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LAWSUIT OVER THE STEVE AND VICKI COMMERCIALS

After reading the article, I have an obvious question.

According to Mark Kanov, Steve & Vikki were attracting the wrong audience to Star 94, 45+ instead of the 25-44 that the station wants. So if they attract the wrong audience, what difference does it make to Star that S&V are advertising B98.5?
 
Maybe Kanov needs to "retire" like he so publicly stated McCoy did.( for however brief a time.)...from the looks of the commercials, they look healthy and rested! And from my sources , rumour has it they both are traveling and sleeping late and enjoying the time off in between gigs. My vote is Cox wins this one.. as for Kanov's motives...its not the first time his reasoning has been questioned on these boards of late. Makes for some good banter.
 
Star 94 is totally within their right to hold "former" employees to their agreed-upon contracts. Cox is just trying to get a head start on the summer by promoting S/V in the Spring Book. It might cost them a bit (10/20k) but who cares? Big picture: More press for S/V on B98
 
This "lawsuit" is just another black eye for a company that will be in financial trouble soon. This will drag out until
they debute on the air and will be free advertising thanks to Rodney Ho and team. Major mistake again for LF.
Like I said before, those pesky contacts always are full of holes. This will prove to be a test of a flawed non-
compete contract in a state that doesn't love those things...generally speaking... :)

Commercials will increase now...

Slider --- why is it that so many people really believe being terminated by the company that draws up a non-com
means things are so black and white? Where's Vicki's contact??? Was not renewed. Terminated. Steve was ushered
out the door, against his wishes, but obviously with lots of pay. Let's just say there's always a way out of a contract
when there's probable cause. Think S&V are being paid for their services yet? Again, I could go on about this boring
stuff, but I cannot imagine LF will get any cease orders or judical action before S & V are on the air and it's a moot
issue. Oh, and if it's really in writing/or recorded that S&V were "to old", well, it'll be a cold day in hell that this "case"
will be around one week from today. LF doesn't hold all the cards, irregardless of what the "contract" states.
 
Mark Kanov is the radio equivalint of Mr. Burns, and Steve n Vicki's return will be the "Baby Maggie" that kills his
clearly declining radio career. For him to say anyone is "too old" is laughable as his first broadcast was pounding rocks together.
Face it, old man. Your out of touch and your poor decisions have sunk the station.
 
From the AJC article:
The request sent by Lincoln Financial general counsel Leon Porter states in part that the "actions of the individuals violate [contract] agreements and have caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm and damage to Lincoln Financial."

So if they got "released" from their duties because they had aged passed the demo that Star is going for, my question is this: how do their actions continue to cause harm and damage to LF? The ads running make no reference to Star or LF. Apparently Kanov is all on board with the "Mess" he's made. Am I just missing something?
 
From the AJC article:
The request sent by Lincoln Financial general counsel Leon Porter states in part that the "actions of the individuals violate [contract] agreements and have caused and will continue to cause irreparable harm and damage to Lincoln Financial."

Really? Irreparable harm and damage to Lincoln Financial? So what happens if next month the Morning Mess is number one in all demo's? Will Lincoln Financial still be irreparable harmed and damaged. What if Steve and Vicki bomb and get lower ratings than Morning Mess? Are LF still irreparable harmed and damaged? I know it's legalese and hyperbole but LF should know better. Then again, they have Brisket on the pad too.
 
bnaivar said:
I've heard radio people pontificate over the years that a non-comp would never hold up in court. I guess well see. ;)
Click to expand...

Way back in 1983, Jonathan Brandmeier was still under contract with KZZP in Phoenix when he debuted on WLUP in Chicago. His debut lasted one shift until 'ZZP found out and stopped it cold. WLUP went to court and lost. Johnny B. had to sit for two months before he re-started, appropriately
enough, on April Fool's Day. Steve and Garry were still under contract to WLS when they signed a deal at WLUP. 'LS kept them off the air for two weeks, this after telling them to take the rest of the contract off in 1986.

It depends on the company, how hurt they are and what they feel like doing. In this case I think LF is being childish. They have already admitted that Steve and Vicki are out of their demo, so why throw a hissy fit?
 
Perhaps that is the reason why some station park their talent for at least the last 6 months of their contract, i.e. Steve Craig free in July before the latest .com experience so that becomes gray I guees. Recently Rhubarb, he still has 6 months plus to go. They can pay them to be quiet.
 
bnaivar said:
I've heard radio people pontificate over the years that a non-comp would never hold up in court. I guess well see. ;)
Click to expand...

IANAL but isn't whether or not they're getting paid to sit on the beach a factor? I know that non-comps outside of radio (the only station I have worked for is WTF?) are hard to enforce if you're not paying the guy (or gal) during the term...the rationale being that you can't stop someone from supporting themselves and earning a living in their chosen field.
 
