Greg was told the same crapola those Journal people tell everyone, that he wasn't a fit with the culture. He's not responsible for the problems with KZPT, they were legendary long before him. He's not at fault since Journal didn't put KZPT into a Bob-Jack type format earlier than Citadel. He's not to blame they can't keep a GM for whatever reason.
This is a newspaper company that owns radio stations. They operate in the mode where they want it done their way rather than what may be the right way. They SAY they want fresh perspectives and thinking, yet can't make a decision quick enough to save themselves from themselves.
I don't know Greg, but I do know their modus operandi. Every programmer will have problems there because they're in denial and deep conflict about the strategic positioning of KZPT. They can't fit it into their business model and still into a format where they are (in their minds) 'protecting' KMXZ. Perhaps the Bob-Jack opportunity would have been a better move. That brings up the third leg of the problem stool, they can't act quickly enough because they work by committee and culture. It's not the right way, it's the Journal way.
Journal spits out good people in Tucson regularly. Fortunately for them, they've been smart enough to keep Bobby Rich happy and listen to him when it comes to KMXZ. In that company, it's a very rare exception. Usually, if it doesn't come from Milwaukee or Omaha or wherever they call the shots from these days, it's deemed wrong. It will be interesting to see if Wexler sends his protege Darla back there to save the day (good luck with that one). Until then, we can repeat the Journal culture motto "It's not the right way, it's the Journal way." Pass the Kool Aid!
If they screw up a few radio stations this badly, can you imagine how they'd totally destroy the Emmis TV station in Tucson if they got their hands on it? Until Smulyan announces the buyer, there will probably be a lot of tight sphincter muscles at their Tucson property. If he sells it to Journal, you can expect the best people to bail.
> > > OM Greg Dunkin was blown out at Journal Tuesday 7/19....
>
> > >
> >
> >
> > how bad did he ruin those stations couldn't have been
> worse
> > then the damage he left in Indianapolis
> >
>
> I don't know anything about the guy in Indy--but if his
> primary job really was to finally fix 104.1 then that is
> probably the story. How long can they hang in without a
> format change. They would have been perfect for the BOB
> format but Citadel beat them to it.
>
