Dusty and the Sales Staff- The Real Story

[NDXUFan]

So, it's all Dusty and Dan's fault that the out-of-town corporate geniuses blew up the real oldies on 1530? Give me a break, Pat. Dusty made every advertiser visit he was asked to by 1530's feeble sales staff. And several "wild goose chases" to sponsors who never materialized. He did every endorsement that didn't conflict with the duties of his County Auditor office - and every one he was actually paid for. Or was that someone else I heard doing those Mastershield spots?

And Dan did everything but stand on his head to try and create sales opportunites. But the gang that couldn't shoot straight never could figure out how to sell anything that didn't tag with "Tell 'em Jerry Thomas sent you". Ted McAlister's Music Magazine update each morning and the afternoon Lost Oldie were never sponsored. They couldn't even sell Dusty's longtime Christmas Show, though little WNKR in Dry Ridge sold it out for the third straight year.

Speaking of sales, how are the left wing loonies now on 1530 working out for you? The ratings still haven't gotten back to what the real oldies left you with, but that's OK for you as you're making a buck shilling for Jerry Springer's lame program.

Shark

 

[markbohach]

Amen!

As has been pointed out in another post, the new 1160 has some distinct advantages when it comes to success.

It is independent and from the sound of things, will involve people that actually love what they do. Never underestimate the power of passion to drive a station.

Without the "you've got two books to win or you're toast" mentality of a large Wall Street driven company, WDJO will have the time to tweak, promote and cultivate listeners and advertising clients.

And, when it comes to sales, they will have sellers that have only one product to concentrate on. Will it be an easy sell? No, not at first. But if the owners get behind the effort, they're enthusiasm will go a long way toward closing some business.

The very definition of "success" is different. If the station is growing in the right direction, revenues are moving upward to the point where it is sustainable and the owners are having fun doing what they are doing, that is success.

I was CE of 1160 in the Salem days and yes, the night signal is best described as a Northern Kentucky signal. However, during the day, it hits Columbus. with DST just around the corner, this is the time to get out and promote the hell out of it. Streaming will also help the cause.

I left Salem nine months ago to persue a similar situation. I bought (back) a station left for dead. With hard work, a few good ideas and a ton of enthusiasm (and my own money on the line), WLOH in Lancaster is chugging again. And my definition of success- station sounds good, sales are picking up and I'm having fun.

Good Luck guys!

Mark Bohach





> So, it's all Dusty and Dan's fault that the out-of-town
> corporate geniuses blew up the real oldies on 1530? Give me
> a break, Pat. Dusty made every advertiser visit he was
> asked to by 1530's feeble sales staff. And several "wild
> goose chases" to sponsors who never materialized. He did
> every endorsement that didn't conflict with the duties of
> his County Auditor office - and every one he was actually
> paid for. Or was that someone else I heard doing those
> Mastershield spots?
>
> And Dan did everything but stand on his head to try and
> create sales opportunites. But the gang that couldn't shoot
> straight never could figure out how to sell anything that
> didn't tag with "Tell 'em Jerry Thomas sent you". Ted
> McAlister's Music Magazine update each morning and the
> afternoon Lost Oldie were never sponsored. They couldn't
> even sell Dusty's longtime Christmas Show, though little
> WNKR in Dry Ridge sold it out for the third straight year.
>
>
> Speaking of sales, how are the left wing loonies now on 1530
> working out for you? The ratings still haven't gotten back
> to what the real oldies left you with, but that's OK for you
> as you're making a buck shilling for Jerry Springer's lame
> program.
>
> Shark
>

 

[Arbitorn]

No one ever said it was all Dusty and Dan's fault. There is enough blame to go around, but that same feeble sales staff has routinely spun gold down the dial with KRC with 10% of the daytime power and a kilowatt to their 50 at night.

I'd love to know what client would be a conflict with the Auditor's office! C'mon, be serious. No one asked him to speak for Larry Flynt! It's not like his daytime job was at a carpet store and they wanted him to hawk Buddy's.

