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Doyle on CMF talking about Wease

alw said:
OUCH!
'scuse me while I crawl off to lick my wounds.

I guess my earlier post did call for a personal insult.
Click to expand...

My, as you put it , smart-a$$ comment was not meant to be a personal insult to you. I was referring to a certain GM at a public radio station who makes close to what Brother Wease earns, yet when this person, and another top executive , who also pulls down a six-figure salary, gets on the air during pledge drives all one hears is the "cry of the poverty blues."
I take it from your reaction you must work for a public radio or TV operation? Be that the case I will inform you that while I support the concept of public broadcasting, I loath the idea of a few top executives pulling down close to $900,000 a year while begging people to include that station in their wills, complaining about the high cost of programming, and other excuses just to obtain money from an unsuspecting public. Come to think of it wasn't it a Buffalo newspaper back in the early 1990s that broke a story about a public broadcasting operation who pleaded poverty on the air when in fact they had millions of dollars in the bank?
 
The Voice of Reason said:
alw said:
OUCH!
'scuse me while I crawl off to lick my wounds.

I guess my earlier post did call for a personal insult.
Click to expand...

My, as you put it , smart-a$$ comment was not meant to be a personal insult to you. I was referring to a certain GM at a public radio station who makes close to what Brother Wease earns, yet when this person, and another top executive , who also pulls down a six-figure salary, gets on the air during pledge drives all one hears is the "cry of the poverty blues."
I take it from your reaction you must work for a public radio or TV operation? Be that the case I will inform you that while I support the concept of public broadcasting, I loath the idea of a few top executives pulling down close to $900,000 a year while begging people to include that station in their wills, complaining about the high cost of programming, and other excuses just to obtain money from an unsuspecting public. Come to think of it wasn't it a Buffalo newspaper back in the early 1990s that broke a story about a public broadcasting operation who pleaded poverty on the air when in fact they had millions of dollars in the bank?
Click to expand...



Calm down Hoss!

I was only looking for an excuse to inject a little levity into the conversation.

It appears that I have failed.

alw
 
Levi(n)ty

We got it, Al. It's just that some people have to take every opportunity to "voice" their objections to the practices of public broadcasting in Rochester.
 
Back to Business

OK, the book is out. Full Maximizer data should be in the hands of the honchos shortly.

Perhaps I was a little hasty in setting my (last) Monday deadline for the Wease negotiations. With the book due, I'm sure that both sides were looking for ammunition to bolster their argument. We (I) only have 12+ numbers - which don't look spectacular.

Either way, I'm betting that the 'CMF website won't be "under construction" by Monday.
 
The Voice of Reason said:
My, as you put it , smart-a$$ comment was not meant to be a personal insult to you. I was referring to a certain GM at a public radio station who makes close to what Brother Wease earns, yet when this person, and another top executive , who also pulls down a six-figure salary, gets on the air during pledge drives all one hears is the "cry of the poverty blues."
I take it from your reaction you must work for a public radio or TV operation? Be that the case I will inform you that while I support the concept of public broadcasting, I loath the idea of a few top executives pulling down close to $900,000 a year while begging people to include that station in their wills, complaining about the high cost of programming, and other excuses just to obtain money from an unsuspecting public. Come to think of it wasn't it a Buffalo newspaper back in the early 1990s that broke a story about a public broadcasting operation who pleaded poverty on the air when in fact they had millions of dollars in the bank?
Click to expand...

Give it a rest will you!

As someone who actually worked in public radio I can attest that the majority of staff are not driving around in big cars or pulling down six-figure salaries. If we got 10 percent of what Wease makes, we were lucky.

If you don't like your local NPR affiliate, then just stream NPR on your computer, minus the pledge drives; or better yet listen to commercial radio.

Speaking of pledge drives, the reason there are so many is because public radio is trying to wean itself away from government funding and instead hoping that the people who actually listen won't mind supporting the station of their choice.

Your one-person crusade against what management makes at some public stations isn't going to prevent those people from suddenly collecting food stamps.
 
I'm pretty tight with some upper echelon types at PBS. One of the things you have to realize about management at public radio and TV is that they're exceptional at rubbing elbows with the very influential and moneyed. And many of these said folks who associate with PBS desire a partnership that's trusting and worthy.

A lot of blue blood types are encouraged to hob-nob with the local PBS brass. Their kids used to watch Sesame Street and there grandkids now learn to Bert, Ernie and the Cookie monster. And I think the PBS folks are starting to realize that "Antiques Roadshow" is a little bit too dangerously catering to the nearly in the grave crowd. I'm watching and listening a bit more now.

