Hysterical

[mistermicrophone]

Kestral:

You have so missed the point it is, quite frankly, embarrassing. 90% of every employee of the all new BlueBerry Broadcasting reads these boards. 100% have some semblance of a brain.

They ALL KNOW that if you work for Citadel, Cumulus, Portland Radio Group, Nassau, etc what a domain name looks like for a professional company. They also know what it looks like for a real Mom and Pop, don't spend a nickel, organization.

It is a HUGE, HUGE mistake for a new company to come in with a no attention to what is a very important detail. Perception is 100% reality. Blueberry is making a monumental mistake. I don't think they even realize how many sales reps of every level are trying to get out. Bruce Biette certainly doesn't have a clue; if he did he would have a panic attack.

This has NOTHING to do with Gmail and what is does or doesn't offer. It has 100% to do with the perception that "were cheap as hell bastards and we're going to operate these stations the same way we operated our other stations before" (Mariner Broadcasting).

And guess what.......the cheapness is clearly coming across to every employee.

Every current "Blueberry" employee will know exactly what lies in front of them based upon the instruction manual given to them on how to set up a gmail account.

Hahahahahaha!! If it's the big deal you seem to make it, how come no respones - nil, zero, zilch, zip - back your original post.

I the same paragraph you say "It is a HUGE, HUGE mistake for a new company to come in with a no attention to what is a very important detail. Perception is 100% reality. Blueberry is making a monumental mistake.", followed by "I don't think they even realize how many sales reps of every level are trying to get out. Bruce Biette certainly doesn't have a clue; if he did he would have a panic attack." So are you saying the sales reps are leaving because the bosses have paid no attention to "a very important detail"? That detail, of course being, the bosses using gmail.

You are right, perception IS reality...and the perception is...you're making an issue out of NOTHING.

 

[adbuyer1]

HUH?

Are you completely stupid? Are you saying the only people who read these posts, respond? This post ALONE has 1449 page views!!!!!!

Look at the number of page views on any post on this board. On any board. Then look at the number of people who have posted. The page views are significantly greater than any post.

You're logic is completely stupid and embarrassing. I am sorry to be so blunt and direct but what you are saying... the number of posts determines the number of people reading it...and who those people are.

You post is idiotic. WOW.

 

[Biff Barfington]

100% of the people who read and participate in these boards probably don't make up one half of one percent of the general population (ie: listeners). Its those listeners who Bruce & Lou & Jack should be most concerned with, now and forever.

Its not the biggest gaffe in the world for new owners to put off setting up proper email accounts, web sites, etc. Very few if any of us can fully appreciate just how complicated station acquisitions can be. Cut them a little slack, for cryin' out loud.

There's an old Spanish expression that's appropriate for all the carping generated by this thread. I wish I could remember it in its native tongue, it sounded quite eloquent. Loosely translated it states "So much farting for such little s#&%".

 

[adbuyer1]

Biff Boy:

This has nothing to do about the listeners and never has. What is has to do with is the 90% of EMPLOYEES for said company who DO read these boards; especially when there is a new ownership.

While your effort is commendable, it"s ridiculous. In the year 2008, when a new company does not even have a corporate domain name - email addresses, etc; it speaks VOLUMES about the operation to come. In the year 2008 you are completely foolish to assume anything else.

The key is:

This is 2008
Come to the table prepared an ready to go.
Making excuses is embarrassing and makes the problem worse.
It takes no effort, in this case, to have established the domain of blueberry.com and approriate email addresses.
The EMPLOYEES remaining are astute enough to realize that gmail.com spells a problem to come.

It is a HUGE GAFFE. HUGE.

 

[LouBertoni]

If so, it's a quick smart solution.

No it's not Lou.

Of course it is...it's quick, reliable (and smart) solution.

It's indicative of a company either unprepared, lazy or too cheap to simply set up a proper domain name and email addresses.

No, it's indicative of a company that has higher priorities.

This is just sour grapes on your part.

On the list of things to judge a broadcaster on....their "domain name" means nothing.

It will not affect their listeners....nor will it affect their revenue.

Don't be petty. If you know anything about broadcasting, find a real issue to criticize them about.

 

[Biff Barfington]

Tune back in late next week. I'll wager the "problem" will have been adjudicated by then. And not because of the hue and cry from this thread.

 

[Mainedude2007]

Tune back in late next week. I'll wager the "problem" will have been adjudicated by then. And not because of the hue and cry from this thread.

the joy of the internet is you can hide behind any name

but you sound like a blueberry cheerleader employee, so who exactly are you? Jack or Bruce?

