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CAN ANYONE ENLIGHTEN ME ABOUT RUSS OASIS?
- Thread starter dareweair
- Start date
S
shortbaldguy2007
Guest
dareweair said:
I don't know Russ, but I know Scott. Last I knew, he was PD at Russ' Country station in Fort Wayne (as Sam Adams), but he is the contact person for the OM/PD opening at WKLU. Libby Farr is/was PD, and was still doing mornings there this week.
Scott started out with Susquehanna (the Bear, then Gold 104.5) and I believe was on the Franklin station when it was oldies. Very talented guy.
He owns WKLU and according to some on here he likes to scream and yell at his employees. He apparently posts on here as Old Skool and his sworn enemy is Radio Ho. Anything else you will just have to do as I have on here, just learn as you go along.
Read this article. It's mostly about racing, but it does talk about his radio history deeper into the article.
http://theracesite.com/index.cfm?template=magazine&mag_id=14673
http://theracesite.com/index.cfm?template=magazine&mag_id=14673
From all that I have heard and read, Russ is a hands-on owner.
How you react to that concept goes a long way toward determining if you would want to work for him.
For some, it means a meddling loudmouth.
To others, it means consistent feedback from someone actively invested in the product and its success.
What you decide based on that may ultimately say as much about yourself as it does Russ.
How you react to that concept goes a long way toward determining if you would want to work for him.
For some, it means a meddling loudmouth.
To others, it means consistent feedback from someone actively invested in the product and its success.
What you decide based on that may ultimately say as much about yourself as it does Russ.
M
Mid West Clubber
Guest
Oh my,,, Russ really looks like a grouchy old man... dont he..... 
Actually, to go way, way back, Scott started out at WSKT-FM (92.7 FM--"Hot Kickin' Country, KT-93"), licensed to Spencer, Ellettsville, and Bloomington, in the early 1990s. This station is now 97.7 FM, WCLS, "Classic Hits," still broadcasting out of Spencer, with sales offices on East 3rd Street, in Bloomington. At the time of his "Hot Kickin' Country" days, Scott was "part-timing it" from WSKT's studios, which, at that time, were located in Jack's Defeat Creek Mall, on Highway 46, in Ellettsville. At that time, while the studios were located in Ellettsville, the air signal was fed from Ellettsville to the microwave link in Spencer, via a plain old telephone line/connection, causing a horrible, consistent low buzz in the air signal.
It was awful; but, I have to give it to Tony Kale and the gang at KT-93 at the time, they certainly made the best of it. And, I have to give it to the listeners of the day for putting up with that horrible sound.--Bomba
S
shortbaldguy2007
Guest
Bomba said:
Actually, to go way, way back, Scott started out at WSKT-FM (92.7 FM--"Hot Kickin' Country, KT-93"), licensed to Spencer, Ellettsville, and Bloomington, in the early 1990s. This station is now 97.7 FM, WCLS, "Classic Hits," still broadcasting out of Spencer, with sales offices on East 3rd Street, in Bloomington. At the time of his "Hot Kickin' Country" days, Scott was "part-timing it" from WSKT's studios, which, at that time, were located in Jack's Defeat Creek Mall, on Highway 46, in Ellettsville. At that time, while the studios were located in Ellettsville, the air signal was fed from Ellettsville to the microwave link in Spencer, via a plain old telephone line/connection, causing a horrible, consistent low buzz in the air signal.
--Bomba
WOW, he must've been just a kid. I think when he started with the Bear he was 18.
He was quite young. Lisa Morrison had an airshift and she started having him come on with her and announce. After a while, they had somewhat of a two-person show. He would also mess around in the production studio; he produced a liner or two for some of the on-air talent. This was nice, as none of the talent had any professionally-produced liners for them or for the station, as a whole, for that matter. His stuff sounded so much more professional, at the time; and, he seemed to enjoy it.
--Bomba
--Bomba
I was the imaging voice at WBTU for many years, and when Russ bought the station from Artistic Medai I was let go, but Russ DID build an agency mountain with the Ad Team. I was a jock in Tampa Bay for a long time, and nearly every day we got new tapes in the Ad Team boxes..They were HIGH energy, and well produced!
YOU can afford a NEW car. If you've EVER OWNED a TIRE or SEEN a high school, YOU can buy TODAY..DRIVE TODAY..Only chumps take the BUS! YOUR JOB is your DOWNPAYMENT! YOU WORK? YOU RIDE!
HEEEEEE HAAAAAH!
YOU can afford a NEW car. If you've EVER OWNED a TIRE or SEEN a high school, YOU can buy TODAY..DRIVE TODAY..Only chumps take the BUS! YOUR JOB is your DOWNPAYMENT! YOU WORK? YOU RIDE!
