JD CANNON GONE FROM WFMS...WTH???

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I am a friend of Darren Tandy on FB. Saw this today. Sad. Looks like he had a contract juncture that would allow them to not renew him. Wonder how long his con compete is in our right to work State?

Indiana is not a Right to Work state, which doesn't mean what you think it means.

Indiana IS an At-Will Employment state.

I am not a lawyer, but would be willing to play one on TV. That out of the way.......:

Right to Work laws speak to the relationship and powers of labor unions.

Non-compete agreements are covered by totally different laws.

Hire at Will... or as some of us call it: FIRE at Will.... is also different than law covering non-compete agreements.

The only run-in I ever had over Non-Compete took place in Indy. The employer was unable to enforce the prohibition in my case because the agreement was poorly worded. After a bit of brow-beating by the judge, the embarrassed lawyer for the employer passed the buck and announced: I didn't write the contract, your honor. We were in court like the day before Christmas Eve.

I thought of it as a very welcome Christmas gift that year.

Every state has it's own laws on this topic. The rise of high-technology industries has resulted in a lot of changes to these laws. Today's competition between states to steal corporate facilities from each other has caused companies to push legislatures to make big changes in these laws.

Whatever you and I knew about non-competes a few years ago may be as obsolete as a Commodore 64.

 

[Onesimus]

I can only speak of the non-compete in non-specific terms and will not mention a broadcast company by name. Yes it's true that courts in Indiana generally HATE non-competes. The problem that many displaced employees have is that should you lose your case, you could be held responsible for your former employers legal fees and courts may uphold provisions which re-set the non-compete period to the date litigation was settled (what if your former employer files a continuance? it could be months before the court hears your case). Also, SOME companies have it written in the "contract" that a certain percentage of your wages (i.e. 5%) is compensation related to the non-compete agreement. Bankruptcy is an option to get out of the contact in that case, but it's a very drastic measure with long term negative impact. At the end of the day, it's not worth acquiring a reputation as a trouble-maker. Life isn't fair and that's just a given. "Contracts" in the radio business (with some companies anyway) are merely one-sided non-compete agreements. Some companies don't feel obligated to hold their end of the bargain (cancelling contract with two weeks notice), yet YOU are expected to uphold your end of the deal and find a way to provide for your family.

 

[hescores]

I heard today that J.D. Cannon was let go from WFMS today...anyone have any info?

This company is awful, just awful.  Cannon a 30 + year employee was let go because he ticked off his format captain, Jan Jeffries.  He left a couple of songs in the music library that were banned by Jeffries...so he gets blown out.  Now here is the amazing part...2 weeks of severance and they are going hold him to a six month non-compete.  I hope everyone one of their advertisers calls Lew in Atlanta to complain.  JD Cannon isn't the first one they have abused in this manner and he won't be the last.  Glad his GM, Chris Wheat stood up for him.

 

[long-time-first-time]

JD is a great broadcaster and his 32 year run of success will never be matched again. I don't know if it's fair to blame Chris Wheat for not defending him. I think even Chris would confess after a half dozen Miller Lite's that Cumulus is a crappy company to work for.

 

[Drucifer]

I have worked in the bigs and in the smalls even with consolidation, clusters and so on. I have never been treated better, anywhere, than I was in small market radio by a cluster owner who cares about his employees. Even with the normal moaning about doing things on the cheap, which is more about the state of the industry than it is the people in charge, I think the small markets tend to be much more people oriented. I realize this is painting with a broad stroke but I am talking about my own, personal, experience.

 

[bigtime]

Things took a turn for the worse when Wall Street started calling the shots.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

I heard today that J.D. Cannon was let go from WFMS today...anyone have any info?

This company is awful, just awful. Cannon a 30 + year employee was let go because he ticked off his format captain, Jan Jeffries. He left a couple of songs in the music library that were banned by Jeffries...so he gets blown out. Now here is the amazing part...2 weeks of severance and they are going hold him to a six month non-compete. I hope everyone one of their advertisers calls Lew in Atlanta to complain. JD Cannon isn't the first one they have abused in this manner and he won't be the last. Glad his GM, Chris Wheat stood up for him.

man were banning songs in country music now. what artists are worthy of being banned by Jan Jeffries

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Except for himself?

