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Jack Morning Drive

R

Radknowski

With Howard getting closer to his exit date, what local jock might Infinity hire to do to morning drive at Buffalo's Jack-FM?

There are a number of qualified personalities who could fit into a music intensive morning show. Some already are gainfully employed elsewhere, but Infinity could kill two birds with one stone by hiring them: Jim McGee, Don Berns, Cindy Chan, Mike Bensson, Adam 12, Jim Pastrick, Keith Luke, even Anita West.

Any thoughts?
 
The Jack morning show will most likely continue to be coast to coast. Infinity is pinching pennies right now.
Perhaps after a station sale, a local morning show will surface...Then they could hire Pete Berini...? (I think he's busy doing news theese days, instead of music radio, at another station though.)<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
...the following, as credited are more than qualified:
Jim McGee, Don Berns,(esp dr trance : ), Cindy Chan, Mike Bensson, Adam 12,
Jim Pastrick, Keith Luke, even Anita West. etc, etc..

>>Any thoughts?
Well, some of those..may be tricky to land, due to contract obligations now,
but $$ talks !! right now, it's a tough call..because if the station goes, or
follows a 'howard' approach, some of the above are ideal choices; while
others are obviously not..same with the concept of 'family'(well, not
janet and nic family')..but more like whtt/star1025 family..then,
a duo may be better...

but knowing infiniti..they will most likely,
reduce some one's career, by not letting them do anything..
and just say some thing like
-
"...it's the jack-FM morning guy, Jack, and i have the weather and traffic"
"...jack told me today, it will be sunny, low 80s..etc,etc"

or "better" yet, syndicate some crap ( a la, craig and company..although,
they weren't always 'crap')...and just plug in morning/local *Voice*..
not ever having the talent give his name..and provide the traffic/weather..

or one up that one, and have the syndicated show give their own traffic..
and come off sounding out of touch...

"...traffic today on rte 384 is congested, also there is an accident
to report at us-62, and route 429.."

-what would be awesome...but they wont do it - is have open tryouts!!
make it absurdly clear they are looking for peep's..some of the best,
may show their stuff!! if nothing else, 92.9 will have alot of options..
and air the demo's on air..saying in the jack voice.."This is all we
had to choose from, you think you are better, prove it"

but...it's infiniti- it will be probably be just as exciting signing
off and saving the pennies, from not running the transmitter from
6am(est) to 10am...
 
> The Jack morning show will most likely continue to be coast
> to coast. Infinity is pinching pennies right now.
> Perhaps after a station sale, a local morning show will
> surface...Then they could hire Pete Berini...? (I think he's
> busy doing news theese days, instead of music radio, at
> another station though.)
>

You'll excuse the question, but "who the hell is Pete Berini?" Sounds like a decent guy, but the name isn't exactly recognizable in Buffalo and we are afterall, talking aboot Buffalo Jack @ 92.9.

After Howard splits, the Jack morning show will likely be music intensive, with localized personality, news, weather, traffic and sports. I don't hear syndication, nor do I hear Brother Wease filling the gap in Buffalo.

Jack needs a morning show that fits the format, complements the rest of the radio station and appeals to 25-49 year olds who want "Jack music" in the morning and a personality who could relate to the center of that target demo. Berns would be ideal, although he may be a little long in the tooth in Infinity's eyes. McGee did a good job at Alice. Bensson and Pastrick have solid reputations and are recognizable in the market for their work on The Fox and The Bear; 97 Rock and WHTT respectively.

As gender- biased as this sounds (it's not intended), I don't hear a woman playing a big role in the morning show, perhaps as a sidekicks like like the women on WJYE and WHTT, doing news or special features.

The morning show prototype might be the very successful Dale Mussen and Clay Moden on WYRK.
 
My guess.......

....even though it might not seem to fit the format, but then again what does! I wouldn't be surprised to see Brother Wease again. It's too easy just to plug that show in since it is in the Infinity family.

I really think it's about doing whatever is easiest and not spending a lot of $$$ to roll the dice. If you look around the country air personalities are not a big part of the format.


As a sidebar, in response to element_nines post, I wonder what would happen if you created an "non-personality" morning show;

1) music-intensive

2) A quick news update at the top and possibly bottom of the hour

3) A 30 second traffic and weather update every fifteen minutes from 6 to 9.


That's it!
 
Re: My guess.......

> ....even though it might not seem to fit the format, but
> then again what does! I wouldn't be surprised to see Brother
> Wease again. It's too easy just to plug that show in since
> it is in the Infinity family.

