CC Changes- Mihalik and others

[kingfish]

Here's the official email:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Meltzer, Jim
Sent: Tue 11/1/2005 2:00 PM
To: Cleveland-Radio
Subject: A note from the back if the building.
We had some very difficult and painful meetings today. If you remember, we were fortunate enough not to have any during last year's budget season. Due to continued economic pressures, we reluctantly had to minimally reduce the number of people we employ at our stations. Those who were laid off were important parts of our team and will be missed.
 
Gary Homzas’ and Seth Williams’ positions have been eliminated.
Kim Mihalik will be leaving us.
There is a position change --- Mark “Munch” Bishop will be transferred from WMMS promotion to our sales department. You will still hear his sports reports on the radio.
 
The only positive in this is that we still have extremely talented people in place who can pick up where those who departed today left off. There’s not much more to say than that I am very sorry.
 
If you wish to discuss any of the changes with me personally, please stop by.
 
Jim 
 
Jim Meltzer
Regional Vice President
Northeast Ohio
Clear Channel Radio
6200 Oak Tree Blvd
Cleveland, Ohio 44131
 

 

[AllMightySting]

Damn....that's a shame that Seth The Sexy Bitch Barbarian won't be on nights anymore. Who's gonna be manning the ship over there now? Does this mean WMMS will be going voiceless overnights like their counterparts at 92? And does this mean that CC's less is more strategy is failing??<P ID="signature">______________
Ben Toplek
DJ/WBWC</P>

 

[SaltyDog]

> And does this mean that CC's less is more strategy is failing??

Failing? It's part of it! Less people, more cash flow. Less is more.

Seriously, I understand the business realities and need to cut expenses during slumps, but I'm not sure this is a cyclical slump. And if it's not, one wonders if there is a limit to the personnel reductions.


<P ID="signature">______________
"Radio on the Internet is yet another world-shrinking example of what communications analysts call 'death of distance.'" - Tim Jones

<a href="http://saltydog.5gigs.com">
The Salty Dog</a>
</P>

 

[JohnnyMorganWXJX]

> Here's the official email:
>
------------> ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> From: Meltzer, Jim
> Sent: Tue 11/1/2005 2:00 PM
> To: Cleveland-Radio
> Subject: A note from the back if the building.
> We had some very difficult and painful meetings today. If
> you remember, we were fortunate enough not to have
> any during last year's budget season. Due to continued
> economic pressures, we reluctantly had to minimally reduce
> the number of people we employ at our stations. Those who
> were laid off were important parts of our team and will be
> missed.
>  
> Gary Homzas’ and Seth Williams’ positions have been
> eliminated.
> Kim Mihalik will be leaving us.
> There is a position change --- Mark “Munch” Bishop will be
> transferred from WMMS promotion to our sales department. You
> will still hear his sports reports on the radio.
>  
> The only positive in this is that we still have extremely
> talented people in place who can pick up where those who
> departed today left off. There’s not much more to say than
> that I am very sorry.
>  
> If you wish to discuss any of the changes with me
> personally, please stop by.
>  
> Jim 
>  
> Jim Meltzer
> Regional Vice President
> Northeast Ohio
> Clear Channel Radio
> 6200 Oak Tree Blvd
> Cleveland, Ohio 44131
>  
>

Saving money?

Two on-air positions axed. Not sure how well they paid.

One engineer (Homza was CE of WMMS not that long ago--don't know if he was given other stations too).

And move Munch into sales--some salary shift, probably into commission.

Interesting development.

 

[OldAkronite]

Triv "Sick Out"?

> And move Munch into sales--some salary shift, probably into
> commission.

This is actually fairly common, a move that sometimes allows managers to save people from getting let go. It puts Munch under the sales department's "budget", though he may or may not be doing anything to get commission. Sales departments employ a number of folks who don't "hit the streets" to sell, like support staff and some such. Meltzer probably saved Munch's job by juggling the numbers.

