Management/Ownership shake-up at Coastal

[Rockin Rob]

Tom Taylor reporting Coastal Broadcasting Systems Inc., owners of WKOE (Coast Country 106.7), WILW (Oldies 94.3) and WCZT (98.7 The Coast) now belongs to Bob Maschio (recently the Sales Mgr./GM) and Scott Wahl (current news director/OM). Maschio will control 85% of CBSI, while Wahl reduces ownership to the remaining 15%. The previous partners included former GM/CEO/President Bil Huf, CE Ray Bradley and two or three others.

Is this the prelude to a sell-off? Will there be more changes at the Cape May County properties? How about on air product, stay or go? Might this be a move to acquire more sticks? Was this fall out over recent changes (Imus, Country on 106.7, etc.)?

 

[Zackster]

Why all the "conspiracy theory" talk? It's just a sale.

 

[Rockin Rob]

Why all the "conspiracy theory" talk? It's just a sale.

Sometiimes change begets further change, other times its "if it ain't broken, don't fix it". Certainly, questions one can speculate on, especially with a sale.

 

[ccuphl]

Is this the prelude to a sell-off? Will there be more changes at the Cape May County properties? How about on air product, stay or go? Might this be a move to acquire more sticks? Was this fall out over recent changes (Imus, Country on 106.7, etc.)?

Buying more sticks? They might be able to pick-up one more in Cape May County before hitting concentration limits, but I don't know who's lending millions of dollars at the moment.

Fall-out over recent changes? No way. Financial planning takes time, legal stuff takes time, filing paperwork takes time, etc. - this was not something that happened in 24 hours.

 

[[email protected]]

Costal Broadcasting has always had micro-managing problems. Now finally, maybe Bob Mashio on his can repair the public perception off the radio stations at Costal.

First off I would change the name of the company to something that shows the community and advertisers that indeed all the "pot-stirrers" are gone and now the radio station is truly "Under New Management".

WILW's Rick Rock has been the only staple the oldies format has had. He is loved by the listeners and makes most of his living at going out during the season and working the live broadcasts and his own franchises. There is nothing wrong with that.

98.7 The Coast is what makes money there.

The jury is out on whether the country format will make money in the winter.

I have created, started many stations, or assisted doing it. Seasonal radio year after year only does as well as the headlines on the newspapers. In these days of 3 and 4 dollar a gallon gas not even Wildwood and Cape May county can draw enough business for advertisers to even be able pay for 60 to 80 dollar a spot radio. But like everything else the customer on radio will teach a great lesson for these station to stop overcharging the advertiser. They just won't buy it.

I am a current member of the Chamber Of Commerce In Atlantic and Cape May Counties, Cape May County can be a good ol' boys club and oust you out.

Bob Mashio will have a tough road to hoe but I always got a great vibe talking to him, I think things might get better for him as long as he doesn't turn the radio stations into a garage sale and sell everything piece by piece. It is seasonal radio, who'd want it? Come January it can be very un eventful that time of year.

 

[simonbarrsinister]

Maschio will control 85% of CBSI, while Wahl reduces ownership to the remaining 15%. The previous partners included former GM/CEO/President Bil Huf, CE Ray Bradley and two or three others.

Is this the prelude to a sell-off? Will there be more changes at the Cape May County properties? How about on air product, stay or go?

The two remaining partners were 99% of the problems that arose at Coastal. Before barking circles around Bill Hufs feet, Maschios previous sales experience was selling office copier supplies. So I don't see any stellar programming decisions being made there and Wahls brain would be better suited for Mayberry, South Carolina. 15% is a good piece for him. What you will see is lots of sales packages, selling the stations at a super discount rate, similar to Gary Fischers annual 99 cent sale. Bill Hufs years of contacts and advertising ideas are what held the place together. Huf, along with Ed Rosenfeld were the only clear heads running the day to day operations. They either got a sweet offer or saw the group heading to bankruptcy and ran like hell. I say they should have sold the station to Shirley, the former receptionist, she knows more about radio then Mr Mascio.
As stated in a previous thread, save your money for the future "station sale-a-bration". The only guys holding that group together are out of the building.

