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Change at WGR
- Thread starter ThePickleReport
- Start date
Asleep At the Switch
So, Riter was fired because he couldn't get his a$$ out of bed?
Unbelievable. As Bugs would say, "What a maroon".
So, Riter was fired because he couldn't get his a$$ out of bed?
Unbelievable. As Bugs would say, "What a maroon".
Too bad, Riter was one of the more knowledgeable yakkers on WGR, and he could do guy talk with a sense of decorum. Riter wouldn't be the first "air personality" who strolled in late for a shift or missed the show completely. Hard to excuse his tardiness, however, especially if he was warned. No manager likes being put in the position to wonder when his employee is going to show up... or if he'll show up at all. Believe me, we see that far to often in our family construction business.
A seasoned radio pro with whom I once worked used to sternly advise us rookies, "Ninety per cent of the job is showing up on time..." After it looked like we got the message, he would add, "And make sure you're sober..." Then he'd pause... "and if you're not sober, make sure you've shaved, brushed you're teeth and gargled..." Pause... "and whatever you do, don't use aftershave... it's a dead giveaway." A bit of humor, but we knew he was dead serious.
Regarding the Pergament story in the News, Greg Greed's quote about Murphy possibly working at WGR, is funny... as if Citadel would allow Murphy to work for Entercom. Come to think of it, Murphy probably wouldn't want the gig, fearing he might be forced to work with Jeremy White.
Maybe 97 Rock or the Edge picks up Riter? They could do far worse. 'Course, they'd have to give him the "come to Jesus speech" and make sure he owned at least three functioning alarm clocks.
A seasoned radio pro with whom I once worked used to sternly advise us rookies, "Ninety per cent of the job is showing up on time..." After it looked like we got the message, he would add, "And make sure you're sober..." Then he'd pause... "and if you're not sober, make sure you've shaved, brushed you're teeth and gargled..." Pause... "and whatever you do, don't use aftershave... it's a dead giveaway." A bit of humor, but we knew he was dead serious.
Regarding the Pergament story in the News, Greg Greed's quote about Murphy possibly working at WGR, is funny... as if Citadel would allow Murphy to work for Entercom. Come to think of it, Murphy probably wouldn't want the gig, fearing he might be forced to work with Jeremy White.
Maybe 97 Rock or the Edge picks up Riter? They could do far worse. 'Course, they'd have to give him the "come to Jesus speech" and make sure he owned at least three functioning alarm clocks.
Re: Asleep At the Switch
It's believable. I've seen it happen before.
My guess is there is more to the story and we'll see what comes out of it.
SirRoxalot said:So, Riter was fired because he couldn't get his a$$ out of bed?
It's believable. I've seen it happen before.
My guess is there is more to the story and we'll see what comes out of it.
Somebody Needs Changing
Murphy working for the Bills bashers at WGR? Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha.
ROFL! Radknowski, you KILL me!
Are you kidding? The guy can't make a 10AM show. They only place he MIGHT fit would be mornings at 97-Rock, and probably only a couple of days a week. What are the odds he'd make it into the studio for the first break at 5:30? What are the odds that he and Norton wouldn't be duking it out in the hallway within the first week because Riter wouldn't shut up?
Regarding the Pergament story in the News, Greg Greed's quote about Murphy possibly working at WGR, is funny... as if Citadel would allow Murphy to work for Entercom.
Murphy working for the Bills bashers at WGR? Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha.
Come to think of it, Murphy probably wouldn't want the gig, fearing he might be forced to work with Jeremy White.
ROFL! Radknowski, you KILL me!
Maybe 97 Rock or the Edge picks up Riter? They could do far worse. 'Course, they'd have to give him the "come to Jesus speech" and make sure he owned at least three functioning alarm clocks.
Are you kidding? The guy can't make a 10AM show. They only place he MIGHT fit would be mornings at 97-Rock, and probably only a couple of days a week. What are the odds he'd make it into the studio for the first break at 5:30? What are the odds that he and Norton wouldn't be duking it out in the hallway within the first week because Riter wouldn't shut up?
I got the heave ho a couple of times for that back in the early 80's. God bless the guy that fired me, hired me back too. I'll always love him for that. Treated me like a son.
The kid's good. Heard him last winter during the playoff run.
I stopped missing shifts after I quit drinking in 1989. I hope it's something else.
The kid's good. Heard him last winter during the playoff run.
I stopped missing shifts after I quit drinking in 1989. I hope it's something else.
Magoo, you get reality props for posting here and giving the board your real-life perspective. You've been through it all and survived, all the better for it. Where are you plying your craft these days?
BTW, your "Village Idiot" moniker made me laugh out loud this morning.
Be well.