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I have worked in the bigs and in the smalls even with consolidation, clusters and so on. I have never been treated better, anywhere, than I was in small market radio by a cluster owner who cares about his employees. Even with the normal moaning about doing things on the cheap, which is more about the state of the industry than it is the people in charge, I think the small markets tend to be much more people oriented. I realize this is painting with a broad stroke but I am talking about my own, personal, experience.

I can say without reservation that being a big fish in a small pond has been far more satisfying than the flip side of that saying.

 

[Drucifer]

Agreed Bob, totally!

 

[kd8hho]

man were banning songs in country music now. what artists are worthy of being banned by Jan Jeffries

banned country songs? i never thought id see that day

 

[Bat Fastard]

This company is awful, just awful. Cannon a 30 + year employee was let go because he ticked off his format captain, Jan Jeffries. He left a couple of songs in the music library that were banned by Jeffries...so he gets blown out. Now here is the amazing part...2 weeks of severance and they are going hold him to a six month non-compete. [/quote]

Anyone who thinks they can work for this parade of clowns need look no further than this incident to tell them why they should RUN in the opposite direction.

After a long line of such dismissals for such *sarcasm filter on* seriously dangerous infracions *sarcasm filter off*, one has to examine the mindset behind this and other similar actions. It always speaks to me about the character of a company (or lack thereof) when their first line of action is to fire the "offending" party.

You have to wonder, is this all they know how to do? The answer IS "no", but it is the thing they do best. It's amazing to me that they get ANYONE to agree to work for them.

 

[RadioRetired]

My 1 1/2 cents....they were looking for a reason to blow someone out who makes a decent living. I've known, from personal experience, managers who looked for ANY excuse to fire someone. It didn't have to be a big reason...just a reason. Cannon made the mistake of being good at his job and compensated fairly. Many managers are afraid of talented folks who they can't bully.

 

[Ken Tucky]

My 1 1/2 cents....they were looking for a reason to blow someone out who makes a decent living. I've known, from personal experience, managers who looked for ANY excuse to fire someone. It didn't have to be a big reason...just a reason. Cannon made the mistake of being good at his job and compensated fairly. Many managers are afraid of talented folks who they can't bully.

Not to mention the ENVY factor...

 

[secondchoice]

Nothing new:
These guys got the axe ON SUNDAY!

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=182550.0

 

[RadioRetired]

Companies DEMAND loyalty, but don't give it to their employees. When major companies started trading radio people like stocks the joy went out of many stations. I've been in managers meetings where the people with NO on-air experience were insisting that anyone could do a show!

 

[hoosier45guy]

Here's a situation regarding non-competes: a DJ worked successfully at a station here in Indiana for years without one. Suddenly, management produces a radio 6 month non-compete document, covering both if you quit or are fired, and says sign it now or you're gone. What's your take?

 

[secondchoice]

I had that happen to me. If they fire you suck up all the unemployment you can legally do. I did not but I wish I could have afforded too. The unemployement Tax is based on the company's percentage of claim's vs # of current workers. If 5 or 10 percent (do a head count and do the math do not forget to check to see if sales people are 1099) is collecting then there will be a large rate hike for all employees. I just left. It really worked out for me. I got out of radio and made more money. Just like at the AA meeting's on TV : I have been clean for years!

 

[ChiefEngineer]

Here's a situation regarding non-competes: a DJ worked successfully at a station here in Indiana for years without one. Suddenly, management produces a radio 6 month non-compete document, covering both if you quit or are fired, and says sign it now or you're gone. What's your take?

South Central in Evansville did this years ago. They offered a 1k signing bonus. I said wow, this is great, now how do i live for six months with no pay? No thanks. At the time John Gibson, Randy Wheeler, and others signed.

 

[Drucifer]

Here's a situation regarding non-competes: a DJ worked successfully at a station here in Indiana for years without one. Suddenly, management produces a radio 6 month non-compete document, covering both if you quit or are fired, and says sign it now or you're gone. What's your take?

South Central in Evansville did this years ago. They offered a 1k signing bonus. I said wow, this is great, now how do i live for six months with no pay? No thanks. At the time John Gibson, Randy Wheeler, and others signed.

You leave the market.