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Cox Radio Atlanta market manager Chris Wegmann out

R

rho01

Cox Radio Atlanta market manager Chris Wegmann lost his job today. He was told by corporate at 2 p.m. today. His position was cut for budgetary reasons. "We've had a lot of success and the stations are in phenomenal shape even in this tough economy," he said. "It's a great company. I wish them the best."

Indeed, all the Cox Atlanta stations are in the top 5 in their key demos.

He arrived in May 2003 from Cox Houston as market manager.

Ugly times, eh?
 
You know times are bad when that happens.

Chris is one of the best in the business and one of my favorite Atlanta radio people. The Cox/Atlanta people must be shocked.
 
CBS on-air staff, in Minneapolis,(I assume the highly paid ones) volunteered to take a 10% pay cut to "possibly" avoid layoffs.
I wonder if that subject has ever been broached with the on air staffs here in Atlanta? I know they have contracts but the lawyers could write the weasel words to make it happen pretty easy. It's gonna' be a fun factory the first time they have to sell an ad, un-jam the printer, or go restore an ill tempered transmitter......
Emmis has mandated 10% reduction in saleries for EVERYONE making over $50K - which I would assume in a market like Atlanta to be most people.
Citidel has limited vacations to 10 days......no matter how many years you have.
I wonder when things are going to turn for the better?
 
Everyone who works (or worked) at White Columns (as we called it) knew - the best thing for WSB-AM was a viable rival up the street. I remember the newsfolks saying ... the day GST disappears, the cuts start here. It was only a matter of time.

GST has committed felo-de-se. Move along, there is nothing to see (or hear) here, folks. So, coupled with the economy tanking, that day has arrived at the once invincible WSB. Of course, the cuts have already hit the news dept and now they're whacking the suits.

Cox is also closing their news bureau in DC - will Jamie Dupree be next?

WSB will survive. Basically, since the days of Greg Moceri sitting in his office watching CNBC, WSB ran itself. They also ran the competition into a ditch (now an abyss). But as Boortz & Clark age, WSB = we're so beatable.
 
How long does Boortz really have left? A few years ago they brought in Krok, Master of the Macon Mic, to groom as a potential replacement. HErman Cain is not going to be the answer. Clark seems to be kind of mailing it in anyway from what I have heard Clark might only have 3 years or so left and Maybe Neal will stick it out through the next election cycle at the most. That will leave a major void on their station.
 
This is really a shame. Chris is one of the few managers in this business who truly "gets it"...he understands both sides of the business very well and was highly respected while he was here in Pittsburgh, as GM for WMXP (now WZPT), and as the President of the Pittsburgh Radio Organization (PRO).

He'll bounce back. He's got the track record to prove his worthiness in this business.
 
RTibbs said:
Clark might only have 3 years or so left and Maybe Neal will stick it out through the next election cycle at the most.
Click to expand...

Clark may make an announcement about his political future tomorrow . . . Mayor? Regardless, it will bring a temporary end to his radio career.
 
Clark will not run for mayor. He said the strain would be too much on his young daughters. Don't know if I buy that explanation. One has to wonder if Clark didn't want to run for mayor because that would mean opening up his books?

As for Wegman, is he the "Fall Guy" for their success? Or his he being blamed for WSB having no one to take over from Boortz and Clark?
 
The current structure has a market manager (until now...Chris Weigman) and 3 GM's (WSB-AM under Dan Kearney, B98.5 and The River under David Meszaros, and The Beat and Kiss 104.1 under Tony Kidd). The MM was the GM's bosses', and all had a VP title. I suspect there may be only 1 GM for all Cox/Atlanta stations when all is said and done (I believe CC has one GM for it's six stations - like that matters - and I think 1 GM per cluster is standard practice).
 
Chris is without question, a class act and I wouldnt be surprised if he is snatched up
before the new year.If anyone reading this has n email address for Mr Wegmann, I would
like to have it.
 
[email protected]

I agree with you - he is one of the greatest from way way back - when radio was real radio with integrity, you have to question what is going on now!
 
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