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Len Shackelford strikes again at Cox

S

shoothoops

How many people is this man gonna fire? When do they realize HE IS THE PROBLEM. Steve Holbrook got fired today, After launching DBO-FM and making it sizzle. But he was a threat to Len, because he was the longtime OM, and is a brillant, foward thinking man, and LS couldnt handle the fact everybody knows he has no clue as Ops Director. A team is only as strong as it's leader, and he is Pathetic and hated in the building. Holbrook was loved by all, been there
close to 30 years, and knows his shit. You want a partial list who this man has fired? he is on his 7th Morning Show in 13 years, nobody see's a problem? He has fired, Steve Holbrook, PM drive Shadow , Morning's Skid the Producer, moved morning fixture Grace to midday and Hired the worst morning show in the market right now, last i saw, they have dropped to page 2 PAGE 2
in arbitron ranked mornings. He fired his own son in sales, Morning's Doc Holliday, Ellis B Feaster, his partner Melissa ( after telling her 3 month's before it was safe to buy a house, they were doing great ) Bo, Ron Bisson, and thats just K92. He fired the entire staff at of 96 Rock at 7 am, 6 months after hiring them, then had them escorted out of the building and told not to come back till after hours when nobody could see them get there stuff. Countless promo people, wiped out the morning show at WMMO, the PD of Star, and i am sure there are some i missed.....take a body count, then realize he has only been OM for 3 years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The man loves to fire people, and thats no way to lead and have people follow you. Just a horrible manager, yet he lives on firing people with experience and true talent.
 
I worked at WDBO A/F and K92FM for over a decade. I know nothing of Len Shackelford, but I can say without reservation that Steve Holbrook is a top notch manager of people and process. He is one in a million, a guy you want on your team. Unless he decides to retire, a large operator will snatch him up in a jiffy. Good luck to you and your family Steve. All of us who worked with you know your talents. We admire and love you.
 
Sadly, no one on here knows the real story of what happened. Its above Len. And not local.
Vilifying the man when you don't really know the story is slanderous. Stop guessing.
And btw, he didnt fire his son.
 
I've worked in that cold building and can honestly say that Len has done more harm than good. Doesn't HE have a boss to look at his track record? He's hated by all of the employees-a sharp contrast from Steve Holbrook who is loved by all.

Bad karma, Len.
 
I have to agree with Radpro, I'm sure the events are above the OM's head. The comments made are just vile and attacking.
 
slander? the truth is not slander. i worked by his son, and saw his father let him die on the vine, he knew he was being fired and never told him. hey 7 morning shows nin 13 years? he never told holbrook he was getting whacked. i work in the building, and i see it all. the worst people person and manager i have ever seen. if he is being told to fire all those people, have some balls and stand up and say no. no respect for him, it's a joke that needs to stop, tragic. how can you be a leader of a cluster, when everybody is disgusted with you? thats is the balls to the wall daily living on JYP
 
Well I guess we have to go to Radio 101 and talk about the structure of a radio station. Len is in PROGRAMMING. His son was in SALES. Len has no say in sales and a good manager (and father) would stay out of it in the first place. He was a good manager and father to stay out of it. He did try what he could but ultimately it was his son's responsibility to keep his job.
If you work in the building, then you should have better facts but I guess you don't care about the real facts. And by the way - check the latest Arbitron Books - the morning show on K92 is NOT on the second page. The station is in a better ratings position than it's been in years. But who cares about the facts... (that's one you can check yourself.)
Steve Holbrook is a great man and everyone knows it. Have you looked at the ratings on WDBO? Do you know how much it cost to change that station to FM? Is it Steve's fault the ratings aren't moving... no... but do they have to make a change, yes. No business is in business to lose money. Good thing you're not in management, and if you are... well, Lord help them.