 

[Biff Barfington]

National Security would definately be compromised with the release of that information. Suffice it to say I have no stake in Blueberry beyond wishing some old friends good luck in their new endeavors.

 

[mistermicrophone]

HUH?

Are you completely stupid? Are you saying the only people who read these posts, respond? This post ALONE has 1449 page views!!!!!!

Look at the number of page views on any post on this board. On any board. Then look at the number of people who have posted. The page views are significantly greater than any post.

You're logic is completely stupid and embarrassing. I am sorry to be so blunt and direct but what you are saying... the number of posts determines the number of people reading it...and who those people are.

You post is idiotic. WOW.

HUH?? First of all, my point was that of all the people who posted on this thread, NONE of them agree with you. I'll say it a little slower for you to understand...no one that has responded agrees with you, ok? It had NOTHING to with views vs. posts...when did I say that??????? This was just your failed attempt to twist my post into something that it's not. Nice try, though.

Second, since you brought up LOGIC, when you say this: "Are you saying the only people who read these posts, respond?" (even though it has NOTHING to do with my post as I just pointed out), logically, the answer to your question is YES. If someone didn't read the post, how could they respond? Although with your response to my post, one could argue that you didn't read what I wrote before responding, but I digress.

 

[LouBertoni]

Kestral:

It is a HUGE, HUGE mistake for a new company to come in with a no attention to what is a very important detail.

Huge! Huge, you say? How will a domain name affect revenue and/or audience levels?


You sound like sour grapes. Did they fire you...or just not hire you?

 

[adbuyer1]

Lou:

Considering you seem to be new to these boards, please keep in mind that most of us have been here for years and have never been employed by your current or former company.

We do however have deep contacts, among those who remain, within your new company.

While we'll all see where your listeners stand some time in February, we do know that the revenues have dropped substantially at the new company.

Of course, if you're not with Blueberry, then you won't actually care about the revenue now would you?

Unfortunately, you have a company with absolutley no loyalty to the new owners, so these revenue numbers are quite common place

 

[Ozman]

Lou,
If it is you: pm me I would like. I would love to give you suggestions about TOS that I have gotten from a few people. and Pleeeze,,, pleeeze I understand something like "roll your own" was not appropriate for radio if you would like to see me as a listener of TOS you have to expand the playlist a bit or get more listener interaction like an all request hour back. It is listenable now however not as much due to the fact that it looks like you are using the method of "people only listen 20 min a day on average". times have changed with satellite radio available and I would hate to see every rocker in Maine be on satellite radio because they could not hear their Manson, Jackyl, Megadeath, pantera etc just to name a few at of many bands. Even if this was only in the late evening and overnight (off regular biling hours and arbitron I could understand. look at 3 examples lazer 99.3 Waaf, 107.3 and the rock 106.9 WCCC in CT. I find myself not wanting to listen to TOS because of the lack of enthusasm and being able to guess what might be next.
this is just my suggestions and my personal opinion. other opinions will vary I am sure and remeber this is just IMHO
that is all
-OZ

Kestral:

It is a HUGE, HUGE mistake for a new company to come in with a no attention to what is a very important detail.

Huge! Huge, you say? How will a domain name affect revenue and/or audience levels?


You sound like sour grapes. Did they fire you...or just not hire you?

 

[mistermicrophone]

Lou:

Considering you seem to be new to these boards, please keep in mind that most of us have been here for years and have never been employed by your current or former company.

We do however have deep contacts, among those who remain, within your new company.

While we'll all see where your listeners stand some time in February, we do know that the revenues have dropped substantially at the new company.

Of course, if you're not with Blueberry, then you won't actually care about the revenue now would you?

Unfortunately, you have a company with absolutley no loyalty to the new owners, so these revenue numbers are quite common place

Classic Adbuyer move...I do believe you dodged Lou's question. How does the DOMIAN affect ratings or revenue??

You're the one who spoke of logic a few posts back...GIVE US YOUR LOGIC AND ANSWER LOU'S QUESTION!!!!!!!!!

 

[radiothis!]

I hate to throw my gauntlet into this mess, since it ain't my fight. But I do work in online media integration--and I'm constantly appalled at how little radio management folks understand about the "magical" internet.

The rules haven't changed--just the medium.

Image is everything.

If you took over a rock station, you would prove you were a moron if you dropped the hot, heavy imaging and replaced it with some guy off the street reading your call letters in a stumbling voice into a crappy consumer tape recorder. In other words, you would never ditch professional quality imaging and replace it with tin-can and string production.

Why? Because imaging gives you an "image".

