Is 99.5 The Bear, in Hub City, dead?

[DMcCloy]

My question is: Where do the older listeners that were fond of Rick and Jane and the older country tunes go? Blake FM says proudly they play new country, as does KLLL. 105.3 is playing the Texas stuff, so what happens to that big older listener base? KSSL? KJDL AM? From what I've heard they made up a significant part of KQBR's listener block.

 

[DG]

I was merely sharing what I had been told. Now, does that mean it's true? No. Like I said, I have HEARD they were bringing on local talent.

Fair enough Crow!

 

[DG]

My question is: Where do the older listeners that were fond of Rick and Jane and the older country tunes go? Blake FM says proudly they play new country, as does KLLL. 105.3 is playing the Texas stuff, so what happens to that big older listener base? KSSL? KJDL AM? From what I've heard they made up a significant part of KQBR's listener block.

Good question DMcCloy. I couldn't begin to guess where the older fans of R&J will end up.

I did hear through a mutual friend that Rick is "looking around". Evidently he received some sort of severance/settlement that will continue for a few months, but after that, who knows? I assume that Jane received a similar deal. Rick is doing PA calls for TTU Athletics. He's been working the crowd at Tech Baseball, but that certainly cannot replace the lost radio income.
:-\

 

[rockchicktx]

My question is: Where do the older listeners that were fond of Rick and Jane and the older country tunes go? Blake FM says proudly they play new country, as does KLLL. 105.3 is playing the Texas stuff, so what happens to that big older listener base? KSSL? KJDL AM? From what I've heard they made up a significant part of KQBR's listener block.

Well that would be the least desirable demo....25-54s where it's at.

 

[DMcCloy]

Well that would be the least desirable demo....25-54s where it's at.

No doubt about that. I merely bring that up because that was a big part of their overall numbers. Their 12+ will likely suffer if they lose that big listening block. And, they have to compete for the 25-54 from KLLL and 105.3.

 

[cspotrun]

My question is: Where do the older listeners that were fond of Rick and Jane and the older country tunes go? Blake FM says proudly they play new country, as does KLLL. 105.3 is playing the Texas stuff, so what happens to that big older listener base? KSSL? KJDL AM? From what I've heard they made up a significant part of KQBR's listener block.[/quote]
Good question DMcCloy. I couldn't begin to guess where the older fans of R&J will end up.
I did hear through a mutual friend that Rick is "looking around". Evidently he received some sort of severance/settlement that will continue for a few months, but after that, who knows? I assume that Jane received a similar deal. Rick is doing PA calls for TTU Athletics. He's been working the crowd at Tech Baseball, but that certainly cannot replace the lost radio income.
:-\
the older listeners for classic country might go to 1420/94.1 walker's
stations.... i doubt if there's any money for someone looking for a "Living Salary" IF they were hiring, its on the bird except for dave doing the mornings. The small severence/settlement R&J got is most likely tied to an agreement NOT to take them to court, and also the non-compete, GREAT for Townsquare, probably not really so much for them. considering they fired 3 of the oldest employees left over there.

 

[Ash]

For people supposedly 'in the know' in the radio business, you somehow missed that 99.5 is advertising for a p.d., or what Townsquare calls a 'brand manager'. You guys are also missing that this is also a pretty good 'at work' type of format. They could really steal the a/c position on the dial since mixx decided to compete with 102 instead of stay put.

 

[cspotrun]

For people supposedly 'in the know' in the radio business, you somehow missed that 99.5 is advertising for a p.d., or what Townsquare calls a 'brand manager'. You guys are also missing that this is also a pretty good 'at work' type of format. They could really steal the a/c position on the dial since mixx decided to compete with 102 instead of stay put.

i'm guessin' the reason YOU'RE in the know IS you might work over at Townsqare because i've seen no opening advertised for a PD @99.5 Lubbock, if they are, the AD is anonymous. looking at Folger's website the format "BLAKE" is rather rigid and is pretty much CONTROLLED by the syndicator, so if they hire a PD i imagine they are looking for someone to take orders, for a cookie cutter format, after all the playlist is picked out of market, along with the imaging, that person will essentially be a GRUNT. and for those who seek this kind of job, well, whatever.

 

[DMcCloy]

For people supposedly 'in the know' in the radio business, you somehow missed that 99.5 is advertising for a p.d., or what Townsquare calls a 'brand manager'. You guys are also missing that this is also a pretty good 'at work' type of format. They could really steal the a/c position on the dial since mixx decided to compete with 102 instead of stay put.

