Any heads rollin' at CBS San Diego?

[Bob_Hudson]

San Diego's KYXY and Free-FM are part of CBS Radio and today CBS axed 115 folks, mostly high paid executives and managers, inculding some General Managers. This is a welcome change from when they usually fire six people who actually do real work but combined don't make as much money as one GM (and has anyone ever figured out what GM's actually do?????????).

Apparently that Free-FM thing is not rakin' in the dough.

 

[davideduardo]

(and has anyone ever figured out what GM's actually do?????????).

This should win the inane post of the month. It is like saying that, since the soldiers did all the fighting and dying, that Patton or MacAruthur were not needed.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

(and has anyone ever figured out what GM's actually do?????????).

This should win the inane post of the month. It is like saying that, since the soldiers did all the fighting and dying, that Patton or MacAruthur were not needed.

Had Patton and MacArthur operated like radio GM's, they would have hired consultants, done some call-out research to see what their troops thought about the previous battle and then, if they lost a battle, they'd have fired the cooks and Jeep drivers.

In 30 years in radio I never worked for a GM who created a successul strategy and these days they are even further removed from the decision-making process. GM's pretty much rode the coat tails of someone else's success and readily take credit for it, but when there is failure they've always found someone else to blame. It's nice to see that CBS is cutting the real fat.

 

[Garrett]

I thought that CBS was selling a bunch radio clusters, so wouldn't logic dictate that those are markets that got the cuts? I don't think this has anything to do with the success of those stations. And, I don't think the failures of 103.7 have anything to do with managers on the local level either.
Also, is Kyxy not routinely one of the most listened to stations in San Diego? Seems to me that ought to count for something.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

I thought that CBS was selling a bunch radio clusters, so wouldn't logic dictate that those are markets that got the cuts? I don't think this has anything to do with the success of those stations. And, I don't think the failures of 103.7 have anything to do with managers on the local level either.
Also, is Kyxy not routinely one of the most listened to stations in San Diego? Seems to me that ought to count for something.

CBS says they are looking at selling in smaller markets, not places like SF, NY, DC....


Who can take credit for KYXY, which has been doing essentially the same thing for years and years? The current PD can't, nor can the GM. The best they can do is to not screw it up. Of course their track record also includes the old Planet FM which several PD's and a few GM's (including those currently in the KYXY/103.5 building) could never turn around. It's said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results, which of course is how those geniuses mismanaged 103.5 FM for many years. Now, though, they can blame the higher-ups at CBS for Free FM (although I think one or two of the national execs behind that may have been canned this week).

Being PD for KYXY has to be the easiest radio gig in town: the hardest thing you do is schedule vacation replacements (oh and fire Yvonne Karlin). The promotion director and music director there were doing their thing long before the PD came onboard as were the air staff (and the format).

CBS's best hope for financial success is to take a short position on Sirius stock

 

[sdwulfdawg]

You know that the stations are being managed by remote control from the moment you walk in to the studios on Linda Vista. They still have never changed out the sign in front of the station (103.7) that still reads Planet after all of these months, the Planet stickers all over the walls of the hallways, not to mention that the general office looks like a TOTAL wreck every time, has a musty smell of food eaten in the past two days, etc., not to mention the receptionist who wears the dowdiest clothing, etc.

 

[RadeoEngineer]

(and has anyone ever figured out what GM's actually do?????????).

This should win the inane post of the month. It is like saying that, since the soldiers did all the fighting and dying, that Patton or MacAruthur were not needed.

Had Patton and MacArthur operated like radio GM's, they would have hired consultants, done some call-out research to see what their troops thought about the previous battle and then, if they lost a battle, they'd have fired the cooks and Jeep drivers.

In 30 years in radio I never worked for a GM who created a successul strategy and these days they are even further removed from the decision-making process. GM's pretty much rode the coat tails of someone else's success and readily take credit for it, but when there is failure they've always found someone else to blame. It's nice to see that CBS is cutting the real fat.

I would argue that Darrel Goodin at Jeff-Pilot Lincoln Financial is a definite exception to that statement.

 

[Bob_Hudson]

I would argue that Darrel Goodin at Jeff-Pilot Lincoln Financial is a definite exception to that statement.

Jeff Pilot did allow a lot of autonomy for their stations (although thankfully Mike "The Beach Boy" Stafford didn't know how to exercise it )

 

[Garrett]

I would argue that Darrel Goodin at Jeff-Pilot Lincoln Financial is a definite exception to that statement.

Jeff Pilot did allow a lot of autonomy for their stations (although thankfully Mike "The Beach Boy" Stafford didn't know how to exercise it )

Uhm, Mike "The Beach Boy" Stafford?
Please explain why you use this term? Did he dress like a beach bum or somthing?

 

[Bob_Hudson]

I would argue that Darrel Goodin at Jeff-Pilot Lincoln Financial is a definite exception to that statement.

Jeff Pilot did allow a lot of autonomy for their stations (although thankfully Mike "The Beach Boy" Stafford didn't know how to exercise it )

Uhm, Mike "The Beach Boy" Stafford?
Please explain why you use this term? Did he dress like a beach bum or somthing?

That was the nickname for him when he was GM at KCBQ although I don't recall if it carried over to KSON (I only worked there part time and very briefly). Back coats and ties were the order of the day fror anyone in business, Mike would come to work in flip-flops and what fancy sweat suits.