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Is the WLUP GM A Horse's Patoo?

I was just reading the story of the weekend jock Cara being fired by The Loop after remarks to the Sun-Times.

Now,I know absolutely nothing of the total circumstances, have never heard her on the air (she could be as talentless as they allege) but the quotes from the GM show no class whatsoever. I have no axe to grind here as I know absolutely none of the parties involved. It's just a creepy story to read without background.

Here's what Radio & Records wrote this week, note the content of her remarks about unemployed radio personalities in Chicago are flame-free:

Loop Jock Fired Over Sun-Times Letter
Oct. 05, 2006
By Mike Boyle

Emmis heritage rock WLUP (the Loop)/Chicago personality Cara Carriveau, who last March left her midday slot to devote more time to her family but remained at the station as a part-timer, was fired this week after comments she made about the Chicago radio business in a letter to columnist Robert Feder’s Chicago Sun-Times reader mail.

"It's unbelievable how many Chicago radio icons are not currently on the air in this town," Carriveau wrote. "It's amazing that we can no longer flip through the dial and hear Mancow, John Landecker, Fred Winston, Dick Biondi, Bobby Skafish, among many others. My heart goes out to those talented personalities, and I am empathetic to the many disappointed listeners. This situation is sad. Very, very sad."

Marv Nyren, WLUP’s VP/GM told Feder that Carriveau’s letter was "the last straw" in a series of other incidents he did not elaborate on.

"I don't think Cara is a fan of what's happening here," Nyren added, telling the columnist, "I have no problem with my people talking to you, but I want to have people here who believe in our industry and believe what we're doing is right."

Nyren further stated that he and program director Tim Dukes believed "more talented" people than Carriveau deserved opportunities for part-time positions at the Loop.

That list of people includes Jeff "Turd" Renzetti, who was a sidekick to syndicated morning host Mancow Muller, formerly on crosstown alternative sister WKQX (Q101). Renzetti will be getting his audition for the open part-time gig on Saturday (Oct. 7) from 2 a.m.-5 a.m.

"I'm a big fan of Turd," Nyren told Feder.

Defending her position to the columnist, Carriveau, who started at the Loop in 1998 after stints at crosstown WTMX and the former WRCX, said she "did not speak negatively about any person or company."

The Sun-Times also reports that Carriveau's case has caught the attention of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the union representing broadcasters.

"We are investigating the situation, and we are in communication with the company's attorneys," said Eileen Willenborg, executive director of AFTRA's Chicago local.

Soooo, why did the Turd-loving GM take such a low road? Even if she was a colossal pain in the you-know-what. Anyone? Inquiring minds from way out of the market would like to know.
 
So much for freedom of speech!Does WLUP broadcast from Chicago or the mountain's of Pakistan?Firing Cara just prove's her point.They should change there call letter's to"WIMP"!
 
ROCKMEISTER said:
So much for freedom of speech!Does WLUP broadcast from Chicago or the mountain's of Pakistan?Firing Cara just prove's her point.They should change there call letter's to"WIMP"!


Unfortunately in Illinois and many other states you can be fired for what you do "off the clock." and that includes what you say. If I were to write a similar letter to our local paper my boss could fire me too and there would be nothing I could do about it. Not saying I agree with it but those are the joys of living in a right to work state.
 
zman said:
ROCKMEISTER said:
So much for freedom of speech!Does WLUP broadcast from Chicago or the mountain's of Pakistan?Firing Cara just prove's her point.They should change there call letter's to"WIMP"!


Unfortunately in Illinois and many other states you can be fired for what you do "off the clock." and that includes what you say. If I were to write a similar letter to our local paper my boss could fire me too and there would be nothing I could do about it. Not saying I agree with it but those are the joys of living in a right to work state.
What are you talking about? Illinois is NOT (and never has been) a right to work state. Not with as many unions that there are in the city of Chicago (and many other parts of the state). Places like: Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Nevada are right to work states, not Illinois. Where are you getting your information from?
Also, I don't agree that she shouldn't have been let go because of some open letter. It isn't like she defamed Emmis Communications, she just stated an opinion. So since she is in a UNION, she CAN fight.
There isn't Union presence in a right to work state, trust me I know, I used to live in a right to work state, Arizona.
But Illinois, that is just inaccurate. Especially as union of an area Chicago is.
 
Also, if you don't believe me about me about Illinois, go to www.nrtw.org and it gives a list of right to work states and Illinois isn't one of them.
 
AFTRA.....PAHLEASE

They don't do anything...AT ALL...except take your dues and provide a sorry ass health plan

If you are thinking the union will save the day...think again...The union almost lost WLUP...they won't piss them off!
 
Hamp said:
zman said:
ROCKMEISTER said:
So much for freedom of speech!Does WLUP broadcast from Chicago or the mountain's of Pakistan?Firing Cara just prove's her point.They should change there call letter's to"WIMP"!


Unfortunately in Illinois and many other states you can be fired for what you do "off the clock." and that includes what you say. If I were to write a similar letter to our local paper my boss could fire me too and there would be nothing I could do about it. Not saying I agree with it but those are the joys of living in a right to work state.
What are you talking about? Illinois is NOT (and never has been) a right to work state. Not with as many unions that there are in the city of Chicago (and many other parts of the state). Places like: Arizona, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Nevada are right to work states, not Illinois. Where are you getting your information from?
Also, I don't agree that she shouldn't have been let go because of some open letter. It isn't like she defamed Emmis Communications, she just stated an opinion. So since she is in a UNION, she CAN fight.
There isn't Union presence in a right to work state, trust me I know, I used to live in a right to work state, Arizona.
But Illinois, that is just inaccurate. Especially as union of an area Chicago is.


My mistake. I was looking at Iowa and not Illinois. I looked at that same site before I posted and just looked at the wrong state on the map. When you have bad eyesight like I do reading the wrong thing sometimes happens. No need to jump down my throught, mistakes happen.

I agree she should not have been fired for her statements and if she did not work for a unionized station she could be fired for any reason. Fortunatly for her she is coverd by a union and should get her job back. The question is, would she want it back. Would you want to go back to a place that would pull something like that? I immagine that would be an unpleasent
experience.

Again, I do appologize for my misread. I'll just have to be more carfeful.
 
It's too bad that Emmis felt that it was necessary to fire her. It seems to me that that they were looking for an excuse or at least an example to make.

For all we know, there is a pending civil suit worming it's way with one of these guys. Let's face in, the industry is now run by the "suits".
 
AFTRA. Unions. Telegraph. Whale oil lamps. All were helpful at one time but now are relics of the past.

johuxm said:
AFTRA.....PAHLEASE

They don't do anything...AT ALL...except take your dues and provide a sorry ass health plan

If you are thinking the union will save the day...think again...The union almost lost WLUP...they won't piss them off!
 
Here's the bottom line. The radio market as we know it is crashing due to lack of personality and commercial pricing. The pansy ass GM's and PD's are all "by the book" kinda guys. They have no originality or marketing skills whatsoever! They were not talented enough to be on the air so they went into programming and gave themselves a timeslot on the air to justify how much they really do suck! So all you PD's reading this. Yes, you really do suck on the air.

Now, where was I. Ok, as for Cara, whom I know quite well. She was not the best, nor the worst by far. But, she was a part-timer. And part-timers get the raw end of the deal. If the heat is on the PD a part-timer is the 1st to go. Bottom line. Management in radio has no balls and we will soon see radio as we know it fail.

Go Sirius!!
 
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