 

[HarveyBrowning]

Either way those stations are getting more mention on this board then they do in any diaries.

@Simon

You said Maschio wont make any programming decsions. I disagree 100%, one could agrue that he made this purchase strictly to make the programming decsions. From people I knew who worked there, one of the issues they had, was taking programming "suggestions" from the GSM made them want to leave the company. Whal isnt bad guy, does he know a lot, who knows, but he isnt the main problem. They just left. Huf didnt have an original thought in his head, but losing Ed Rosenfeld will hurt, he was the guy who did get their bigger deals into CMCounty.

Overall, these stations aren't even a blip on the radar screen in the AC/CM market. Walk around Atlantic County and ask anyone if they listen to these stations...the answer will 99% be no, never heard of them. Ask the same question in CMC about a Atlantic Couty station and at least 70 percent of the people will at least know of the Atlantic County station if not listen to them first.

I do give them some credit though, they have as many live personalities then many of the Atlantic Couty Stations. Heck, they are live morning drive (with a 2 man team), middays and PM Drive. Lite Rock should be embarrassed, that the Coast can afford to do that yet charging $15 spots, meanwhile Lite Rock is charging $110 spots and has two live shifts.

 

[Xpatriate]

You said Maschio wont make any programming decsions. I disagree 100%, one could agrue that he made this purchase strictly to make the programming decsions.

Harvey,

You're right about Maschio making program decisions. He was the brains behind the DOX purchase (then he ruined it by putting live jocks on) and eventually dumping the format for the ever popular Q-107 (I would bet the only reason he made the switch to Q was that Club Shakers was his account and the thought he would make bank). He's probably the genius behind Coast Country too.

Whal isnt bad guy, does he know a lot, who knows, but he isnt the main problem. They just left. Huf didnt have an original thought in his head, but losing Ed Rosenfeld will hurt, he was the guy who did get their bigger deals into CMCounty.

Scott Wahl doesn't know Arbitron from Arby's! Huf's been mailing it in for years. And everyone knows he's shady. Ask around CMC. Rosenfeld's the only credible one in that lot. They're all a bunch of self-serving morons. Could Mashcio possibly fit any more titles on his business card? Gimme a break!

Before barking circles around Bill Hufs feet, Maschios previous sales experience was selling office copier supplies. So I don't see any stellar programming decisions being made there

Simon, you are right on! The guy (Maschio) has zero radio smarts. He admits that he couldn't make it in Atlantic County (after 1 year @ JSE)--ATLANTIC COUNTY!!! One time he got a rate request and the agency asked him for CPM. He thought they were looking for Cost Per Minute!

you will see is lots of sales packages, selling the stations at a super discount rate, similar to Gary Fischers annual 99 cent sale. Bill Hufs years of contacts and advertising ideas are what held the place together. Huf, along with Ed Rosenfeld were the only clear heads running the day to day operations.

One time Coastal actually raised rates for a 1-day sale ($3 to $6)! BM vowed to lower them back to $3 after the excitement of the 1-day sale died down! Huf never had an original idea. He and Maschio are 2 of a kind. And Huf demands his reps sell ads for his W'wood Christmas Classic program book!

They either got a sweet offer or saw the group heading to bankruptcy and ran like hell.

There was probably an argument over the format on 106.7--Maschio turned all red and threatened not to renew Coastal's lease on his building. Huf & Rosenfeld had enough and let him buy them out. If that's what really happened...wouldn't be surprised it they're not completely out of the picture. They probably both have some made-up title like "Executive Senior Sales Executive Emeritus".

