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Major cuts made at WMMR

radiodx10

radiodx10

www.phillymag.com

Chaos at WMMR: “A Really Dark Day in the Station’s History”

Bad news at 93.3 FM in Philadelphia.
www.phillymag.com www.phillymag.com

Jaxon has been fired, the overnight live broadcast ended (a rarity in the radio world to still have live DJs overnight). More from the article says "“Today was a really dark day in the station’s history,” one longtime WMMR employee, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for retaining their job, told Philly Mag on Wednesday. According to that person and several other WMMR sources, all of whom would only speak under the condition of anonymity, several employees were let go, including popular DJ “Jaxon,” who handled the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. slot that followed the reportedly still-employed Pierre Robert."
 
that's sucks....not surprising considering the way radio is today. Wonder how they will fill 3-7 pm and 12-6am? Brent Porsche seems to have been retained. Move him to 3-7 and VT overnight?
 
AdamfromPhilly said:
that's sucks....not surprising considering the way radio is today. Wonder how they will fill 3-7 pm and 12-6am? Brent Porsche seems to have been retained. Move him to 3-7 and VT overnight?
Click to expand...
I'd say there's about 99% certainty that overnights will be automated. I wouldn't be surprised if they don't bother to track it at all.
 
Would Audacy and Beasley merge as Jerry DelC of Inside Music Media wonders? Could be far fetched but....of course many stations would have to be sold off etc (iHeart? Cumulus? EMF?)
All kinds of sales, mergers etc. around these days like in PA where Seven Mountains is getting Forever stations.
Was it 2-2-17 or so, news broke of what was then Entercom buying CBS stations, and all the changes later that year... 5 yrs ago or more recent?
 
Bill Westen who programs MMR said on the 50 year history of WMMR that contracts dictated there was to always be a live person in the studio.
I'm guessing new contracts now eh?
 
JH_Radio said:
is there no DJ live on MMR afternoons now?
Click to expand...
that has not been said. I imagine some shuffling to be done. Looks like live from 6am to 12mid. Jaxon was most likely the 3rd highest paid on-air staffer. P&S are #1 in rating and Pierre Robert is an icon and is probably on his final contract. Jaxon was going on 20 years and paid well for a non-morning air personality. He wants to stay in Philly, if that's the case his local options are limited....there always VT.

IMO-I hope they keep Jacky Bam Bam in the evenings, his 'act' is not geared towards commuters.
 
raccoonradio said:
Would Audacy and Beasley merge as Jerry DelC of Inside Music Media wonders? more recent?
Click to expand...

Neither of them have any money for this. What is needed is for an entity with deep pockets (as in hundreds of millions of dollars) who can float the debt, and cover them for losses during the length of a recession until the advertising situation improves. None of this even begins to address the issues of FCC ownership limits in certain markets, such as Boston.

Combining two companies with big financial problems just creates an even bigger financial problem.

AdamfromPhilly said:
that's sucks....not surprising considering the way radio is today.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that this is a money problem, brought about by the bad economy, inflation, and recession. Nobody in radio wants to cut back on staffing. But when all the money is going to pay increased costs, something has to get cut.
 
raccoonradio said:
Would Audacy and Beasley merge as Jerry DelC of Inside Music Media wonders? Could be far fetched but....of course many stations would have to be sold off etc (iHeart? Cumulus? EMF?)
Click to expand...

The fact you take any stock in what he says is.... astonishing. that man clearly hates radio, is constantly wrong.. and he even when so far as to do a blog that david fields says audacy was going to be filing bankruptcy. he somehow contrived that out of thin air.

He's as much a cancer on this business as ed stolz is
 
a lot of the old CBS radio stations that were unionized had it in their contract there had to be a warm body at the board

In Boston there was always someone at the WODS board overnights, not cracking the mic but there was a warm body there

I'm sure that Scrooge Mc Beasley has gotten that language out by now
 
MRBIboredop said:
I'm sure that Scrooge Mc Beasley has gotten that language out by now
Click to expand...
As has every other broadcaster that knows that featherbedding in an industry that is billing over 60% less now than in 2000 is not sustainable when equipment and connectivity obviated the need for live warm bodies several decades ago.
 
MRBIboredop said:
a lot of the old CBS radio stations that were unionized had it in their contract there had to be a warm body at the board
Click to expand...

As one who was a member of NABET and AFTRA, I can tell you that things like that get negotiated out every new contract in exchange for increases for current members. So I have no reason to believe that is still part of the contract. Just as AFTRA has now allowed Audacy to combine news staffs of WCBS & WINS. They give up something with every new contract.
 
Well they can't run that promo that says something about live and local 24/7 anymore...
It took a lot longer for MMR than anybody else to make on-air cuts though.
 
You know one thing stodd out to me in that article.
"They care about one thing and one thing only: money."
Ok so if you don't make enough money then what exactly does this unnamed person propose be done instead?
If this was the bad choice, which ok I get it, but still: the money have to come from somewhere.
I wonder if things weren't as corporate, would things be different?
If it was local ownership what then? perhaps it woulda been worse.
 
JH_Radio said:
what is NABET and AFTRA?
So wait. you aren't just aloud to combine staffs of two stations that you own?
Click to expand...

NABET is the technicians union and AFTRA is the performers union. In NYC there are two all news stations that were once owned by two companies. Once they were combined in ownership, AFTRA tried to retain separate staffs. That was able to continue for 25 years until now.
 
As has every other broadcaster that knows that featherbedding in an industry that is billing over 60% less now than in 2000 is not sustainable when equipment and connectivity obviated the need for live warm bodies several decades ago.
Click to expand...

This is precisely why companies such as Audacy should be looking to divest real estate assets or terminate real estate leases where possible.

In terms of Jaxon's dismissal, firing someone who appears to be a popular personality on one of the company's highest billing stations (probably top 3 within the entire company) does not strike me as a wise move. Why harm the goose that laid the golden egg?

Neither of them have any money for this. What is needed is for an entity with deep pockets (as in hundreds of millions of dollars) who can float the debt, and cover them for losses during the length of a recession until the advertising situation improves. None of this even begins to address the issues of FCC ownership limits in certain markets, such as Boston.

Combining two companies with big financial problems just creates an even bigger financial problem.
Click to expand...

A merger of equals might not create a bigger financial problem but it certainly would do nothing to help the combined company's long-term financial viability unless debt exchanges on terms favorable to the combined company were part-and-parcel to the merger proposal. Given the number of different constituencies involved, I suspect such a proposition would be highly difficult to ever get across the finish line, and hence, would be a waste of time and resources if pursued.

Both BBGI and Audacy will need to undergo a distressed debt exchange or chapter 11 reorganization at some point, in all likelihood.

Any private equity group would be very unwise to throw big $$$ at the problem given the current state of each company's balance sheet.
 
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