People keep calling Wease and telling him they miss him in Buffalo. They ask him when he's going to return. He always answers maybe soon. If his health continues to improve (I hope it does) I'll bet he'll be back on WBUF.
>
 
One thing I know for sure is that Don Berns and Jim Pastrick wouldn't be interested. I probably shouldn't speak for them, but from what I've heard, Don is very happy doing his alternative music thing in Toronto. And why on earth would Jim leave WHTT, where he's got a decent midday gig on a highly rated radio station, for WBUF? Yes, money talks. But there are other factors, including job security, that would make such a move highly unlikely. I'm sure both Don and Jim, who read this board, are probably amused by the speculation.

If I were a betting man, I'd put my money on Brother Wease returning. If that doesn't happen, I doubt Infinity would invest much in the morning show. I can't see them spending money on hiring some high-priced talent for a station that has floundered for years. Perhaps they'd hire a voice to do news and weather updates or maybe go with whatever the company comes up with in other markets to replace Howard.
 
Morning Drivel

I believe that you've hit the nail on the head re: saving money. They do have to tread the edge of the sword here, however. I would like to think that Howard and his morning numbers are bringing in some serious "jack", which more than compensates for his extravagant cost. Although you may save on jock costs when you replace Howard, that's probably a minor expense compared to the revenue coming in from his show.

I suspect they're looking at reduced revenue once Howard exits. So, they'll be looking for a morning show that minimizes the revenue loss while reducing the expenditure. If they could come close to breaking even, they'd be ecstatic.

Can Wease do the trick? Hmmmm. Not from what I heard during their "experimental" phase. Bob & Tom, or some other syndicated show? Seems more likely to me. Live & Local? Not Jeff Silver's - or Infinity's - style.

Besides, who in their right mind - who also has talent - would go to work for Infinity with the reputation they've built for parsimony - especially knowing they're on the block? Seems like you'd have to be pretty desperate.
 
> There are a number of qualified personalities who could fit
> into a music intensive morning show. Some already are
> gainfully employed elsewhere, but Infinity could kill two
> birds with one stone by hiring them: Jim McGee, Don Berns,
> Cindy Chan, Mike Bensson, Adam 12, Jim Pastrick, Keith Luke,
> even Anita West.

I'm sorry, maybe I need reading glasses...did you say Cindy Chan for morning drive?!

That's too ridiculous to comprehend so I MUST have read that wrong. Nice announcer, Cindy is, but not morning drive material.

Its gotta be my glasses...I guess its time for a new prescription...Cindy Chan...that's a funny one!<P ID="signature">______________
PETER
www.audioconnell.com
World Wide Audio Marketing Agency</P>
 
Re: My guess.......

> My guess is!!!!!! Nothing... Just the voice guy and a bunch
> of songs..
>
That's a good guess, but I expect a breif news and/or traffic/weather update thrown in somewhere.<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
Re: My guess.......

> ....even though it might not seem to fit the format, but
> then again what does! I wouldn't be surprised to see Brother
> Wease again. It's too easy just to plug that show in since
> it is in the Infinity family.

Wease actually does fit any rock-driven format, and that is most of what Jack stations play, so IF WBUF stays a Jack station after 12/31 (and it might not; Jack isn't doing well in a lot of the other markets where it plays and is going down in flames in NYC) Wease works. He was on in Buffalo long enough to establish that he's likable and connects well with listeners across the Western NY region. And he makes so much money for Infinity based on what he does in Rochester, anything else is gravy.

> I really think it's about doing whatever is easiest and not
> spending a lot of $$$ to roll the dice. If you look around
> the country air personalities are not a big part of the
> format.

True...but apparently neither are a whole lot of listeners. Jack's a format flavor of the month, the Arrow or Jammin' Oldies of this decade. And it wears out fast. It may well be a stopgap to something else, or to a station sale.

> As a sidebar, in response to element_nines post, I wonder
> what would happen if you created an "non-personality"
> morning show;
>
> 1) music-intensive
>
> 2) A quick news update at the top and possibly bottom of the
> hour
>
> 3) A 30 second traffic and weather update every fifteen
> minutes from 6 to 9.

Great numbers...for 97 Rock. People will want to get more from their morning show than that. Actually, a successful station should offer similar value-added in afternoons as well. Whatever they do with 92.9, IF Infinity is planning on keeping it long term and getting anything significant out of the station, it needs to invest a LOT more in its programming, in all dayparts 6 am to 10 pm at least, than it's spending now.
 
