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Big Jay Sorenson - WJRZ

Great post, "Classic Puker"! I have great respect for you and Anita, you are both radio icons. What a business, huh? Any way, the other poster sounds like there may have been some personal grudge but whatever the case I'm glad to see you and Anita here to tell it like it is. I must admit I'm sorry I missed the blow up between you and that other performer (performer of root canals, that is...), I went to school with him and he was kind of a nerdy brown-nosing type, but he sure let that board go to his head in my opinion. I'm glad to see this board is up and running at full speed again, although my only gripe is I wish there was a little less "editing" from the mods. We're all big boys and girls and won't faint at some occasional salty language or heart-felt criticism. Even the driller allows that...at least until the message gets totally deleted. Any way, I wish you much continued success.
 
I just made a call to someone in the know about NJ1015 and they told me that a radio consultant came up with the idea of NJ101.5 not Big Jay. They also advised me to add Sirius to another recent Big Jay failure.

They also mentioned John and Ken who were at 1015 are doing great and Deminski and Doyle are also doing great so what happened to Big Jay ?

I don't believe that Big Jay can do well ratings wise after Philly, Texas, WCTC , Sirius and WJRZ bounced him. Remember the commercial where's the beef ? With Big Jay it's where's the ratings ? What happened in the fall ratings Anita opps embarrassing huh ?
 
I've heard Jay Sorensen on a few occasions... In my humble opinion, he does a good job.

So he has had some failures... Many radio personalities do. He didn't work out this time -- Big Deal. He's talented and will make it somewhere else.

As for Freshface, he does seem to have a personal axe to grind. People make enemies in business, but it takes a very small person to relish in another's failure. Seriously, though, Mr. Face: what had Jay Sorensen ever done to you?
 
I don't know him and he's done nothing to me but that's the typical response from people who can't defend this ratings loser.

Address the record of being bounced from Philly, Texas, WCTC, Sirius and WJRZ. You believe in him and I believe he's a money loser but his record recent string of being bounced from radio markets speaks for itself. Nothing personal just business. Time to move on unless Anita would like to discuss the embarrassing fall ratings.
 
The NJ101.5 Hot Talk format was the product of consultant Walter Sabo...one of the smartest guys in the biz I've ever rubbed elbows with. He understands what people REALLY want to talk about and knows what buttons to push to motivate them. Jay implemented that formula and saw to its day to day execution in those early days. What made it work is that the station got behind it and did whatever it took to get attention and promotion. Last year was a very tough year for Jay having undergone a major surgery and he practically got off his death bed to get in and do the show. You win some, you lose some, but Jay suits up for them all.
 
I believe he's a money loser but his record recent string of being bounced from radio markets speaks for itself.
Click to expand...

OK - you made your point. Why the need to make repeated attacks on a guy you say never did you wrong? Big Jay lost his job...it didn't work out this time. He's had some success and some failures. Who in the world hasn't? The ups and downs are part of life. Or perhaps I'm wrong and you life has been one gigantic success story. Maybe you can tell all of us about the amazing things you've accomplished. No, really...I'd like to know the Freshface story. I'm sure it's worthy of a movie-of-the-week or something. An inspiring, real-life story!

Leave it alone already.
 
Apparently every was blind to my last post and i'll do this again for freahface's benifit. and in caps cause some of you are having trouble seeing BIG JAY WAS NOT THE ONLY ONE FIRED THAT DAY! A FEW BIG POSITIONS WERE ALL LET GO IN GREATER MEDIA JERSEY RADIO GROUP TO CUT COST. IF GM WAS GOING TO FIRE PEOPLE BASED ON RATINGS THAN THE ENTIRE WRAT STAFF WOULD'VE BEEN LET GO YEARS AGO! THERE IS A BIGGER PICTURE HERE.....LIKE A GROUP OF STATIONS CUTTING EVERY COST TO LOOK MORE APPEALING FOR A SALE.

i hope that clears it up
 
Apparently every was blind to my last post and i'll do this again
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Hey Buckup...I can't speak for any one else here. But I did see your post and got your point which sheds a lot of light on the situation. I was just questioning why Freshface needed to come on 4 or 5 times to try and attack Jay and Anita. Seems a little nasty and a bit obsessive if you ask me.
 
It's not obsessive it's just responding to comments, I like to debate.
Now that you told us about Big Jay's health problems he's got the pity vote. He sounds like old AM radio anyway so he must be up there age wise.
I still wouldn't hire him based on his recent dismal ratings which everyone seems to be side stepping. If someone wants to continue the debate just keep it going and I'll keep responding otherwise the debates over. On to the next radio issue. Cheers.
 
It does sound like a little cost cutting going on. So Big Jay fell when they swung the axe, he'll bounce back. I for one would like to hear the list of resounding success that Fresh has had. Apparently he has never been "released" from a position due to cost cutting. What do his rating accomplishments look like? To be honest Fresh sounds like a big baby with a ton of issues. Fresh say's he wouldn't hire Big Jay for his ratings failures, but to be perfectly frank I would not hire Fresh and his miserable personality. I'm sure that would win some huge ratings. So let's hear it Fresh....what stations have you programmed successfully? I'm waiting with baited breathe here!!
 
