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Krok Out at WSB

grmf said:
I think Boortz is far more entertaining than Limbaugh. Don't listen to Howard or Ramsey.

I was simply talking about ratings wise and total listeners. I really not a big fan of either Limbaugh / Boortz / Hannity.
 
this is a sad day. I loved Krok' s show a lot. I especially liked the show where he put together a live version of "It's A Wonderful Life" last year. I was hoping that they would do that again. I didn't have tape rolling. :( I took a lot of pride in being in a market that actually had a live radio show in the late-night. I listened every night. It's like losing a friend today. :'(

Best of luck Chris. At least I will miss you (it doesn't sound like many on this board will).
 
That is terrible. I didn't always agree with Krok or like him sometimes, (my wife sure didn't), but I was listening most of the time. It was great to have live and local late at night. It was much better than some syndicated show that we didn't know when it was taped. Terrible move on Cox's part. I guess that's the way it goes in radio, you have something new fresh and different, you must kill it off. Royal or Herman would be a good replacement. As for Jason Durden, it's also terrible. Esp at Christmas.
 
This is an interesting exchange. I'm curious for the ones giving thumbs up, what did you like about Krok. It's curious to see many say "I didn't always agree ..but..." they listened regularly? While allowing he might have a place in radio somewhere at times he seemed (1 confrontational (sorry, that late, I've been catching it all day, I don't need anybody "in my face" (2 overstated at times (altho I allowed he was doing that to spike calls, especially when he was playing the race card which he often did) (3 did not encourage dialogue: callers were in and out quickly unless he had someone to argue with (4 did he ever really fit WSB? Talk radio by it's nature is not attracting young demos, sorry it isn't. I'm not sure there was a maturity level to engage in reasonable dialogue to promote him in his context to a day shift at WSB. I could be wrong. How quickly he gets a job and where will answer a lot of the speculation if he is for real or just a gimmick.

Mr Cain will bring wisdom and maturity and respect to callers. Savage? He'll always be depressed and question the universe. But it's a show that works for the quirky late night crowd.
 
Krok came here inexperienced and it showed. I always wanted him just to talk to me. The later it got the louder and more wound up he became. But Cox took a risk, and if CC had hired Krok he wouldn't have lasted this long on WGST. Pete Sriggs has a reputation of being fair and he gave the show plenty of time to grow up. Come to think of it, Herman Cain has been doing a local show on WSB. A guy named Allen Hunt gets air time. He had no experience and some talent and while claiming to be syndicated it started as a WSB experiment.It seems WSB still does more local shows than the other talk stations who play it safe with syndicated or infomercials. Many of the local shows don't measure up to a national feed, but WSB, who it seems has the most to loose, takes the biggest risks. Movies in limbo get yanked from the theaters. TV shows get little time to find an audience. Krok had two years. That's longer than many shows get. Mr Spriggs should be complimented for hanging in there and taking a ballsy risk.
Based on the national tension we see if Mr Cain doesn't make it and gets pulled, that's when you'll hear criticism loud and long based on emotion about a perceived unfairness.
 
jy said:
This is an interesting exchange. I'm curious for the ones giving thumbs up, what did you like about Krok.

Local. That's my number one reason. I didn't mind at all that his show could be a little raw and at times a little unprofessional sounding. On radio, this doesn't bother me in the least if the topic is interesting (I d'load little podcasts all the time). Raw and unprofessional on television can look horrible, though. Every other AM talk show in this city seems much less willing to take risks. I actually like most of the AM talk shows available in this city and thought Krok was an alternative to what the majority of them are like. Herman does a good job filling in for Boortz, but his show is going to be much smoother... not sure I'd prefer that.

I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority on this!
 