Re: Desperate & Dangerous

> Live & Local? Not
> Jeff Silver's - or Infinity's - style.
>
> Besides, who in their right mind - who also has talent -
> would go to work for Infinity with the reputation they've
> built for parsimony - especially knowing they're on the
> block? Seems like you'd have to be pretty desperate.
>

There are some very desperate (and talented) people in need of jobs in Buffalo, so would it surprise anybody if the alure of doing morning drive at Jack is impossible to resist? It is, afterall, morning drive. Every dog wants his day in the sun and there are a few (old) dogs who can still run down a bird quite well.

Don't think there would be some kind of incentive to put a serious dent in 97 Rock, The Edge, WHTT, The Lake, Star 102.5 or Kiss? To some, that would be incentive enough. There's also something about being in the game that gets a person's blood flowing.

It wouldn't be a kick for some guy making 35 a year to knock off a guy who's making north of 120? That's a major drug and although the high might not last, the chance to prove one's self might be enough of an enticement to take the gig.

Desperate? Sure... but the payoff might be worth the desperation to some guy who might do it for the fun of it.

Kinda like bungi-jumping.
 
Re: Desperate & Dangerous

> There's also something about being in the game that gets a
> person's blood flowing.
>
> It wouldn't be a kick for some guy making 35 a year to knock
> off a guy who's making north of 120? That's a major drug and
> although the high might not last, the chance to prove one's
> self might be enough of an enticement to take the gig.


Mike, sounds like you're ready to put the paint brushes away!

By the way, you mentioned Keith Luke in an earlier post. What's he been up to since the "Love Songs" show he did years ago on 102.5?
 
> but "who the hell is Pete
> Berini?" Sounds like a decent guy, but the name isn't
> exactly recognizable in Buffalo and we are afterall, talking
> aboot Buffalo Jack @ 92.9.

Peter Berini was the host of the Saturday night retro mix on Q102 (now Star 102)
He sounded to me, even in 1994, like he'd be good morning man material.

http://s5yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3S5HZ7IJ37632TADP9TNY0MOA<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
Re: Desperate & Dangerous

"By the way, you mentioned Keith Luke in an earlier post.
What's he been up to since the "Love Songs" show he did
years ago on 102.5?"

~

Thanks for asking. I've been out of radio for 10 years. Nice to be remembered.

Kal
 
Re: Jack Outside The Box

> I'm sorry, maybe I need reading glasses...did you say Cindy
> Chan for morning drive?!
>
> That's too ridiculous to comprehend so I MUST have read that
> wrong. Nice announcer, Cindy is, but not morning drive
> material.
>
> Its gotta be my glasses...I guess its time for a new
> prescription...Cindy Chan...that's a funny one!
>

It's good to know that some of my posts here make people laugh.

Maybe CC is a stretch as a host, but don't you think she'd at least make an interesting sidekick? C'mon. The woman is deliriously funny at times. And is she any worse than some of the sidekicks (male or female) that are on radio in morning drive? Outside the box? Sure, but wouldn't it be entertaining?

No need to get your glasses or prescription checked. ;)
 
Re: Desperate & Dangerous

>
> Mike, sounds like you're ready to put the paint brushes
> away!
>

It would be tough to break away from the intoxicating aroma of turpentine, paint thinner and dry-wall dust. The prospect of whiffing de-natured alcohol (for cleaning tape heads) and Lysol (for windscreen halitosis) is enticing, but the 4 a.m. wake-up presents insurmountable problems. ;-}


> By the way, you mentioned Keith Luke in an earlier post.
> What's he been up to since the "Love Songs" show he did
> years ago on 102.5?
>

Good to see Keith's reply on the thread.
 
> > but "who the hell is Pete
> > Berini?" Sounds like a decent guy, but the name isn't
> > exactly recognizable in Buffalo and we are afterall,
> talking
> > aboot Buffalo Jack @ 92.9.
>
> Peter Berini was the host of the Saturday night retro mix on
> Q102 (now Star 102)
> He sounded to me, even in 1994, like he'd be good morning
> man material.
>
> http://s5yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3S5HZ7IJ37632TADP9TNY0MOA
>

I believe Pete Berini has morphed into Sky Walker, Music Coordinator @ KTU in NYC.
 
Re: Desperate & Dangerous

> It would be tough to break away from the intoxicating aroma
> of turpentine, paint thinner and dry-wall dust. The prospect
> of whiffing de-natured alcohol (for cleaning tape heads) and
> Lysol (for windscreen halitosis) is enticing, but the 4 a.m.
> wake-up presents insurmountable problems. ;-}

You won't be needing the alcohol, Mike, in this day and age of computer editing. In fact, at a station that always had bottles of alcohol, cue tips, grease pencils and razor blades everywhere, I'd be hard pressed to find any of that at our radio station today.
 
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