We've all made trips to clients that don't come through, but Dusty flat-out refused to do any endorsements right out of the chute and kept it up until his job was threatened. It's possible he never heard the threat personally, but it was made known to him that he promised he'd do endorsements when they talked to him about doing mornings and after he got the job, he came up with this "conflict" B.S., and that was not acceptable. The sales people are mercenary to a fault - if there's a way to get billing, they'll do whatever it takes. Dusty threw up more roadblocks than the recent paving crew on Red Bank Road.

I'm no fan of Springer on the radio, but as far as just another guy in the hall, he has a tenth of the ego of our Auditor.

Dan may have had world-class ideas about getting Dusty's "Put-the-coffee on, Bubbles" sponsored by Maxwell House, but when sales needed some value added to a buy, Dan was a close second to David Spade in Capital One ads - never say "yes."

Maybe the WDJO blowtorch can attract some of that stellar WNKR sales staff. The daytime signal of the two stations is similar enough. Can't wait to hear those big-city Grant County Drugs jingles on 1160.

 

[NDXUFan]

Dusty was concerned about his public image as an elected official but agreed to do endorsements and did after GM Mike Kenney asked him too. No one "threatened his job". There are number of businesses in conflict with the Auditor's duties, but the only one he had to turn down flat was a home builder's new development. And whatever "roadblocks" he was "throwing up" must not have been around when he was visiting potential clients from one end of town to the other - most of whom never went on the air.

It's easy for a sales staff to "spin gold" from top-rated talk shows like Limbaugh and Hannity
They were all grabbing for the low-hanging fruit on KRC at the expense of 1530. Dan was faced with an impossible task, trying to build a station with a zero promotion budget and a fast buck sales staff that tried to compromise the format at every turn instead of understanding it and supporting it.

I've known Dusty off an on for over 15 years and he's real easy to work with.. Maybe Grant County Drugs would be a good account for the new station. At least those WNKR guys can sell a good product when they have one. Bet the current 1530 staff would gladly take a little "ego" from Springer if he also had some audience ratings to back it up.

Shark

<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by NDXUFan on 02/13/06 09:47 PM.</FONT></P>

 

[NDXUFan]

Yes, it is amazing that an elected official would care about the office and taxpayers that they were elected to protect. By the way, I would rather have Dusty's radio career than just about any other radio personality that I can think of, except for Wolfman Jack or the Real Don Steele. I think it is good to make profits and I am pro-business. Yet, what Springer is doing is dragging our society thru the mud. Ok, I hear that you are saying that I should turn off the television? Well, I hope you will say the very same thing when the looney left left complains about Rush Limbaugh.

Shark

 

[Arbitorn]

By the time Mike Kenney got around to "asking" Dusty to make good on his promise from the prior year, the sales department had had him up to here. Dusty soiled the well, not the other way around. They finally took him around after the initial buzz long ago died and the station failed to materialize. The sales department had to put up with Dusty's ego and he didn't have the ratings you lament are absent from Jerry either.

The sales depratment will take the easy way to the money every time. Who wouldn't? Dusty and Dan made it anything but easy. They stood their ground - did 'em a lot of good, didn't it? They really showed that sales department. Who's still got their jobs? That station was about putting money in the bank, not the resurection of Musicradio on AM.

You don't really think one person asked Dusty to do spots for a homebuilder and he accepted every other approach to endorse, do you? What are you smokin'? He was a pain in the butt.

How many years have you spent in sales? You seem to know how easy it is. When you don't have ratings, you sell results. WSAI had no ratings and got no results. Clients wanted to know their dollars were getting bodies in the door and Dan's zeal to keep the sales department from "compromising the format" was over the top. He wasn't protecting the big dog, he was holding back potential revenue from a flanking station designed to keep WGRR from attacking the FOX from the 70's.

What kind of understanding and support should the sales staff have? You want them at the Farm on New Year's Eve? They knew it was a music-driven format and lots of them successfully sold music formats in their past. Many of them had pain-in-the-butt morning guys and PD's, too, but they had ratings or results to sell in spite of them. It doesn't work the other way around.

 

[Arbitorn]

Dusty's a terrific auditor. I wouldn't vote for anyone against him. But that has nothing to do with radio. His "career" in radio ended in the mid sixties. Since then he's had a hobby - a part-time job at best.