But there wasn't really any similar move for Kim Mihalik or the other two let go.

BTW, on today's Triv show - Triv's still out, Kim's obviously out, Schwabbie again filled in...but they did manage to bring in weekend sports anchor Stacey Yountz (my apologies if I'm mangling her name), a welcome change from Marty Allen riffing on a sports report on the fly...

No mention of Kim's absence, and the young female intern read the sponsor billboards.

If the E-Mail posted here is the Real Thing, which I tend to think it is from reading it (there's at least one big clue that it is), if the decision was announced at 2 PM that day...did Triv "sick out" in protest? Or how does he feel about not having Kim? (Note: I've heard nothing on this, this is actually a question...the timing of his "illness" seemed a bit interesting.)

The show yesterday sure sounded thrown together at the very last minute, which 2 PM most assuredly would be. I think in their ideal world, they even haul in Mike Snyder to do split shift sports anchoring that day, instead of Marty Allen turning the 20/20 sports segments into comedy...but it doesn't sound like they had enough time.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[Greg1]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

Hi OA

Just a sidenote...

About 2 weeks ago... Monday, Tuesday on the air on WTAM-1100... Triv was spouting off about the Cleveland Radio Ratings (This was on - or - about October 19th when the Cleveland Ratings were updated).

Triv was highly ticked off about some of WTAM's Ratings - to be specific - the 9am-12 Noon slot - Jerry Springer Show... He also saidc that the sales dept. was having a hard time selling that time slot with Jerry Springer. I didn't hear the whole show, but from what I heard... he was very much ticked off at management - Jim Meltzer & Ray Davis! He even vowed to go in and 'Have It Out with Management'...

Triv went on to say that he came to --WTAM 1100-- when the ratings were so low... Triv was hired and he started to help 'Re-build' WTAM-1100... He took over the Sports Line show from Mike Snyder, who replaced Craig Carton...who was hired to help give WTAM a hip-youthful sports-kid sound...This was at the time when then owner Booth Broadcasting basically gave the Cleveland Indians Radio Broadcast Rights to then start up 'All Sports' --WKNR 1220 AM-- to focus on News/Talk.. They still had Cleveland Cavaliers Basketball... but that was it...

Triv was hired after Booth sold the station to help to finaly 'RE-BUILD' the "MONSTER ON THE LAKE"!!

That is the reason Triv was ticked off...after helping pour his energies into re-building the station - Jim Meltzer - was helping to destroy what TRIV came to Build-Up... WTAM-1100... TRIV was so ticked off with "Jerry Springer" -- Ratings & Sales Spots...that he said he would do what it took to get "Jerry Springer" off the air... Then he added he would look at the ratings to further determine certain rating values & measures during 9am-12 Noon - Jerry Springer and would comment further on another show. I listen on/off so I don't know if the later happened...

Wonder how much this plays into the recent 'TRIV' Show "Sick-Out"??

*BTW: Does anybody even remember Craig Carton from when he did Sportsline on WTAM-1100.... I think Mike Snyder could tell a few huge stories about various situations surrounding Craig Carton.... You think Mike Snyder has trouble with TRIV at times.... I think Mike would tell you he would rather deal with TRIV than Craig Carton!

Craig Carton has been in New Jersey for awhile now at 101.5 FM:
- http://www.nj1015.com/personalities/carton-rossi.shtm
- http://www.nj1015.com/personalities.shtm
- http://www.nj1015.com/