Internet is the same way. Gmail is great. I use Gmail for my personal email all the time. But when it comes to my work as a professional, dealing with clients, I use my professional, personal-domain email address. (i.e. [email protected] -- not my real address)

Why? Because the image I'm looking to portray is one of professionalism. Anyone can have a gmail account. Only a pro has a personalized domain email address.

You are fooling yourself if you believe the average fella on the street doesn't care. Ages 6-100 are on the internet these days--and the vast majority of us know the difference between a free email account and a domain specific email account.

Radio stations need to get with the program. Your website is the most powerful tool you have...and not just for streaming. Work to get the rights to podcast your work. At the very least, stream repeats of specialized programming. Post your playlists. Have your hosts create blogs. Make listeners feel like they NEED to see your website (remember "appointment listening", same thing, except more a 24/7 concept). And then sell cool, creative ads on the page. Hire a damn graphic artist.

Do I sound a little annoyed? Yes. I'm not sure the intentions of the starter of this thread were fair. Maybe he just has something against Blueberry. But the overall point is a good one: why do radio execs refuse to acknowledge the importance of an online image? Just having a "pretty" website isn't enough folks. You need content that's at least as exciting as what you provide on the radio. You need an online image that exudes professionalism and a sense of purpose and commitment.

Sigh,
radiothis!

 

[adbuyer1]

Mr Microphone:

Without reiterating what has just been posted I will tell you why.

GMAIL is NOT a "smart" solution as Lou claims. It is a bandaid, duct tape, and a very DUMB solution at that because of the immediate impression and perception it give to A) employees of the company and B) advertisers of the company. That perception is of being unprepared to operate a company.

Keep in mind, this is not about "broadcasting", this is about the first impression a new business entity is giving it employees and business community.

There is no axe to grind against Blueberry. There is an axe to grind when such common sense business operations are not just bush-league; but defended as being "smart solutions"

 

[mistermicrophone]

Mr Microphone:

Without reiterating what has just been posted I will tell you why.

GMAIL is NOT a "smart" solution as Lou claims. It is a bandaid, duct tape, and a very DUMB solution at that because of the immediate impression and perception it give to A) employees of the company and B) advertisers of the company. That perception is of being unprepared to operate a company.

Keep in mind, this is not about "broadcasting", this is about the first impression a new business entity is giving it employees and business community.

There is no axe to grind against Blueberry. There is an axe to grind when such common sense business operations are not just bush-league; but defended as being "smart solutions"

The most important thing that Blueberry can do is get results for their clients via THEIR RADIO STATIONS. I highly doubt that anyone will not advertise based upon a gmail email address alone, to think otherwise is, IMO, ridiculous. If they deliver results, they can communicate with their clients via homing pigeons, it doesn't matter. Although, you never did address the issue of the evil gmail having a negative affect on the ratings.

As for radiothis's post about websites, I agree 100% that a station should have a website that is an extension of the brand based on presentation and attitude. But, I am also a realist and I know that less than .05% of listeners will stop listening to a station based on their website alone.

So, what's a brand new company to do? Make their priority their most important assets, their signals. I thinks it's safe to assume that in due time there will be a web initiative by Blueberry, an initiative that will compliment the radio stations while generating revenue.

 

[grover]

Hello
Since I work for "BLUEBERRY BROADCASTING" on a contracter Basis for IMAGE work at KISS 94.5
I received an E-MAIL TODAY!
They Have BLUEBERRY BROADCASTING E-mail NOW!
Their Just getting Started!!!
Give them a Chance! They Will do Well Locally!!
So this Whole Converstation I guess is DONE!

 

[slipqueue]

Joe, it was over when it started. Nothing wrong with managers using temporary email accounts until email and web servers can be set up and configured. Personally, I would have chosen shorter addresses, but that's just me. The top priority for them should be the on-air product, so that's obviously where they started. Sure, they didn't seem to have deemed getting their domain registered as important, but it looks like they have it in place now.

As far as the WEEI simulcast, I can do without it and prefer WZON over the right-wing nuttery that goes on in the morning at EEI.

 

[popman]

It speaks of preparation, when you do an air shift you prepare when you go on a sales call you prepare
When you take over a company you prepare you make sure the phones are working you make sure the faxes are working and you make sure the Internet is working as of the cut off date. That's taking care of business
Talk to a Blueberry employee and ask if business was taken care of!

 

[grover]

Mr POPMAN
My Negative Friend
Your MOST Likely UN-EMPLOYED from RADIO????
Like Me....I believe you would LOVE the Chance
to Work for BLUEBERRY BROADCASTING
I WOULD!
They Will do really Well
you Watch!!
Your Like BATMAN/SUPERMAN/SPIDERMAN
with your POPMAN SECRET IDENTITY!!
UP UP and Away!!
Joe Mc Millan