BTW, your "Village Idiot" moniker made me laugh out loud this morning.
Be well.
Thanks for the kind words Rad, but I'm not working in the medium that I've loved for the last 30 years of my life. A few months before I got run over by the bus in Dallas...my PD stood toe-to-toe with me one day before all this and said, “If we’re talking, we’re losing.” I said, “This is freakin’ Dallas Texas, if we’re not entertaining, we’re losing.” They told me I wouldn’t have been happy there anyway. They actually were running stopwatches on talk breaks.
So after I got downsized last fall, I hung around until it looked like nothing was happening, and I headed for downtown Brant…I hadn’t been home for the holidays in 13 years, so it was nice. Spent time with my mom (83), my sis and my nephews and their families. My job was to teach my nephews’ children the finer points of wall art with their own boogers. I visited folks in town, caught a Bills game, saw some old radio guys that I hadn't seen for awhile, and folks that I knew that had cancer. I’ve got something to give them.
While I was home I got a call about an opening in the midwest. I went to KC in December to interview for the host chair on a 3-person morning show at the ENTERCOM classic-rocker. I was there 3 days. Nailed it. The PD called me on December the 23rd and said I was their guy, and 2 weeks after the 1st of the year, I couldn’t get him…or anyone else to return my phone calls. Read that to yourself again. Amazing! Never in my life…you know what I mean.
I also had a call from the PD of the ENTERCOM news/talk station in one of my old markets, Greenville, SC about a PM drive opening. Beautiful part of the country. After talking on the phone with this guy I sent to him what he called, in his own words, "One of the most professional packages he had ever received," but after I didn't hear from him for over three weeks, I sent an email saying it's too bad this couldn't work out. He wrote back and CC'd the OM and the LSM saying that I had no idea how much he was doing behind the scenes, and that I had a bad attitude and might be difficult to work with. If my presentation was so professional, then why couldn't I be treated like one. When I walk into a restaurant and ask for sweet tea, and they had me a glass, a spoon and some Splenda, then I might be difficult.
I'm going to give ENTERCOM the benefit of the doubt and say that these two blurps on the radar screen of the universe are purely coincidental.
However, this is the kind of stuff that puts guys like Stan and Dave M and hundreds of others out to pasteur long before they're due. It's almost cannibalistic what's going on in some broadcast centers around the country.
Meanwhile, I knew that a couple of folks that I used to ride with here in Texas were going to start up a small production company to produce a local motorcycle-friendly webcast through a new company here…plus a new travel series that is also motorcycle only. While I was still home, they flew me back to Texas for the 1st segments that we shot for a week in an area between San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Austin that is called the hill country. Beautiful. Two days in Luckenbach followed by 2 more in Austin is good for the soul.
As soon as I got home, I packed my truck and trailer and headed back to Texas in May. Within a week we were back on the road for segments in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa Valley, and the Pacific Coast Highway. Plus, on the way back we shot stuff at “The Corner” in Winslow Arizona (cue the Eagles song in your head) and Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo.
Are you kidding me?! Awesome. The hair stood up on the back of my neck when I crossed the Golden Gate for the 1st time ever in the saddle of my bike. I was harder than Chinese arithmetic driving down the P.C.H. And, some of the vistas in wine country are so breathtaking that you think you can stop, get off the bike and shake hands with Jesus!
The folks here are pithching the travel series to two American networks plus another in England.
Someone asked me what my short-term goals are for this. Couple…I want to be on the road for the next 3-5 years…and a new house that I can call my own…one that I can tow behind my pickup truck! What self-respecting Brant Boy don’t have a house with hubcaps?!
So after I got downsized last fall, I hung around until it looked like nothing was happening, and I headed for downtown Brant…I hadn’t been home for the holidays in 13 years, so it was nice. Spent time with my mom (83), my sis and my nephews and their families. My job was to teach my nephews’ children the finer points of wall art with their own boogers. I visited folks in town, caught a Bills game, saw some old radio guys that I hadn't seen for awhile, and folks that I knew that had cancer. I’ve got something to give them.
While I was home I got a call about an opening in the midwest. I went to KC in December to interview for the host chair on a 3-person morning show at the ENTERCOM classic-rocker. I was there 3 days. Nailed it. The PD called me on December the 23rd and said I was their guy, and 2 weeks after the 1st of the year, I couldn’t get him…or anyone else to return my phone calls. Read that to yourself again. Amazing! Never in my life…you know what I mean.