--radioboy1



> BTW, on today's Triv show - Triv's still out, Kim's
> obviously out, Schwabbie again filled in...but they did
> manage to bring in weekend sports anchor Stacey Yountz (my
> apologies if I'm mangling her name), a welcome change from
> Marty Allen riffing on a sports report on the fly...
>
> No mention of Kim's absence, and the young female intern
> read the sponsor billboards.
>
> If the E-Mail posted here is the Real Thing, which I tend to
> think it is from reading it (there's at least one big clue
> that it is), if the decision was announced at 2 PM that
> day...did Triv "sick out" in protest? Or how does he feel
> about not having Kim? (Note: I've heard nothing on this,
> this is actually a question...the timing of his "illness"
> seemed a bit interesting.)
>
> The show yesterday sure sounded thrown together at the very
> last minute, which 2 PM most assuredly would be. I think in
> their ideal world, they even haul in Mike Snyder to do split
> shift sports anchoring that day, instead of Marty Allen
> turning the 20/20 sports segments into comedy...but it
> doesn't sound like they had enough time.
>
> -OA
>

 

[ajhenderson]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> Triv was hired after Booth sold the station to help to
> finaly 'RE-BUILD' the "MONSTER ON THE LAKE"!!

What about Secret bringing in Jeff and Flash? That lasted about, what, a year. I don't recall how long it was before Jacor bought them out.

> That is the reason Triv was ticked off...after helping pour
> his energies into re-building the station - Jim Meltzer -
> was helping to destroy what TRIV came to Build-Up...
> WTAM-1100... TRIV was so ticked off with "Jerry Springer" --
> Ratings & Sales Spots...that he said he would do what it
> took to get "Jerry Springer" off the air... Then he added he
> would look at the ratings to further determine certain
> rating values & measures during 9am-12 Noon - Jerry Springer
> and would comment further on another show. I listen on/off
> so I don't know if the later happened...

Maybe Triv had a hand in Kim's exit ... remember the day not long ago when WTAM just couldn't wait to make the "new talk alternative" announcement. Kim and Rado sat around playing "Best of Triv" segments while giggling about Springer coming. Kim practically had an orgasm announcing that Glenn Beck "is no more". Guess that's why it was her job to make stupid comments in response to Triv's grunts.

 

[HHH]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> Hi OA
>
> Triv was hired after Booth sold the station to help to
> finaly 'RE-BUILD' the "MONSTER ON THE LAKE"!!
>
> That is the reason Triv was ticked off...after helping pour
> his energies into re-building the station - Jim Meltzer -
> was helping to destroy what TRIV came to Build-Up

Triv has a very short memory to match his very large belly.

It was Cleveland management who fired the #1 and #2 afternoon drive hosts (Scott Howitt on WMJI and Danny Wright on WGAR) in order to give that fat slob and his dumbell act a clear shot at consistantly winning the time period so that "fisrt place" could play like 28 minutes of spots (which you can't do on a music station). It is well known arfound Oak Tree that the braintrust felt that MJI and GAR were "wasting the top position" because they couldn't play as many spots as WTAM could if THEY were #1.

 

[nate]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> Triv has a very short memory to match his very large belly.
>
> It was Cleveland management who fired the #1 and #2
> afternoon drive hosts (Scott Howitt on WMJI and Danny Wright
> on WGAR) in order to give that fat slob and his dumbell act
> a clear shot at consistantly winning the time period so that
> "fisrt place" could play like 28 minutes of spots (which you
> can't do on a music station). It is well known arfound Oak
> Tree that the braintrust felt that MJI and GAR were "wasting
> the top position" because they couldn't play as many spots
> as WTAM could if THEY were #1.
>

I brought up the same point about a month ago and a few others on this board just went off.

 

[scenestealer]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> >
> What about Secret bringing in Jeff and Flash? That lasted
> about, what, a year. I don't recall how long it was before
> Jacor bought them out.
>
> >FYI: Secret bought Booth in August 1994. Jacor bought Secret in July 1996. And Jacor "merged" (whatever that means) with Clear Channel in February 1999. I know. I was there from mid-1993 to late 1999.

 

[avnut]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> This is actually fairly common, a move that sometimes allows
> managers to save people from getting let go. It puts Munch
> under the sales department's "budget", though he may or may
> not be doing anything to get commission. Sales departments
> employ a number of folks who don't "hit the streets" to
> sell, like support staff and some such. Meltzer probably
> saved Munch's job by juggling the numbers.
>


From what I hear, Meltzer wasn't exactly the one that saved Munch's job. Big surprise.

