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Jeff Kinzbach on WNIR

OhioMediaWatch said:
Jeff is indeed doing all week next week, and yes, John "Couch Burner" Denning is the only auditioner who's done the same.

I'm moving a pile of fake money over to Jeff, with a strong prospect that Couch Burner gets something out of this...maybe regular fill-in to add him to the Earley/Isabella roster. Maybe he'll be Earley's own fill-in on weekend nights.
Click to expand...

Howie Chizek was an icon, no doubt, but Kinzbach is one of the few out there that has his own well documented legacy in local radio, and wouldn't sweat filling Howie's old slot.

This is very similar to Bob Golic replacing Joe Finan. Joe was an institution, but Golic had his own local credibility, popularity, and resume in broadcasting to come in and make the PMD slot his own.
 
I think Jeff is going to get it as well. Bob Golic is a vast improvement over Joe Finan. Joe might have been good 50 years ago but in the last few years he just came across as a bitter man.
 
Agree with CleveRadioInsider and OMW that Jeff is named as the new host after his second "audition" next week, but not for Howie's timeslot. My guess is that Bob Golic moves to mid-days and Jeff takes over afternoon drivetime.

In fact, Stan read in the newspaper this morning that Howie's successor will be named next week. If it's in the newspaper or on the Internet, then it has to be true! :D ;D

As for Couch Burner, he will probably do in fill-in work. Steve and Maggie, as talented as they are, can't hold that morning show together when Stan is out.

Jim Isabella most likely takes over for Tom Erickson until he is able to return, which may not be a while.

One audition I was hoping for on WNIR was for the teaming up of The Old Prospector and The Boooosh Man. Now that would be entertaining radio. :D ;D :eek: ::)
 
I have my reasons to believe if Jeff gets the gig, at least for now, it will be middays.
 
CleveRadioInsider said:
Couch Burner got the gig according to Kinzbach's facebook page. Way to go cheap WNIR
Click to expand...

???

Had to be a $$$ thing, because apples to apples, resume to resume, Kinzbach wins in a rout.
 
Sorry, I'm going to disagree with you.
While Jeff is a pro, the listener turned host "Couch Burner" had a better "WNIR" audition. They are a different sounding radio station, and having a polished pro such as Jeff would have been jarring to their audience.
They made their best available choice.
 
Yeah because hiring a guy off the street works so well for your audience. So lets see Howie Chizek was a solid pro as was Joe Finan (although bitter at the end) and you are telling me that hiring someone like Couch Burner is a better hire? No way. It came down to $$$$. WNIR probably got Couch Burner for 25,000 to 35,000 and think it is a steal.
 
From the Akron Beacon Journal Ohio.com http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/couch-burner-in-for-chizek-on-wnir-1.326220

and from Jeff's Facebook page:

Jeff Kinzbach
I just found out that I will NOT be on WNIR next week. First, I want to say how grateful I am for all of your support and well wishes. 3 weeks ago the owner of WNIR asked me to do all of next week as part of the audition process. I agreed. When they started to promote it on the air, I posted it here on FB. Right after I posted on FB, through the grapevine, I heard that the station had pulled ...the promo. I also heard that someone had been hired. I waited to see if the owner would call me. No call. This morning I called the owner because as far as I was concerned I was to be on next week. I had not been told a thing otherwise. I just got a call back. He said they have stopped the auditions and they have made a decision. They have hired a guy who was a frequent caller to the station. WTH!
 
Just spoke to a good media buddy of mine who confirms what you guys have been saying.

And, I agree with John Baylor's comment: for WNIR in 2012, Couch Burner is a good fit. As good a fit as they could make...for THAT station.

This kinda reminds me of Pete Franklin and Mike Trivisanno....kinda. You know?

It had to be a very challenging task for the station to try to fill Howie Chizek's slot. Not to be corny, but, you can't replace the irreplaceable. CB is as close to doing that as anybody I can think of...again, for THAT station.
 
