Metro in Indy

[RDO]

Just heard that Metro is closing its Indy operation this Friday. What are stations in Indy doing for traffic and news starting Monday?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I thought Metro had closed its Indy office months ago ... ???

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

actually i think the metro office here in indy got another week or 2 according to Shelby Jones who works there according to her facebook page. the Traffic reports are getting farmed out to the Metro offices in Chicago from what i was told by Mindy WInkler back last fall when this came to light about the farming out. dunno bout the news reports from metro though. but who really uses the Metro news reports here really.

 

[richmcdonald]

I thought Metro had closed its Indy office months ago ... ???

Me too! For years we all use to get our traffic information from Big John Gillis. When metro opened up in 92, we still got all our info off Big John or Mimi. Told stations around here for years give me a pair of concert tickets and five minutes I'll set you up with traffic. It was a great place for jocks in between jobs to go to for a while, or for some who would never get a job in broadcast. It really isnt much of a loss except for those poor folks who are out of a gig. But as they say, you havent worked radio unless you been fired at least once. It has been well over a decade since I worked there. But, it still was the easiest paycheck I have ever earned.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

I really do feel sorry for Mindy Winkler, Shelby Jones, Scott Baker, Steve Day, Richard Ramsey, Colt Mathews, Wendy Carroll, Tim Bonnell for the fact that they will be out after this friday.

Metro has had a long history of Legends and some of the current Jocks on the Radio through the Years. Like the Commander Rich McDonald, Greg Cooper, Ken Hayes, Dave Decker, Reb Porter, Tom Berg, Brian Stevens, Scott Roddy, Doug Weedman (RIP), Rod Brooks (RIP), John Mehr, Jim Burrows, Paul Poteet, JoAnn Klooz, Bill Remieka, Adam Ritz, Joni Michaels, Chris Denari, Scott Edwards, Stephen Cox, Max Miller, Sam Graves, Tim Tuggle, Kevin Spencer (RIP), and Tom Davis. its a Shame Westwood one has to become the latest group of people cutting back on Broadcasters by farming the reports for a lot of major cities to bigger cities. i bet the Other markets like Cincinnati, St Louis, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit and Louisville are also not happy bout having there reports farmed out to chicago if not already, they will be in the next month or so

 

[canolte]

My best wishes to everyone who is finishing up at Metro Indy...I fondly remember the years I worked there, from early 2001 (after Doug Weedman's passing) until I moved to eastern Indiana in December 2005. I wasn't on the air much (mainly as news fill-in for Rod Brooks or as vacation fill-in for someone at Radio One) during that time, but if your central Indiana station carried Metro Source during those years you used my morning drive news and sports summaries and the stories w/audio that I gleaned from the goodies from WISH-TV. Working overnights, hanging out with the morning show people in the big TV newsroom and, later, chatting with John Maer on the phone from Richmond and asking for scripts which didn't get faxed to me the first time. I still have in my files the "atta-boy" memo from the head news honchos at Metro Networks for helping make Indianapolis one of the best news bureaus on the Source wire. Maer and I go back a long way...he took my job in Greensburg in 1972....or was it '73?....when I left WTRE to go up the road to New Castle. It was his first job in radio news. I very fondly remember working with Rod Brooks, one of the nicest guys I've ever worked for. I'm glad I worked with Darren and Stephanie and Tim B. and Tom B. and Reb, and I can't forget to mention Max Miller...the guy who gave me the chance to work fulltime after 9/11/01. I hope everyone who's in Metro/Indy at the end will find work soon.

 

[Bomba]

Re: Metro in Indy--Tim Tuggle?

Hello, everyone!

I am sorry to hear that Metro is closing its Indianapolis offices. I saw MikeStandardsFromIndiana mention Tim Tuggle. I have not spoken with Tim in several years, now. The last I heard, he had left Brownsburg and was working at Metro; I have caught him on the radio and with WXIN, giving traffic updates a few years ago. Does anyone know where Tim ("T-Squared") Tuggle is, now? Was he still with Metro?

Thanks for any information.

--Bomba

 

[Tom Berg]

I am still friends with Mr. Tuggle. He is out of radio and lives in Broad Ripple. He hasn't been with Metro for a long time. His last radio gig was weekends on X-103.

Impressive list of anchors there MikeStandardsFromIndiana. I would like to throw a shout out to Rockin Robin who did traffic with Scott Roddy on Gold. She lives in West Lafayette.

Also...I want to add Don Stuck to the list of former Metro/current jocks that you mention.

As a matter of fact, Don is responsible for my break into the Indianapolis market. I was working afternoon drive on WCBK in Martinsville, taking taped traffic reports from Don, who sugggested I bring an audition tape up to Metro.

So I did, and immediately started getting fill in opportunities, which worked it's way into a full time gig.