FYI, many of your other comments are wrong as well but you obviously have an axe to grind so this is your forum, have fun.
 
radpro said:
Well I guess we have to go to Radio 101 and talk about the structure of a radio station. Len is in PROGRAMMING. His son was in SALES. Len has no say in sales and a good manager (and father) would stay out of it in the first place. He was a good manager and father to stay out of it. He did try what he could but ultimately it was his son's responsibility to keep his job.
If you work in the building, then you should have better facts but I guess you don't care about the real facts. And by the way - check the latest Arbitron Books - the morning show on K92 is NOT on the second page. The station is in a better ratings position than it's been in years. But who cares about the facts... (that's one you can check yourself.)
Steve Holbrook is a great man and everyone knows it. Have you looked at the ratings on WDBO? Do you know how much it cost to change that station to FM? Is it Steve's fault the ratings aren't moving... no... but do they have to make a change, yes. No business is in business to lose money. Good thing you're not in management, and if you are... well, Lord help them.

FYI, many of your other comments are wrong as well but you obviously have an axe to grind so this is your forum, have fun.
Click to expand...


Great post Len. ;)
 
radpro said:
Think what you will but this is NOT Len.
Click to expand...

I stand by what I posted for one reason....
Talking to Len is like talking to a cardboard cutout, and your post was the equivalent of that.

Please don't run with those scissors through the hallways as you are making those "budget saving cuts". Safety first in the workplace. :-*
 
wondorlandohits said:
I worked at WDBO A/F and K92FM for over a decade. I know nothing of Len Shackelford, but I can say without reservation that Steve Holbrook is a top notch manager of people and process. He is one in a million, a guy you want on your team. Unless he decides to retire, a large operator will snatch him up in a jiffy. Good luck to you and your family Steve. All of us who worked with you know your talents. We admire and love you.
Click to expand...

Ditto Ditto!!
 
Had the pleasure of working with Steve some years ago when I was with that company that owned DBO [I was in another market] under its previous name. Terrific programmer, fine leader. I agree with an above post that he could be snatched up quickly. Assuming there's a company that wants a polished pro and will pay a living wage. Not many of them around now!
 
I clicked that link, half those people they show have been fired...... whoa. Nice call on Len Posting about himself. I knew it was him for a different reason, your dead on about the cardboard box, but my clue was, there isn't a soul on earth who would write anything good about him, even with a gun at there heads.
 
To make the case of him being the most despised person on JYP, Len threw Steve Holbrook under the bus..... read over Len's post. He said Steve got fired because the ratings were flat. What an ass. Checking PPM, Steve Holbrook was programing the NUMBER 1 News and Talk station on am or fm, dusting TKS. The cume has risen the past 3 months. They started with a 1.9 and a graveyard of cume last 3 months 4.7-----5.0-------4.7, thats probably the best your gonna do, and your number 1 in there format!!!!!! Hello?
 
You guys make me laugh. Again, say what you will but this is NOT Len. I do know the guy and I know Steve. Steve IS a great guy.
All these boards turn into sometimes are personal attacks by very miserable people.
Look, life is way too short. If you don't like what you're doing or the business you're in, get out of it. You can control your destiny.
Good lord, folks, move on already.

As far as the radio business, it has changed a TON. It started when consolidation really took hold in '96. Now with public companies, and investors and more pressure to perform, its a VERY different business than it was. Consequently, there are a LOT of very good people who have left the business or who have been booted from it for some reasons that are BS. Is it right? No. Is it pleasant? No. But its reality. Most on the programming side of the business in particular are just trying to do their job the best they can, make a difference, work for the advertisers and connect with the listeners. Many of the folks who aren't in the business weren't able or willing to change with the times (and NO, I'm NOT talking about Steve here. Its a general comment.)
 
Cox is privately owned. They were always the best company to work for until radio people stopped running radio. Now it's newspaper people running the show, and we all know how smart newspapers have been in keeping their brands vital.

Just juicing radio to keep money losing newspapers alive, since Cox started in newspapers.
 
Yes, its a private company but in all companies, private or otherwise, there is more pressure to perform these days.
As many of us on here know, Radio was at one time like a "mom & pop business." Other than a few stations around the country, those days are long gone.
 
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