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Bryan Simmons out at KOST

angelbec said:
You will be fine and land on your feet because you have a strong support/fan base.
Click to expand...

If a strong support/fan base was all that one needed to get on the air, a bunch of old jocks would be on the air. But we know it just doesnt happen that way. Tell you the truth, I dont know whats required to be on the air anymore. It used to be talent, but we've all heard what passes for talent now. Longevity used to be a part of a Jocks popularity, but with cost cutting, that has gone out the door too. Maybe you just have to be married to the boss.
 
Just for the record, at WLTW, Clear Channel's big AC station in NYC, they systematically got rid of every fulltime DJ over a three year period, even those who were #1 in their timeslots, both in the overall ratings and in the prized 25-54 demo. Some of those fired included DJs who had been with the station since it became Lite-FM 20 years earlier. The evening DJ was replaced by Delilah. The two midday DJs were replaced by one DJ, who had been PD of Clear Channel's Urban station. She does a six-hour shift but doesn't have to work weekends. The other Lite DJs work one weekend in three.

There was one exception. The overnight woman died in the middle of the changes so they didn't have to fire her. But she was replaced by another DJ so the station remains live 24/7.

I'm sure Clear Channel would say they have to keep our eye on that 25-54 demo. They can't let the station (or its staff) get too old or they'll lose that demo to younger sounding competitors. But I'm sure the replacement DJs cost less than the fired DJs... especially since the two midday DJs are now one, the Delilah show is already owned by Clear Channel,and everyone has fewer years of seniority.



Gregg
[email protected]
 
I suppose the thinking is that the music is what people tune in to hear, not the DJ's, per se, except for a few "star" DJ's. As with other industries, radio is laying off the older, presumably higher paid, talent and replacing them with younger, lower paid talent in order to save money. And, if the music is what matters, then the listeners will still be there so the revenues will still be there. In this economy, cutting expenses seems to be the name of the game in just about every industry.
 
KOST is a union operation. As such their is a pay scale set that Clear Channel cannot go below. In this case, money was not the deciding factor, they already took care of that years ago as I doubt Simmons came back at his old pay rate, it's just SOP for CC. It has to do with someone's idea that the station needs to change, even though it was doing very well in the PPM. It's clear to me and many I've spoken to that CC wants to distance KOST from it's heritage and change the overall sound to one that someone is telling them is the way AC's sound now. Of course they already tried that last year when they had all the clutter and bad jingles. It didn't work and the staff told them so. They made changes to soften the imaging and the numbers came back. But the director of AC programming still wants what he wants and he's an old "clean house" kind of guy. Hearing that this guy is hated by darn near the whole building, but I guess that's what CC wants. Great way to repair that CC reputation, by being even worse than people know. He believes in a more up-tempo sound. Expect KOST to sound closer and closer to MyFM.
 
No word yet on a replacement for afternoon's at KOST. Makes me think they pulled the trigger before they were ready, or that it was a very spur of the moment decision by Stella Prado's boss.
 
And they same for KBIG they are looking for a new midday host since Kari moved down the hall. I remeber Valentine VT for KBIG in the morning and afternoon shifts until St. John from the Bay Area was bought in to do afteroons.
 
It's more typical than it used to be. Used to be that the station would already have somebody waiting in the wings. Like I said, I think it was a sudden move by Andrew Jeffries. Seems irrational. Weird thing is, my contacts in Burbank are in the dark as well. No one seems to know why all of this happened, and if they do, they're not saying.
 
Button Pusher said:
angelbec said:
You will be fine and land on your feet because you have a strong support/fan base.
Click to expand...

If a strong support/fan base was all that one needed to get on the air, a bunch of old jocks would be on the air. But we know it just doesnt happen that way. Tell you the truth, I dont know whats required to be on the air anymore. It used to be talent, but we've all heard what passes for talent now. Longevity used to be a part of a Jocks popularity, but with cost cutting, that has gone out the door too. Maybe you just have to be married to the boss.
Click to expand...

Or buy your own radio station. Just kidding. So it looks like both KOST and KBIG are looking for replacement DJs--Afternoons for KOST and Mid-days for KBIG.

http://www.clearcareers.com/Jobs/Default.aspx

After the Inauguration Day purge and the persistent stories of shabby treatment of their employees (both current and former), I'm not so sure I'd want to work for Clear Channel.
 
Carmine5 said:
Button Pusher said:
angelbec said:
You will be fine and land on your feet because you have a strong support/fan base.
Click to expand...