My thoughts exactly. If Star was paying Steve and Vikki until June 30, or if Steve had resigned (in essence, Vikki did), then I could see Lincoln's beef.

But if they were removed from the air against their wishes, then who is Lincoln to keep them from making a living?

The reality of this particular situation is that Star knows that the last act of their downfall is going to begin July 1 and they want to try and scatter as much shrapnel as possible in B98.5's path.

In the end, this will rival the collapse of 94Q.

jabba17 said:
IANAL but isn't whether or not they're getting paid to sit on the beach a factor? I know that non-comps outside of radio (the only station I have worked for is WTF?) are hard to enforce if you're not paying the guy (or gal) during the term...the rationale being that you can't stop someone from supporting themselves and earning a living in their chosen field.
Click to expand...
 
bclark71. said:
The reality of this particular situation is that Star knows that the last act of their downfall is going to begin July 1 and they want to try and scatter as much shrapnel as possible in B98.5's path.

In the end, this will rival the collapse of 94Q.
Click to expand...

I said so much a while back--Lincoln should have taken the Dickeys' money and run while they could and not been greedy. There's not going to be anything left except a couple of licenses and 2 sticks and a pot of week-old coffee when this is done. Cumulus or CBS is going to get a 100kW FM for a song and a decent AM signal to boot. And the ATL will get a couple of new formats, or at least one on FM.

Hey Inside--I can see it now. 94Q 94X. The Alt Music FM!

(Ignoring that the logical choice, should the book prove it, would be to move Rock 100.5 to 94.1.)
 
jabba17 said:
Lincoln should have taken the Dickeys' money and run while they could and not been greedy.
Click to expand...

The never was any Dickey money. That was a rumor they created. They never put dollar one on the table.
 
I said so much a while back--Lincoln should have taken the Dickeys' money and run while they could and not been greedy.
Click to expand...

Your thoughts are good, but I don't agree with you that Lincoln Financial was being "greedy."

It's like selling your house. When the market is depressed and you wouldn't get what the house would be worth in a good market, you would probably postpone selling it until values went back up. Is that being greedy?

Also, keep in mind it was reported that LF's plans were to sell the entire group as a package. So even if Star 94 goes down the tubes, they'll have other markets and stations to balance it out. And we don't really know what the Cumulus offer was. It could have been lower than the stick value (without billings) would have been in a good selling market. Without knowing those numbers, it's kind of hard to have an informed opinion.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
I said so much a while back--Lincoln should have taken the Dickeys' money and run while they could and not been greedy.
Click to expand...

Your thoughts are good, but I don't agree with you that Lincoln Financial was being "greedy."

It's like selling your house. When the market is depressed and you wouldn't get what the house would be worth in a good market, you would probably postpone selling it until values went back up. Is that being greedy?

Also, keep in mind it was reported that LF's plans were to sell the entire group as a package. So even if Star 94 goes down the tubes, they'll have other markets and stations to balance it out. And we don't really know what the Cumulus offer was. It could have been lower than the stick value (without billings) would have been in a good selling market. Without knowing those numbers, it's kind of hard to have an informed opinion.
Click to expand...

Understood--particularly about the details of any possible Cumulus offer, which I certainly DON'T know. There is an old saying, though, that your first offer is often your best offer--especially in a declining market as the greater fools go broke and walk away from the table.

There's also time value of money, opportunity costs, and carrying costs to consider. In non-MBA terms, could you do something better with the money than keeping it where it's at, and how much will you have to sink each month into a non- or under-performing asset, or how much would you have to put into that asset to get it performing again (with no guarantees)?

I'm not faulting them for not giving WSTR and WQXI away, but there's more $$$ to consider than just the sale price.

If I can't get what I want for my house, I don't have to sell it absent other considerations. But I do have to pay to maintain it, and if I HAD to sell it tomorrow--for whatever reason--I might not be able to get what I want for it today if the market is declining. I can't just sit on it and wait it out without some considerable expense and risk.

If CC or Citadel goes broke or gets broken up, there may will be a lot of sticks for sale--including in ATL--which will depress the market further still.

All depends on how bad Lincoln wants out and when, and what shape their assets will be in when they do, and at what cost.

Maybe Cumulus offered them a buck-fifty and I look silly. But Lincoln certainly looks silly for not properly maintaining an asset they are trying to sell at some point.
 
jabba17 said:
Hey Inside--I can see it now. 94Q 94X. The Alt Music FM!
Click to expand...

that would work jabba
i wouldnt even complain if they aired nascar a couple hours a week.
 
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