CHUCK FINNEY OUT AS PD AT KLTY

[MikeShannon914]

From Jim Rose Remembers Radio (www.jimroseremembersradio.com) and R&R:

"CHUCK FINNEY with 7 years as PD of Salem Christian AC KLTY FM (Lite 94 Christian Music) Dallas-Arlington, TX vacates the building."

All about the money, R&R said.

Finney started there in Feb 2002, according to his bio on www.hisair.net/interviews/radiointerview.finney.htm

R&R also reported, "KLTY APD/MD Mike Prendergast has been promoted to director of programming at the station."

 

[radioaircheck]

I beleive that Salem is on the brink of going under. They have cut all the good people on the otherside of the building (KWRD, K-SKY). KLTY management now runs everything. It is one big mess. I will add, it will only get worse.

 

[scrtr84]

The more things change, the more things remain the same.

 

[BBontheRadio]

Too bad for Chuck, but congratulations to former KVILer Mike Prendergast on his promotion.

 

[board monkey]

I believe that Salem is on the brink of going under. They have cut all the good people on the other side of the building (KWRD, K-SKY). KLTY management now runs everything. It is one big mess. I will add, it will only get worse.

KLTY is also doing the clusters production too. KWRD and KSKY both have assistants for production but not department head of their own. The upper management have been cut along with most of the sales weasels.

 

[DallasMom]

It is really amazing that people write things on boards that they know absolutely nothing about. Salem is probably one of he best, or perhaps even THE best performing public radio companies left. Look at their 4th. Quarter 2008 financial report and compare it to ALL other public radio companies. Then, re-predict which radio companies are "on the brink of going under." I study radio stocks and companies, and there are several that will pack it up this year; count on it. But in my opinion per their financial reports and balance sheet numbers it won't be Salem by a long shot.
By the way, it is the groups of "sales weasels" that make everyone's paychecks possible in radio.
From what I hear from my best friend who has worked at KLTY for over 18 years, the consolidation of all of their Dallas stations was long overdue, and now that the company has weeded out the slackers, things have never run more smoothly or professionally.
As for Finney, good luck is wished upon him. I met him once at lunch, and he seems to be a nice guy, perhaps a bit pompus, but the whole group over there knew that Mike Prendergast was doing all of the work in programming. That company saved money and promoted a well deserving peroformer that is not full of himself.

 

[board monkey]

It is really amazing that people write things on boards that they know absolutely nothing about. Salem is probably one of he best, or perhaps even THE best performing public radio companies left. Look at their 4th. Quarter 2008 financial report and compare it to ALL other public radio companies. Then, re-predict which radio companies are "on the brink of going under." I study radio stocks and companies, and there are several that will pack it up this year; count on it. But in my opinion per their financial reports and balance sheet numbers it won't be Salem by a long shot.
By the way, it is the groups of "sales weasels" that make everyone's paychecks possible in radio.
From what I hear from my best friend who has worked at KLTY for over 18 years, the consolidation of all of their Dallas stations was long overdue, and now that the company has weeded out the slackers, things have never run more smoothly or professionally.
As for Finney, good luck is wished upon him. I met him once at lunch, and he seems to be a nice guy, perhaps a bit pompus, but the whole group over there knew that Mike Prendergast was doing all of the work in programming. That company saved money and promoted a well deserving peroformer that is not full of himself.

You ever worked in radio? Have you ever seen a worthless sales staff? Other than from what you "hear" from a friend, do you have any first hand knowledge? I do. I know what I'm talking about.

Sales can only come from good programming. A sales staff maybe able to sell Ice to an eskimo, but after the sale the eskimo realizes they have just been had. Sponsors only sign that contract once. Good programming creates recurring sales for many years at a time.

I have walked the halls of a few stations here in Dallas, and I still stand by my opinion of sales weasels.

 

[radioaircheck]

Salem has cut some really good sales people and managers. It is now being run by John Paranoia. (and yes, I meant paranioia) He has everyone on edge form what I have been told and is not a good person to work for. KLTY ego's have always been aproblem, and now the cancer has spread. Salem use to be a good company back in the day. Good luck, they will need it.

 

[board monkey]

Salem has cut some really good sales people and managers. It is now being run by John Paranoia. (and yes, I meant paranioia) He has everyone on edge form what I have been told and is not a good person to work for. KLTY ego's have always been aproblem, and now the cancer has spread. Salem use to be a good company back in the day. Good luck, they will need it.

