Ch-ch-changes at 'CMF and 'PXY

[SirRoxalot]

Counting Beans

You would think that the bean counters would be able to quantify the success of stations that have live and local content. Look at almost any market, in almost any daypart, and the leading stations have live and local talent on the air.

The stations that depend on syndication and voice-tracking almost universally fall into the second tier. Since this is true in market after market after market, you'd think that the bean counters would recognize this as a "trend".

Some people wearing very expensive suits, making huge dollars, seem to have forgotten that programming is the product, and that talent elevates the value of programming. You can't sell spots if nobody hears them.

Perhaps, with Clear Channel and others getting out of smaller markets, we'll see an end to the days of trading radio stations like real estate, and get back to the broadcasting business. I expect that I'll be retired by then, and watching with amusement as a bunch of 20-year-old discover the medium and resurrect it with formats that I'll probably hate.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Re: Counting Beans

You would think that the bean counters would be able to quantify the success of stations that have live and local content. Look at almost any market, in almost any daypart, and the leading stations have live and local talent on the air.

The stations that depend on syndication and voice-tracking almost universally fall into the second tier. Since this is true in market after market after market, you'd think that the bean counters would recognize this as a "trend".

Some people wearing very expensive suits, making huge dollars, seem to have forgotten that programming is the product, and that talent elevates the value of programming. You can't sell spots if nobody hears them.

Perhaps, with Clear Channel and others getting out of smaller markets, we'll see an end to the days of trading radio stations like real estate, and get back to the broadcasting business. I expect that I'll be retired by then, and watching with amusement as a bunch of 20-year-old discover the medium and resurrect it with formats that I'll probably hate.

The "bean-counters" don't give a damn about the product on the air; all they care about is the bottom line. Hiring local announcers means not only having to pay salaries, but also health benefits and unemployment insurance. The only spot open for localism is morning drive and even those people do not have the creative freedom they once had.
It would be wonderful if more people with broadcasting backgrounds could some in and buy some of these smaller market stations. Unfortunately the asking price is way out there in left field. And if you listen to some of these small market stations today many of them are just mini-me clones of the bigger operations, especially on the AM dial. I've listened to a number of small market stations during my business trips through upstate New York and all I hear are the same syndicated talk shows. Where's the local talent; where's the local news & weather. Its rare to hear anything local after 9am.

 

[Element9]

The only spot open for localism is morning drive and even those people do not have the creative freedom they once had.

And we'll find out even more about how management views morning drive in the next year. In Western New York, reliable sources say Wease's contract expires within the next two weeks. Speculation is Entercom will offer him a contract renewal, but at a substantial cut, estimated at 50 per cent. If he balks, where's he going? Clear Channel? Not for 475 Large, "ain't gonna happen brah."

With regard to the link to the cartoon that appeared in the D&C, I'm sorry to say this, but I suspect 7 ot of 10 normal listeners in Rochester won't notice, nor will they much care. They have their own problems in life and getting worked-up over some radio guy who made six fugures but lost his gig isn't on their priority list. Radio's free but their mortgages and heating bills aren't.

-9-

 

[The Voice of Reason]

And we'll find out even more about how management views morning drive in the next year. In Western New York, reliable sources say Wease's contract expires within the next two weeks. Speculation is Entercom will offer him a contract renewal, but at a substantial cut, estimated at 50 per cent. If he balks, where's he going? Clear Channel? Not for 475 Large, "ain't gonna happen brah."
-9-

It will indeed be very interesting to see what happens between Brother Wease and Entercom. I like and respect the guy, but I mean to whine and complain about not having a studio window when some of his co-workers were just fired appears petty on his part.
I also agree with your opinion that there is no way Entercom will agree to the same salary scale Wease is currently getting. And you're right 9...where will he go? The only other options are Clear Channel or public radio if he wants to stay in the Rochester market.

