Cumulus and Cloud; same stuff?

[kturnerga]

Hello
Atlanta based Cumulus owns several stations in my town and elsewhere. There was an ownership change in several Cumulus stations to Cloud Acquisition. Lewis Dickey is the head of Cloud; he he also operated Cumulus. Will we have to listen to the same crud?

When I say we have to listen I guess I mean those without a Nano or the little FM transmitter to make it play in our cars.

KAT
Macon, GA

 

[Diamondtwo]

The announcements have been airing on all Cumulus Media stations around the country. Cumulus is merging its publicly held unit (CMLS) into a company controlled by the Dickey family and a unit of Merrill Lynch. In other words, Cumulus, like Clear Channel, is going private.

And obviously you must be listening to the "crud" we put out at Cumulus, because you've heard the announcements. They're not being broadcast on your Nano. Thanks for listening and contributing to our "crud-cume" and "crud-TSL". ;D

TDO
(A Cumulus PD/Air Personality responsible for three of the eight "crud-casting" stations Cumulus owns in Macon)

 

[kturnerga]

I have been reading in the Macon Telegraph about the Cumulus/Cloud conversion. Yes I do listen to a Cumulus station at work (WDEN; the boss's choice) and on the road in the mornings (WMAC). By the way I have a Memorex MP3 player that is less expensive than the Nano but filled with everything from thirty year-old airchecks, WABC Rewound, and Waylon Jennings cuts.

The day will come when radios might be OPTIONAL equipment in cars. We will instead have CD players which can do MP3's and WMAs as well as bear a card reader for flash cards, a USB reader, and a jack for the Nano.

And next; WIFI audio.

 

[Diamondtwo]

You missed the point of my reply to your original post completely, k. Don't even know why I bother sometimes.

Besides, another post in another thread by you indicates to me that you're just a shill for another large broadcaster in the Macon market (whether you're willing to admit it or not). That's fine; listen to whatever floats your boat. I have musical tastes that Cumulus doesn't program to in the marketplace as well, so I have my own ways of indulging myself in them. But I don't think that the vast majority of the programming Cumulus puts in the marketplace is "crud". Same thing applies to the other broadcasters in the market. Apparently something on the order of a quarter-million listeners over the eight "cruddy" Cumulus stations in Macon would agree with me.

The other media choices available or coming soon to the marketplace (your less expensive Memorex MP3 player, CD's, Wifi, even dragging out your old vinyl (or are you old enough to remember when vinyl was used for something else besides club jocks for scratchin'?)... they're all great. Throw in some 8-tracks and a couple of warped cassettes, and you've got a party. Oh, and I enjoy WABC Rewound too. Listen to it every Memorial Day, and if you want to get into a history discussion about WABC, I'll be glad to take you on. Same goes for KHJ, WLS, WQXI, etc. You might learn something you didn't know.

The "new media" will only make broadcasters better at what they do. It's already happening. But you obviously don't want to see that, because based on what you say about Cumulus, I suspect you have some kind of beef with the Fluffy Cloud company. Either that, or you're just parroting what other "posers" on this and other boards have to say about this and other large broadcasters. Guess what? That's the reality of the radio business.

By the way, KAT, I really enjoyed your work in Romancing The Stone, Jewel Of The Nile, even VI Warshowski.

TDO

 

[sharklover]

Hello
Atlanta based Cumulus owns several stations in my town and elsewhere. There was an ownership change in several Cumulus stations to Cloud Acquisition. Lewis Dickey is the head of Cloud; he he also operated Cumulus. Will we have to listen to the same crud?

When I say we have to listen I guess I mean those without a Nano or the little FM transmitter to make it play in our cars.

KAT
Macon, GA

I hope not.I want variety like a beautiful music station and a jazz station.I have to listen to Xm to here beautiful music(escape)and contemperary insturmental jazz(watercolors)There is too many rock stations on the Fm dial in this area and the songs repeat too often.I want some nich channels back on the dial.WCRY was my favorite in it's time.I do listen to 103.9 The Patriot.I love that station but I think Clear Channel owns it.

