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Bryan Simmons Replacement

C

calguy

Saw it on Don Barrett's site this morning. KOST has finally found a replacement for Bryan Simmons. Never heard of the guy before, but that's nothing new. Radio has plenty of people no one has heard of.
According to barrett and I'm sure the CC press release he's Bruce Scott, a former morning talent in Indianapolis. They quoted Andrew Jeffries, operations manager, Clear Channel/Los Angeles. “I believe bringing fresh talent, like Bruce, to KOST in Los Angeles is important and I’m thrilled for him to join our team.” “I am so excited that Bruce is joining our KOST family,” said Stella Prado, program director at KOST 103.5. “Bruce’s talent shined through in his application and he will definitely be an entertaining personality for our afternoon drive show.”

Looking at the former host's track record, it's another case of Jeffires fixing something that isn't broken. Who knows, maybe this guy will click and do well. IMOHO it was mainly about money. But since no one at CC seems to like AJ it would be a given that Simmons and Jeffries didn't care much for each other. Question is, who's next? If I was Karen Sharp I'd be worried. Then there's the morning show. I've heard that Mark has had some pretty loud "conversations' with Mr. Op's manager and there doesn't seem to be any love lost. Face it, KOST just ain't what it used to be, but that would seem to be what CC wants...

Oh and I love the quote from the new guy: “I am thrilled and frankly a little shocked. The chance to work at one of America’s best stations like KOST is a dream come true. I can’t wait.” said Bruce. “My wife and I fell in love with Southern California a long time ago and vowed to come back and live here someday. I’m excited to join the Clear Channel team.”

No more shocked than his predecessor and the LA radio community was when they canned him....
 
With each passing year the station sounds more formulaic, sterile, and without personality. I am surprised that CC doesn't just automate the whole station outside of morning drive, since cost is obviously the main issue.

Back in the day, both KOST and KBIG were beautiful music stations that were completely on autopilot and they brought in big ratings. How much different is Mariah Carey to today's older female audience vs. beautiful music to yesterday's? Is some vanilla-sounding, card-reading jock really making a difference?
 
ChannelFlipper said:
With each passing year the station sounds more formulaic, sterile, and without personality. I am surprised that CC doesn't just automate the whole station outside of morning drive, since cost is obviously the main issue.

Back in the day, both KOST and KBIG were beautiful music stations that were completely on autopilot and they brought in big ratings. How much different is Mariah Carey to today's older female audience vs. beautiful music to yesterday's? Is some vanilla-sounding, card-reading jock really making a difference?
Click to expand...

I think in that situation with "some vanilla-sounding, card-reading jock" you should get the best "voice" that you can. At least the liners can sound better that way. But really, this fits with Andrew Jeffries/CC's reshaping of the station. They sound very WHITE! The problem here is LA is like half Hispanic. It's a melting pot. But an Anglo from New Zealand wouldn't see it that way since he's the one who has made all of these changes for the worse at KOST. But hey, they still get good ratings for the most art, but the before Christmas numbers looked pretty bad in demos that they should be leading in, so the next few months should show us where they're going, up or down. But if you read the trades, Mainstream AC's are being reshaped. Not so much because they needed to, but because someone somewhere has decided that change is needed, even if it isn't. A few years ago oldies formats were being phased out because they were stale and losing numbers. All it took was someone who actually knew how to program to bring the format back from the dead at WCBS and KRTH to prove the naysayers wrong. AC doesn't need wholesale change, it just needs to evolve, but now that evolution looks like mainstream will become Hot AC for the most part with mainstream disappearing.

What's needed is some direct competition...
 
Honestly, Mark seems to be next. It will either be that CBS lures him away to take a shift at KEarth or the Wave, KSWD puts him on, he retires, or CC fires him.
 
RBRadioWaves said:
Honestly, Mark seems to be next. It will either be that CBS lures him away to take a shift at KEarth or the Wave, KSWD puts him on, he retires, or CC fires him.
Click to expand...

Well there's not a lot of love coming from the office on the other side of the building for either daypart. I've heard that doing the evening show has been made much harder by programming management.
Mark could be next, but if CC has to make a substantial pay out to move Mark out of mornings, they may leave him their until the end of his contract like they did with Simmons. Actually Karen Sharp should be able to relax a little now that Delilah is going tot he Fish.

I don't know if KSWD would want Mark. They've turned their nose up at some very good people already. KRTH and the Wave have rock solid line-ups. Even Bryan Simmons, who sounds tailor made for the Wave is only doing fill-in, and I bet he could do the KRTH format too, but again like I said, there'll be no movement unless something drastic takes place like maybe a format change.
 
They cant get rid of mark for who will be santa in eleven months?That is one of the funniest things i have heard i love it when he does santa it is very entertaining!!!
 
ChannelFlipper said:
With each passing year the station sounds more formulaic, sterile, and without personality. I am surprised that CC doesn't just automate the whole station outside of morning drive, since cost is obviously the main issue.

Back in the day, both KOST and KBIG were beautiful music stations that were completely on autopilot and they brought in big ratings. How much different is Mariah Carey to today's older female audience vs. beautiful music to yesterday's? Is some vanilla-sounding, card-reading jock really making a difference?
Click to expand...

In the Bay Area, all CC music stations are fully voice-tracked outside of morning drive - I don't believe there are any exceptions now. Your point is well taken. I don't hear any formatic difference between the CC stations, and KOIT (similar to KOST) where the DJs are stilll live (I think), but mainly read liner cards - and I'm a person who actually listens to radio.

"Sterile" is the right word - but I'm pretty much beyond caring now. If radio stations are offering nothing but the music and repetitive slogans, I might as well listen to my i-pod. The guy who programmed that has really good taste in music. ;D
 
Just listened to the first hour of the new guy. Doesn't have the pretty voice of the guy he replaced. Have to listen more before a decision. He's adequate, but I don't think this is an improvement.
 
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