Regardless of how it came to pass, it's good that someone stepped up and spoke out to make some sort of place for Munch elsewhere. Hopefully they find/found a way to keep him involved on the promotions end....it would be a shame for the station to lose his promotions involvement.

 

[OldAkronite]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> From what I hear, Meltzer wasn't exactly the one that saved
> Munch's job. Big surprise.
>
> Regardless of how it came to pass, it's good that someone
> stepped up and spoke out to make some sort of place for
> Munch elsewhere. Hopefully they find/found a way to keep him
> involved on the promotions end....it would be a shame for
> the station to lose his promotions involvement.

And no matter who "did" it, that's the key to keeping Munch...sales is close enough to promotion that they could justify keeping him in the sales department budget. Maybe he'll act as a liaison between sales and promotion in whatever role he plays...and since he's still there, he'll stay on the air, too.

There's no such option for Kim Mihalik...they couldn't budget her into the news department, for example, as being Triv's co-host is basically all she knows how to do in radio...having no background in the business until she won that contest.

That's not at all meant as an insult to Kim, honest. That's just pointing out that she doesn't have radio background otherwise, that could justify her landing in another department financially. In Munch's situation, they could make the case to keep him under another budget "line".

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[OldAkronite]

Re: Triv "Sick Out"?

> Wonder how much this plays into the recent 'TRIV' Show
> "Sick-Out"??

See, that's my problem. I don't know what Triv thinks about Kim Mihalik off the air, and it's dangerous to speculate about that. He could well be upset that she's gone, or he could be thrilled. But the timing is such that whatever caused him to be gone, it would appear to have happened late enough that same day to force a last-minute switch with Schwabbie hosting and Marty Allen, of all people, doing sports.

(By the way, I'm not saying I don't like Marty Allen. He is good at what he does, from what I can hear, and adds an element to the show. He's just not a sports anchor.)

As far as the situation you describe, which I didn't hear...maybe so. It's no secret that Springer's not pulling the numbers Glenn Beck did. It's still too early to pull that plug, as far as I can tell, and as Springer's self-described "talent coach", Mr. Metheny isn't gonna look at a couple of down books and set Jerry asail. But he's a pro, and if the current numbers continue long-term, Jerry isn't gonna occupy middays on WTAM forever. "Talent coach", "friend" or not.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>

 

[Snap]

MMS THE BARBARIAN FIRED?

Wow, what a savings that is to the almighty CC! That's Metheny's lunch allowance for the year. What a bone head move. Seth was one of the only real recognizable jocks on MMS. People loved the Barbarian. That station is so poorly managed...un%#?@believable.

Now Kim at Trivs joint? Who gives a donkey's butt? She was weak. Go home and sing. Maybe Triv should see the writing on the wall as well....he's so done.
Clean total house and do Clev a favor.

 

[JohnnyMorganWXJX]

Rock n Roll Talk Radio

> > Triv was hired after Booth sold the station to help to
> > finaly 'RE-BUILD' the "MONSTER ON THE LAKE"!!
>
> What about Secret bringing in Jeff and Flash? That lasted
> about, what, a year. I don't recall how long it was before
> Jacor bought them out.

The "Monster on the Lake" slogan came in with Jeff & Flash, and Triv, and Secret in fall 1994 (as scenestealer concurs, Secret "bought" Booth in Aug 94--although Secret was actually formed from a merger of Booth and a Boston company, if I'm not mistaken). Jeff & Flash's "Rock n Roll Talk Radio" lasted in PM drive for almost two years--they were still in PM drive when Mary Jo Pesho was abducted and murdered...that was January 1996.

Upon Jacor buying 1100, Jeff Kinzbach was moved to AM drive, and Flash was "newsman" but not really "co-host". I think this all coincided with the changes in July 1996: the "Newshour at Noon" with Craig Edwards, the immensely hated one-hour Rush delay (1p-4p), then Triv from 4p-8p.

