Jen is done

[katzradio]

I think the reason that people thought it would be on the table for discussion is - because when Steve got the axe, that's all the on-air discussion was about. The first call of that night was a question to Morgan about Steve being let go, and Morgan let it carry on.

Difference at that time though, was it had already been released to the papers so it was >somewhat< common knowledge. At this point, Jen has not updated her twitter, don't know about her Facebook, as I'm not on there. I think the last minute excuses about scheduling mix-ups, being stuck in traffic & can't get to the station, etc., is reason enough to speculate that she could have been let go on attendance issues alone.

Nothing more to say other than she dug her own hole on this one. Surely she should have realized, especially after reading all of the online comments, that the low brow talk was not going over well, and when certain personalities refused to do a news tease with her any longer...there has to be something up at that point.

Lest we forget her Mom's telling comment when she first got the gig..."Don't screw this one up, Jen..."

 

[Blackroc]

" everyday negative actions?"
-------------------------------------
You have to show up on time. Nobody had anything to do with that.

If you're not sick you've got to be there. Case closed.

 

[Bos79]

If Im Peter Casey I do everything I can to convince Jordan Rich to take the fulltime gig.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Personally, I would have preferred that Morgan White, Jr. got the weeknight overnight gig as soon as Steve LeVeille retired.

Besides, ever since 1969 or so when 'BZ went all-talk overnights (I know the late Larry Glick began doing overnights in 1968, but I thought his all-night show was a hybrid of music and talk until July of 1969; please correct me if I'm wrong), WBZ's overnight talk hosts have generally been "light" and entertaining.

While Jordan Rich would be an excellent choice for Sunday-through-Thursday nights, his current weekend overnight shows are also heard on WCCO-830 Minneapolis/St. Paul. If he were to get the weeknight gig, 'CCO would have to find something to replace Rich.

If WBZ-1030 program director Peter Casey gets to make the decision, it's going to be either Morgan White Jr. Sunday-through-Thursday nights and Jordan Rich staying on weekends, or Rich Sunday-through-Thursday nights with White replacing Rich on weekends.

However, the decision on Jen Brine's replacement will probably not be Peter Casey's to make.

With no incumbent overnight talk-show host, CBS Radio will probably try again, perhaps within days, to force "Overnight America" onto WBZ.

I feel the odds of what will replace Jen Brine are as follows:

* "Overnight America": 75%.

* Jordan Rich weeknight overnights with Morgan White, Jr. on weekend overnights: 15%.

* White weeknight overnights with Rich staying on weekends: 10%.

It's sad that local overnight programming during the week on WBZ will probably come to an end very soon.

I hope I'm wrong about this!

 

[katzradio]

This is amazing.

Someone sent me this clip of Brien in 2010 on WRKO. I listened to the first 10 min. so far. Other than a couple of growls/voice, and a bit screechy at times, she sounds very "on top" of her game. How in the world she went "from that to this" is astounding.

http://audio.wrko.com/a/35007372/jennifer-brien-is-mad.htm

May she use this whole debacle as a learning experience and get her act together for her future endeavors.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Although I disagreed with WBZ-1030's original decision to give Jen Brine the weeknight overnight gig (as noted above, I wanted Morgan White, Jr. to get it), I wanted her to succeed because 'BZ is one of the few stations in the nation (and probably the only one in New England) that has a locally-produced live overnight talk show.

I was hoping that major success for her would insure that 'BZ's weeknight overnights would stay "live and local" for years to come.

While I certainly hope that Brine's replacement will be another local host(ess), and that whoever he or she may be will find success, I fear that 'BZ won't get the chance to replace Brine with a local show.

 

[ancona]

Jenn was not good on RKO, or on HJJ when she filled in for Helen. She is too fast, does not give many time to speak, jumps in, goes from one topic in seconds. Also, she seemed to be on the go always, when did she rest. I think pressure was put on the station due to her criticizing the deceased elderly woman's family for almost three weeks, Then, lambasting her landlord, then Al attempting to place the dog, I have always had the impression she uses her talk shows for her own therapy. She allegedly does have a problem background.

