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Metro Cuts

  • Thread starter Oxford_Street_Shuffle
  • Start date

O

Oxford_Street_Shuffle

Guest
So word on the street is that Westwood One/Metro is making some huge cuts and restructuring. The plan is to consolidate several cities to use traffic "hubs". Any word on Providence?
 
I don't listen enough to Boston radio to catch traffic reports but does Metro report in Boston too? If so I could see Boston being the hub. Doesn't appear to me that Clear Channel traffic would be doing much hiring if what they do with their radio stations is any indication either. Then there's that traffic.com that I hear on TV. What's that all about? Who are they affiliated with? Not to diss traffic people but that's always been one of those necessary jobs that does no more than provide people with a chance to be part of the media in a fringe sort of way and unless you become an institution over many years like Mike Sheridan it's pointless to do it for any length of time. If it doesn't provide you with an entrance to the media it's time to learn another skill.
 
za-rex said:
I don't listen enough to Boston radio to catch traffic reports but does Metro report in Boston too? If so I could see Boston being the hub. Doesn't appear to me that Clear Channel traffic would be doing much hiring if what they do with their radio stations is any indication either. Then there's that traffic.com that I hear on TV. What's that all about? Who are they affiliated with? Not to diss traffic people but that's always been one of those necessary jobs that does no more than provide people with a chance to be part of the media in a fringe sort of way and unless you become an institution over many years like Mike Sheridan it's pointless to do it for any length of time. If it doesn't provide you with an entrance to the media it's time to learn another skill.
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I back up jazzy as well, quite a few people have gotten their start and/or have made quite a career doing traffic...Mike Pannarello, Mike Sheridan, Vic Edwards, Dave Boulanger (sp?) and within the last number of years Larry Kruger, John Bina, Bill George among others (and forgive me for not picking all names off the top of my head....oh, yeah Lauren Petisce too) have been doing traffic. Don't downplay it
 
No it wasn't a diss Geoff. A diss would have been a criticism of the people or the product which wasn't what I posted. It was no more a diss than someone saying radio is a failing industry would be. No one sets out with doing traffic as a goal. They set out with media as a goal and end up doing traffic, which given the climate that exists isn't their fault. If it were twenty years ago I'd say it's something to stay with like Mike Sheridan did but it's 2008. You do it and if nothing else materializes in a couple of years you stop doing it. It's a stepping stone and an opportunity to network. It puts you in the forefront when the jobs come up. Larry Kruger and John Bina aren't good examples because traffic came after their radio careers.
 
Local traffic reports on radio are a big pet peeve for me. Anytime I get in the car, on the highway, and there's obviously more traffic than usual... I don't hear about it. Then, when I'm driving on 295 last week and all is clear, I hear on the traffic that 295 is backed up in both directions RIGHT AT THE EXIT I'M PASSING! I very, very rarely feel "helped" by the traffic report. I alway think the only point is for the sponsorship.
 
radiodizzy said:
I alway think the only point is for the sponsorship.
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BINGO!

If some stations could get someone to sponsor a cow fart.It would be brought to you by.........

Traffic reports are in place to make money not to get you home faster.
 
Sadly, Friday October 3rd is the last full day of traffic from the Providence office. I've been the morning producer since Dec 26th 2000. My stint ends at 9am!

It has been an interesting experience! I've broken news stories, and I've worked hard to make sure the most accurate and timely traffic information has gone across the airwaves! I've had the pleasure of announcing traffic on every radio station our office has served!

I wish all my Metro colleagues the very best in the future, and thank all the station people I've dealt with over the years. Often conversations havent made it much more than "Hey how about them Patriots?" I'm going to enjoy sleeping until 7am each morning, but I'll also miss those 500am starts in the snow..

Geoff
Jazzy!
 
what about sharon smith? didn't she work for metro too? i like her voice. she went under a different name but i can't think of it. she was on cat country
 
I worked at Metro for a few years as a fill-in. Whats going to happen to the FT people, Vic, Dave, Gina, and Big John. Where will the reports originate from? When I worked there everyone was great and very friendly. I wish all of them the very best.
 
I assume reports would originate from Boston but that's just an assumption.Is anyone from Providence Metro staying on?
 
i heard david balanger on fun 107 ths morning saying it has been fun working on the radio all these years, JR and sharon wished him well......... so i guess he was let go also im not sure about vic edwards though
 
I heard Vic this morning w/ Gio & Kim and then this afternoon at 5 w/ Charlie on Lite, so unless he went home and slept, that is 14 or so hour shift....UGH!
 
Those split shifts were never unusual. Mike Sheridan always did both morning & afternoon drive. Some people are apparently still with Metro. Big John is still on Channel 12's Jam Cam Traffic & WCTK mornings, which is great since he & Tim Leary are a hoot together.
 
i take back my earlier post.... i heard david balanger on with dan york this afternoon on wpro am.. so i guess they reassigned some of them... but i dont know who was let go
 
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