 

[SirRoxalot]

A Change is Gonna Come

Clear Channel? The company that whacked hundreds of people in the last few months?

Yeah, they'll be JUMPING on the Wease wagon... Offering fistfulls of cash and lots of trade to pay for private schools, home mortgages, and casino -er country club fees.

Wease might need a little disco reminder of life in broadcasting, 2008:

Whether you're a Brother or whether you're a mother,
Youre stayin alive, stayin alive.

 

[Mark Giardina]

The only other options are Clear Channel or public radio if he wants to stay in the Rochester market.

Public radio; you are kidding right? You think that place would hire him especially at the salary he currently makes? Besides I highly doubt the public radio audience could deal with a daily dose of swear words.

I sure hope Wease has stashed away a large portion of his $475,000 a year salary into an IRA account over the years otherwise he's screwed.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Public radio; you are kidding right? You think that place would hire him especially at the salary he currently makes? Besides I highly doubt the public radio audience could deal with a daily dose of swear words.

You are right. There is only one person at public radio in Rochester allowed to make a six figure salary. Besides it's highly unlikely that this same individual would tolerate having one of his on-air staff rip into him on-the-air while Wease has done with previous managers, owners and PD's.

 

[Bob1370]

Getting back to thwe question of Wease's contract with CMF, a couple salient points need to be made...

1) Wease and the revenue he brings in, were significant reasons why Entercom made the buy of the CBS properties in Rochester to begin with. If he slips away, there goes a major revenue and profit center for the whole group--and 'CMF might as well be put on the block along with the other stations Entercom's divesting. I can't see that happening unless corporate in Philadelphia is TOTALLY on another world.

2)CMF is still running promos for Wease (heard a bunch on the Bills game this weekend) so they're obviously assuming it's going to be business as usual after the holidays.

No personality gets all he wants in a contract but I don't see Wease and CMF parting company. I could be wrong but...

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Getting back to thwe question of Wease's contract with CMF, a couple salient points need to be made...

1) Wease and the revenue he brings in, were significant reasons why Entercom made the buy of the CBS properties in Rochester to begin with. If he slips away, there goes a major revenue and profit center for the whole group--and 'CMF might as well be put on the block along with the other stations Entercom's divesting. I can't see that happening unless corporate in Philadelphia is TOTALLY on another world.

2)CMF is still running promos for Wease (heard a bunch on the Bills game this weekend) so they're obviously assuming it's going to be business as usual after the holidays.

No personality gets all he wants in a contract but I don't see Wease and CMF parting company. I could be wrong but...

My take is that Entercom will either offer Wease less money than he's currently making or, in order to cut costs, Entercom will insist that Wease's "posse" either be trimmed or eliminated.
Yes Wease could reject a new contract and walk, but to where? Clear Channel isn't going to pay him anywhere’s close to what he reportedly is making now.
Put yourself in the corporate mindset. Why spend a lot of money on a show featuring a guy who is close to retirement age? Sure if Wease left there would be this big media hoopla; but like everything else that would eventually fade. As for CMF's future, maybe Entercom figures they could hire some other younger talent for less money. It's also very possible that Entercom might want to take CMF in a new direction.
There is no doubt that Wease has a following in Rochester; but also remember that when you talk about commercial radio, personality doesn't mean what it used to. It is the bottom line that counts.
You did raise an interesting point however. I wonder why Entercom didn't keep WRMM radio and sell off CMF with the two lesser FM's?

 

[Element9]

Bob1370 makes a good point about revenue in morning drive at WCMF. There's no doubt that Wease draws substantial listeners and advertisers. He also has deep heritage within the Rochester market. Most likely, his is the most recognizable name in the market, especially with Men 45-65 years of age.

The tipping point for Waese, Mike Doyle and Entercom lies in answering some critical questions: What was the value of the Wease morning show relative to the revenue generated for WCMF? Upon determining that figure, project it for 2008, project it two years and three years, depending upon the length of the proposed contract.