HEEEEEE HAAAAAH!
S
shortbaldguy2007
Guest
Bomba said:He was quite young. Lisa Morrison had an airshift and she started having him come on with her and announce. After a while, they had somewhat of a two-person show. He would also mess around in the production studio; he produced a liner or two for some of the on-air talent. This was nice, as none of the talent had any professionally-produced liners for them or for the station, as a whole, for that matter. His stuff sounded so much more professional, at the time; and, he seemed to enjoy it.
--Bomba
He is definitely a talented guy, and high energy. I think he was downing energy drinks before they became so popular. He could be the poster boy for Red Bull.
The only reason Indianapolis knows Oasis name is because a guy named Bruce Quinn had a stroke
in 2003 and sold WKLU in a fire sale for one half to one third of the license value.
Oasis is now suing the Quinn's for a further price reduction, so he can have even a cheaper price for
that license.
in 2003 and sold WKLU in a fire sale for one half to one third of the license value.
Oasis is now suing the Quinn's for a further price reduction, so he can have even a cheaper price for
that license.
F
flashback
Guest
Tired-Old-Dog said:
what is his offical reason for the suit?
My dad was a big-time Gold fan, and Roddy was a favorite of his driving home.
F
flashback
Guest
radioho said:
I mean what are the legal details.
miketurner said:
I LOVED Roddy on 104.5 – I thought he was the consummate “Radio Guy”... In the early-‘00s, I was a faithful listener. WGLD was just “OK” musically, but “that guy from Trafalger” seemed to make it happen in the afternoons. OK – he’s a high-caloric intake aficionado of oldies, but he RELATED WELL with the listener... IMAGINE “Joe Bolognas” in Shelbyville who actually enjoyed “DJ banter” as much as the Beach Boys! RADIO TODAY [in 2008] offers me NOTHING comparable [and I’m not-even out of “the money demo”, yet]!
Maybe I’m missing A LOT of “fusion” [one of your favorite words], but I just don’t understand how SO-MANY critics of contemporary “corporate radio” can come on this board and “EAT THEIR YOUNG” and criticize a Class-A stand-alone owned by the likes of “Russ” – ALL-ALONE, in pursuit of the unpardonable-sin of wishing some ROI – especially in the face of his competition which has wagged their finger at their “public interest” MANDATE and so flagrantly-abused their privalage to modulate THE PEOPLE’S PROPERTY! Hell, Russ is a race-car fan who sold an ad agency and just happens to own A RADIO STATION!
I just don’t “get it”... ‘Can you HELP ME... I promise to listen! THANX!
To find out the reason for feuds, you must do your own research. Don't be lazy, check Radio Ho's history of posts, and you'll find the road map. It's a great way to spend a cold, rainy day - much like a good book!
Regarding WKLU getting a pass because it's owned by an 'individual' ... as an explaination, NOT an insult ...
WKLU can only be considered an 'independent' station by the fact it is owned by an individual and not a public company. Other than that, it is the same as any of the other corporate cookie-cutter radio stations.
Why is he the fodder of so much discussion on this board? Because he took the only radio station in this market that truly WAS independent, and homogenized it with a vanilla brand of outdated, depressing music.
Despite the criticism that the Quinn's had no clue what they were doing - let's look at the differences between then and now:
THEN - Quinns were active in the 'local concert' community. Promoting an endless number of small shows that appealed to the eclectics, second generation hippies, and musicians in the area.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns provided local programming for their CITY OF LICENSE! It may have been a couple of retirees talking about lord knows what, but they had shows directed at their county, and did local sports, etc.
Now - Russ moved the station offices to Castleton. Hendricks County no longer has a radio station.
THEN - Quinns offered many different shows at night, most were paid by locals, giving them their only opportunity to get on the air in a city where Corporate-owned stations don't sell block time. Remember the Grateful Dead show? The Loudest Hour? Racing shows? Any individual show may have been crap, but mixed up together it offered an unusual mix of entertainment.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns played the widest variety of classic rock heard in Central Indiana. Many mocked the playlist and song selections during the pirates' show, but you truly never knew what was next.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns allowed the jocks to be personable during breaks, and often times you could tell they were picking and choosing what type of music THEY liked. So each daypart had a unique sound to it.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - The DJs were all people you'd heard before, and knew who they were.
Now - Do they even have live jocks?
THEN - Quinns sold Indy's only independent radio station to an individual instead of a corporation because they were assuming the torch would be carried.