A top PBS executive has to be an incredible fundraiser able to associate, and become friendly, with top leaders in the community. I still feel that they're overpaid. Then you could take a look at the GM or SM in your building and ask yourself whether they'd be able to represent themselves accordingly.

Many years ago I witnessed a PBS exec schmooze Robert Wegman at his annual Christmas party in his home in Brighton. That's what they do at PBS. How I ended up at Wegmans party is another story. I've never been invited back.
 
"I'm betting that the 'CMF website won't be "under construction" by Monday."

Hope you didn't put too much money on that bet. It still is under construction, the station is still apparently on hold, and no telling when things will change. I don't see how they let this go on forever--the fall book showed that Wease basically is the engine that has kept the station running.

Makes you more curious about whether it, and WPXY (the other major locus of Entercom bloodletting in Rochester) might be in process of preparation for sale along with Zone and Fickle. I still think Entercom is having second thoughts about letting Warm 101.3 go...and putting together that four station package would create a more attractive cluster for a new buyer, while cutting Entercom's costs more and perhaps providing more long-term revenue upside. (CMF is only going to be strong as long as Wease, who's now 61, stays around...and PXY has been losing the 12-34 battle to WDKX while Kiss 106.7 is challenging it for second place, leaving it potentially last in a three way battle for younger listeners. Meanwhile Warm's stronger than ever with 25-54 women, its core demo...)

Just a theory, mind you, I have no inside info--but things could very well be changing behind the scenes...
 
Hat Dance

Well, I forgot about MLK Day, which would have pushed my prediction back to Tuesday, but I was wrong there too. See, I can admit when I'm wrong. I think that the current state of affairs may continue for a while.

I agree that Entercom may be working to revise the terms of the deal with the DOJ & FTC. I think that they'd love to keep WRRM, and wouldn't miss 'CMF and 'PXY nearly as much in the long run. WRRM is a lot more cost-effective to run, and centers very successfully on 25-54 women - the Holy Grail for advertisers.

The 'CMF/'PXY bloodletting may be a tactic designed to get the station payrolls in line with revenue, and make them more attractive to a prospective buyer. The buyer also has the opportunity to sweep in and "resurrect the old W___", while bringing back some of the old jocks for a substantially reduced salary. Entercom wears the black hat, gets WRRM, and the new buyer gets a much stronger group to start with, and gets to wear the white hat without having to pay dearly for it.
 
Well, I haven't had anything to say in over a week.

All of what has happened here is very normal stuff for this David Field. He plays hardball.

The impatience has been with the locals. I doubt that Doyle had permission to go on the air (guessing). The fact that he did, that CMF allowed the replacement show (snore) to discuss Wease at all, and that they are not playing music in the morning all confirms what I have been saying.

WCMF needs Wease. Yes Entercom will play hardball to save money but they won't cut their own throats. They didn't buy CMF to make it worth less.

They thought Wease would cave by now, and you all thought nobody else would be interested in Wease's billing. That Wease hasn't caved in yet should give everyone food for thought. Something must be going on.
 
What's Goin' On...

John, I've got a feeling that you're right - something is going on.

But whatever it is ain't gonna mean a $450K+ paycheck for Wease. If he can get $200K, he should take the money and stop missing paychecks.
 
So again, why should Entercom get what they bought for less than half? Help out the suits? Reward them for being such fine stewards of our business? For all they have done to keep us vital? For all the families they have helped?

I don't think so.
 
Playing the Field

John, you have your POV. Good luck with that. I just don't think that it's gonna happen for a 61 year old guy in a medium market with a company that pays a lot less than that for comparable results in comparable markets.

If Entercom sells 'CMF, anything can happen. If they keep 'CMF, they won't pay Wease what he wants. We'll see who can go longer - David Field without Wease, or Wease without a paycheck.
 
JohnGault said:
Something must be going on.
Click to expand...

Deep. Yet true. (I'm hearin' Marvin Gaye crooning "What's Goin' On" in the distance.)

The Winter Book is on. Not the most important rating period of the year but certainly not one to be overlooked. Afterall, Entercom pays Arbitron more than a few bucks to objectively and accurately rate its radio stations. [/sarcasm] I'm just speculatin' here, but I say Wease shows up for work at WCMF by the end of next week... ah hell, let's make it Ground Hog Day just to be pop culturally hip... or else he's an entertaining chapter in Rochester Radio History.

Now, this bold prediction having been made a matter of record here, where else might Mr. Levin show up in Rochester?

Seriously.

Someplace besides The Fox.

And not Wegmans or Home Depot.

It's media. It could happen.
 
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