ABC/Disney Stations to Citadel

[RadioStarOne]

The FCC has the sale of the ABC/Disney stations to Citadel on it agenda this Thursday March 22, 2007. If the
commission approves the sale. How long will it be until the sale closes? And will Mickey Luckoff stay or will he go? Ron, Pete, Gene, Bernie, Ray, Dr. Bill, Karel, Len, and the rest of the news people? It will be an interesting ride to say the least!

 

[MikeAmatori]

Still have to get it past the IRS because of the Tax Manuver by Disney. May 1st has been the target since mid December. FCC was never a problem in this sale.

Mickey can retire any time he wants to, the rest of the boys have contracts that would need to be bought out...Ronn's runs till 2012. Look for changes at the begining of 2008. Faried has said he really likes the Newstalks...and he really like KGO and KSFO. Why? $$$$
I know I answered this for you before, But Citadel took all the contracts in this deal, Personal Service, Union, Managment etc. remember, It's a Merger not a Sale. If they want to dismiss the staff, which I know is of great importance to you, they would have to write some hefty severance checks, then hire someone at near the same base rates to replace people who were fired. Labor contracts, for instance, don't just get thrown away because you fire union people.

I guess the question you have to ask yourself is, why would you pay alot to buy
somthing and then dismiss the people who make it profitable? When Ratings Drop, The revenus follow. KGO is not a music station. It takes some chops to do talk.
It takes grownups with life experience and talent especially if you want to be a live
and local operation...Look at KABC's ratings (heavely Syndicated) and KGO's.

 

[LKellerIII]

All of the air talent will stay. If it ain't broke...and all that. It's like Entercom with KOIT - hear any changes there? There are only 2 changes I've noticed on air with KOIT - they don't ID 1260 anymore, and they don't say "KOIT, a Bonneville station...". Any other changes will be evolutionary, and slow in coming. KGO will be the same.

I don't know about Luckoff, corporations like to bring in their own management, but I would guess that he will stay, too - at least in the short-term.

 

[tripton99]

ABC/Disney has plenty of problems with their stations in other markets that will be addressed by the new partner, but in no way will they mess with success: meaning KGO and KSFO are safe. Mr. Luckoff will likely be asked to stay. There is no more successful GM in radio....period.

The question I would ask is "How grateful will Disney be when it comes to thanking the San Francisco management for their success?" I'm talking bonuses etc. to key management.

 

[Talking Furniture]

All of the air talent will stay. If it ain't broke...and all that. It's like Entercom with KOIT - hear any changes there? There are only 2 changes I've noticed on air with KOIT - they don't ID 1260 anymore, and they don't say "KOIT, a Bonneville station...". Any other changes will be evolutionary, and slow in coming. KGO will be the same.

I don't know about Luckoff, corporations like to bring in their own management, but I would guess that he will stay, too - at least in the short-term.

I'll bet Luckoff "retires." And, while not much will change on the surface immediately, count on massive reduction of support staff and ABC perks and fluff. There isn't a more bloated infrastructure left in commercial radio than ABC. Luckoff won't want to continue at the helm of a group of stations being reorganized under Citadel conditions.

 

[paulsecic]

The FCC has the sale of the ABC/Disney stations to Citadel on it agenda this Thursday March 22, 2007. If the
commission approves the sale. How long will it be until the sale closes? And will Mickey Luckoff stay or will he go? Ron, Pete, Gene, Bernie, Ray, Dr. Bill, Karel, Len, and the rest of the news people? It will be an interesting ride to say the least!

Ray T. said this morning he signed a new contract.

 

[LKellerIII]

"Ray T. said this morning he signed a new contract."

No, no, no, no, no, sir - you are WRONG, sir!

I'm sure you're right - I just wanted to do my Taliaferro impression.

 

[MikeAmatori]

All of the air talent will stay. If it ain't broke...and all that. It's like Entercom with KOIT - hear any changes there? There are only 2 changes I've noticed on air with KOIT - they don't ID 1260 anymore, and they don't say "KOIT, a Bonneville station...". Any other changes will be evolutionary, and slow in coming. KGO will be the same.

I don't know about Luckoff, corporations like to bring in their own management, but I would guess that he will stay, too - at least in the short-term.

I'll bet Luckoff "retires." And, while not much will change on the surface immediately, count on massive reduction of support staff and ABC perks and fluff. There isn't a more bloated infrastructure left in commercial radio than ABC. Luckoff won't want to continue at the helm of a group of stations being reorganized under Citadel conditions.