If a strong support/fan base was all that one needed to get on the air, a bunch of old jocks would be on the air. But we know it just doesnt happen that way. Tell you the truth, I dont know whats required to be on the air anymore. It used to be talent, but we've all heard what passes for talent now. Longevity used to be a part of a Jocks popularity, but with cost cutting, that has gone out the door too. Maybe you just have to be married to the boss.
Click to expand...

Or buy your own radio station. Just kidding. So it looks like both KOST and KBIG are looking for replacement DJs--Afternoons for KOST and Mid-days for KBIG.

http://www.clearcareers.com/Jobs/Default.aspx

After the Inauguration Day purge and the persistent stories of shabby treatment of their employees (both current and former), I'm not so sure I'd want to work for Clear Channel.
Click to expand...

Checking out the openings in Burbank, CC is looking for Midday talent for KBIG and Afternoon talent for KOST. As I thought, these moves happened quickly. The GM in Burbank was quoted as saying that KOST was moving in a new direction in afternoon drive, but clearly they didn't then or now know what that direction is. This was getting rid of someone who they obviously felt they were paying too much to. They had no one in place ready to take over, so my guess is that Andrew what's his name just wanted Simmons out. Are they going to eventually shed all of the older KOST talent? Do they want to distance themselves from the heritage of KOST? That would seem true as they've made many changes to the sound of KOST since the new AC Director or whatever he's called showed up and most of these changes don't seem to be for the better.
 
Only ones left is Mark Wallengren and Karen Sharp. Also weekends Christine Martindale and Ted Ziegenbusch. God bless them working their butts off doing swing shifts. Once Mark is gone its over. When his shift was expanded from 6am til almost 12noon a few years back you can tell it took a while for him to adjust being on the air longer. He usually talks more than playing more music after 10am. I not really a big fan of Kristin Cruz voice in the morning. Nice lady though congrats on the new baby. I guess I have my old KOST tapes from 1997 to remeber. Do they still sell tapeplayers at CVS LOL?? ;D
 
wdb2003 said:
Only ones left is Mark Wallengren and Karen Sharp. Also weekends Christine Martindale and Ted Ziegenbusch. God bless them working their butts off doing swing shifts. Once Mark is gone its over. When his shift was expanded from 6am til almost 12noon a few years back you can tell it took a while for him to adjust being on the air longer. He usually talks more than playing more music after 10am. I not really a big fan of Kristin Cruz voice in the morning. Nice lady though congrats on the new baby. I guess I have my old KOST tapes from 1997 to remember. Do they still sell tape players at CVS LOL?? ;D
Click to expand...

With Simmons gone, the only original KOST talent is Ted Ziegenbusch and they've fired and rehired him 2 or 3 times already. Simmons went back the furthest though as he signed the format on. I was listening to KOST today and it really does not sound like KOST much anymore. With EOE they have to put an ad out for the job, but why not promote Ted? Seems to me that he's earned it, but what I really think will happen is that CC will eventually rid themselves of all the old KOST jocks. It comes very close to age discrimination, but there's no way to prove it.
 
KBIG almost sounds like KIIS with the Rhythmic Pop in their playlist. Its a shame what has become of KOST and KBIG under the same owner. I had no idea Cox owned KOST in the 90's. Besides Cox selling off KACE anybody knows why Cox left Los Angeles?
 
wdb2003 said:
Its a shame what has become of KOST and KBIG under the same owner. I had no idea Cox owned KOST in the 90's. Besides Cox selling off KACE anybody knows why Cox left Los Angeles?
Click to expand...

Good question. I think the folks at Cox have probably asked that question many times since the trade to AM/FM & then Clear Channel. I remember that the trade was KFI & KOST for several, like in the teens, stations. It wasn't a cash deal. I think they said something about getting out of far flung markets and major markets like LA and Oakland (KTVU-2) and being more of a medium market company, but that was a while ago and I don't recall all of the story. Only Cox knows for sure, or do they?
 
I never heard anything bad about Cox and no complaints either from their cable tv service. Not sure if Cox Cable is still based in Long Beach? That was 1997. Would KOST be in a better situation if they still owned it. Just listening to my tapes from 1997 and the music and dj's compared to now its sad what has become of this station.
 
I think Cox swapped them for a couple of stations in Miami. Cox home is Atlanta and I think they have concentrated in the Southeast. David Edwardo has a good memory and he will probably know the correct answer.
 
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