They haven't gone out of their way to create a better product for their listeners over the years (Mark Hunter!? Jon Huf!? Reverend James J!?). If something goes wrong, it's never their fault! There's always someone else to blame or someone else to fire (Steve Rappaport...Mike Gill...Pat DeMarco...). They're a small time radio group existing in a small time community within a small time market. I'm surprised they've gotten so much attention on this board and I'm almost embarrassed that I've contributed to that...but it's getting cooler here at the shore and I'm bored.

 

[qtpieislit]

You said Maschio wont make any programming decsions. I disagree 100%, one could agrue that he made this purchase strictly to make the programming decsions.

doesn't know Arbitron from Arby's!

Y'mean Arbitron doesn't, serve roast beef with horse raddish? Bummer.

 

[HarveyBrowning]

@ Xpatriate


Is that the same Mike Gill from ESPN 1450 ???? If so what did he do at Coastal, doesnt seem like there is a fit there?

I have heard him on 950 WPEN in Philly before, but never anywhere else

 

[Rockin Rob]

You said Maschio wont make any programming decsions. I disagree 100%, one could agrue that he made this purchase strictly to make the programming decsions.

doesn't know Arbitron from Arby's!

Y'mean Arbitron doesn't, serve roast beef with horse raddish? Bummer.

Make mine two Big Montana's with loads of Horsey sauce!!!

@ Xpatriate


Is that the same Mike Gill from ESPN 1450 ???? If so what did he do at Coastal, doesnt seem like there is a fit there?

I have heard him on 950 WPEN in Philly before, but never anywhere else

IIRC, Gill's tenure at Coastal was only to provide play by play for high school football, but no way to confirm/deny.

One thing that is missing here is kudos that Coastal has ANY live jocks. Sure, they might not be up to major market snuff, but at least they have the jocks. Can't kill them for that. Is The Coast still all 80's all weekend?

 

[sack]

Having served a short sentence at Coastal a few years ago, this whole thread cracks me up. Its the same BS there now as when I was there.
Do they still expect the staff to put gas in the station van with their own money when they go on remotes?

How they have stayed in business all these years is a miracle. I wouldn't call them small time, it is a very small business with a very limited coverage, but I wouldn't call any of them "Men with Vision" either,, unless it was Huff having a vision on how to finance his life through station trade.

 

[Xpatriate]

Is that the same Mike Gill from ESPN 1450 Huh? If so what did he do at Coastal, doesnt seem like there is a fit there?

Gill spent some time doing pm drive on JSE if I remember correctly. He then made his way down to W'wood where he pulled mid-day shifts on CZT. I think there was some disagreement w/the GM and Mashcio handled it the way he handles every professional disagreement...Gill was out of radio for a short time before he found his home w/Millennium. I'm glad for him. His background is in sports broadcasting & he seems to have a decent following on ESPN.

One thing that is missing here is kudos that Coastal has ANY live jocks. Sure, they might not be up to major market snuff, but at least they have the jocks. Can't kill them for that.

True...Coastal's jocks are only such in that they sit in studios and talk into mics. And I don't think they're "live" for more than 1 shift per station. Ric Rock is decent. He might find a better gig if he wanted to move to Vineland. Marc Hunter is a nice guy. Jimmy J is awful. He was probably so successful in the clubs b/c he didn't have open his mouth. But Rudy? Chris Topper? Jon Huf? Seriously? Those guys were the worst! I know there were a couple of talents that passed through the doors there...Pat DeMarco, Gill, Ren Tyler served a short sentence there. Oh...I think Greg Roche started there too before he went to DC 101.

Coastal is like entry-level radio. It's where you should go to cut your teeth before you get a real job. That's all it is and that's all it ever will be.

 

[Rockin Rob]

Coastal is like entry-level radio. It's where you should go to cut your teeth before you get a real job. That's all it is and that's all it ever will be.

ONe would hope a burgeoning DJ would have greater aspirations than Cape May County. Not to knock the market, but it seems where one would go to either start, or end, one's radio run.

 

[radioguynj]

A (slightly) different cast, same tired 'ol sitcom. :