Apparently flying first class just isn't good enough. The last thing I want to do is take this thread down the path of a political debate, but this seems to be an example of why the men and women in the streets and behind the microphones (those who remain, at least) get a bit peeved when they observe the increasing disparities in the business and within their own companies. Corporate jets and platinum parachutes for those at the top, layoffs for those at the bottom. Let them eat cake. Then pepper spray them.SirRoxalot said:
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Beth Adams and other staff axed at WHAM
- Thread starter Mark Giardina
- Start date
It stills puzzles me why doesn't Clear Channel sell 400 or 500 of their radio stations? Maybe that would raise enough capital to satisfy their debt and they could hire Beth back. Maybe because other companies and individuals would enter or re-enter the biz and be competitive with them?
therealjm12 said:It stills puzzles me why doesn't Clear Channel sell 400 or 500 of their radio stations? Maybe that would raise enough capital to satisfy their debt and they could hire Beth back. Maybe because other companies and individuals would enter or re-enter the biz and be competitive with them?
The decision to hire & fire is a local decision. The buying and selling of stations is a corporate decision. If they sell a bunch of stations, they'll use the money to buy down the debt, or invest in new media, not hire back former employees. They let her go, and they're obviously not concerned about her getting hired by anyone else and competing against them. Otherwise, someone else in that station would have been dropped.
TheBigA said:The decision to hire & fire is a local decision. The buying and selling of stations is a corporate decision.
Hahahaha. That's one of the funnier posts you've made. Those thumb drives issued to local management must have had a list of station prices, huh? And maybe an addedum to the former employee handbook.
Stations make mistakes all the time. WCMF got rid of Wease and WFXF now has him. They consistantly beat the crap out of the current WCMF morning show. Lets hope Beth gets hired elsewhere and shows them the error they obviously made.
Point blank, people would be happier if they had local live people on air and could call in. Contests help as well which automated stations cannot do easily. A wide variety of music also helps. Even top 40 should widen it and play the occasional song from 100-41 on the charts as well as a selection of older top 40 songs from the prior 20 years or so.
Point blank, people would be happier if they had local live people on air and could call in. Contests help as well which automated stations cannot do easily. A wide variety of music also helps. Even top 40 should widen it and play the occasional song from 100-41 on the charts as well as a selection of older top 40 songs from the prior 20 years or so.
SirRoxalot said:Hahahaha. That's one of the funnier posts you've made. Those thumb drives issued to local management must have had a list of station prices, huh? And maybe an addedum to the former employee handbook.
What are you talking about?
The decision to hire and fire is a local one - except that the cause of that is corporate coming in telling them to cut costs to boost the near term profit margins.
In the case of WHAM - it was already pared down to the bone, so when the knife came out again they had to go for one of the legs.
In the case of WHAM - it was already pared down to the bone, so when the knife came out again they had to go for one of the legs.
The buying and selling of stations is a corporate decision. If they sell a bunch of stations, they'll use the money to buy down the debt, or invest in new media, not hire back former employees. They let her go, and they're obviously not concerned about her getting hired by anyone else and competing against them
There is no one left to hire her. That's the point. The are very few competitors and they have carved out such narrow niches for themselves there really isn't anyplace for her to go since her talents specialize in news & information.
If C. C. would sell some stations maybe more opportunities would open up for Beth and the others sitting on the beach, and C. C. would have some money to pay off their debt load. Problem solved on both sides of the aisle.
But to be honest Big A, I am only concerned about Beth (and other staff). I really don't give a sh*t about Clear Channel and their business concerns. Beth is a great, talented person who deserves to be in the broadcasting business. Everyday she doesn't work we are denied her talents. Rochester radio NEEDS her. If C. C. went belly up tomorrow, you might be out of a job, but who would miss you?
There is no one left to hire her. That's the point. The are very few competitors and they have carved out such narrow niches for themselves there really isn't anyplace for her to go since her talents specialize in news & information.
If C. C. would sell some stations maybe more opportunities would open up for Beth and the others sitting on the beach, and C. C. would have some money to pay off their debt load. Problem solved on both sides of the aisle.
But to be honest Big A, I am only concerned about Beth (and other staff). I really don't give a sh*t about Clear Channel and their business concerns. Beth is a great, talented person who deserves to be in the broadcasting business. Everyday she doesn't work we are denied her talents. Rochester radio NEEDS her. If C. C. went belly up tomorrow, you might be out of a job, but who would miss you?
therealjm12 said:If C. C. went belly up tomorrow, you might be out of a job, but who would miss you?
I don't work for CC. Never have.
TheBigA said:SirRoxalot said:Hahahaha. That's one of the funnier posts you've made. Those thumb drives issued to local management must have had a list of station prices, huh? And maybe an addedum to the former employee handbook.