I don't generally agree with "WhoDat," but in this case he seems like he may be on to something. You make it sure seem like you're a Townsquare employee. You still seem to think that hiring one person for Blake FM makes up for the three they fired. Is there anything this new PD will do that Kidd Manning couldn't have done? The Blake FM in Amarillo doesn't do much. He does remotes and such. I was up in Amarillo on a sales call for my company back in March and I stopped by a Blake FM remote and talked to the guy for a bit. If that's what they're looking for here, the new person's job will be to babysit the music schedule and automation system, do commercials, and remotes for an otherwise jockless format. He may be 'on the air,' but in no real significant way.

 

[cspotrun]

For people supposedly 'in the know' in the radio business, you somehow missed that 99.5 is advertising for a p.d., or what Townsquare calls a 'brand manager'. You guys are also missing that this is also a pretty good 'at work' type of format. They could really steal the a/c position on the dial since mixx decided to compete with 102 instead of stay put.

I don't generally agree with "WhoDat," but in this case he seems like he may be on to something. You make it sure seem like you're a Townsquare employee. You still seem to think that hiring one person for Blake FM makes up for the three they fired. Is there anything this new PD will do that Kidd Manning couldn't have done? The Blake FM in Amarillo doesn't do much. He does remotes and such. I was up in Amarillo on a sales call for my company back in March and I stopped by a Blake FM remote and talked to the guy for a bit. If that's what they're looking for here, the new person's job will be to babysit the music schedule and automation system, do commercials, and remotes for an otherwise jockless format. He may be 'on the air,' but in no real significant way.

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING a new PD on BLAKEFM will do vs KIDD MANNING.........WORK FOR A LOT LESS MONEY...

 

[radioezp]

The Bear is dead. KLLL finally eliminates one of the 300 country competitors in the Lubbock market. I was shocked to see so many out of work jocks trolling these boards putting down good people. We know their are people in this market that have jobs that you want. Lesson learned is prove yourself worthy otherwise you will be fired. There are too many bitter people on this board that wish that they could do the job. Do they try and get a job or come on boards and fail to show their superior knowledge? I graduated from Tech hoping for a job but there wasn't one for me.

God Bless to those who have lost their job and continued prayers to those who have to come home to their families probably in tears because they knew how bad it is.

I wish Rick, Jane and Kidd good luck in finding jobs in this impossible job market. I've moved back to Houston with my boyfriend because I couldn't find a gig anywhere. I hope they find jobs soon.

 

[cspotrun]

i was just thinkin', if you take all the people that have been fired over there in the past 5 years, you could staff Several radio stations around here with alot of GREAT people, but most have moved on, given up on radio & found another way to make a living. sad isn't it?

 

[Ash]

I am amazed at the spoiled brats on this board. Acting like a gig in radio that doesn't give you enough air time isn't a good enough job for you. It's still a job in radio. It's not sacking groceries and it's not working on the highways. So what if you don't get much 'airtime'? Maybe the reason you're on the bench instead of on the radio is because you let your ego's get in the way of the product. And guess what? Sean Dillion is on the radio and you're not. That's right, the guy you all made fun of has a better and more fun job than you. Sean Dillions worst day on the radio is better than your best day acting high and mighty on the internet. Maybe the reason you, and others aren't on the radio is because, talent or not, you don't know who to get results. Also, those people on 99.5, how long did they have to try to get that station going (I don't know, I don't listen to country)? Seems to me that radio company kept them on working welfare for a few years, since they had plenty of time to make a splash and didn't. And maybe that company has to cut back because it paid those people all those years, or maybe they just thought it was the best format choice? Quit pretending you know ANYTHING about the radio business if you think a job opening 'isn't good enough".

 

[Kent]

While I would agree with you that it's not up to other people to judge whether or not someone should be happy with their job, I disagree that any radio job should be good enough for everyone. The radio job I left 8 years ago next month went from a dream job to a nightmare after an ownership change and a new manager who resembled the Kevin Spacey character in Horrible Bosses.

Within two months of the ownership change, I went from an on-air position to an off-air one that required me to work until midnight only to have to be back in before 6 AM the next day to help with the morning show two days a week. The schedule was grueling and flat miserable. I would've gladly gone to bagging groceries and taken the pay raise that came with it!

It didn't end up coming to that as I took a job with the state that paid $10,000/year more two months later and got to do part-time radio at the competition about two months later. However, those last two months at that cluster were easily some of the worst two months of my life. So, no, I don't think every radio job is great for everyone. They found someone to work my old shift, but it wasn't anybody with any experience. It might have been a good fit for her as she just wanted to get her foot in the door, but it definitely wasn't for me! If that makes me a spoiled brat, so be it. I'm now out of radio working in IT for a major university and teaching computer programming courses every now-and-then. I can't imagine going back to full-time radio!

 

[Ash]

I understand your points...my was that in radio you're not going to get buried alive, shot, fall off a building, sweat in the son for ten hours a day and so on...I'm sure there are extreme situations out there in every business, but in radio the toughest thing is how you deal with it mentally and if you can find a way to get over the pricks, it's a pretty easy job.