 

[96rocker]

> Dusty's a terrific auditor. I wouldn't vote for anyone
> against him. But that has nothing to do with radio. His
> "career" in radio ended in the mid sixties. Since then he's
> had a hobby - a part-time job at best.
>
And, when he's on the radio, it's a built-in campaign for office, with continuous name recognition. Personally, I think he should concentrate on the job he was elected to do by the voters, and not "double dip" by taking another job.

 

[NDXUFan]

Dusty's a terrific auditor. I wouldn't vote for anyone
against him. But that has nothing to do with radio. His
"career" in radio ended in the mid sixties. Since then he's
had a hobby - a part-time job at best.

Just for the record, Dusty made no "promise" to do endorsements ahead of time. GM Mike Kenney and Dusty discussed and came to an agreement on the issue when it came up during his first weeks at the station, in January 2003 right after the station began the oldies format. Rather than his alleged "ego" you might want to consider the "prima donna" sales staff. It didn't take them long to decide to sabotage the station.

My experience in sales is that you sell the product you are given. Those who "successfully sold music driven formats" must have been hiding under their desks. Instead the KRC-1530 team undercut the oldies from the start, and Pat Berry led the charge to switch to his buddy, Jerry Springer, and the loony left talk format. How easy is the money now? You don't have ratings on 1530, so tell me you're getting results from the pot smoking, baby killing, treasonous types that get off on constant Bush bashing 'round the clock.

Shark

 

[NDXUFan]

> Dusty's a terrific auditor. I wouldn't vote for anyone
> against him. But that has nothing to do with radio. His
> "career" in radio ended in the mid sixties. Since then he's
> had a hobby - a part-time job at best.
>
> Just for the record, Dusty made no "promise" to do
> endorsements ahead of time. GM Mike Kenney and Dusty
> discussed and came to an agreement on the issue when it
> came up during his first weeks at the station, in January
> 2003 right after the station began the oldies format.
> Rather than his alleged "ego" you might want to consider the
> "prima donna" sales staff. It didn't take them long to
> decide to sabotage the station.
>
> My experience in sales is that you sell the product you are
> given. Those who "successfully sold music driven formats"
> must have been hiding under their desks. Instead the
> KRC-1530 team undercut the oldies from the start, and Pat
> Berry led the charge to switch to his buddy, Jerry Springer,
> and the loony left talk format. How easy is the money now?
> You don't have ratings on 1530, so tell me you're getting
> results from the pot smoking, baby killing, treasonous types
> that get off on constant Bush bashing 'round the clock.
>
> Shark

P.S. By the way, you state that Dusty's radio career was over in the mid-60's. Would you care to state what Dusty's ratings were on 103.5? Dusty has been extremely successful in getting individuals that are much younger than the oldies format to listen that brand of music. In the early 90's, when I was in undergraduate school, I was asked by a number of individuals in the Fine Arts performing divison, "Who is that guy that you listen to on Sunday night, God, he is a d*** great jock." In fact, I was told by another oldies listener, who was much younger than the format, that Dusty was a better jock than Dick Clark. I was a huge fan of Q102 in the late 70's and the early 1980's. However, as much as I enjoyed the old Q1O2, they were not even in the same league as Dusty Rhodes. Any jock that can retain a listener for 25 years in radio must be doing something right.

I would take Dusty Rhodes and the old WSAI over any current "modern station."

Shark

 

[ovenmitt]

Personally, I
> think he should concentrate on the job he was elected to do
> by the voters, and not "double dip" by taking another job.
>

Whoa, are you serious? Radio is FUN for Dusty, he does not need "another job." Maybe that's one reason he's good at what he does. I am in my 30's but I love the oldies, especially delivered by Dusty because he obviously loves the music and he loves his "job." Even elected officials have the right to enjoy themselves in their down time, don't they?

 

[96rocker]

> Personally, I
> > think he should concentrate on the job he was elected to
> do
> > by the voters, and not "double dip" by taking another job.
>
> >
>
> Whoa, are you serious? Radio is FUN for Dusty, he does not
> need "another job." Maybe that's one reason he's good at
> what he does. I am in my 30's but I love the oldies,
> especially delivered by Dusty because he obviously loves the
> music and he loves his "job." Even elected officials have
> the right to enjoy themselves in their down time, don't
> they?
>
Enjoying themselves, yes.