 

[radionut925]

I hope not.I want variety like a beautiful music station and a jazz station.I have to listen to Xm to here beautiful music(escape)and contemperary insturmental jazz(watercolors)There is too many rock stations on the Fm dial in this area and the songs repeat too often.I want some nich channels back on the dial.WCRY was my favorite in it's time.I do listen to 103.9 The Patriot.I love that station but I think Clear Channel owns it.
[/quote]

Actually, Georgia Eagle Broadcasting owns WRPG, or 103.9 The Patriot. It's one of seven stations owned by Georgia Eagle in the Greater Warner Robins/Houston County market, give or take.

 

[kturnerga]

Diamond:
I am not a shill for any stations or corporations. I just want a broader playlist, better air talent, and someone not to treat the air talent like a piece of crap. Shame on Cumulus for what you did to Jerry Marshall and Rick Knight (even if he helped make meth) along with Kenny Bee, Jami G, and the news department. I wonder why the "best" news station, WMAC, has chosen to (seemingly) get its news copy from the Macon Telegraph and WMAZ-TV websites. That really miffs me.

I don't have a quarrel with the formats although you really blew it with "The Fan" taking over the oldies station. Do I have any issues with other stations or corporations? Well, I've talked to the Clear Channel rep about cooling it with the disco on 96.5. It sounded too much like Radio 940's playlist from 1977-80. The situation has eased somewhat.

And I have been listening to WABC Rewound for years. I have quite a few unscoped airchecks from them in my collection. I used to have a Live365.com station before the money ran out and my family had health issues.

FYI: I read where WBML in the late Sixties had SEVENTEEN vehicles with reporters to chase down news stories. Yes, in podunky Macon and Bibb with its one-story Westgate Mall and Downtown Macno. The mid-Seventies saw this whittled down to just a few and Jim Lee was eventually cut loose. But Mr. Lee had that station's news operation going as tight as a drum. Wonder if Cumulus can even get three or four to quit reading websites for news copy and go into the streets.

We used to have local air talent running out of our noses but I guess the intelligent, articulate people have left Macon. People coming out of Mercer and GCSU had to fight and claw for ad sales jobs with the various stations. I was one of those people. Today every other ad on WDEN-FM is begging for customers or begging for ad sales reps. Pituful.

KT

 

[keem]

You missed the point of my reply to your original post completely, k. Don't even know why I bother sometimes.

Besides, another post in another thread by you indicates to me that you're just a shill for another large broadcaster in the Macon market (whether you're willing to admit it or not). That's fine; listen to whatever floats your boat. I have musical tastes that Cumulus doesn't program to in the marketplace as well, so I have my own ways of indulging myself in them. But I don't think that the vast majority of the programming Cumulus puts in the marketplace is "crud". Same thing applies to the other broadcasters in the market. Apparently something on the order of a quarter-million listeners over the eight "cruddy" Cumulus stations in Macon would agree with me.

The other media choices available or coming soon to the marketplace (your less expensive Memorex MP3 player, CD's, Wifi, even dragging out your old vinyl (or are you old enough to remember when vinyl was used for something else besides club jocks for scratchin'?)... they're all great. Throw in some 8-tracks and a couple of warped cassettes, and you've got a party. Oh, and I enjoy WABC Rewound too. Listen to it every Memorial Day, and if you want to get into a history discussion about WABC, I'll be glad to take you on. Same goes for KHJ, WLS, WQXI, etc. You might learn something you didn't know.

The "new media" will only make broadcasters better at what they do. It's already happening. But you obviously don't want to see that, because based on what you say about Cumulus, I suspect you have some kind of beef with the Fluffy Cloud company. Either that, or you're just parroting what other "posers" on this and other boards have to say about this and other large broadcasters. Guess what? That's the reality of the radio business.

By the way, KAT, I really enjoyed your work in Romancing The Stone, Jewel Of The Nile, even VI Warshowski.

TDO

TDO -
Holiday called, he wants you to return the crud you took from him that is spewing in Macon now.

