is not judged on a single station or programming decision. As a group head and as a group owner, I can think of a number of things I could have done better; that does not mean I was a failure. The change at one station you are amply dissing was not quite how you paint it. You have your colored lenses on again.

In any case, Smyth kept as much of the traditional radio playbook as would work in a lower revenue, greater competition environment and was generous with his staff in pay and benefits. But the owners wanted out, and he was not left with a choice.

Smyth is about 63, not "over 70".
 
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Wimmmex said:
Couple of corrections

96.9 was a money loser as FMTalk. As Hot 96.9 it is a money maker.

No one predicted E&B would fail at GBH, no one wished them ill. There was a format change, and everyone I know at GM wished them well and was happy when they landed at GBH.

You are apparently in another one of your delusional "causes".
Click to expand...

Sorry, Peter Smyth told this poster directly that Egan and Braude would fail on WGBH-FM 89.7. That was five or so years ago and E&B are going strong. WGBH -FM 89.7 even expanded their hours to three hours a day. On Friday's they are the feature broadcast program at The Boston Public Library/WGBH broadcast studios on Copley Square. Smyth is one of the good guys in the business but he has a blind spot when it comes to Margery Egan and Jim Braude; it is out of character for him not wishing them well once they left the confines of WTKK. Nonetheless, in the end, it is a win-win situation. Peter Smyth goes into retirement with a "wheel barrow" of money and Egan and Braude are a broadcasting success for WGBH-FM in their 11AM- 2PM time slot. All is right with the world.
 
Tilden said:
Sorry, Peter Smyth told this poster directly that Egan and Braude would fail on WGBH-FM 89.7.
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And we all know how reliable your perspective and memory is.

Again, no one predicted E&B would fail at GBH, no one wished them ill. There was a format change, and everyone I know at GM wished them well and was happy when they landed at GBH.

Another one of your delusional "causes".
 
Wimmmex said:
And we all know how reliable your perspective and memory is.

Again, no one predicted E&B would fail at GBH, no one wished them ill. There was a format change, and everyone I know at GM wished them well and was happy when they landed at GBH.

Another one of your delusional "causes".
Click to expand...

Spot on - Jim and Margery were a pleasure to have around and everyone wished the best to them and their production staff, some of which also made the move to 'GBH.

Severin, on the other hand... well, I'll leave that be.
 
The_Raven said:
Spot on - Jim and Margery were a pleasure to have around and everyone wished the best to them and their production staff, some of which also made the move to 'GBH.

Severin, on the other hand... well, I'll leave that be.
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Glad to hear that but that is not I heard directly from Smyth. Good guy who may have had a bad day when he was spouting off that Egan & Braude would not make it on WGBH -Fm 89.7. Let the discussion end here. :)
 
hearing but not confirmed...Tina Gao and Jason Rossi gone from Greater Media Boston.


hearing a morning guy in NJ gone, and Beasley moving managers around to different markets
 
Tilden said:
Glad to hear that but that is not I heard directly from Smyth.
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And we've learned to take your observations with a grain of salt. You should too! ;-)

Everyone is happy they landed the gig at WGBH. They might even set the tone for Public Radio everywhere to go to more traditional talk hosts. Since commercial talkradio is in the pits.
 
Let's hope Beasley doesn't lay off the famous Jackson Blue. That would be INSANE (plus, doing that will be a "suicide" for Hot 96.9), because he runs 2 syndicated radio shows on the weekends and weekdays (Party Playhouse).

Plus, it's syndicated nationwide, so if Beasley lays him off, it is going to have an effect on stations nationwide, even if Beasley doesnt own them, like WAYV in Atlantic City or Hits 106 in Grand Island, Nevada.
 
Jonathan7157 said:
Plus, it's syndicated nationwide, so if Beasley lays him off, it is going to have an effect on stations nationwide, even if Beasley doesnt own them, like WAYV in Atlantic City or Hits 106 in Grand Island, Nevada.
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In cases like this, the effects for affiliates are usually minimal. If nothing else, the syndicator will usually find another studio one way or another. There may be a guest host for a week or two, but there's rarely a ripple effect unless the syndicator also fires the host.
 
In Philly, I can't tell any difference in WMMR, their highly rated rock station here. Beasley basically said they weren't really going to tinker with the Philly stations. They have ratings & they make money.
 
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