What's the profit margin in morning drive? What does morning drive contribute, in ratings and revenue, to the remainder of the station? What's the future of the show? Again, the answers require guess-timating what the market holds in store.

What's the competition going to do? Is The Fox capable of winning in morning drive without Wease? And if Wease walked, would he work for Clear Channel at a substantially reduced price? What's the "revenge factor" worth? Would Wease work for a quarter of his present salary simply to prove Entercom wrong? Would Doyle take that risk?

I'd never suggest that Wease be summarily dismissed. You don't throw he baby out with the bath water, but in these very uncertain and demanding times, management and ownership will approach any contract renewal with a far more stringent attitude. Management has options.

Wease may have been in the driver's seat five years ago. That's no longer the case. As I suggested earlier, I see Wease re-upping at a subtantially lower salary with a heavily incentivized deal. He'll have to put his ten ton ego aside, but in doing so, he may realize he'd still have the best deal in Rochester.

Think Wease would want to trade places with Dave Kane? If Wease goes, Kane-o could be doing morning drive at WCMF.

-9-

 

[SirRoxalot]

Buying Time

Wease could take a 50% pay cut and still be making more than anybody in Buffalo. Entercom has to face the end of the Wease era sooner or later - within the next 5 years at most. Should they throw $2.5-million at him to postpone the inevitable? How a $1-million? How about $750K?

By dumping mid-days and nights, and Entercom is restructuring the talent costs on 'CMF, and probably setting up a scenario where they present Wease as the anchor (in more ways that one) for the 'CMF audience, which will justify paying him more than morning people in comparable markets. And, don't expect the entire posse to see the middle of the year on the Entercom payroll. There will be plenty more "tighten, lighten, and brighten" before it's over.

If Wease goes, 'CMF gets a complete makeover - which it arguably needs. Might we see some aging 'PXY jocks moving over to a newly-invigorated 'CMF, with an influx of newer rock to ease their passage?

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Re: Buying Time

Wease could take a 50% pay cut and still be making more than anybody in Buffalo. Entercom has to face the end of the Wease era sooner or later - within the next 5 years at most. Should they throw $2.5-million at him to postpone the inevitable? How a $1-million? How about $750K?

By dumping mid-days and nights, and Entercom is restructuring the talent costs on 'CMF, and probably setting up a scenario where they present Wease as the anchor (in more ways that one) for the 'CMF audience, which will justify paying him more than morning people in comparable markets. And, don't expect the entire posse to see the middle of the year on the Entercom payroll. There will be plenty more "tighten, lighten, and brighten" before it's over.

If Wease goes, 'CMF gets a complete makeover - which it arguably needs. Might we see some aging 'PXY jocks moving over to a newly-invigorated 'CMF, with an influx of newer rock to ease their passage?

Planning for the future is tough enough for people who actually think years and not days ahead. Unfortunately in broadcasting most management only thinks of the monthly spread sheet and how much each station under their control profited, or how the company's stock is doing on Wall Street.
Yes the Wease era is coming to an end and yet has anyone considered who would replace Wease?
Someone mentioned Dave Kane; good idea, but will that happen? Doubtful.
What about Tony and Dee at WRMM. Both are in their 50s with plenty of years ahead of them, but what happens should one or both of them decide to retire? Does WRMM have anyone in the wings to step in? No.
Look at WHAM radio. Chet Walker is an teacher and could leave almost anytime he wanted to, but stays around for that nice fat paycheck he gets, but someday Chet will call it quits. That leaves just Beth Adams. The only other "name" WHAM currently has is Lonsberry and can you imagine Lonsberry on mornings with Beth? Speaking of WHAM look at their news department. Bill Lowe is close to retirement age, and with his bout of heart troubles, who will replace him should he decide to retire? Yes Sherry Smith helps out in the morning, but then again unless WHAM hires another news person, that leaves WHAM's news team cut to the bone.
Add to all of this how few trained people are left in radio these days and the fact that college students studying journalism or communications are not even considering radio as a career and you end up with a talent pool that is nearly dried up. But does management give a damn? HELL NO!
So when you talk about what will happen five years down the road, I shutter to think of the scenario.
Sure there will still be a few veterans left doing morning drive, but that's it. The rest of the day will be like it is now; automated, voice-tracked, or the same music played over and over again.
My advise to young people wanting a career in radio is this: Learn how to be a plumber; it pays more and there is job security.