 

[Diamondtwo]

Keem-

You have no idea how many times I've de-loused since 2000, trying to cure myself of the crud-mixed-with-red-hair-dye I brought back from the Holladay experience.

kturnerga-

Shame on ME? Your ignorance about how things work in this business is unbelievable.

I had nothing to do with Gerry Marshall leaving. I had nothing to do with Rick Knight being a moron and not following the directives of Cumulus programming. I do not now, not have I ever, had any say in the programming decisions on WMAC. Kenny B left for a job that I would dare say is paying him a helluva lot more than he was making doing mornings on 940. Plus, I'm quite sure (in fact, I know) he's thoroughly enjoying not getting up at 3am, and he's spending more quality time with his family.

Believe me, I was not thrilled with the decision (again, not made by me) to flip Big WAYS 105 to sports. In case you don't know, I was the PD of that station from 1996 until the flip in 2005, and I did mornings for the last four years of its existence. So that was my baby, and I put a lot of blood, sweat and tears (literally and figuratively) into WAYS. And just so you know, when the decision was made to make that format change, I was thisclose to being out of a job. Timing being what it was, afternoons on WPEZ came open and I jumped at the opportunity, which ultimately led to me being moved up to PD. Oh, and for the record, since this is, after all, a bu$ine$$, 105-5 The Fan is billing far more than Big WAYS 105 did in its final days. Would I have preferred that we evolved the oldies format into more of a post-Beatles/70's format? Sure. If I were still programming that evolved format, there would be no market in Macon for Clear Channel to put the "fuzzy fruit" station on the air. But, again, IT WASN'T MY DECISION!!! I don't always agree with the decisions made by Cumulus corporate, but it's my job to implement what they tell me to implement. I am not THEY; I just work here.

Oh, and since you continue to ram WABC and Rewound down everyone's throat, understand that those days are NEVER going to happen in the radio business again. Sorry, but that's the reality. Dan Ingram was the best Top 40 jock I have ever heard, but he's also 73 years old and past his prime (witness his recent appearance on WCBS-FM). Even the 99WAYS days of yore (i.e., its Top 40 glory days) are gone. Sorry.

But terrestrial radio will continue to thrive. Yes, there are some difficulties now. A lot of that was brought on by the consolidation frenzy of the last 10 years. But it will settle down, and I can assure you, broadcast radio will continue to be extremely viable, even with digital media exploding as it is. Stay tuned.

Or, in your case, go back to your MP3 player/time machine.

TDO
(aka David Nolin, PD of WPEZ/WIFN/WAYS Macon)

 

[kyscott]

But terrestrial radio will continue to thrive. Yes, there are some difficulties now. A lot of that was brought on by the consolidation frenzy of the last 10 years. But it will settle down, and I can assure you, broadcast radio will continue to be extremely viable, even with digital media exploding as it is. Stay tuned.

(aka David Nolin, PD of WPEZ/WIFN/WAYS Macon)

I see you have been drinking the Kool-Aid. For radio to thrive, it's going to have to do something other than what it's doing right now. If I were programming radio right now, I'd cut the crap and get down to the business of programming content to a generation that doesn't care about fidelity, craves diversity and choice, rejects radio formatics and will pay next to nothing. Radio needs to Rethink who the market is and how you're going to make them addicted to your content. Right now the iPod is eating radio's lunch. A soon as wireless internet is available in your car, terrestrial radio is doomed.

Rick Knight might have been a moron, however he had ratings and very loyal following. Has WDEN recovered from his leaving? Nope. The same for Kenny. The morning show had ratings and a following. That being the case, you let the moth out of your checkbook and pay him what he's worth.

 

[middlega]

Rick Knight might have been a moron, however he had ratings and very loyal following.

That probably says a lot more about Macon (and surrounding areas) than it does about Rick Knight.

 

[BSteve]

Rick Knight may have had his fans, but there was a world of folks sick of his type of on the air antics way before he was canned. DEN lost many long time listeners because they stuck with him as long as they did.

