Localism

[Gale Tulare]

Interesting to note that while the group heads are flapping about how important localism is, Tom Kent adds three more markets today. Oops, sorry, forgot. 7pm to midnight doesn't offer a return on the investment. Silly me.

And while I'm complaining, Fred Jacob's "If I were the president of radio" forum at the NAB only included the usual suspects! Why not some fresh blood?

How about one of the Tappet brothers? (Car Talk guys.) How about a part time jock from KSLX? How about Dr. Akbar?

Come on! Shake it up!!!

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Interesting to note that while the group heads are flapping about how important localism is,
Tom Kent adds three more markets today.

And three more evening jocks are on the beach.

Oh well, as long as the corporate bean counters are happy and
the market manager gets a bonus for cutting the budget.

 

[Legend City]

Who the hell is Tom Kent?



Celebrate national Flan week, September 21 - 27, 2008

 

[SALESGUY2000]

Tom Kent is just more of the same.
They're all starting to sound alike over there.

 

[azradiodude]

What is a Tom Kent? Never heard of him. Is he a ratings getter, or just a cheap (inexpensive) way to fill the slot?

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Is he a ratings getter...?

Don't know yet. The fall book should be the first indicator.

...or just a cheap (inexpensive) way to fill the slot?

Apparently. Saves one (evening jock) salary...two if you count
overnights now being VTed.

What is a Tom Kent? Never heard of him.

Please see the lengthy earlier thread titled "KOOL Evenings"
here on the Phoenix Board. He's also being discussed on the
Boston Board in several threads on the WODS jock shuffle
(Dorman, Lobel, et al).

 

[Sam the butcher]

Tom Kent is like SPAM, the canned meat product from Hormel. He's canned, alright, with a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and like SPAM, he's cheap but filling.

Tom Kent is also the first full-time jock shift, since KOOL's inception in 1956, to originate from somewhere other than Arizona.

Arizona broadcast legend and KOOL founder, Tom Chauncey is rolling in his grave.

It's hard to believe CBS couldn't spare a relatively cheap 60k a year for a live talent for one of their heritage stations. Unless the PD budgeted elsewhere . I know their imaging budget is big and there's one high salary,relative to KOOL, that could account for this cheap move.

Bring back Lee Babybackribs Bortell!

 

[landtuna]

Tom Kent is like SPAM, the canned meat product from Hormel.

You do Spam a complete disservice.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Bring back Lee Babybackribs Bortell!

Lee's still there, he's just not heard with much live
regularity as he produces the morning drive show,
along with voicetracking overnights.

You'll recall AM drive producer was the position handled
by Mojo, with Lee doing evenings, until the C(BS) Phoenix
massacre part 2.

 

[TheBigA]

Sorry all you haters, but Tom Kent is a radio legend. I grew up listening to him on WAVA in DC. He does a great oldies night show. Great personality, great phones, great knowledge of music, and really finds a way to breathe new life into decades old music. This is what syndication should be. It has nothing to do with corporate bean counters. It would be cheaper to put a kid in his 20s on the air. That way, the station could keep all the ad revenue. TK is barter, which means the station has to give up spots, and I think the deal is 6 an hour, which is high for a nightly show. The stations that carry his show have many choices, some that are cheaper. They take him because he's the best.

Here's his bio from 440.com:

Tom Kent
WAIR [Winston-Salem NC] 1970 - Kent Newton
WHBQ [Memphis TN] 1974 - Truckin' Tom Cookin' Kent
WIXY [Cleveland OH] 1974 - Truckin' Tom Cookin' Kent
KLIF [Dallas TX] 1975 - Truckin' Tom Cookin' Kent
WIBG [Philadelphia PA] 1977 - Truckin' Tom Cookin' Kent
WMJX [Miami FL] 1978
WGCL [Cleveland] 1978
WLS [Chicago IL] 1980
WBZZ [Pittsburgh PA] 1983
WAVA [Washington DC] 1983
WRQC [Cleveland] 1988
Elektra Records [Cleveland] 1990-2004 - Regional Midwest Promotion Manager
TKO Radio Network [Cleveland, Dallas] 2002 - president

Now: Tom says (5/08), "On 3/16/08 the Tom Kent Radio Network was born; the 24/7 satellite-delivered network has amassed dozens of affiliates in great markets; I am president and CEO and host all shows for all dayparts seven days a week (eventually the network will have multiple high profile LIVE personalities for all dayparts)."

 

[MarkAndrews]

I'm NO fan of syndicated programming, but I was introduced to Tom Kent via the WLS Big 89 Rewind on Memorial Day 2007...He did the last two hours, in-studio excerpts of which can be viewed on YouTube. He was simply smokin' on the Big 89 Rewind...and he carries a lot of that energy into his syndicated show. He's good.

With the lack of a farm system to develop new talent, the future appears to be in the past...

 

[Jeremy Oliver]

Nothing against Tom the guy from back East. I'm sure he does a good job and I'm sure he's got the most impressive credentials of any in the small and medium, market stations that carry him. But this is KOOL-FM. There's plenty of talent that would have done it LOCALLY, that have just as impressive listings on 440.com.
I disgree Big A, it's all about the bean counters.

Someone mentioned earlier that KOOL should be an originator of syndicated programming.
Back in the mid-80's (?), KOOL AM broadcast the KOOL Gold Radio Network throughout the country.

 

[TheBigA]

There's plenty of talent that would have done it LOCALLY, that have just as impressive listings on 440.com.

Keep in mind that a lot of people who live in Phoenix now grew up back east. They grew up on some different music, and a national show draws on a different music list than when a single station will give you. Even if KOOL had the greatest, best-tested list of hits, this guy will play songs that you simply would never heard on KOOL. Those songs can add color and texture to a station that can become pretty predictable after a while.

Explain to me how it's cheaper to carry a show where you split revenues than it is to hire a local guy and keep all the money. Do the math: if this station charges $50 a spot, they bill $2500 a night. If they have to split that to carry Kent, they only made 1,250. $325,000 vs $650,000 a year. Would you give up $325,000 in revenue to replace a $60,000 DJ? Explain that to me.

 

[papa smurf]

Someone mentioned earlier that KOOL should be an originator of syndicated programming.
Back in the mid-80's (?), KOOL AM broadcast the KOOL Gold Radio Network throughout the country.

Camelback Jack Dean had a syndicated show at one time, too.