OK---some facts and some opinions. Jay was an integral part of the formation of NJ101.5. There are a lot of people who have axes to grind with him, because he is one of the few people in this business that will actually tell you what he thinks....without pulling punches.

As far as all the credit going to Sabo---my gawd...you must be reading right from his website. With Sabo you are dealing with an ego that makes ANYONE in the industry's dwarf in comparison. And you're dealing with someone who TWICE got people bounced out of 101.5, to replace them with his then-current paramours. Yeah---Lots of integrity, there.

Back to Jay...this kick-em-when-he's-down stuff is really pretty pathetic. It sounds like revenge time for when you sent him an audition tape, and he was brutally honest about what he heard. Grow up.
 
WJRZ RADIO EEO LINK AT THE BOTTOM OF THERE WEBSITE, LEADS TO NO-WHERE RIGHT NOW?

I NEVER HAVE BEEN ONE TO BE SHAKIN' BY SCANDAL. THIS IS RADIO. THERE WILL ALWAYS BE THE ONE'S THAT THINK THEY NEVER
CAN BE FIRED AND REPLACED, TO BE FIRED AND REPLACED.

CURRENTLY THE EEO LINK ON WJRZ'S WEBSITE IS NOT WORKING. DO THINK IT'S JUST BECAUSE THERE JUST FRESHING IT UP A BIT
FOR SOME NEW HIRES? I SAW ONE THE PAST REPLYS ABOUT MAYBE REPLACING THE ONE WHO HIRED JAY.....WHO WAS THAT ANYWAY?

THANX

http://static.intertechmedia.com/wjrz/wjrz_eeo.pdf
 
I do not know Big Jay and never needed to send him a tape. I'm in a position where he can send me a tape. That being said I'm being attacked for pointing out Big Jay's recent flops like Philly, Texas, Sirius, WCTC and WJRZ. After reading your some of your posts in would appear that wherever Big Jay goes budget cuts follow which is ridiculous. Ratings are the key to success and Big Jay's recent track record is not one I would be proud of, that's why no one is discussing that. As far as this debate is going I'm winning since no one is addressing the ratings issue as a determination to put anyone on the air.
 
Re: Big Jay Sorensen - WJRZ

This is the last I'm posting on this topic.

Freshface, you conveniently forget the nice spike upward after Jay rejoined the Morning Show in late 2005 following his first stretch in the hospital. You also conveniently forget other extenuating circumstances regarding the station's performance as a whole in this most recent Book, none of which I'm going to discuss here -- because the people who have been paying attention know what they are. No statistic exists in a vacuum, especially when companies and clusters are involved.

MY name was on that show as much as Jay's. It was on every sweeper, every break, every jingle, every promo. The ratings -- or lack thereof -- are mine just as much as his. The Regional Vice-President told me to my face that Jay's departure was due strictly to budgetary concerns. Would you like to argue with him as well?

And why are you making such an effort to impugn the record of someone whom you've admitted you don't even know? Are you secret chairman of the American Society To Highlight Ratings That Don't Meet Your Standards?

My thanks to those of you who have publicly and privately expressed your support.

Anita
 
As far as this debate is going I'm winning since no one is addressing the ratings issue as a determination to put anyone on the air.
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Freshface...I don't know Jay, Anita, or you. But I gotta tell you, you don't sound like a winner. You sound like a person delighting in the fact that Jay has had a tough time finding the right gig lately. What are you trying to prove? What makes you a winner? Because the guy got fired due to ratings as you have repeatedly asserted? Anita and others whom I believe to be in the know say you're wrong.

But let's go with your premise for just a moment...let's say that Jay really was fired due to poor ratings. And maybe the guy got bounced from a bunch of other jobs because of ratings. The fact that you're coming on here again and again to brag, gloat, and delight about Jay's firing says a lot more to me about you than it says about him.

As a radio programmer with 20 years of experience, I would much rather work with Jay's "questionable" track record of success than your mean-spirited personality. The success or failure of a radio show can not be put on the back of just one person. The PD, the GM, the promotions staff all share a hand in whether or not a show succeeds. If Jay was really the problem, the PD could have identified areas of concern and worked to change them.

Given that...I'm inclined to believe Anita, Buckup and others who say the move was motivated by money and nothing else. If so...that makes you a loser not a winner.
 
Anita I like you on the air you sound nice but you fail to mention that the spike that happened in 2005 was not likely due to Big Jay. In 2005 Monmouth/Ocean lost oldies station wcbs fm to Jack so WJRZ reaped that benefit. It is terrible that the windfall gained by the end of wcbs - fm couldn't be retained by Big Jay. It shows they sampled the show and didn't like it.
If people want to keep the thread going I'll keep replying.
 
Well, I don't work at WJRZ (but in the way of full disclosure - I admit that do have an OLDIES 100 ball cap and a pair of OLDIES 100 dice in my office) so I think I can put my finger on the problem very quickly: THE STATION IS NO LONGER AN OLDIES STATION!

The ratings of the station started to fall when Greater Media changed the format to one that doesn't play "oldies" nor can no longer call themselves "Oldies". It is a "classic hits" station. Brilliant choice for a station serving a community where the median age is 41 (25.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.8% who were 65 years of age or older).
 
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