Citadel Nashville changes

[Wind]

Market Manager DAVE KELLY will resume day-to-day programming for WKDF.
Current OM/PD LARRY STONE will concentrate on his role as Executive Producer of TITANS RADIO.

So what is next? Why the move?

 

[jharmon]

He is a good programmer, maybe budget performance, maybe it was his decision, maybe it was Fagreed's call. At least he is still employed.

 

[jetfli]

Why the move?

Not really a restructuring, just tweaking assignments to better take advantage of a couple of employees' skill sets. Dave, indeed is a good programmer. Larry was spread very thin. Regional management will juggle as needed.

 

[Wind]

Wonder if all the staff who got fired under Larry want a do over? How many did he fire? I think it's a long list.

 

[Davy D]

I heard that when Dave Kelly was PD before Bud Ford, he didn't do anything but sit in his office. The staff had absolutely no direction. No leadership. Yet they got canned for not being told to do anything different that what they did? I heard DK got canned from WSIX because he didn't know what he was doing there. Again, this is second hand news. I don't know him or what he's capable of. I've heard he's a great PD, as stated in a previous post. But after the numbers over the last several years, how can one justify the credit he's given? ???

 

[ShadowB]

"Not really a restructuring, just tweaking assignments to better take advantage of a couple of employees' skill sets"
Seems that is the " Company line" with each move. When Larry was made OM it was because Dave "was spread very thin"
What will he be now?
Larry is a very talented programmer and my guess is he will choose not to stay on now that the Titans season is over.

 

[jetfli]

Seems that is the " Company line" with each move.

That's every company's line today, radio or whatever.

When Larry was made OM it was because Dave "was spread very thin" What will he be now?

What I meant when I said they'd juggle as necessary, was that they'll just keep switching the job descriptions back and forth so that no one else has to be hired.

Larry is a very talented programmer and my guess is he will choose not to stay on now that the Titans season is over.

Wow, really? Of course, you were once in a better position than I to know how he thinks, but I'm not sure where else he goes with his career. And as someone who enjoys Titans Radio coverage, it would be hard to imagine Titans Radio without him.

 

[ShadowB]

I said the line " Larry is a very talented programmer" as kind of a joke. He told ME and a few other staff members that when he fired us. BUT he IS very talented and I am sure he will find something to do. After all we all did. And for him chosing not to stay well thats just my guess. Time will tell.
He has done a great job with Titans radio and it would be strange not to have him a part of it but it can and will go on with out him. It's not Larry radio. To prove that point The Zone went on after he quit being its pd several years ago and even got better and is still getting better. That station has done well because of the great on air staff and listeners not because of the guy in the pd chair.

 

[RadioZack]

I worked for Larry for 5 years ('00-'05), and we butted heads over that period and had a few "come to jesus" meetings (mostly due to my immaturity and hardheadedness), but I learned a lot from it all.

Larry Stone is a talented programmer, as well as a great motivator and teacher. I've never met anyone in this business who works as tirelessly and is as detail-oriented as Larry. The guy gave me my big break in this business and taught me a lot of what I know, and I've gone on to be a successful sports radio programmer in another market. I also saw him hire and shape his protege, Brad Willis, into a damn fine programmer as well, and now he's running The Zone and it sounds better than it ever has (no offense, Shadow).

What makes Larry's work ethic more impressive is that he's working 70-80 hours a week in a business where money, as we all know, isn't. Considering his father is the President/COO of Lowe's (http://people.forbes.com/profile/larry-d-stone/26375), I'd say Larry could probably be making a lot more money in a cushy job back home in North Carolina, but the guy busts his ass in Nashville. If you're used to hearing Titans Radio and then listen to another NFL network, you'll notice the huge quality dropoff. Larry is responsible for almost everything you hear on Titans Radio, and he's deeply involved in the gameday broadcast, even though you only hear him announce scores every 15 minutes or so.

So, yes, I'm sure Larry was spread pretty thin. When I was there, he was the PD of The Zone at its launch, all the while running Titans Radio. I don't know when the guy slept. I was there 9 hours a day. Larry was there when I came in. He was there when I left. Sometimes I'd come back, and Larry was still there. At the end of the 2003 football season, Larry gave up The Zone and took about a 4-week vacation. I didn't blame him a bit. I don't know the internal situation of this move, but it wouldn't surprise me if history simply repeated itself.

I have every reason to be bitter, by the way. Larry fired me, too...but that's ancient history now. We've buried that hatchet and moved on.

 

[ShadowB]

"The Zone and it sounds better than it ever has (no offense, Shadow)."
None taken. A station HAS to grow and it should always sound better no matter who is running it.

 

[MicVey]

Well WGFX might SOUND better but weren't the ratings better when you were there Shadow?
I don't know but I have been told the ratings have not been what they were the last few books.
I must be thickheaded I guess the radios showing but why would someone concentrate on Titans Radio when the
season is over but maintain dual roles during the season? Seems a little backwards to me.

 

[ShadowB]

Don't know what the true numbers are. All I hear is that they are good.