Lisa Decker OUT at CBS

[jockeyjohn]

From Country Aircheck this afternoon.

Decker Moves On: CBS Radio/Seattle's SVP/Market Manager Lisa Decker is leaving the four-station cluster, which includes Country KMPS, after 16 years Friday (4/15). Decker tells Country Aircheck she's not sure of her immediate plans, but says, "This is a good time for me to move on." There's no word yet on Decker's replacement; department heads in the cluster will report to CBS Radio's EVP/Operations Scott Herman in the interim. Decker can be reached here.

 

[jupiter2]

Hats off to Lisa, one of the most successful and influential women in broadcast management.

 

[jdweaver]

Major loss for the market. Good luck Lisa.

 

[ericjbard]

Is CBS about ready to dump Seattle?

 

[jdweaver]

CBS out of Seattle? That's a big step to take based on Lisa's departure. She's been there a long time...maybe just got tired and wanted a fresh challenge. CBS radio in Seattle is likely less of a cash cow than it used to be...but CBS doesn't have any strategic reason to be out of the market IMHO.

 

[equalinercard]

If anything, CBS might be about to expand their footprint in Seattle by buying the Bonneville stations.

Based on the CBS track-record, one of their first moves might be to switch the KIRO brand back to 710 AM and move sports talk to FM. CBS has had enormous ratings and revenue success doing sports on FM. Not sure what they'd do with, or if they'd even want, KTTH.

 

[TVradioguru]

If anything, CBS might be about to expand their footprint in Seattle by buying the Bonneville stations.

Based on the CBS track-record, one of their first moves might be to switch the KIRO brand back to 710 AM and move sports talk to FM. CBS has had enormous ratings and revenue success doing sports on FM. Not sure what they'd do with, or if they'd even want, KTTH.

CBS is looking to get out of the radio side, why on God's green earth would they want to expand in market 14?

As for Bonneville or anyone changing KIRO talk back to the AM station, that would be the dumbest move ever, given major groups across the nation moving their talk and news stations to FM. Dream on, because for you anyway..that's all it is.

 

[equalinercard]

If anything, CBS might be about to expand their footprint in Seattle by buying the Bonneville stations.

Based on the CBS track-record, one of their first moves might be to switch the KIRO brand back to 710 AM and move sports talk to FM. CBS has had enormous ratings and revenue success doing sports on FM. Not sure what they'd do with, or if they'd even want, KTTH.

CBS is looking to get out of the radio side, why on God's green earth would they want to expand in market 14?

As for Bonneville or anyone changing KIRO talk back to the AM station, that would be the dumbest move ever, given major groups across the nation moving their talk and news stations to FM. Dream on, because for you anyway..that's all it is.

Dan Mason doesn't sound or act like a guy who wants to get out of radio. Quite the opposite, based on the email just sent to every CBS radio employee.

By the way, of the top 10 billing radio stations in the US, 5 are owned by CBS radio. Of that 5, 4 are AM stations.

 

[AQH]

Dan Mason doesn't sound or act like a guy who wants to get out of radio. Quite the opposite, based on the email just sent to every CBS radio employee.

By the way, of the top 10 billing radio stations in the US, 5 are owned by CBS radio. Of that 5, 4 are AM stations.

While I wouldn't say it the same way Guru did, I agree with his/her point.

Of those four top-billing stations, you have to look at the individual markets. There isn't a need to put the programming from the AM onto FM in those markets. In fact, it would do more harm for CBS to move them over to FM since their FM properties in those markets are doing well.

Here in Seattle, there wasn't much choice. Keep in mind that KIRO-AM was an aging station, they had to do something with it. And, they have an FM signal also with an age problem. With all the music format niches filled, any music format would involve a lengthy and costly head-to-head battle, and the economy doesn't allow for things like that right now, or in the past few years.

In Seattle's case, it did make sense to move news to FM.

 

[LITTLEBOYBLUE]

CBS, awhile back, had planned to concentrate on Top-10 markets; so anyone could be right about Seattle. Close enough that it may be profitable to keep 'em, off the target market enough that they could dump them. I suspect it is less about strategy and more about whether anyone ever offered a reasonable price for the properties. Keep in mind they were willing to spin KBKS here to land a better deal in another market (think it was to raise the station count in HOU, clearly a top-10 move) as a Clear Channel swap.

The top-10 focus, though, is why CBS is out of PDX.

 

[radioguy123]

CBS has made very clear they want to be in the top ten markets only, where the margins are significantly better. They have strengthened their position in those markets. It is no secret CBS Seattle is on the block, even the local staff know this, but no one to date is willing to pay what CBS wants. Lisa is to be commended for keeping CBS a player after the dealing of KBKS signaled Seattle was not a key market for the company. She is greatly respected from what I understand both within and outside of the company.

 

[equalinercard]

CBS may be planning to get out of all but the top 10 markets. But they sure are having a lot of success in the meantime in a number of 'smaller' markets.

CBS has very successful AM radio stations in Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Minneapolis. All three of those AM's are consistently at or near the top of billing in their market. Their AM stations in Las Vegas and Hartford ain't too shabby, either.

They've also recently launched and aggressively marketed sports-talk FM stations in Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

They already own stations in Phoenix and Seattle, two markets where Bonneville is looking to sell.