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5 PD's in 5 years???

I've NEVER seen a one year non-compete, especially in a small market like Canton.

They are rare in major markets where guys would literally cross the street the next day. No reason to prevent yourself from earning a living in your chosen craft especially if you have an owner you say is toxic.

A word of advice: match the severance to the non-compete. They don't want you to work somewhere else for 90 day? Fine, pay me.

Why would the morning guy have a year, but the PD not have one at all? Bad call on GM's part.
 
Well you guys are now starting to figure out why we're not at Q anymore.. I started as a parttimer in 2002, worked my way to nights, then to mornings. I signed a total of 4 agreements with Donnie during my employment - each one more restrictive. It started with a page, then 3, then 5, then 16.

When I began my tenure I was 20 years old. This was all new to me. My last deal was a 3 year, signed in '09, and - as time went on - I decided some real changes needed to be made.

We enlisted the help of Attorney Steve Okey who began negotiations around this time last year. We asked for the right to our material, the right to merchandise (Donnie wouldn't provide us with ANY promo materials but told us "we could print shirts and stickers with our own money"), and the ability to grow our show larger than Canton with WDJQ as the flagship, and FINANCIAL CONSIDERATION for the non compete. The "take it or leave it" agreement offered to us included none of the above, an allegation of an "accounting error" whereby we owed HIM money, and a restructuring of our bonus that would have robbed Charlotte and I of $20k a year.

We were told by Donnie he "was our sugar daddy" and - when we refused to sign his ridiculous offer - "the birds have to leave the nest at some point".

I made GOOD money with my bonus in Canton, Ohio. My last book was a 30 share - then I was fired 2 weeks later. Both Charlotte and I had every intention of staying where we were, but it was made impossible for us to.

It was a learning experience, as has been the past year. We've managed to hang on to our new business venture, grow steadily in listeners, and have gotten revenue from clients.

Radio is my passion, it's in my blood. But it's a damn scary climate out there right now.... almost scarier than venturing into Internet radio land.

We've got good people around us and one of the best lawyers in the country representing us. Things will be ok.

...and Baylor - everyone in that building has a different deal.
 
Does anyone remember when Donnie was offered 28 Million Dollars, yes that was $28,000,000.00 for WDPN/WDJQ by Clear Channel Radio in 2002? I do! I was there, as a part timer of the old WZKL "Z92.5" days. He told Clear Channel that the station was worth way more than that and he would be silly to sell for that low of a price. Wonder if he ever regrets that.

Why do I bring this up?

NEXTMEDIA is technically owned by MILLBROOK HOLDINGS II LLC. Millbrook Holdings II LLC. is an owned portfolio of Khosla-Connecticut a managed portfolio of Oak Tree Capital Management which owns companies like Local TV LLC (ie: WJW FOX 8) and Townsquare Media.

What does this all mean?

Oak Tree Capital Management owns 85% of Millbrook Holdings II LLC.
Khosla Connecticut owns the additional 15% of Millbrook Holdings II LLC.

Oak Tree did the same exact thing with Gap, Regent, Double O and Millennium.

Gap, Gap West, Gap East, Regent, Double O and Millennium all became TOWNSQUARE MEDIA

Now to make a long story short,
Townsquare Media eventually takes over WHBC-A/F and you know they will want an additional signal or three in Canton to round out the cluster. WDJQ continues to bleed money like a stuck pig and viola...WHBC A, WDPN A, WHBC F and WDJQ F all become Townsquare Media Canton.

Just saying
 
Anything John Stewart does for the WHBC duo has got to be better than what's been happening there the last few years. Good luck, John. Unless some heads roll, you'll need it.

Ericjbard: If anyone is "bleeding money", it's NextMedia. Remember that bankruptcy filing awhile back? They reorganized and managed to find their way back to the road, but to what end? They overpaid for properties like WHBC, leading to a large amount of debt service. When the economy tanked, they cut key staff/local programming and endured a rocky switch to news/talk. Add a revolving door at the Mix PD's office and you've got problems. I wish WHBC all the best, but sometimes you have to call 'em as you see 'em.
 
Here's a thought: Getting fired usually involves the boss telling you that you don't have a job anymore, regardless of the circumstances. If the boss gives you a "take it or leave it" ultimatum, whose choice is it to leave? That's not a knock on you Deluca, just an observation.
 
Eric-

Did DP3 tell you $28 million while tipping a few back?

The offer had to be much less. They only paid $4.5 million for WJER-FM Dover to move it to North Canton as WHOF.

What is fixed first in Canton? WHBC or the cruddy Marathon?
 
John Baylor said:
Eric-

Did DP3 tell you $28 million while tipping a few back?

The offer had to be much less. They only paid $4.5 million for WJER-FM Dover to move it to North Canton as WHOF.

What is fixed first in Canton? WHBC or the cruddy Marathon?
Click to expand...