Taking collateral employment, no. Especially in his position.

That's my opinion. It's valid. There could be a conflict of interest. If one of his radio clients violates a law and comes under the scrutiny of the auditor's
office, what happens?

 

[Arbitorn]

You've got your story and I have mine. I will not parse "promise" with you. Before the change to oldies, Dusty left management with the impression that endorsements wouldn't be a problem and then became difficult to impossible after the switch. That's from people in the hall then and now - management and sales. If Dusty was ready, waiting and willing to do endorsements, where did so many people get the other idea? With all his energy and Dan's willingness to add value to the sales, how did the "prima donna" sales staff (who are all still there, by the way) sabotage the place? They were anxious to jettison the nostalgia format. Feedback from the music-experienced staff was universal: Dusty was unrealistically full of himself and uncooperative and the rest of the staff had no name recognition for endorsement purposes. Dan Allen was only interested in his own ideas. Anything else was dismissed.

I have to be careful about quoting ratings on this board, so I'll do the best I can: In adults 25-54 for Fall of '05, the sales staff has between 8 and 9 times the audience available from the Fall of '04. It ain't settin the world on fire, but it's an easier sell than the oldies. I'm tellin you, the sales people will do what's best for the clients. That's how they get return business. You can't constantly get new business - return business is critical. Plenty of sales peoople sell country and hate it, sell rock and don't listen to it, sell shoes and go barefoot. To think it was personal is ridiculous. If money was there to be made, they'd have made it. You sell what works. Oldies didn't work.

I agree with you regarding the current content, but the Northside Business Association specifically and many, many other clients are getting terrific results. They know the ads work and they know where their customers heard them.

 

[Arbitorn]

You misunderstand. My point is that Dusty changed careers when he left full-time radio...back when most of us were still watching black and white TVs. Since then, I consider it a hobby or part-time job but not a career. If we differ on the definition, we differ.

I'm happy that since you hold his talents in such high regard, you will have the opportunity to hear Dusty every morning. I am not arguing Dusty's radio abilities. Dusty has a history in radio any of us would be proud of. I have spent many hours listening to him on the air and in person and enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sure he has many faithful fans and hope they find him on 1160. I will enjoy the station very much myself.

My initial point was over the assertion that somehow the sales department in general and Pat Barry in particular, torpedoed the oldies on 1530. The station had a very small audience. The sales department had a difficult time with Dusty and Dan in the beginning of the effort and after their attitudes changed (to whatever degree) the sales staff moved on to a more effective sell for their clients. Who knows if having a separate staff would have made a difference. At that point, you'd have had a hard time finding anyone with any experience to sell WSAI.

When it was obvious to most of us, however regrettably, that Oldies wasn't a long-term use for the signal, Pat DID get behind the current format. The decision to scrap the oldies format happened regardless of his enthusiasm.

 

[NDXUFan]

You misunderstand. My point is that Dusty changed careers
> when he left full-time radio...back when most of us were
> still watching black and white TVs. Since then, I consider
> it a hobby or part-time job but not a career. If we differ
> on the definition, we differ.
>
> I'm happy that since you hold his talents in such high
> regard, you will have the opportunity to hear Dusty every
> morning. I am not arguing Dusty's radio abilities. Dusty has
> a history in radio any of us would be proud of. I have spent
> many hours listening to him on the air and in person and
> enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sure he has many faithful
> fans and hope they find him on 1160. I will enjoy the
> station very much myself.
>
> My initial point was over the assertion that somehow the
> sales department in general and Pat Barry in particular,
> torpedoed the oldies on 1530. The station had a very small
> audience. The sales department had a difficult time with
> Dusty and Dan in the beginning of the effort and after their
> attitudes changed (to whatever degree) the sales staff moved
> on to a more effective sell for their clients. Who knows if
> having a separate staff would have made a difference. At
> that point, you'd have had a hard time finding anyone with
> any experience to sell WSAI.
>
> When it was obvious to most of us, however regrettably, that
> Oldies wasn't a long-term use for the signal, Pat DID get
> behind the current format. The decision to scrap the oldies
> format happened regardless of his enthusiasm.