 

[mcocorochio]

Sorry introducing a bit of negativity, but Mr Gallant's insightful comments on national vs local programming have me wondering if this was not premeditated to make it look like local programming was a "failure". Although Ms Brien has talk show experience, why introduce an obviously anti-Obama commentator into a Boston audience, of all places. Don't get me wrong here, as a certified pinko/commie/liberal myself, Obama has disappointed me greatly; but why her in particular.
Bradley Jay could go off on his conservative/libertarian rants, but he always knew how to dial it back to standard conversation. With Ms Brien, we were guaranteed to go off to crazy land with any comment.
So sorry, I think she was a poison pill for the benefit of syndication. Sometimes I'm up in the middle of the night for emergency work, and I notice that the bar is not set too high here in Boston for all night radio. So Mr. Gallant has me on his side with the syndication probability. I just wish there were a programming technique to keep the Joe Mathieu lead into the best news station around.
Mike C.

 

[ancona]

Please not Todd, how about the syndicated Coast to Coast with George Noroy.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Please not Todd (Feinberg), how about the syndicated Coast to Coast with George Noory?

It already airs in Boston on WRKO-680 (whose nighttime signal is beamed towards the East and doesn't go much further West than the Interstate 495 belt).

Besides, even if Noory's show was available, it's totally wrong for WBZ.

Although I fear that syndicated programming (probably "Overnight America") will be Brien's long-term replacement, I'd be very comfortable with either Jordan Rich, with Morgan White, Jr. replacing Rich on weekend overnights; or White in the weeknight overnight slot.

Hopefully by this time next week, we'll be able to hear either Rich or White as the new long-term overnight host between 12:05 and 5 A.M. Monday-through-Friday mornings on 'BZ.

And if either gets the gig, you can be sure that whoever gets it will be around in that job for a long time to come.

 

[katzradio]

Please not Todd, how about the syndicated Coast to Coast with George Noroy.

Ack! We have enough outlets for Coast to Coast already! There has to be something better to offer. Also, I see what you mean about Jen's incessant rambling on RKO/other stations. Even though she made "sense" in that sound clip, she was very high strung and was all over the callers, just like on 'BZ.

I couldn't take any more Al the dog talk, and Oliver rolling in feces. I don't know if she did that on the other stations or not...

I have a feeling towards syndication as well. It will be a shame to lose Morgan.

 

[raccoonradio]

RKO beams N and S to avoid a bunch of other 680s. 1200, which did have C2C, beams to the east etc after dark. Also her name is spelled Brien not Brine. That spelling is for RI's famed Salty Brine and his son Wally of Loren and Wally

 

[CTListener]

Sorry introducing a bit of negativity, but Mr Gallant's insightful comments on national vs local programming have me wondering if this was not premeditated to make it look like local programming was a "failure".

That sounds about as likely as the "New Coke" planned-failure theory. Not something a bottom-line-conscious corporation would do, throw good money away on a planned flop just to make sure what comes next is a success. Good money is NEVER thrown away. Besides, if the suits at CBS Radio wanted to push birdfeed as 'BZ's overnight future, why wouldn't they just go ahead and do it? It's not like 'BZ has any choice in the matter, right?

 

[Lifetraveller]

The tribe has spoken and thank goodness that Mr. Casey listened!

 

[nowradioguy]

RKO beams N and S to avoid a bunch of other 680s. 1200, which did have C2C, beams to the east etc after dark. Also her name is spelled Brien not Brine. That spelling is for RI's famed Salty Brine and his son Wally of Loren and Wally

Thank you for pointing out the correct spelling of Jen Brien's (last) name, and also mentioning Salty and Wally Brine, both radio legends, BTW.

And your info re the directional patterns of 'RKO and AM 1200 is also very helpful to the uninformed.

However, as I once remarked in one of these threads, AM 1200's reach at night is not at all on a par with other 50,000-watt stations like 'BZ or even 'RKO or 'HDH (oops, I mean, 'EEI). And probably never will be. Up here in the Merrimack Valley, it is not possible to listen to 1200 at night.

 

[Blackroc]

My theory had been that BZ wanted to hire BradleyJay but may have thought about being unfair to Morgan and his role as loyal #1 fill-in over the years. Brien was sort of of way of splitting the difference, when none of the other auditions seemed to standout.

