Brinkman HISTORY at KLUV

[BrainDeadPrez]

He's gone as of Wednesday. One of the last two employees left from the Tenaglia era (Cresswell had better watch out!)

 

[PonderPrincess]

You know that for sure? I don't know what to think of that...he was a fixture around KLUV. Is he retiring?

 

[BrainDeadPrez]

> You know that for sure? I don't know what to think of
> that...he was a fixture around KLUV. Is he retiring?
>

An "insider" there told me that he was terminated, as in FIRED, yesterday (Wednesday.) Yeah, he's not the greatest people-person, and his fights with Chapman were legendary, but he's familiar to listeners, still sounds at the top of his game, and his voice transcends his years. BUT, when you make too much, and the beancounters come a-visiting, what's going to happen?

 

[PonderPrincess]

Yes, I see that it is true. His name is no longer on the DJ list...can't help but feel sad for the guy. He's 70, introduced the Beatles in Pittsburgh back in the 60's, and had many great stories to tell about the industry. My goodness, a very young Richard and Karen Carpenter came to see him at the New Haven radio station to try to get their music played. Karen was 9 years old...
And his people skills were infamous; I could say more; but why beat someone when they're down...

 

[KPLEXCOMPLEX]

> Yes, I see that it is true. His name is no longer on the DJ
> list...can't help but feel sad for the guy. He's 70,
> introduced the Beatles in Pittsburgh back in the 60's, and
> had many great stories to tell about the industry. My
> goodness, a very young Richard and Karen Carpenter came to
> see him at the New Haven radio station to try to get their
> music played. Karen was 9 years old...
> And his people skills were infamous; I could say more; but
> why beat someone when they're down...
>
I hear somone salivating their lips standing in the hallways there. A Part timer attempting to move up?

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

> An "insider" there told me that he was terminated, as in
> FIRED, yesterday (Wednesday.) Yeah, he's not the greatest
> people-person, and his fights with Chapman were legendary,
> but he's familiar to listeners, still sounds at the top of
> his game, and his voice transcends his years. BUT, when you
> make too much, and the beancounters come a-visiting, what's
> going to happen?

Radio and Records confirms that Chuck's last day at KLUV was
Wednesday, 28 DEC 2005.

Having grown up in Pittsburgh and moving to Dallas just a year
before he moved here too, Chuck was a major and positive
influence on me. Although I never worked at the same station
as Chuck, I had a few occasion over the years to meet him and
always found him to quite affable. And...in my opinion, he
sounded great at KQV, WTAE, Y-97 and here in town at KLUV.

I hope the parting with CBS Radio was handled in manner a
broadcaster of this caliber deserves.

 

[AliceTheCook]

> I hope the parting with CBS Radio was handled in manner a
> broadcaster of this caliber deserves.
>

You can bet that WASN'T the case, or else he'd gotten a chance to say goodbye to his listeners. Sure, Chapman got a very nice sendoff, and sure, he had more years in this market than Chuck, but Chuck's a SEVENTEEN year institution at a consistently well-performing station. He's known to most listeners in the market who are over, say, 30 yrs old. Questions about his whereabouts and what happened will linger for long after his departure, remniscent of 'whatever happened to Scott Sams?'

At 70 years old, I can guess that this is the last we'll see of Chuck. Anything else on the air here would be a big step down for him. I'd hate to see him schlepping at KAAM down the line, much like Hubcap did. That level of talent deserves far better than that.

CBS/Infinity is NO class act. I pity any fulltimer there, who must be sitting on pins and needles wondering what the next whim of the 'new' company will be. Ya know, maybe even Russ Martin won't be exempt from this. Surely there's some 21 yr old kid out there who can talk dirtier and be more edgier and will work for $8 an hour with no benefits.

 

[Davradio]

> > Yes, I see that it is true. His name is no longer on the
> DJ
> > list...can't help but feel sad for the guy. He's 70,
> > introduced the Beatles in Pittsburgh back in the 60's, and
>
> > had many great stories to tell about the industry. My
> > goodness, a very young Richard and Karen Carpenter came to
>
> > see him at the New Haven radio station to try to get their
>
> > music played. Karen was 9 years old...
> > And his people skills were infamous; I could say more; but
>
> > why beat someone when they're down...
> >
> I hear somone salivating their lips standing in the hallways
> there. A Part timer attempting to move up?
>

For someone who once worked for KLUV 10 years ago... I cannot imagine the station just saying "BaBYE" to Chuck.... after all, as its been stated, he spent the better part of almost 20 years here, and thats after a stellar career in Pittsburgh and the East!

I would think that CBS RADIO (etal) would allow him to leave his afternoon show in the same manner as Ron did his mornings, and lets face it, Chuck had been there longer. Ron's departure was from the DFW airwaves, where Chuck was just merely KLUV and the loyal listeners that would tune in to afternoon drive to hear him do his ROCK-N-ROLL trivia!

He was famous (or infamous) for giving nicknames to his staff.. Don Owens was Dr. Don, and there were others, I even had a nickname during my tenure while I was there-- loquacious! LO for short. (yes-- I had to look it up one day to find out what it meant AND how to spell it)

Someone said that Chuck was one of the last of the Tanaglia bunch and for Creswell to watch out-- but there is also Debbie Diaz.. and I am sure that she is not going anywhere. But what a strange feeling when you think that She is the last of the bunch--- John Summers was brought on 10 years ago... as was Jay Creswell...

I am just thinking that Radio as we all know it-- is slowly drifting away from the point that I have stated time and time again on here, that corporates don't care about the listener, and that they don't care about the community, therefore the bottom line is all that they care about... but when it comes to the numbers.. and when the advertisers find out that there are more and more listeners tuning out radio and listening to either "XM" or "SIRUS" or even their own CDs-- then they will realize that their dollar doesn't work for the amount of money that Clear Channel and CBS and ABC DISNEY are charging-- they will find other outlets to have their advertising dollar count!

Just a thought... oh and Chuck! Thanks for the chance to learn and work with you!

<P ID="signature">______________
Dave Michaels
Davradio Productions
Dallas, Texas</P>

 

[JungleJay]

> At 70 years old, I can guess that this is the last we'll see
> of Chuck. Anything else on the air here would be a big step
> down for him. I'd hate to see him schlepping at KAAM down
> the line, much like Hubcap did. That level of talent
> deserves far better than that.
<HR>
I never met the guy, and I thought he was adequate on the air, but anybody who's ever mentioned his name has said it in the same breath as "jerk", "ego freak" and similar adjectives. I tend to take radio gossip with a huge grain of salt, especially in this market, which seems to have a greater proportion of backstabbers and paranoid bipolar sufferers than other markets. As unscientific as the numbers are, I'm inclined to believe the negative comments since they're consistent and persistent. If that's the case, I can't think of a more appropriate fate for him than to work for $10 an hour at KAAM.