What it comes down to is the proof is in the performance. And that crackerjack sales staff that now is so happy to have nutcase radio to sell to the "you can come in the back door" type businesses in Northside just didn't perform.

It doesn't matter if Dusty is the worst human being to ever live, he has a terrific Christmas Show that runs on over 100 stations coast-to-coast including WABC in New York. It's been on the air here since 1961, a real Tri-State tradition. And the sales geniuses at 1530 couldn't even sell some Christmas greeting spots on it.

You can keep bad-mouthing Dusty and Dan and the oldies format 'til you're blue in the face. They're a convenient excuse for your failure. Even WNKR in Dry Ridge has sold out Dusty's Christmas Show for three straight years. But the bigtime sales team at 1530 couldn't get it sold. And that says it all.

Shark

 

[NDXUFan]

What it comes down to is the proof is in the performance. And that crackerjack sales staff that now is so happy to have nutcase radio to sell to the "you can come in the back door" type businesses in Northside just didn't perform.

It doesn't matter if Dusty is the worst human being to ever live, he has a terrific Christmas Show that runs on over 100 stations coast-to-coast including WABC in New York. It's been on the air here since 1961, a real Tri-State tradition. And the sales geniuses at 1530 couldn't even sell some Christmas greeting spots on it.

You can keep bad-mouthing Dusty and Dan and the oldies format 'til you're blue in the face. They're a convenient excuse for your failure. Even WNKR in Dry Ridge has sold out Dusty's Christmas Show for three straight years. But the bigtime sales team at 1530 couldn't get it sold. And that says it all.



>You misunderstand. My point is that Dusty changed careers
> when he left full-time radio...back when most of us were
> still watching black and white TVs. Since then, I consider
> it a hobby or part-time job but not a career. If we differ
> on the definition, we differ.
>
> I'm happy that since you hold his talents in such high
> regard, you will have the opportunity to hear Dusty every
> morning. I am not arguing Dusty's radio abilities. Dusty has
> a history in radio any of us would be proud of. I have spent
> many hours listening to him on the air and in person and
> enjoyed every minute of it. I'm sure he has many faithful
> fans and hope they find him on 1160. I will enjoy the
> station very much myself.
>
> My initial point was over the assertion that somehow the
> sales department in general and Pat Barry in particular,
> torpedoed the oldies on 1530. The station had a very small
> audience. The sales department had a difficult time with
> Dusty and Dan in the beginning of the effort and after their
> attitudes changed (to whatever degree) the sales staff moved
> on to a more effective sell for their clients. Who knows if
> having a separate staff would have made a difference. At
> that point, you'd have had a hard time finding anyone with
> any experience to sell WSAI.
>
> When it was obvious to most of us, however regrettably, that
> Oldies wasn't a long-term use for the signal, Pat DID get
> behind the current format. The decision to scrap the oldies
> format happened regardless of his enthusiasm.
>

 

[NDXUFan]

> > Personally, I
> > > think he should concentrate on the job he was elected to
>
> > do
> > > by the voters, and not "double dip" by taking another
> job.
> >
> > >
> >
> > Whoa, are you serious? Radio is FUN for Dusty, he does not
>
> > need "another job." Maybe that's one reason he's good at
> > what he does. I am in my 30's but I love the oldies,
> > especially delivered by Dusty because he obviously loves
> the
> > music and he loves his "job." Even elected officials have
> > the right to enjoy themselves in their down time, don't
> > they?
> >
> Enjoying themselves, yes.
>
> Taking collateral employment, no. Especially in his
> position.
>
> That's my opinion. It's valid. There could be a conflict of
> interest. If one of his radio clients violates a law and
> comes under the scrutiny of the auditor's
> office, what happens?
>

