-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Chet Walker?
- Thread starter John C
- Start date
U
Unregistered
Guest
Chet Walker
They let him go
They let him go
John, you (and many others) likely have, by now, already seen today’s D&C article (they were a little slow getting on the story today at the paragraph factory):
WHAM’s Chet Walker no longer with station
While the reason for Chet’s departure is unclear from the article, social-media commentary points the finger squarely at another CC cutback. If that is indeed the case, there seems to be universal agreement: It’s a bad move.
My prediction (and it’s not much of a stretch): We haven’t heard the last from Chet on Rochester airwaves.… He is sure to land on his feet someplace! And if he next chooses something other than radio for the next chapter, I bet he will have plenty of options there, too: He’s smart (master’s degree), talented and well-liked by seemingly everyone (myself included among the masses).
One other thing’s for sure: He wasn’t caught unprepared for this day. When he spoke in my radio class last fall, he advised students: “Build up a [special] fund” … for the eventuality.
Best wishes to Chet! (One of SUNY Geneseo’s finest alumni, by the way!)
WHAM’s Chet Walker no longer with station
While the reason for Chet’s departure is unclear from the article, social-media commentary points the finger squarely at another CC cutback. If that is indeed the case, there seems to be universal agreement: It’s a bad move.
My prediction (and it’s not much of a stretch): We haven’t heard the last from Chet on Rochester airwaves.… He is sure to land on his feet someplace! And if he next chooses something other than radio for the next chapter, I bet he will have plenty of options there, too: He’s smart (master’s degree), talented and well-liked by seemingly everyone (myself included among the masses).
One other thing’s for sure: He wasn’t caught unprepared for this day. When he spoke in my radio class last fall, he advised students: “Build up a [special] fund” … for the eventuality.
Best wishes to Chet! (One of SUNY Geneseo’s finest alumni, by the way!)
Well, according to the link below ratings certainly weren't the issue - the news/talk station, despite being on the much-disparaged AM dial. has a solid 7.3 in a 16 station market where Clear Channel has seven stations.
http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb079
According to the news article referenced in the preceding post the Nielsen ratings weren't as positive - but had been stronger prior to a 2011 cutback. But chopping a 30 year veteran isn't likely to improve anything.
Where might Mr. Walker go? Well, his former associate and also the former news director are now over at an apparently very successful NPR AM affiliate, which is listed in the commercial ratings but reportedly would be in the middle if it was. Considering that it doesn't have WHAM'S 50,000 watts that's not bad.
CC is doing itself no favors by slashing local talent whuikle riding rghe network" with Premiere's syndicated hosts, but considering its debt load that may not matter.
http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb079
According to the news article referenced in the preceding post the Nielsen ratings weren't as positive - but had been stronger prior to a 2011 cutback. But chopping a 30 year veteran isn't likely to improve anything.
Where might Mr. Walker go? Well, his former associate and also the former news director are now over at an apparently very successful NPR AM affiliate, which is listed in the commercial ratings but reportedly would be in the middle if it was. Considering that it doesn't have WHAM'S 50,000 watts that's not bad.
CC is doing itself no favors by slashing local talent whuikle riding rghe network" with Premiere's syndicated hosts, but considering its debt load that may not matter.
Last edited:
Some companies know the price of everything, but the value of nothing. Another reason to listen to AM radio, news-talk in particular, dismissed. Thirty years of knowledge and familiarity cast to the wind. Chet was heard years ago at WWOL Buffalo and Warsaw's WCJW. We wish him well. BTW, his advice to students to "build up a **** fund" is well warranted, long ago given to me and passed on to those I have mentored.
Thirty years is a pretty damn good run, especially at one station. Walker is a lucky man. If he worked at Chevy of Ford or did 30 years as a government employee, he'd be sitting on a nice pension. I doubt that Clear Channel hands out pensions. Our parents were right when they told us to get a real job.
Anyone who still gets a pension should consider themselves lucky. Most places, including state governments, school systems, and car companies, are trying to eliminate them, and even stiffing pensioners by cutting benefits. Really bad situation. There is no such thing as a "real job" any more. It's basically everyone for themselves.
Sounds like this guy understood his situation.
According to the trades, Cheap Channel is on another round of cuts, whacking news people in particular this time. Jim Michaels from WKBN in Youngstown - a news/talk stations that no long has a news department. Mitch Henck at WIBA Madison - despite good ratings and an excellent reputation in the market. Mike Abrams cut from iHeart Radio. Those are just a few of the cuts. CC Jr. isn't far behind, although Cumulus is in much better fiscal shape thanks to the Citadel bankruptcy. Success doesn't matter anymore. Even sales people - the people who bring money in the door - aren't immune. You can smell the desperation from here.
I doubt the decsion to let Chet go was in anyway made locally. Probably some pencil pusher a couple thousand miles away that has no sense of the situation other than $$. That being said, are we sure that Chet wasn't thinking about leaving anyway? I was listening to him the last couple weeks and there seemed to more than usual comments about the early hours and how tough they are on him. I really liked Chet (& Beth). I just like info in the morning, not silly talk or music. If I want nonsense at 5AM I'll put the Beverly Hillbillies on ME-TV on.
As far as the pension goes, I'll be collecting mine this December! Maybe I'll go back into the radio biz. If anyone needs a burnout from the 60's let me know. I can work cheap and that seems to be the best thing nowdays on my resume.
As far as the pension goes, I'll be collecting mine this December! Maybe I'll go back into the radio biz. If anyone needs a burnout from the 60's let me know. I can work cheap and that seems to be the best thing nowdays on my resume.
- Status