ABC Perks and Fluff? I guess you've never worked at ABC...It is a live News and Talk station after all...Support staff ? Like call screeners and board ops. Sales assistants,
News staff and Production people? 24/7 live and local takes some people. This is not KIOI
or Koit who turn the lights out at 7pm and back on at 5am. and run Automated for 10 hours, that is not live and local.
The Golden Days of ABC were before Cap Cities bought them in the 80's. Disney is Very Spartan. Now, Perhaps on the Corp level you could strip out a few layers of middle management, but on the station level it's not exactly overun with people.
Example, in 1994 There were 2 Production people and 18 sales people. In 2007 there are 2 production people and 30+ sales reps, plus 2 marketing depts, and 2 stations programing needs. Not a lot of perks unless you count water and bathrooms.
Once again Live and Local 24/7...Tought to voicetrack Talkshows.

 

[Talking Furniture]

All of the air talent will stay. If it ain't broke...and all that. It's like Entercom with KOIT - hear any changes there? There are only 2 changes I've noticed on air with KOIT - they don't ID 1260 anymore, and they don't say "KOIT, a Bonneville station...". Any other changes will be evolutionary, and slow in coming. KGO will be the same.

I don't know about Luckoff, corporations like to bring in their own management, but I would guess that he will stay, too - at least in the short-term.

I'll bet Luckoff "retires." And, while not much will change on the surface immediately, count on massive reduction of support staff and ABC perks and fluff. There isn't a more bloated infrastructure left in commercial radio than ABC. Luckoff won't want to continue at the helm of a group of stations being reorganized under Citadel conditions.

ABC Perks and Fluff? I guess you've never worked at ABC...It is a live News and Talk station after all...Support staff ? Like call screeners and board ops. Sales assistants,
News staff and Production people? 24/7 live and local takes some people. This is not KIOI
or Koit who turn the lights out at 7pm and back on at 5am. and run Automated for 10 hours, that is not live and local.
The Golden Days of ABC were before Cap Cities bought them in the 80's. Disney is Very Spartan. Now, Perhaps on the Corp level you could strip out a few layers of middle management, but on the station level it's not exactly overun with people.
Example, in 1994 There were 2 Production people and 18 sales people. In 2007 there are 2 production people and 30+ sales reps, plus 2 marketing depts, and 2 stations programing needs. Not a lot of perks unless you count water and bathrooms.
Once again Live and Local 24/7...Tought to voicetrack Talkshows.

Well, I hope you're right. I'll stick with my observations and prediction.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

The FCC has the sale of the ABC/Disney stations to Citadel on it agenda this Thursday March 22, 2007.

This just in from All Access (www.allaccess.com):

FCC Approves Citadel-ABC

The FCC today approved the sale of 24 ABC RADIO stations to CITADEL on the condition that CITADEL sell 11 of its stations in order to keep in line with FCC ownership limits.

 

[paulsecic]

Still have to get it past the IRS because of the Tax Manuver by Disney. May 1st has been the target since mid December. FCC was never a problem in this sale.

Mickey can retire any time he wants to, the rest of the boys have contracts that would need to be bought out...Ronn's runs till 2012. Look for changes at the begining of 2008. Faried has said he really likes the Newstalks...and he really like KGO and KSFO. Why? $$$$
I know I answered this for you before, But Citadel took all the contracts in this deal, Personal Service, Union, Managment etc. remember, It's a Merger not a Sale. If they want to dismiss the staff, which I know is of great importance to you, they would have to write some hefty severance checks, then hire someone at near the same base rates to replace people who were fired. Labor contracts, for instance, don't just get thrown away because you fire union people.

I guess the question you have to ask yourself is, why would you pay alot to buy
somthing and then dismiss the people who make it profitable? When Ratings Drop, The revenus follow. KGO is not a music station. It takes some chops to do talk.
It takes grownups with life experience and talent especially if you want to be a live
and local operation...Look at KABC's ratings (heavely Syndicated) and KGO's.

I don't understand ABC'S reasoning to get into bed with a two bit outfit like Citadel. I'm just a KGO listener.

 

[livingfruitvirus]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the ABC Radio sale was an incentive after the purchase of Pixar Animation Studios.

 

[MikeAmatori]

Actually, Disney had wanted Pixar for some time. The Radio Sale was because and I Quote Bob Iger, Disney CEO. "Radio is a Fully Mature Business, we see no more growth there" Which is a strange thing to say, since Radio Disney and ESPN owned
stations are being kept and they are lossers, however Disney Considers them "Brand Extensions" and will by more of them after dumping the ABC Radio unit. Part of the Lifelong Customers theory Disney Promotes.

As for the price of Pixar? well lets just say Disney does not have to start up a collection to pay for it. 10 billion represents about 5 percent of what they can go out and get in the credit markets.