What are you talking about?
To quote from Radio-Info's reporting on the Clear Channel meetings with market managers:
Those flash drives contained hour-by-hour information about the performance of each station, and one manager, Iowa's John Laton, resigned rather than go forward with the suggested cuts.
So, tell me again how firing decisions are "local". Just in case you want to read the entire article:
http://www.radio-info.com/news/clear-channel-rifs-are-underway-today
SirRoxalot said:Those flash drives contained hour-by-hour information about the performance of each station, and one manager, Iowa's John Laton, resigned rather than go forward with the suggested cuts.
So a GM saw how bad his station was doing, and he resigned. What's the problem here?
Yeah, he really sucked. His stations were #1, #2, and #4 in Cedar Rapids, and #1, #3, #5, and #6 in Quad Cities.
Since leaving Clear Channel, he was snapped up by a former boss (also a former Clear Channel manager) to run a TV/FM combo in Milwaukee - over 100 markets closer to the top of the list.
Since leaving Clear Channel, he was snapped up by a former boss (also a former Clear Channel manager) to run a TV/FM combo in Milwaukee - over 100 markets closer to the top of the list.
SirRoxalot said:Since leaving Clear Channel, he was snapped up by a former boss (also a former Clear Channel manager) to run a TV/FM combo in Milwaukee - over 100 markets closer to the top of the list.
Great...so getting fired was the best thing that could have happened. Maybe the same for Beth Adams, if she looks beyond Rochester.
Great...so getting fired was the best thing that could have happened. Maybe the same for Beth Adams, if she looks beyond Rochester.
"A"...assuming you are NOT tongue-in-cheek...that may very well be true!! Most (self included) found that firing or lay off did, in fact, become a "best thing". She may opt out of the business...many of us have. This board seems to speak for Beth..without knowing her plan. Just saying.
HDBG.
Gee, BigA, you forgot to add how much better off WHAM will be without her. They're not cheapening the product (again). They're just showing us how to "tighten, lighten, and brighten".
Dear Mark Giardina. I'm sorry it didn't work out for you back in the day in radio.
As for live & local. I personally live in Rochester and am responsible for 5 hours and 20 minutes worth of live & local radio on 95.1 The Fox and 107.3FM & 1280AM Rochester's Sportstalk as the producer of The Wease Show.
After that, I head over to the KISS-FM studio and do my afternoon show to air 2-7pm on 106.7 KISS-FM. The only reason it isn't live is because I get there at 4am every morning and spend 2 hours reading & learning the news.. most of it local.. so that we can get on the air and put on a great show.. proving our bosses right for keeping us and losing you.
As for KISS, I'm responsible for everything that happens between 2 and 7pm.
Now, would I be in trouble if I deleted the music & talked instead? Or if I didn't run the commercials? Of course I would. Back in the day.. would that have been an acceptable thing for a top40 guy to do during his shift? Or would he have also been in trouble? My point is that I'm just as in control of what happens during my air shift as a DJ was "back in the day".
I love my job, love the company I work for, and love the management that I work for both locally and nationally.
If I get in trouble for this post.. I'll regret it. But I won't regret having finally fought back against you and the rest of the bullies on this forum.
As for live & local. I personally live in Rochester and am responsible for 5 hours and 20 minutes worth of live & local radio on 95.1 The Fox and 107.3FM & 1280AM Rochester's Sportstalk as the producer of The Wease Show.
After that, I head over to the KISS-FM studio and do my afternoon show to air 2-7pm on 106.7 KISS-FM. The only reason it isn't live is because I get there at 4am every morning and spend 2 hours reading & learning the news.. most of it local.. so that we can get on the air and put on a great show.. proving our bosses right for keeping us and losing you.
As for KISS, I'm responsible for everything that happens between 2 and 7pm.
Now, would I be in trouble if I deleted the music & talked instead? Or if I didn't run the commercials? Of course I would. Back in the day.. would that have been an acceptable thing for a top40 guy to do during his shift? Or would he have also been in trouble? My point is that I'm just as in control of what happens during my air shift as a DJ was "back in the day".
I love my job, love the company I work for, and love the management that I work for both locally and nationally.
If I get in trouble for this post.. I'll regret it. But I won't regret having finally fought back against you and the rest of the bullies on this forum.
You may be on from 2pm-7pm, but it isn't live. Voice tracking is just as bad as satellite. Sorry.
I frequently DJ private parties late Saturday nights and then do a double shot on KCountry (9am-12pm) and then WLLW (1pm-5pm).
If you can't handle doing it live, then I guess you have to make a choice...
I frequently DJ private parties late Saturday nights and then do a double shot on KCountry (9am-12pm) and then WLLW (1pm-5pm).
If you can't handle doing it live, then I guess you have to make a choice...