Wow! Radio has changed. An amateur beats out a morning drive jock who dominated the market for almost 20 years. Couch Burner appeals to the fans they already have, Kinzbach would bring in NEW listeners to 100.1. However, if he's looking to get back on radio...can see bringing Jeff back as a great move for somebody else with a rock..or talk... signal in northeast Ohio.
 
Listening tonight online and some of the callers are expressing disappointment even though there has not been an official announcement.

Jeff would have been a great addition to the lineup.

Maybe the Klaus brothers are thinking of selling out now that their major revenue generator passed away.
 
However, Jeff still has his part time gig at WNCX and will be filling in for Slats next week. His other gig starts in a couple of weeks, as the voice of the Pride of Highland Marching Band. His daughter marches in the band. I met Jeff at a band show last year and was very impressed at the fact that he sent me a message through Facebook complimenting me on my announcing.

Kinzbach knows how to treat his fans.
 
I heard from numerous sources that Jeff THOUGHT he had the job. That Facebook update would seem to fit in that, though he doesn't say he had the job.

Wow, I guess not!

I heard Mr. Denning a couple of times. (I assume they aren't gonna call him "Couch Burner" on the air.) He was a lot smoother than I'd expect a caller to be. Not a lot of depth, and he laughed on air too much, but better overall than I expected.

And he had one big, big advantage...he knows the room. You don't have to explain the nature of WNIR to him. You could say he picked up a lot from listening to Howie/calling Howie over 20 years.

A regular talk station without the quirky nature of WNIR? Hiring a regular caller would be a risky move.

Remember, Triv had professional experience on the WNCX morning show, the one pre-Stern, before he ended up doing sports talk first on then-sister station WERE/1300, then WTAM. So, he didn't just show up as a host on WTAM after being the caller "Mr. Know-It-All" on what was then 3WE's Pete Franklin Show.

WNIR is not your average talk station, and it makes sense they make not an average hire.

Two thoughts, though.

1) Howie Chizek had *mega* dominant ratings nearly his entire time in the WNIR midday slot. I can't see Mr. Denning coming even close to that. But, would a Jeff Kinzbach recover the ratings to that level, and importantly, on THAT station?

2) One doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to realize that Couch Burner's contract will be an order of magnitude less than whatever Jeff Kinzbach would be asking for.

Interesting turn of events, no?
 
When you haven't worked full time in over 10 years on the air, i'm not sure how much leverage you'd have $$ wise. I don't see this as a money play at all.
 
I even tried to edit the "order of magnitude" part out of my message, but it was too late.

Jeff would still get more than Couch Burner, even being away from the most successful part of his career.

But you're right...I don't think it was a money thing, either, which is why I put it as an aside. It's the Kaiser and his brother realizing that the caller is their best chance to hang onto SOME Howie listeners, realizing that he, Jeff Kinzbach or anyone else will not attain the sky-high ratings Howie got.

WNIR's midday ratings dominance died with Mr. Chizek.
 
The summer ARB (July-August-September) should be strange for WNIR, but the fall 2012 Akron book (October-November-December) should just begin to show what's coming for WNIR....not just middays...but the effect Howie Chizek's absence will make on the entire station.

And, adding to the WNIR turmoil is evening guy Tom Erickson's absence for months and months due to illness. Yes, I realize it's "only" 7pm-midnight...but, still...on a talk station with only 4 regular local shifts...any change is magnified. WNIR has suffered two of them....sadly, one permanently. Tom should be back eventually.

It was always a tremendous source of anxiety what would happen to WNIR when Howie nolonger was on the air there. While he obviously was the most significant piece at the station, it's unfair not to appreciate the very good ratings WNIR has had over the past 20 years in mornings, afternoons, even evenings. I've spent decades seeing all of the Akron ratings (not just the 12+ numbers that used to be everywhere on line).

While other radio competitors like to call WNIR a one-trick-pony, that's simply not accurate. Let's be fair, folks.
 
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