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Brian Blades gets his radio Christmas bonus

Brian Blades reports on his Facebook page that after 12 years, the budget axe got him and he's no longer with Rock 101. I cringe every November and December. The annual bloodletting between Thanksgiving and Christmas is as predictable as Christmas music on AC stations.

"It's with heavy Heart that I say good bye to the great listeners of Rock 101 WROQ After almost 12 Years on the air I've been told by Entercom communications I'm not needed anymore! Thank you upstate for all the great years and all the love. I was the luckiest guy in radio to have such a loyal and supportive audience!I'll be around town for a while so if you see me please stop me so I can thank you persoanlly for giving me the chance to go out on top. You all made that happen for me! Thanks again."

http://www.facebook.com/BrianBladesrock101

Entercom announces on the Rock101 website: http://www.wroq.com/Thank-You-Brian/11684881
 
Shame. Especially when the good ones get axed and the others get to stay on. Best of luck.

Were there any other cuts at Entercom Upstate? They have been pretty good about cuts, especially with the bad economy (compared to Clear Channel and Cumulus)
 
carolinaradio said:
Were there any other cuts at Entercom Upstate? They have been pretty good about cuts, especially with the bad economy (compared to Clear Channel and Cumulus)

I agree with you that Entercom is best of the group. I'm not aware of any other cuts there. I just saw Brian's FB post early this evening. I give Entercom credit for announcing it on the Rock 101 website. Normally, stations just wipe them off the webpage like they never worked there... at least, that's been my observation.
 
carolinaradio said:
Were there any other cuts at Entercom Upstate? They have been pretty good about cuts, especially with the bad economy (compared to Clear Channel and Cumulus)

i think cc was ahead of the curve and are close to automating all programming. other radio companies are just catching up.
 
freqdev said:
carolinaradio said:
Were there any other cuts at Entercom Upstate? They have been pretty good about cuts, especially with the bad economy (compared to Clear Channel and Cumulus)

i think cc was ahead of the curve and are close to automating all programming. other radio companies are just catching up.
One reason Entercom has been able to keep more of their staff is due to the fact that they did not take on the enormous debt that companies like Clear Channel and Citadel did.
 
So, who will take over now? Will they be voice-tracked?

They will probably shove "Larry Wilson," the live JB&B morning news guy and also the VT night guy.
 
Speaking of good talents getting booted….

Mr. Bill is OUT at Fox WRFX 99.7 in Charlotte

He just posted on his Facebook page:

“Just to let you know, I'm am no longer a part of the team at WRFX The Fox. Before you feel bad, let me tell you it has been the best 15 years of my working life. I've been able to see and discover wonderful things. Work for a guy I consider my brother. I have aboslutely fallen in love with this town. Most importantly, all you listeners who made me a part of your daily life made it the great run it... was. Your more then just listeners to me, I've become real friends with so many of you and I'll always remember that the most. There are some new adventures I've always wanted to pursue and now I'm free to do so. It's a good feeling in some ways, sad in others. I love the Fox and I always will. I will be in touch. And no matter, keep rocking with the Fox! That is still the best damn station in the land!”
 
Speaking for any, and all of my brothers & sisters of Broadcasting, we hate to see Brian Blades loose his job.
For all you non-Broadcast, laid men & unlaid women,...pay attention...in this day, and time, it is not amuzing to see anyone standing in the unemployment line. However, as you know, it does happen. The rumor mill can churn with alleged budget cuts, alleged randon drug testing, and even smacking of format flippage, and/or ownership change. We may never know the concrete truth. Personally, Blades was good converation, but Professionally I did not like his on-air delivery. When he first came to the market, he was quite good, but in the last few years, he had grown complacent. I too would fall victim of the same complacency, if I had to play that Awww-ful, burnt playlist everyday. No matter how you slice it, you can't make Chicken Salad out of Chicken Shit! This "Stoneman" guy was also very good, in the beginning, but heck...now he just sounds like Blades. Even though "Stoneman" is the better of the two, the complacency is drastically underwhelming. The problem is not the messenger, but the music. That playlist is in need of a major overhall, from pillar to post, by someone that knows how!
When you compromise yourself past the point of recovery, it is too late to fix it!
 
Scooter you make a very good point about the music dragging down the talent/DJ by being forced to play a set list. I noticed this a few years back so when we started the Cousin Lee show in the mornings here at WLRE I told him do your own thing and play what you want so long as it is country or gospel related. That was a little over a year ago and althou I have heard bluegrass, country, and gospel songs that I have never heard before or at least not since I was very young mixed with todays country and so far he as grown quite a large following of listeners. I think it goes to show that DJ's should be able to control their own shows and music lists to a certain extent.
 
WROQ can go in the same category as The Planet, but not quite as bad. At least some of the staff at WROQ is pretty decent. Entercom can not program rock in this market.
 
Well,...Carolinaradio considers WROQ's airstaff "pretty decent". When did you hit your head? Shit!...they don't have, but two left! Aside from the abounding rumors of alleged Random Drug Testing, alleged Format Flip/Station Sale, this now seems to smack of a possible "Budget Cut". Anyway you stack it, poor "Stoney" has to shackle to the control room chair for six hours a day(to get paid). Professionally, Larry Wilson is not an air talent. He's been on the air for years, and just does not get any better...it's just the truth! Wilson is a corp radio victim: You cast news, and board-op JB&B, and before you go home, you will Voice Track Evenings(to get paid). As you know, I don't listen to Rock 101...So, I have yet to hear Hendrix on the air. I will pass judgement on him later, and...you know I will. Russ Johnson was the last air talent they had, and they foolishly let him get away. Operating with only two, it's kinda like "The Minnow"; only The Skipper, and Gilligan. Gee,...that boat sank.
Let's see....Hmmmmmmmmmmm...Ginger or Mary Ann??
 
Scooter Lesley said:
Well,...Carolinaradio considers WROQ's airstaff "pretty decent". When did you hit your head? Shit!...they don't have, but two left!
Listen to the airstaff on 93.3 then 101.1. Maybe then my comment will make more sense. 101 is by far the lesser of the two evils.

Hendrix is the "PD" for the rock stations (93.3 and 101.1). Chuck-FM blows it out of the water.
 
carolinaradio said:
Listen to the airstaff on 93.3 then 101.1. Maybe then my comment will make more sense. 101 is by far the lesser of the two evils.

Sad, isn't it? We are now at the point where we scan the dial for the staff that sucks the least, not the jocks that capture our ear and imagination.

Tell your kids: it wasn't always like this.
 
Wab,...good to hear from you, and we all agree...both airstaffs are drastically underwhelming! Apologeeez in the direction of
Carolinaradio. Yes, I see your point. However, I past judgement on THE PLANET staff on an eariler post, threads ago.
To recap, I recalled a short conversation with Zakk Tyler, the original PD of said station. This took place around May of 2000, when I hosted a weekly 2-hour show; "The Upstate at Eight". He stated that he was somewhat happy with his full-time roster, but also clarified that his weekenders would never move up...they're dependable, but they suck on the air. Two of those are still there, and the only way that they moved up...is because Tyler is not. Today, for both stations, it's not talent, but accessability, and dependability, fueled by their foolish hope of..."If I hold on, I'm next!". The age old lie of Seniority.
DUCK SEASON!
 
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