Sheese. That's all you could come up with 3 pages and 10 days after Mark's original post? You spend a couple of hours a day ripping off the actual news gatherers, which makes you "responsible" for Wease's content? So, for his reported $500K per year, he has YOU do the show prep?
You VT 5 hours of PM drive on WKGS-FM, where you're soundly spanked by WDKX. Maybe if you were live you'd be able to do traffic and other elements that would make you a little more competitive. But, that would make it an awfully long day. I get that. Too bad you're spread so thin.
I'm glad you love your job. I can't imagine that you'll get in trouble for your love letter describing how you love your company. I'm sure that they love having somebody so upbeat and positive.
You VT 5 hours of PM drive on WKGS-FM, where you're soundly spanked by WDKX. Maybe if you were live you'd be able to do traffic and other elements that would make you a little more competitive. But, that would make it an awfully long day. I get that. Too bad you're spread so thin.
I'm glad you love your job. I can't imagine that you'll get in trouble for your love letter describing how you love your company. I'm sure that they love having somebody so upbeat and positive.
First of all Googs, let me start by saying I'm glad that you, as a young person in our profession, have the passion you appear to have. I have no problem with the way you defend yourself and your company. That said, you need to man up! The bullies on this board? What are you, in high school? When you put in the time and earn your stripes in this business like Mark Giardina did, then you will have earned your right to take him on. Mark left radio on his own terms. Many of us did. I did so last year in taking an early retirement from a full-time gig. I'm in the Buffalo market. So, I don't listen to Wease. I don't listen to your voice tracked show. But what I can say is that I know Mark Giardina. Mark Giardina is a friend of mine. And, young man, you are no Mark Giardina. Maybe you will be some day. But for now, show some respect to those whom you are following. No one criticized you personally. This thread, after all, is about the firing of a legendary WHAM morning personality. Again, stand up for your company. You're getting a pay check. But for many of us, we find it hard to defend companies like Clear Channel when they're cutting key personnel and, in the end, offering a poorer product to the listening public.
Philip_Airtime said:First of all Googs, let me start by saying I'm glad that you, as a young person in our profession, have the passion you appear to have. I have no problem with the way you defend yourself and your company. That said, you need to man up! The bullies on this board? What are you, in high school? When you put in the time and earn your stripes in this business like Mark Giardina did, then you will have earned your right to take him on. Mark left radio on his own terms. Many of us did. I did so last year in taking an early retirement from a full-time gig. I'm in the Buffalo market. So, I don't listen to Wease. I don't listen to your voice tracked show. But what I can say is that I know Mark Giardina. Mark Giardina is a friend of mine. And, young man, you are no Mark Giardina. Maybe you will be some day. But for now, show some respect to those whom you are following. No one criticized you personally. This thread, after all, is about the firing of a legendary WHAM morning personality. Again, stand up for your company. You're getting a pay check. But for many of us, we find it hard to defend companies like Clear Channel when they're cutting key personnel and, in the end, offering a poorer product to the listening public.
I was just going to walk away...but had to come back.
First, allow me to echo Philip's sentiment that it's good to see passionate young people in our profession. I've met and worked with a few the past ten years. For example - if you network w/other CC Kiss stations - Flick at WKST/Pittsburgh is a standout talent. We worked together when he was in my cluster a couple years back. I see him as a modern-day equivalent of some of my all-time heroes in this business...
It's true I don't live in WNY nor am I an expert. I post here because of many connections to the area...but one thing I do know:
Many, if not all, of the "bullies on this board" are in reality veterans of some of the best radio made anywhere. Sure it's fun to watch SirRox, BigA and 9 jab back-and-forth but they bring some real sound insights. And the concerns raised about voice-tracked vs. live radio are legitimate and carry potentially deep consequences for our business.
So much of the success of our business depends on how well a personality can "live in the moment". Many air-worthy topics are so, exactly because of their timeliness...in two days or even three hours the topic becomes irrelevant and a chance to emotionally connect with a listener - and perhaps turn them into a fan - is lost.
Lest there be any misunderstanding here, I'm talking about good music radio...not just good radio. Without such live, local and/or pertinent content opportunities, when you're reduced to liner cards and generic content, music radio becomes an iPod with clutter. Or to look at it another way: when there are four stations in a market playing "Last Friday Night" and "Moves Like Jagger", I'd like to think the one who can best differentiate themselves from the pack will win that battle. The most effective differentiation will come from great jock content, in effect turning the iPod with clutter into a community of fans talking with you and with each other.
Finally, it's important to be positive about your job...many a gig has been lost in this business because a talent's attitude went south. Don't let go of that...make the best radio they allow you to make...but please, don't kid yourself into thinking that VT, no matter how well done, is equivalent to the possibilities brought by doing it live and in the moment.
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