Now - WKLU could be put against any other corporate station, in a blind taste test, and no one would come away saying WKLU sounds like an independent radio station.
Regarding WKLU getting a pass because it's owned by an 'individual' ... as an explaination, NOT an insult ...
WKLU can only be considered an 'independent' station by the fact it is owned by an individual and not a public company. Other than that, it is the same as any of the other corporate cookie-cutter radio stations.
Why is he the fodder of so much discussion on this board? Because he took the only radio station in this market that truly WAS independent, and homogenized it with a vanilla brand of outdated, depressing music.
Despite the criticism that the Quinn's had no clue what they were doing - let's look at the differences between then and now:
THEN - Quinns were active in the 'local concert' community. Promoting an endless number of small shows that appealed to the eclectics, second generation hippies, and musicians in the area.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns provided local programming for their CITY OF LICENSE! It may have been a couple of retirees talking about lord knows what, but they had shows directed at their county, and did local sports, etc.
Now - Russ moved the station offices to Castleton. Hendricks County no longer has a radio station.
THEN - Quinns offered many different shows at night, most were paid by locals, giving them their only opportunity to get on the air in a city where Corporate-owned stations don't sell block time. Remember the Grateful Dead show? The Loudest Hour? Racing shows? Any individual show may have been crap, but mixed up together it offered an unusual mix of entertainment.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns played the widest variety of classic rock heard in Central Indiana. Many mocked the playlist and song selections during the pirates' show, but you truly never knew what was next.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - Quinns allowed the jocks to be personable during breaks, and often times you could tell they were picking and choosing what type of music THEY liked. So each daypart had a unique sound to it.
Now - Wait 57 minutes and you'll hear another Beatles' song.
THEN - The DJs were all people you'd heard before, and knew who they were.
Now - Do they even have live jocks?
THEN - Quinns sold Indy's only independent radio station to an individual instead of a corporation because they were assuming the torch would be carried.
Now - WKLU could be put against any other corporate station, in a blind taste test, and no one would come away saying WKLU sounds like an independent radio station.
You made a good post and good points, radioho... As one who hoisted an antenna fashioned from COAT-HANGERS and 300-ohm twin-lead up a 50-foot TV antenna tower in the very-cold winter of 1970 to pick-up WNAP from 60-miles – I CAN RELATE! Given different eras, many here CAN’T relate [they were age-3 or not even a by-product of “adult recreation” when that station made its debut]... They weren’t here to experience it first hand... I WAS a part of the FM transition. I’m NOT going to argue the “Quinn Factor” [which occurred later – and in its own form]. NONE, of this justifies the attack on new-millennium WKLU! I’ll concede – it IS NOT WNAP or even early WFBQ which debuted in early 1978 to my VERY-happy college Frat house.
“Russ” bought a LOW-POWERED FM in Hendricks County sans 2000 – AFTER the urban sprawl of Indy near-completely depleted his opportunity for LOCAL REVENUE... In the early days, the SIGNAL SUCKED! I couldn’t drive the full length of 96th from Keystone to I-69 and not tolerate the signal in stereo-blend of attacked by multipath 75% of the time. WHAT was “Russ” to do? ...He gave a shot at OUT-DOING the bland, grossly-repetitive, and predictable Q-95 with Libby as a “less-talk” alternative to the cackle of B&T. I will risk impunity here and say: circa Spring 2005 – WKLU’s music format was just fine by this fairly-eclectic [soon] 50-year-old’s ears... I liked the station; but I have been gone from Indy for a few years. WHAT HAPPENED?
I understand every word of your post, and I give respectful professional credit to it, BUT – WHAT was “Russ” to do? Honestly, In the same position - I'd have done THE SAME!
“Russ” bought a LOW-POWERED FM in Hendricks County sans 2000 – AFTER the urban sprawl of Indy near-completely depleted his opportunity for LOCAL REVENUE... In the early days, the SIGNAL SUCKED! I couldn’t drive the full length of 96th from Keystone to I-69 and not tolerate the signal in stereo-blend of attacked by multipath 75% of the time. WHAT was “Russ” to do? ...He gave a shot at OUT-DOING the bland, grossly-repetitive, and predictable Q-95 with Libby as a “less-talk” alternative to the cackle of B&T. I will risk impunity here and say: circa Spring 2005 – WKLU’s music format was just fine by this fairly-eclectic [soon] 50-year-old’s ears... I liked the station; but I have been gone from Indy for a few years. WHAT HAPPENED?
I understand every word of your post, and I give respectful professional credit to it, BUT – WHAT was “Russ” to do? Honestly, In the same position - I'd have done THE SAME!
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