(Was Morton Downey Jr. 8p-11p? I think so...then Gilly, when Mort decided to give it up.)

Jeff & Flash were gone from 1100 in October 1997.

 

[nate81]

Re: Rock n Roll Talk Radio

> > > Triv was hired after Booth sold the station to help to
> > > finaly 'RE-BUILD' the "MONSTER ON THE LAKE"!!
> >
> > What about Secret bringing in Jeff and Flash? That lasted
> > about, what, a year. I don't recall how long it was before
>
> > Jacor bought them out.
>
> The "Monster on the Lake" slogan came in with Jeff & Flash,
> and Triv, and Secret in fall 1994 (as scenestealer concurs,
> Secret "bought" Booth in Aug 94--although Secret was
> actually formed from a merger of Booth and a Boston company,
> if I'm not mistaken). Jeff & Flash's "Rock n Roll Talk
> Radio" lasted in PM drive for almost two years--they were
> still in PM drive when Mary Jo Pesho was abducted and
> murdered...that was January 1996.
>
> Upon Jacor buying 1100, Jeff Kinzbach was moved to AM drive,
> and Flash was "newsman" but not really "co-host".

Secret still owned WWWE/WTAM and WLTF up until July 1997. All other stations in their group were sold off to SFX by then, but they held onto the Cleveland combo. That could explain the confusion.

(Ironically, SFX wound up itself as a CC property later on, via it's concert holdings.)

> I think
> this all coincided with the changes in July 1996: the
> "Newshour at Noon" with Craig Edwards, the immensely hated
> one-hour Rush delay (1p-4p), then Triv from 4p-8p.

Those changes happened when Secret switched calls on the 1100 facility from WWWE to WTAM. By then, the "3WE" slogan was long gone, and was being imaged as "NewsRadio AM 1100." It was, again, never a Jacor move.

> (Was Morton Downey Jr. 8p-11p? I think so...then Gilly,
> when Mort decided to give it up.)

Dr. Laura was on in the 8p-11p slot first when Triv moved to the PMD slot. When Rich Michaels was let go in June 1997, the good Dr. moved to the 9a-12p slot. (She was on twice for several weeks for a bit, before the late Mort took the slot in mid-July.

Mort was scheduled on WTAM from 8p-12a, but the 11p hour was usually a rerun. He (mercifully) gave up in less than a month, Gilly took over. By then, Princess Diana passed away.

Rick was on nightly until WTAM secured the Indians rights; at which he "gladly" was scooted to the weekends.

 

[JohnnyMorganWXJX]

Re: Rock n Roll Talk Radio

> Secret still owned WWWE/WTAM and WLTF up until July 1997.
> All other stations in their group were sold off to SFX by
> then, but they held onto the Cleveland combo. That could
> explain the confusion.
>
> (Ironically, SFX wound up itself as a CC property later on,
> via it's concert holdings.)
>
> > I think
> > this all coincided with the changes in July 1996: the
> > "Newshour at Noon" with Craig Edwards, the immensely hated
>
> > one-hour Rush delay (1p-4p), then Triv from 4p-8p.
>
> Those changes happened when Secret switched calls on the
> 1100 facility from WWWE to WTAM. By then, the "3WE" slogan
> was long gone, and was being imaged as "NewsRadio AM 1100."
> It was, again, never a Jacor move.

That makes the timeline right. I was basing the Jacor date on what was written by "scenestealer," who purports (and I have no reason to doubt) to have been there at the time.

(Scenestealer, BTW, is a great radio board name. An industry joke of epic proportions. The forgotten part of the Stern-WMMS thing in 1994.)

But a Jacor buy of the Secret holdings in 1997 makes perfect sense--and it also matches up with the Jacor purchase of that great Nationwide cluster in late summer/fall of 1997 as well.