 

[Radknowski]

Youth Movement?

The business is getting younger. It's always relied on youth to replenish the ranks (Jack Parr to Buehlman to Neaverth to Norton to Shredd & Ragan, etc.) The pronounced difference is that years ago, youth was tempered by experience, talent and mentoring that is often missing these days.

Paul Pallo recounted Jim McLaughlin mentoring him at WYSL-AM 1400. If you're over 45 and in this business (or out of it, as is the case here) chances are you can remember at least one good mentor, perhaps more. These were the men and women who taught you how to do the job correctly; seasoned professionals who were in positions of authority, be it programming, news, engineering and sales. They set high the bar, consistently requiring your best work: No mail-ins, no make-goods, no mulligans, NO EXCUSES, no part-time attitudes.

If you were a student of the game and wanted to be in the business or radio or television, you were only too happy to respond to their demands, at any price whether you worked full time or part time, morning drive or all-nights. When you performed well, especially in the crunch, these managers acknowledged a job well-done and your (senior) peers rewarded you (often begrudgingly at first) with their respect. If you didn't perform well, you were out on your assets. Lesson learned.

Today, managers are too busy to mentor and rookies because they (1) have too much responsibility spread among multiple stations, and (2) they often lack the skills to mentor or respond to even seasoned staff members' efforts.

I'm sorry to say this but the majority of rookies, especially in radio, think they know all the answers when in fact, they don't even know the questions. Back in the day (not so many years ago) a seasoned pro advised, calmly, rationally but crystal clearly, "You don't even know what you don't know, so shut up, watch and listen, you might learn something... and if you do, you might make it in this business." Lay that line on a newbie these days and you'll likely get an "F-bomb" in return.

Many of today's rookies come out of college with a BA and a BA. Bachelor of Arts and a Bad Attitude. They want it big and they want it now! They think they should be the next anchor on SportsCenter or the morning drive man or woman on The Edge, maybe they'll seek first employment in a top 25 market. Tell a rookie that they need experience and seasoning before they can even do weekends in Batavia and you'll get a major attitude storm in return.

I always enjoyed working with young people and enjoyed mentoring rookies, it was invigorating. But over the years I noticed a turn in attitude. I don't know if this change in attitude is due to bad parenting ("my little Kathy/Tommy can become anything she/he wants to be...") or bad educating. I do know, however, that's it's more the rule rather than the exception.

 

[Mark Giardina]

Re: Youth Movement?

The business is getting younger. It's always relied on youth to replenish the ranks (Jack Parr to Buehlman to Neaverth to Norton to Shredd & Ragan, etc.) The pronounced difference is that years ago, youth was tempered by experience, talent and mentoring that is often missing these days.

Paul Pallo recounted Jim McLaughlin mentoring him at WYSL-AM 1400. If you're over 45 and in this business (or out of it, as is the case here) chances are you can remember at least one good mentor, perhaps more. These were the men and women who taught you how to do the job correctly; seasoned professionals who were in positions of authority, be it programming, news, engineering and sales. They set high the bar, consistently requiring your best work: No mail-ins, no make-goods, no mulligans, NO EXCUSES, no part-time attitudes.