First, having worked for the county government, you have no idea how much double dipping goes on at the government level and it has been going on for years. Second, I hate to inform you, that Dusty is a retired stockbroker and does not "need" to be on the radio. Third, there are alot of conflicts of interest in the real world, look at how much the drug industry is paying physicians, trips, wining, dining, conferences, and huge amounts of money to write drug articles. Fourth, if you want to get in on abuse of taxpayer funds, you might want to take a trip to the county administration building. When you are there, you will notice that you never see the county treasurer in the building, in the morning or in the afternoon, he is working in his law practice. I would never deny an individual the right to make a living, yet, he is being paid for a job where he is never at the office, could you get away with that practice at your job? By the way, I voted for President Bush, so you cannot state that I am a Democrat, because I am not a Democrat. It is wonderful to having a choice in voting for county government that is not a looney left Democrat. Dusty Rhodes and Jerry Luebbers are good Democrats and can be trusted with a public office, unlike some of the Republicans who have been in county power for decades, that is an unhealthy situation, people in public positions that are not accoutable to the voting public. If you dislike what Dusty does in office, vote against him, that is the American way. Yet, you will be in the minority because voters like me will vote for him. I will take a Conservative Democrat against a Liberal Republican every single day of the week and twice on Sunday. I would vote for Steve Driehaus against any Liberal Republican. Regardless of party, I am against excessive government spending.

Shark

 

[96rocker]

> > > Personally, I
> > > > think he should concentrate on the job he was elected
> to
> >
> > > do
> > > > by the voters, and not "double dip" by taking another
> > job.
> > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > Whoa, are you serious? Radio is FUN for Dusty, he does
> not
> >
> > > need "another job." Maybe that's one reason he's good at
>
> > > what he does. I am in my 30's but I love the oldies,
> > > especially delivered by Dusty because he obviously loves
>
> > the
> > > music and he loves his "job." Even elected officials
> have
> > > the right to enjoy themselves in their down time, don't
> > > they?
> > >
> > Enjoying themselves, yes.
> >
> > Taking collateral employment, no. Especially in his
> > position.
> >
> > That's my opinion. It's valid. There could be a conflict
> of
> > interest. If one of his radio clients violates a law and
> > comes under the scrutiny of the auditor's
> > office, what happens?
> >
>
> First, having worked for the county government, you have no
> idea how much double dipping goes on at the government level
> and it has been going on for years. Second, I hate to
> inform you, that Dusty is a retired stockbroker and does not
> "need" to be on the radio. Third, there are alot of
> conflicts of interest in the real world, look at how much
> the drug industry is paying physicians, trips, wining,
> dining, conferences, and huge amounts of money to write drug
> articles. Fourth, if you want to get in on abuse of
> taxpayer funds, you might want to take a trip to the county
> administration building. When you are there, you will
> notice that you never see the county treasurer in the
> building, in the morning or in the afternoon, he is working
> in his law practice. I would never deny an individual the
> right to make a living, yet, he is being paid for a job
> where he is never at the office, could you get away with
> that practice at your job? By the way, I voted for
> President Bush, so you cannot state that I am a Democrat,
> because I am not a Democrat. It is wonderful to having a
> choice in voting for county government that is not a looney
> left Democrat. Dusty Rhodes and Jerry Luebbers are good
> Democrats and can be trusted with a public office, unlike
> some of the Republicans who have been in county power for
> decades, that is an unhealthy situation, people in public
> positions that are not accoutable to the voting public. If
> you dislike what Dusty does in office, vote against him,
> that is the American way. Yet, you will be in the minority
> because voters like me will vote for him. I will take a
> Conservative Democrat against a Liberal Republican every
> single day of the week and twice on Sunday. I would vote
> for Steve Driehaus against any Liberal Republican.
> Regardless of party, I am against excessive government
> spending.
>
> Shark
>

First of all, I didn't say Dusty was doing a bad job as an auditor. I voted for him, too.

Second of all, I am against any full-time elected official double dipping, not just Dusty. In larger cities and counties, many of them get paid enough. I worked with Dusty's son, Brian, and I talked to Dusty a few times on the phone. He seems like a decent person.

I don't know how you connected the dots in your response to my post, but I don't dislike Dusty as the auditor. And I don't dislike him on the air. I also don't wish him or the other guys at 1160 any ill will. I just think starting an oldies station on AM in the current radio climate is a very risky proposition.