And on the subject of WMAC's news (you've got to be kidding, News?) Where did they find this guy who sounds like a poor imitation of Ted Knight from the old Mary Tyler Moore show?
If that isn't a fake voice, I never heard one. And the news he reads from the Telegraph is often from yesterdays paper, word for word. He doesn't even re-write. Beside that, I don't think he knows news from filler. And every three minute newscast doesn't have to have a kicker at the end. If you want to be taken seriously as a newscaster, you can't be a commedian, too.
Whatever happened to stations having pride in the news they gathered, not what they swiped from somewhere else.
Now I'll get off my soap box and you can chew me out.

 

[FloydB]

Whatever happened to stations having pride in the news they gathered, not what they swiped from somewhere else.
Now I'll get off my soap box and you can chew me out.

It's called corporate cutbacks, and not caring about the content, just as long as the advertisers are paying for it.

 

[kyscott]

And on the subject of WMAC's news (you've got to be kidding, News?) Where did they find this guy who sounds like a poor imitation of Ted Knight from the old Mary Tyler Moore show?

I spent the Memorial Day holiday with family down in Vienna, coming back through Macon it was the top of the hour so I thought I'd flip over to 940 and catch up with what was going on locally. It was one minute of Fox News Radio and a six minute break! No local news break, nothing from Georgia Radio News Service, nothing....then right back into Rush. How can you call yourself NEWS/talk when there is no NEWS?! I have radio stations as clients in towns with populations around 2000 people that do a better job at news than WMAC.

Simply amazing.

 

[fwillis]

Is the AM in Vienna still on the air?

 

[kyscott]

Is the AM in Vienna still on the air?

It wasn't when I was there. I stopped, heard music from the control room, but nobody was home. Kinda sad, there is where my allustrious broadcast career started.

 

[Gerry Marshall]

Saw my name mentioned and wanted to clear the record. My leaving WDEN was not forced in any way by any owners or managers. After 34 years on the air...most of which were spent doing mornings PLUS serving as a PD for 24 of those years, I was ready to move on to something new. I'm sure anyone in the business knows a PD is on call 24/7 and mostly spends time doing paperwork, sitting in long meetings & conference calls...not to mention having to deal with personnel matters. All of that is in addition to doing a daily airshift, production and remotes, which oddly enough became secondary in priority. In 2004, I came to a point in my life where I decided it was "now or never" if I was going to take the plunge to go after a dream I've had for a long time. I still keep my hand in the radio biz, but on a very limited level. And although my decision to leave was not an easy one, I have no regrets of taking my chance to "go for it". As for WDEN, it's actually still doing very well! Sure, popular jocks may come and go, but as I always told the air staff there; "we're not the "star" of this thing. WDEN itself is the star! The talent on the air simply make up the 'supporting cast'." A radio station's personality isn't who's on the mic getting air time. Instead, it's made up of what the station as a whole does and stands for in the community it serves. It was a great radio station where I arrived there, I'm proud of the work we did while I was there, and I know it is now and will continue to be a great station in the future. As air talent...we come and we go...but WDEN has been the one constant since it began in 1967...and it will still be serving Middle Georgia long, long after we're gone.

 

[kturnerga]

Gerry:
Tell Laura S to leave some Krystals for me please!
I hope I haven't spoken mistruths about your career at WDEN for I respect you immensely. I just want to look out for you and the rest of the old hands in radio. My remarks were based on the somewhat obvious but largely scuttlebutt.

Lemme see; I want to rattle off some names of WDEN people. One, Alan Reagan, was later my professor at GCSU/Robins Resident Center. Here are some more; Lee Durant, JD North, Dr. Jim Riley, Brad Majors (last report was at Whiskey River), JJ McCartney (still there; was at Q106 for some time), and I think Dee Shannon.

Hopefully Cumulus will roll some old airchecks for an anniversary special. I have a Chris Edwards (heavily scoped) aircheck from the early Seventies but some knucklehead took out part of the commercials (grrrr).

KT