So if I had to predict now I'd say Morgan is the same guy that wasn't hired three months ago. He won't get the job. BradleyJay has the best shot if they don't want to go through the process again. If they do again audition, it could be anybody and maybe someone from out of the market?

 

[frnkp2000]

It would seem the suits at CBS DO value 'BZ's input! If they didn't, WBZ would be a cookie-cutter 24/7 news station, wouldn't it?

Local programmers having their "finger on the pulse" of their own market? Oh that's just silly.

 

[TSBench]

If Im Peter Casey I do everything I can to convince Jordan Rich to take the fulltime gig.

Shouldn't be too hard. Rich would seem to fit in pretty nicely. But, hasn't Rich lobbied for just about every evening and night gig which became available, most notably when the brain tumor put Paul Sullivan hors de combat? He just seems snake-bit for as long as anyone can remember when it comes to getting more air time. Either somebody doesn't like him, or he has something else going on which now precludes weeknights.

After reading that Brien got whacked, I listened to 'BZ's overnight last night for the first time since Raleigh held the job. White was already pitching the job, practically reciting his resume over the air. Maybe he didn't bring his 'A' game on short notice, but the first two hours were the radio equivalent of watching paint dry.

Regards,
TSB

 

[Omnibus]

Shouldn't be too hard. Rich would seem to fit in pretty nicely. But, hasn't Rich lobbied for just about every evening and night gig which became available, most notably when the brain tumor put Paul Sullivan hors de combat? He just seems snake-bit for as long as anyone can remember when it comes to getting more air time. Either somebody doesn't like him, or he has something else going on which now precludes weeknights.

After reading that Brien got whacked, I listened to 'BZ's overnight last night for the first time since Raleigh held the job. White was already pitching the job, practically reciting his resume over the air. Maybe he didn't bring his 'A' game on short notice, but the first two hours were the radio equivalent of watching paint dry.

Regards,
TSB

Frankly, you don't know the first thing about Jordan Rich who is truly one of few nice guys in the business. His ego is quite in check. Plus he is very successful out side of WBZ. He own Chart Production a commercial production company. Knocking Jordan Rich is a good way for you to be labeled a Troll here.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Boston 50-kW AM stations' nighttime coverage

Of the AM stations you listed, only WBZ is a Class A (formerly called Class IA) station. Class A's are the only class of AMs whose nighttime skywave signals are protected from interference from co-channel stations. Class IAs used to be protected nearly everywhere their skywave signals reached. Now, protection extends only to the 0.5 mV/m 50% skywave contour. A 50% skywave contour is the contour where the specified signal strength (in this case, 0.5 mV/m) reaches 50% of the time. WBZ still delivers a meaningful nighttime skywave signal as far west as the Chicago area, but barely further than that; there is a station (WNVR) on 1030 only about 40 miles west of Chicago. All of the other stations you mentioned (WRKO, WEEI, WXKS (AM), and WUFC) are Class Bs. They operate full-time with 50 kW but their nighttime signals are limited by interference from co-channel stations. Of these stations, WXKS (1200) encounters the most interference. WXKS's NIF (nighttime interference-free) contour is in the neighborhood of 13.5 mV/m, which is a reasonably strong AM signal. Actually, WXKS's NIF value may have gone down (a GOOD thing) in the past couple of years, because a co-channel station in Leesburg VA (north of Washington DC) moved from 1200 to 1190.

ADDED info: As many readers already know, with the exception of WBZ, all of the stations mentioned in this post have transmitters located west of downtown Boston (northwest in the case of WRKO). These stations had to locate in the general vicinity of where they did locate because, to protect other stations, all of them employ directional antennas to severely limit radiation to the west, the northwest, and the south. In all cases, the restriction of radiation is greater at night than during the day. Stated another way, although these stations all run 50 kW day and night, the nighttime signals to the west are equivalent to as little as a few hundred watts. But Class A WBZ is different. Its transmitter is located east (actually, southeast) of Boston (Hull) and is directionalized to the west to avoid wasting signal over salt water and to send the signal where the people are. WBZ's equivalent power to the west is at least 100,000W. The Hull location has been called the best AM site in the 48 contiguous states because the signal gets a start on its path to most of eastern New England over a salt-water path. Salt water conducts medium-wave AM signals hundreds of times better than rocky New England soil.