I have to agree with you. I've talked with a few of the "on air" staff and they seemed to have an snootyness about being at KLTY. Your right from what I've heard about John too.

 

[scrtr84]

It is really amazing that people write things on boards that they know absolutely nothing about. Salem is probably one of he best, or perhaps even THE best performing public radio companies left. Look at their 4th. Quarter 2008 financial report and compare it to ALL other public radio companies. Then, re-predict which radio companies are "on the brink of going under." I study radio stocks and companies, and there are several that will pack it up this year; count on it. But in my opinion per their financial reports and balance sheet numbers it won't be Salem by a long shot.
By the way, it is the groups of "sales weasels" that make everyone's paychecks possible in radio.
From what I hear from my best friend who has worked at KLTY for over 18 years, the consolidation of all of their Dallas stations was long overdue, and now that the company has weeded out the slackers, things have never run more smoothly or professionally.
As for Finney, good luck is wished upon him. I met him once at lunch, and he seems to be a nice guy, perhaps a bit pompus, but the whole group over there knew that Mike Prendergast was doing all of the work in programming. That company saved money and promoted a well deserving peroformer that is not full of himself.

I am always skeptical about posts like this from new posters. So you "study" financial reports and balance sheets? Do you do this for a living, or just for fun? Because if you just do it for fun, then perhaps you are not as informed as you'd like to think. I would also agree to the commment from a previous post, asking if you have actually worked in radio. If you haven't, then that only serves to further void your comments.

 

[BBontheRadio]

Nobody's comments are void. This is an opinion site and everyone has the ability to post them.

 

[board monkey]

Nobody's comments are void. This is an opinion site and everyone has the ability to post them.

How can anyone give any credibilty to someone that has never worked in the industry? At some point people have to have experience to be able to comment on certain things. Hearsay just doesn't cut it. This board exists because of the experience that professionals talk about here.

 

[scrtr84]

Nobody's comments are void. This is an opinion site and everyone has the ability to post them.

Normally I agree. But there are occasional exceptions.

 

[analog78]

You ever worked in radio? Have you ever seen a worthless sales staff? Other than from what you "hear" from a friend, do you have any first hand knowledge? I do. I know what I'm talking about.

Sales can only come from good programming. A sales staff maybe able to sell Ice to an eskimo, but after the sale the eskimo realizes they have just been had. Sponsors only sign that contract once. Good programming creates recurring sales for many years at a time.

I have walked the halls of a few stations here in Dallas, and I still stand by my opinion of sales weasels.

I have to agree about the weasels. They come in for 6 - 12 months, find their suckers, get their bonuses, eat the free lunches intended for the guys doing the work, annoy celebs and artists for swag and autographs, then move on to their next victim.

Occasionally you run into a decent sales guy, who knows what he is and his part, and appreciates what other people in the station do outside his own cubicle, which if he is doing his job, he shouldn't see much of...


And futhermore....
Opinions are like @$$holes, everyone has one. Credible or not. Just means they have another topic to learn about. Hopefully the other posts on this BB will serve to educate that person whom studies the "numbers".

 

[Ready for air]

Whew, now i see where the term codependent should be focused. In an effort to be "open to the group" we've got more blind spots going than I can see. To Dallas Mom, there is a difference between evaluating Salem with KLTY. KLTY has over 20 years of established heritage and consistancy. It over performs most Salem stations and the person who feared they might be about to go under is not alone.
I am one of those who bought stock in the low 30s and now see it traded at around 30 cents. Before you blast back "so is everybody" read more than the photos in the annual report. There is a large debt owed this coming week. I hope they make it. John at KLTY is an exceptional manager. But for the legengary status some like to promote people to on this board, while Mr Finney has a good reputation and probably is a fine fellow be accurate as well as polite. Their ratings peaked some time ago. As national pd no fish station is doing well year to year. Maybe it's signal, maybe it's that the christian music market sales are flat. The Atlanta station I hear has a great signal and they have not grown in 2 years.
So maybe it's time for some new thinking, fresh thoughts, and blow out the tired excuses and overstatement of success being enjoyed.
With Salem the News talk format does not make money, never has. The religious shows actually deliver over half the company revenue.
Nice try mom. If I wanted to hear a slanted story, I'd listen to Sean hannity.

 

[DFWPT]

Too bad for Chuck, but congratulations to former KVILer Mike Prendergast on his promotion.

i agree Ben - I first met Mike while at KVIL with him - what a class act!!

Congrats Mike!