I also had a call from the PD of the ENTERCOM news/talk station in one of my old markets, Greenville, SC about a PM drive opening. Beautiful part of the country. After talking on the phone with this guy I sent to him what he called, in his own words, "One of the most professional packages he had ever received," but after I didn't hear from him for over three weeks, I sent an email saying it's too bad this couldn't work out. He wrote back and CC'd the OM and the LSM saying that I had no idea how much he was doing behind the scenes, and that I had a bad attitude and might be difficult to work with. If my presentation was so professional, then why couldn't I be treated like one. When I walk into a restaurant and ask for sweet tea, and they had me a glass, a spoon and some Splenda, then I might be difficult.
I'm going to give ENTERCOM the benefit of the doubt and say that these two blurps on the radar screen of the universe are purely coincidental.
However, this is the kind of stuff that puts guys like Stan and Dave M and hundreds of others out to pasteur long before they're due. It's almost cannibalistic what's going on in some broadcast centers around the country.
Meanwhile, I knew that a couple of folks that I used to ride with here in Texas were going to start up a small production company to produce a local motorcycle-friendly webcast through a new company here…plus a new travel series that is also motorcycle only. While I was still home, they flew me back to Texas for the 1st segments that we shot for a week in an area between San Antonio, Fredericksburg and Austin that is called the hill country. Beautiful. Two days in Luckenbach followed by 2 more in Austin is good for the soul.
As soon as I got home, I packed my truck and trailer and headed back to Texas in May. Within a week we were back on the road for segments in San Francisco, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, Napa Valley, and the Pacific Coast Highway. Plus, on the way back we shot stuff at “The Corner” in Winslow Arizona (cue the Eagles song in your head) and Cadillac Ranch near Amarillo.
Are you kidding me?! Awesome. The hair stood up on the back of my neck when I crossed the Golden Gate for the 1st time ever in the saddle of my bike. I was harder than Chinese arithmetic driving down the P.C.H. And, some of the vistas in wine country are so breathtaking that you think you can stop, get off the bike and shake hands with Jesus!
The folks here are pithching the travel series to two American networks plus another in England.
Someone asked me what my short-term goals are for this. Couple…I want to be on the road for the next 3-5 years…and a new house that I can call my own…one that I can tow behind my pickup truck! What self-respecting Brant Boy don’t have a house with hubcaps?!
L
lchase
Guest
If they gave him one timeslot instead of bouncing him around the schedule like a Superball, the redundant alarm clocks might not be necessary...Radknowski said:Maybe 97 Rock or the Edge picks up Riter? They could do far worse. 'Course, they'd have to give him the "come to Jesus speech" and make sure he owned at least three functioning alarm clocks.
RE: Superball
Yeah, it's a real stretch to have to make it to the studio by 10AM.
I'm afraid that Riter started thinking that the Sabres ratings were actually his ratings.
Maybe he can find a place doing sports for Channel 7. They have an opening...
Yeah, it's a real stretch to have to make it to the studio by 10AM.
I'm afraid that Riter started thinking that the Sabres ratings were actually his ratings.
Maybe he can find a place doing sports for Channel 7. They have an opening...
WholeLottaQuotes said:Maybe 97 Rock or the Edge picks up Riter? They could do far worse. 'Course, they'd have to give him the "come to Jesus speech" and make sure he owned at least three functioning alarm clocks.LC said:If they gave him one timeslot instead of bouncing him around the schedule like a Superball, the redundant alarm clocks might not be necessary.SirRoxalot said:Yeah, it's a real stretch to have to make it to the studio by 10AM. I'm afraid that Riter started thinking that the Sabres ratings were actually his ratings. Maybe he can find a place doing sports for Channel 7. They have an opening.
Yikes! If John Murphy doesn't want to work for Channel 7... heck, why would anybody else. I've known people in this business who've done split shifts, such as morning drive and afternoon drive news, AM-PM traffic reports and double shifts such as morning drive news and midday jocks shifts, and always made their appointed rounds.
In a small market years ago, I worked with an exceptional woman who did morning drive news 5:25 to 8:55 a.m. (we did news at 25 and 55), followed by a street beet during which she covered common council meetings, police blotter and courts until 2 or 3 p.m. She never missed a shift, even the morning after the station Christmas party!
GR doesn't stand for "Great Radio" but now that he is gone it is a step closer. They just need to fix the other two problems... Jeremy and the PD.
Jeremy... well he is just awful! The PD... the same if not worse. If you can actually stand it, tune in and it is clear... the station lacks leadership and direction.
UGH! Thank God for online radio.
Jeremy... well he is just awful! The PD... the same if not worse. If you can actually stand it, tune in and it is clear... the station lacks leadership and direction.
UGH! Thank God for online radio.
Element9 said:C'mon! Andy Roth is a programming genius. And Jeremy? Just waitin' for that call from ESPN. You guys have no appreciation for talent.
-9-
9, you forgot to add the [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags...