$28 million? Unlikely, in my opinion. Then again, experience has taught me to never be surprised by anything in this industry. After all, didn't NextMedia pay $40 million for the WHBC pair?
 
static_cling said:
Here's a thought: Getting fired usually involves the boss telling you that you don't have a job anymore, regardless of the circumstances. If the boss gives you a "take it or leave it" ultimatum, whose choice is it to leave? That's not a knock on you Deluca, just an observation.
Click to expand...

As we were found by the state of Ohio, we were "separated" from employment due to "lack of work". We offered to continue negotiations, sign a temporary extension of current terms, even work without a deal.. We were told "No" and then told not to report to work the next day (Feb 2.).

Then he fought our unemployment and sued us for $250,000 claiming "torturous business interference" when we launched online.

He counted on intimidating us into signing "his" deal, just as he did with Mo months before.. The difference was we stood up for ourselves.
 
Deluca won. In court. With a Judge.

Can't argue with that.

92 lacks the ability to monetize success. While maintaining a large share in respectable demos they continued to sell spots for dirt cheap rates. When you are the leader, you SET the rate, they followed. They have an inventory problem. The network spots for WDPN air on WDJQ. There are two minutes every hour you can't sell.

WHBC-FM lowered their rates a few years ago in a panic and rates have yet to recover. (post recession) When K105 in Youngstown is charging more than 94.1 (even while throwing in the AM), you've got serious issues. 92 has an image problem with advertisers and agencies. If you owned a mortgage company, chances are you don't want your spots airing next to a gentleman's club or their giveaways.

The smart thing for DA Peterson to do is flip. To country. Now. You have massive shares going to K105, and WQMX. Those are dollars leaving the market. You could easily be a top 3 station with country aimed at the metro. You should easily bill 1 to 1 1/2 mill.

But they won't.
They believe they will always have the better product. Nobody can do it better. They know best.
They are wrong, and are going to be decimated.
 
John Baylor said:
The smart thing for DA Peterson to do is flip. To country. Now. You have massive shares going to K105, and WQMX. Those are dollars leaving the market. You could easily be a top 3 station with country aimed at the metro. You should easily bill 1 to 1 1/2 mill.
Click to expand...

Only if executed properly. You know what they say about the best laid plans...

Forgive me if I come across as a skeptic, but didn't someone just point out what a folly it would be for WHBC to go CHR in a market already drowning in the format? How would WDJQ flipping to country be its saving grace? As you said, K105 and WQMX are large and in charge for that audience. If one includes WQKT and WTUZ, there's clearly no shortage of *that* format in the region. I'm not saying it would be impossible to successfully program and sell another country station, but why is that the only viable option? Curious...
 
As for the 28 Million, I remember sitting in his office and we were discussing it. I said "no way, thats too high" and his response was a simple, "not really, look at WHBC." Just a few years later, CC moved in WJER. However, WJER is only a Class A and this 28 Million Dollar Deal was right at the time of the big switch in Cleveland/Akron with CC/Salem.

Next paid that much partially because of Carl Hirsch. He wanted WHBC and knew the value of the station. Clear Channel originally made plans to buy out WQKT 104.5 and was going to move it to Barberton where they would have put WKDD on that signal before the Salem deal. The offer was in the ballpark of 15 Million for QKT and Dix would have gotten WBZW Loudonville. Dix refused the deal.

Clear Channel back then, overpaid big time for properties...so no 28 Million is not impossible.
 
Nextmedia that filed bankruptcy is not the same Nextmedia today. Nextmedia then was owned by Steven/Jeff Dinetz, Nextmedia today is owned by Oak Tree Capital. Oak Tree owns Townsquare, Oak Tree buys distressed companies, turns them around and holds them til they get all their investment back.
 
I have a feeling HBC-FM might stay the same as "Mix" but as an Adult CHR with a focus on current hit music and 90's through 2012 as gold. The 80's might be gone for good, leaving My to pick up that decade. Musically, it could be similar to Q92 with some modifications. "Mix" is also a heritage name for the station and Canton. Changing it would cause an uproar.

As for jocks, it's a huge question mark. Who knows who will stay, but I do hope Kathy, Rik, Kayleigh and Angela stay put. They are good for the station, and mornings have been stable for close to five years. It'll be interesting to see who else from Q jumps over to Mix. I can't picture John Tesh and/or Tom Kent lasting too long with John in charge. Both hosts would fit in better at My.

I do want to see what HBC-AM will be like. I think sporting events will stay in place. Not sure about local and syndicated shows. It could stay in place, it could change.

I can say the both stations won't be the same at this time next year.
 
Sorry, but Mix is not a heritage name. It is less than 20 years old.

Heritage is The Buzzard.

Ask most people on the street and they say WHBC-FM.
 
John Baylor said:
Sorry, but Mix is not a heritage name. It is less than 20 years old.

Heritage is The Buzzard.

Ask most people on the street and they say WHBC-FM.
Click to expand...

Gotcha. I assumed the name was well-known as I don't often hear the call letters mentioned on-air a lot.

Still, I don't really see a change from "Mix" to "B." Of course, I could be wrong.
 
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