Merkel out at 3WS

[Whiplash]

Jim Merkel - a long time employee at 94.5 FM; WWSW and WPEZ before it - and Theresa Colazzi have been let go from WWSW as of today. A check of the station's website shows that both staffers have been removed from the website.

 

[PBRTV]

Jim Merkel - a long time employee at 94.5 FM; WWSW and WPEZ before it - and Theresa Colazzi have been let go from WWSW as of today. A check of the station's website shows that both staffers have been removed from the website.

...as reported by PBRTV.com

 

[FreddyE1977]

Very sad to hear that. Obviously a loyal employee and one of the best sets of pipes in the market.
More dumpster-diving on payroll I assume?

 

[slimmons]

Might as well dump Van Dyke and Frazer and become another Pickle.

 

[corporateradiosucks]

WTF?? That's messed up. I agree that moves like this will set them on the road to Vlasic-dom...

 

[Parttimer]

The thinking now under PPM is that mid-days are the most important daypart because so much listening takes place in the office.

It's being used as an excuse to dump morning shows from music-intensive stations, or at least to pay them a lot less.

 

[Boss Radio]

Jim Merkel - a long time employee at 94.5 FM; WWSW and WPEZ before it - and Theresa Colazzi have been let go from WWSW as of today. A check of the station's website shows that both staffers have been removed from the website.

...as reported by PBRTV.com

Wow, PBRTV taking a break from its extensive coverage of Erie-Meadville and Youngstown?

 

[PBRTV]

Jim Merkel - a long time employee at 94.5 FM; WWSW and WPEZ before it - and Theresa Colazzi have been let go from WWSW as of today. A check of the station's website shows that both staffers have been removed from the website.

...as reported by PBRTV.com

Wow, PBRTV taking a break from its extensive coverage of Erie-Meadville and Youngstown?

At least you noticed.

 

[Talk_Dude]

Jim Merkel - a long time employee at 94.5 FM; WWSW and WPEZ before it - and Theresa Colazzi have been let go from WWSW as of today. A check of the station's website shows that both staffers have been removed from the website.

...as reported by PBRTV.com

Wow, PBRTV taking a break from its extensive coverage of Erie-Meadville and Youngstown?

Is PBRTV still running?

 

[Whiplash]

PBRTV broke the story. What more do you want? And they've had some good things to talk about in Youngstown. Because unlike other companies in this market, I feed them things.

 

[Parttimer]

Steve Granato doing morning drive today.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

MERKEL TO AM DRIVE ON WJAS

 

[db59]

Well ,once again, the powers that be at Clear Channel have screwed two long-time employees right up the rear. I have been listening to Jim and /or Theresa for as long as I can remember, and now, just like that, gone. Neither one of them deserved to be treated like that, and I hope 3WS falls flat on their butt. That's the funny thing about this. 3WS's ratings have been consistently high over the past few years, but I guess the almighty dollar wasn't strong enough in the Clear Channel pocketbook.

 

[charlestondxman]

Too bad for Mr. Merkel. At least he has his extensive voice-over business to fall back on. I still hear him on a lot of stations.

 

[altexpert]

Pittsburgh once again proves that it's a washed up radio market. Just fire all local jocks and switch to automation NOW instead of painfully extracting each voice a few at a time. Radio is done in Pittsburgh, put a fork in it.

 

[Boss Radio]

Pittsburgh once again proves that it's a washed up radio market. Just fire all local jocks and switch to automation NOW instead of painfully extracting each voice a few at a time. Radio is done in Pittsburgh, put a fork in it.

You think that's unique to Pittsburgh?

 

[Parttimer]

Clear Channel is doing the same thing at multiple music-intensive FMs. They did the same thing to Dave Collins at Magic 107.3 in Orlando a week or two ago. This has nothing specifically to do with Pittsburgh.

Their interpretation of the PPM data to this point, unfortunately is that under PPM morning shows on this type of station just don't make much difference to the ratings.

 

[Budda-Bing]

Merk is the best . . . on and off the air. I hope he has the world's fattest severance check and enjoys every penny.

 

[corporateradiosucks]

This is a random question. To anyone who knows him, I just wondered if he liked the infusion of 80s music or not so much.

 

[Kurt Toy]

Another reason to avoid 3WS, now if they can only get rid of Van Dyke...or would there be a wrongful termination suit?