I first assumed it was strictly a $$$$ type decision. But some of you above seem to feel it was more of a programming thing. For those who might have access, how were Krok's ratings?
 
the foreshadowing began in June of this year...(this was my post on that date)

WSB Listener Survey on: June 21, 2007, 05:34:57 pm
"I'm the lucky recipient of an invitation to complete a survey on behalf of WSB AM about my radio listening habits. Focus was on M-F listening, primarily Chris Krok (yes, the other morning show was mentioned but I no longer listen to him at all, which may have guided the rest of the questions). However, Michael Savage was also included, which made me conclude they're running a popularity contest amongst their talent. The most interesting is the lengthy list of possible topics that would compel me to listen to Chris, including him talking with his wife! All in all, it was another great opportunity to not check the box for the station formerly known as WGST."

I must say that I think it's dispicable they'd let him go just before the holidays, and I'd come to appreciate his ability and willingness to delve into local issues. He was a little high strung for my taste, but it's still very sad to lose your job just before Christmas with a wife and two VERY SMALL children at home. What are the chances he received a general severance package?
 
Re: Krok Out at at WSB and Jason Durden.

--I understand that B 98.5 FM's traffic guy Jason Durden was also let go. Those are the only ones I know of.--

I never heard of him. Was he a personality there ??

I thought Chris Krok was brilliant. I will miss his show.
 
I don't understand the cutbacks at WSB. These stations are highly successful in the ratings.
Why cutback major talent there ? To save 100G a year.
They give away 20G a week on B98.5.
Cut the contests and keep your talent.

If it's not broke....don't fix it.
Just sayin.
 
If Herman Cain is a full-time replacement for Krok, it's not really a cutback per se, at least at WSB-AM from a financial standpoint. They appeared to have cut back at WSB-FM despite the fact they have no direct competitor anymore. I'm not sure what's going on over there on the financial front.
 
Re: Krok Out at at WSB and Jason Durden.

midtownjohn said:
--I understand that B 98.5 FM's traffic guy Jason Durden was also let go. Those are the only ones I know of.--
I never heard of him. Was he a personality there ??

Jason has been around Atlanta for years, at least 10-15, I remember him first when he was working for Metro Traffic. IIRC he also sat in on Cap'n Herb's weekend NASCAR show on SB.
 
Herman Cain is a good guy but pretty bland. Krok is far more interesting to
listen to. Atlanta has got to be the worst major market for radio.
 
PDK772 said:
trusty said:
PDK772 said:
If WSB wants to do something that will actually help them catch back up to V103...

Interesting. V103 is #1 with quite a bit of competition in the market. WSB-AM is #2 with almost no competition.

Hmmmmmmm....

I wouldn't go that far. To say WSB has no competition is a bit extreme.

Read it again. I said WSB had almost no comprtition. I always leave myself a way out - well, almost always. ;D

Sure Limbaugh and Ramsey don't get the ratings of Boortz & Howard in Atlanta - but I think you got to ask yourself is that because they are better programing or is that because they are on the stronger station?

Because they are local. Even though they are syndicated, they are still local.
 
I didn't care for Krok's show, but I was glad it was local and different. Whether you liked him or not, if there were more local choices that weren't the same old liberal bashing, radio here would be a lot better.

Plus, I never understood bashing the general concept of liberalism. We'd still be selling slaves on Marietta Street if we never broke from tradition.
 
midtownjohn said:
I don't understand the cutbacks at WSB. These stations are highly successful in the ratings.

Cox isn't having near the success in their other markets, where they actually have to compete, that it enjoys it here.

Unfortunately for Cox, John Hogan doesn't take the same active role in destroying other Clear Channel clusters that he takes in Atlanta.
 
From the AJC today . . . Is there more to this story?

---------------------------

Last week, WSB-AM (750) awarded the station's nighttime talker Chris Krok with an Achievement in Radio Award for his contributions to the station. Buzz ran into him there, and he was a happy man. Less than a week later, just in time for Christmas, Krok was let go for unknown reasons.

So was that award a going-away gift?

"Not at all," said WSB Program Director Pete Spriggs. "He earned it. The AIR award is for someone who has really made some impact at each radio station. Chris made an impact. He made a very good local talk show."

If he was so good, why can him?

"I'd rather not comment on that," Spriggs said. "That's between me and Chris."
 
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