Losing Brad was a big loss for me. I really liked his show at night and he had just returned to doing that. I think he was the best guy on the station.......I never heard of him missing a show before. I wish they would have gave him one more chance. I had heard him talking about his crazy mixed up hours a week or so before he got fired. He didn't know what time it was when he would wake up, etc.
Reliable sources say Roth, and Reid to some extent, wanted Reiter out. He'd been working without a contract for not a lot of money. He was attempting to get a livable though not outlandish wage from Entercom in a new contract. Entercom wasn't buying.
Problem for Reiter, it was difficult to accurately guage his performance based on ratings because the Sabres inflate the 7-Midnight numbers in Fall, Winter and Spring. In the Summer books, when the night numbers crash, Reiter bounced around filling in for the guys who were on vacation. The two parties were at an impass.
Reiter may have dug in his heels, but his achilles heel was exposed. He'd been late for a few shifts and management was gunning for him. In such a position, rule number one is "never give your manager a reason to fire you." Unfortunately, he gave them the opportunity they were looking for and they pulled the trigger. Fired, apparently, with cause. Sometimes, it's a bad-ass business, but as we've so often seen, the law of karma always applies.
Inside word is Roth is no programming genius, not held in high esteem by most of the WGR staff and is already scanning the horizon for his next bigger, better PD gig. Buffalo's just another notch on his belt. Word is, WRKO Boston is a mess and Entercom may have an opening there.
Problem for Reiter, it was difficult to accurately guage his performance based on ratings because the Sabres inflate the 7-Midnight numbers in Fall, Winter and Spring. In the Summer books, when the night numbers crash, Reiter bounced around filling in for the guys who were on vacation. The two parties were at an impass.
Reiter may have dug in his heels, but his achilles heel was exposed. He'd been late for a few shifts and management was gunning for him. In such a position, rule number one is "never give your manager a reason to fire you." Unfortunately, he gave them the opportunity they were looking for and they pulled the trigger. Fired, apparently, with cause. Sometimes, it's a bad-ass business, but as we've so often seen, the law of karma always applies.
Inside word is Roth is no programming genius, not held in high esteem by most of the WGR staff and is already scanning the horizon for his next bigger, better PD gig. Buffalo's just another notch on his belt. Word is, WRKO Boston is a mess and Entercom may have an opening there.
Nice insight, Mike.
I had heard Riter on the air (when he was doing the 10-Noon shift after Sabres playoff games this past season) openly lobby for support to keep doing the 10-Noon show. He must have been trying to force the issue with a better deal. The way this really hurts WGR is I think Riter was key as a vacation fill-in. I think he'll find work---just not in Buffalo.
Besides WGR has lots of cheap....I mean young talent they can fill evenings with.
I had heard Riter on the air (when he was doing the 10-Noon shift after Sabres playoff games this past season) openly lobby for support to keep doing the 10-Noon show. He must have been trying to force the issue with a better deal. The way this really hurts WGR is I think Riter was key as a vacation fill-in. I think he'll find work---just not in Buffalo.
Besides WGR has lots of cheap....I mean young talent they can fill evenings with.
What Hath Roth Wrought?
Sounds to me like Riter had a higher opinion of himself than the suits at GR. I have to admit that I wasn't a fan. Riter's show was more about Riter than it was about sports.
I listened to WGR a lot back in the '90s, but I find it nearly unlistenable now. I used to listen to Howard Simon, but Jeremy White made his show so annoying that I rarely tune in now. I have limited interest in syndicated mid-days, and Rome's act is burning, if not burnt. Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-Mensa in the afternoon are unlistenable. I long for the evenings when The Bulldog did his show at WBEN a decade ago, and sounded like a real sports guy. The show has devolved into "I don't know what I'm talking about, but this is what I think anyway". The level of expertise is abyssmal.
I hear more stimulating - and expert - sports commentary in the local bar. I guess that we have to thank Andy Roth for a lot of this.
Sounds to me like Riter had a higher opinion of himself than the suits at GR. I have to admit that I wasn't a fan. Riter's show was more about Riter than it was about sports.
I listened to WGR a lot back in the '90s, but I find it nearly unlistenable now. I used to listen to Howard Simon, but Jeremy White made his show so annoying that I rarely tune in now. I have limited interest in syndicated mid-days, and Rome's act is burning, if not burnt. Tweedle-dee and Tweedle-Mensa in the afternoon are unlistenable. I long for the evenings when The Bulldog did his show at WBEN a decade ago, and sounded like a real sports guy. The show has devolved into "I don't know what I'm talking about, but this is what I think anyway". The level of expertise is abyssmal.
I hear more stimulating - and expert - sports commentary in the local bar. I guess that we have to thank Andy Roth for a lot of this.
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