If you were a student of the game and wanted to be in the business or radio or television, you were only too happy to respond to their demands, at any price whether you worked full time or part time, morning drive or all-nights. When you performed well, especially in the crunch, these managers acknowledged a job well-done and your (senior) peers rewarded you (often begrudgingly at first) with their respect. If you didn't perform well, you were out on your assets. Lesson learned.

Today, managers are too busy to mentor and rookies because they (1) have too much responsibility spread among multiple stations, and (2) they often lack the skills to mentor or respond to even seasoned staff members' efforts.

I'm sorry to say this but the majority of rookies, especially in radio, think they know all the answers when in fact, they don't even know the questions. Back in the day (not so many years ago) a seasoned pro advised, calmly, rationally but crystal clearly, "You don't even know what you don't know, so shut up, watch and listen, you might learn something... and if you do, you might make it in this business." Lay that line on a newbie these days and you'll likely get an "F-bomb" in return.

Many of today's rookies come out of college with a BA and a BA. Bachelor of Arts and a Bad Attitude. They want it big and they want it now! They think they should be the next anchor on SportsCenter or the morning drive man or woman on The Edge, maybe they'll seek first employment in a top 25 market. Tell a rookie that they need experience and seasoning before they can even do weekends in Batavia and you'll get a major attitude storm in return.

I always enjoyed working with young people and enjoyed mentoring rookies, it was invigorating. But over the years I noticed a turn in attitude. I don't know if this change in attitude is due to bad parenting ("my little Kathy/Tommy can become anything she/he wants to be...") or bad educating. I do know, however, that's it's more the rule rather than the exception.

Well written my friend....well written.

 

[slickkicker]

Those guys ripped off CBS! I have zero sympathy. They just puckered up.

 

[Bob1370]

Put all these posts together and you come to one realization...once the leading-edge boomers who now dominate the radio dial in Rochester and most other larger markets pack it in, there's damn near no one to replace them. And this is true in market after market, including not only Rochester and Buffalo, but even New York City. This business is approaching a crisis resulting from a shortage of new talent, a shortage it created itself in its cost-cutting frenzy of the 1995-2005 era.

I'm sure the bean counters figure, so what? They'll just track music 24/7 with voicetracks. Problem with that is, once you do that, there's no value-added over and above listening to one's own CDs and iPods, no incentive to turn on the radio at all and put up with the commercials. No added entertainment and information component, no incentive to listen; no incentive, no listeners...no listeners, no revenue. Stations that depend heavily on voice-tracking already lag their live and local competition in both ratings and revenue, as CBS found to its dismay when it tried to go that route and found disaster in its New York City cluster. Why would it be any different anywhere else?

Radio has to rebuild its farm system somehow in order to survive, just like a baseball team has to replenish its farm system to stay competitive. And that begins with NOT dismantling its talent rosters any further. I hope they all figure that out before it's too late, or before they wind up with holes to fill, no one to fill them, and a resultant crash program that rushes unprepared people to the mike too soon. We all know what happens to unseasoned rookies that get rushed to the bigs before their time...and to the organizations that bet their future on them...

 

[SirRoxalot]

Bean-counting the Future

I agree with Bob1370, but there's one important factor missing...

The bean-counters don't plan to own radio stations in 5 years. The "business model" is buy stations, cut costs, pump up profit, and sell before the revenues begin to drop. Of course, cost-cutting is most often at the expense of talent - in both programming and sales.

There is no "long term" in today's corporate radio vocabulary.

 

[unverviking]

Re: Bean-counting the Future

There is no "long term" in today's corporate radio vocabulary.

Not just corporate radio, but anything corporate... Kodak, Xerox, and MANY other local CORPORATIONS are the same way...

I've been in my current industry for 10 years, been at 2 different companies so far... My brother, in the same industry for 20 years, has not stayed at the same place for more than 4 years because of changing times, etc... My sister, in healthcare for over 20 years, same thing... She's worked for all the local health care companies...

This unfortunately is the times that we are now working in, it just seems to now be catching up with Radio and TV...