I like Room Temperature. Much better than "fired" "sh*tcanned" "downsized" or my favorite "victim of the economy".....Anyway, usually in these boards, someone gets "let go"(another all time fav) and you hear different sides; the unnamed sources...etc, etc. Well, who better to hear about this than me. My name is Chuck McKinley. Now, former Program Director of 1041 The Ranch.
I have been in radio for 32 years. 25 in East Texas. With stops(don't we all have them?)along way at Austin, Minnesota(2 times), Milwaukee(2 stations, the gold star on my resume....WBCS-FM! I was the first MD at WMIL in 1982) and Charleston, WVa, which was the absolute gig from hell. They hated me, I HATED them! But, East Texas for the most part has been terrific. A great place to live and grow.
OK, back to the,.......I don't want to use a cliche.....but I will...."Being Let Go". It wasn't difficult, at all. The worst part was packing my office. I like stuff in my office. Pictures, posters, stuff. Plus, I didn't want to leave. You go to the same place for 8 years. Habit forming. Worst Part/Part 2: I've had great people to work with. I mean, Don Jones and Mandee Montana are terrific, I will miss them. And Tom Perryman. I envy the man. I generally kept my nose clean, told dirty jokes only behind closed doors and only spilled coffee on the carpet once! In short, I thought I was good citizen. And vice versa.
Back to CSI part of this! You know, what happened!
I got(drum roll for the cliche) FIRED at 8:30am.....didn't leave until 1pm. Of course, what were they going to do FIRE ME!(insert sitcom laughter please)......I was downsized out of a gig. I didn't go into reasons why. I mean, I could've asked some pointed questions, but decided not too. What's the use? I am not huge "torch the bridge guy" anyway. Matter of fact, everytime I've wanted to tell someone to do something incredibly sexy generally illegal in some states(alabama?), I've refrained.
My understanding is that the two country PD gigs with KYKX/KKUS are now combined. That didn't surprise, its happening in New York, I figured it was only a matter of time. Plus, we've gone thru staff cuts...twice, salary cuts...a year from now its gonna be an inflatable doll in front of a LAPTOP! Oh well. The only thing that makes me wistful, sad and you that when have programmed a station from an idea, a memo, that single thought to live, breathing sound....you know what I am talking about? 1041 The Ranch today is what existed on 5 page memo in January 2006. Thats has me really happy. Just my opinion, I leave with my head held high.
Because I am just considering myself(cliche alert dammit!) A Victim Of The Economy!
I have been in radio for 32 years. 25 in East Texas. With stops(don't we all have them?)along way at Austin, Minnesota(2 times), Milwaukee(2 stations, the gold star on my resume....WBCS-FM! I was the first MD at WMIL in 1982) and Charleston, WVa, which was the absolute gig from hell. They hated me, I HATED them! But, East Texas for the most part has been terrific. A great place to live and grow.
OK, back to the,.......I don't want to use a cliche.....but I will...."Being Let Go". It wasn't difficult, at all. The worst part was packing my office. I like stuff in my office. Pictures, posters, stuff. Plus, I didn't want to leave. You go to the same place for 8 years. Habit forming. Worst Part/Part 2: I've had great people to work with. I mean, Don Jones and Mandee Montana are terrific, I will miss them. And Tom Perryman. I envy the man. I generally kept my nose clean, told dirty jokes only behind closed doors and only spilled coffee on the carpet once! In short, I thought I was good citizen. And vice versa.
Back to CSI part of this! You know, what happened!
I got(drum roll for the cliche) FIRED at 8:30am.....didn't leave until 1pm. Of course, what were they going to do FIRE ME!(insert sitcom laughter please)......I was downsized out of a gig. I didn't go into reasons why. I mean, I could've asked some pointed questions, but decided not too. What's the use? I am not huge "torch the bridge guy" anyway. Matter of fact, everytime I've wanted to tell someone to do something incredibly sexy generally illegal in some states(alabama?), I've refrained.
My understanding is that the two country PD gigs with KYKX/KKUS are now combined. That didn't surprise, its happening in New York, I figured it was only a matter of time. Plus, we've gone thru staff cuts...twice, salary cuts...a year from now its gonna be an inflatable doll in front of a LAPTOP! Oh well. The only thing that makes me wistful, sad and you that when have programmed a station from an idea, a memo, that single thought to live, breathing sound....you know what I am talking about? 1041 The Ranch today is what existed on 5 page memo in January 2006. Thats has me really happy. Just my opinion, I leave with my head held high.
Because I am just considering myself(cliche alert dammit!) A Victim Of The Economy!