 

[brian_stevens]

Metro has had a long history of Legends and some of the current Jocks on the Radio through the Years. Like the Commander Rich McDonald, Greg Cooper, Ken Hayes, Dave Decker, Reb Porter, Tom Berg, Brian Stevens, Scott Roddy, Doug Weedman (RIP), Rod Brooks (RIP), John Mehr, Jim Burrows, Paul Poteet, JoAnn Klooz, Bill Remieka, Adam Ritz, Joni Michaels, Chris Denari, Scott Edwards, Stephen Cox, Max Miller, Sam Graves, Tim Tuggle, Kevin Spencer (RIP), and Tom Davis.

That's a great list, Mike.

Who can list us using the multiple air names most of us worked by? Extra points for the one and only air name Reb Porter ever used at Metro.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

Metro has had a long history of Legends and some of the current Jocks on the Radio through the Years. Like the Commander Rich McDonald, Greg Cooper, Ken Hayes, Dave Decker, Reb Porter, Tom Berg, Brian Stevens, Scott Roddy, Doug Weedman (RIP), Rod Brooks (RIP), John Mehr, Jim Burrows, Paul Poteet, JoAnn Klooz, Bill Remieka, Adam Ritz, Joni Michaels, Chris Denari, Scott Edwards, Stephen Cox, Max Miller, Sam Graves, Tim Tuggle, Kevin Spencer (RIP), and Tom Davis.

That's a great list, Mike.

Who can list us using the multiple air names most of us worked by? Extra points for the one and only air name Reb Porter ever used at Metro.

Rich used Tom Andrews and Chuck Bradley, Greg Cooper was Jim Jamison at WIBC, Jerry Van Dyke and Jay Carson most other places and Steve Parrish at WFMS, Ken Hayes was Dan Price at WIBC, Kevin Price most other places and Rick Rogers on WFMS, Jo Ann Klooz also used PAtricia Lynn, Max Miller used Max Edwards and Peter Miles. Sam Graves used Sam Hammer, This one for the Paul Poteet fan Club Jim Carr on WIBC, Tom Payne at WFMS, Richard Graham at WTPI, John Thomas and Steve Lawrence other places, and im sure this one will be a shocker for the people at Metro past that i know this one for 104.5 the Bear Paul used Buck Naked
LOL

god i should be commited for knowing a lot of metro traffic history

and for Reb Porter. was it Reb Porter. i dont think i ever recall him using anything else

and i almost forgot about you Brian, Steve O'Brien at WIBC, Jack RHodes i think you used at least some where because i could swear it was your voice LOL and the Infanous Johnny DIablo your Traffic Desperado on Gold 104.5 LOL

 

[TheColdHardTruth]

Max Miller used Max Edwards and Peter Miles.

Max Miller was Max Edwards.

Max Turner was Peter Miles.

Two different people.

 

[richmcdonald]

How do you old folks remember all those names. Mike, I am suprised that you of all people would forget Blair Shannon aka Susan Smith. Brian, Reb did once use a fake name on WFMS and got Charlie Morgan all worked up by using his real name one morning. It was the last time we ever heard Reb on WFMS ever again. LOL

 

[Tom Berg]

If it was his real name...it must've been Bud!

I didn't think Sam used Hammer at Metro. I might be wrong on this. But while I was there, he only used "Graves". "Hammer" was left over from ZPL days.

 

[brian_stevens]

Reb did once use a fake name on WFMS and got Charlie Morgan all worked up by using his real name one morning.

The good Commander is our winner. Reb's doing that went over about as well as the afternoon John Maer used Chuck Knight's real name on WENS.

Let's see. What else?

I was Diablo on WQFE Oldies 102, and Rhodes on Gold 104.5. Stole the Diablo air name from Rich McDonald.

Max did use Peter Miles on the air when he first arrived in Indy. He'd used the name in Richmond, VA. Max didn't know the history of Max Turner and newsman Peter Miles at WFMS.

Did anyone get tape on the final report from the Indy office?

 

[richmcdonald]

What can you say, losing a job for no fault of your own is tough even in great times. Today the unemployment rate is higher than it has been since the early eighties. With the exception of Bonnell (aka Johnny Crystal one of the men at WERK) I don't know any of the people that work there today. However I truly wish all these good people losing jobs not only at Metro, but at radio station across the city the best of luck and I really mean that.

Imagine this; when I worked at Metro I had GREAT broadcasters around me all the time. Brian Stevens on one side and on the other side was Reb Porter, Dave Decker was born with a microphone in front of him, so smooth he makes it look effortless. Poteet was a feed machine and I enjoyed trying to keep up with him and the others too.
It really made me strive to be better, I figured it would soon be discovered that I really had no idea what I was doing and totally out of my league. Thank goodness Ken Hayes was around to make me look better. (no I am joking)

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

Reb did once use a fake name on WFMS and got Charlie Morgan all worked up by using his real name one morning.

I dont think i ever recalled hearing the Rebel on WFMS. LOL he must have peeved off Charlie morgan so much to never be heard again on WFMS.

LOL Rich what About Jill Lee she used plenty of Names Like Lorie Davis over at Mystar and Chris Ramsey at WNDE, Jill Alexander at TLC and Katie McCartney over at WKLR/WNAP

Jim Burrows also had plenty of Alias at Metro. Scott Roddy used a Lot in his early Days at Metro Too. Dave Decker i know he used James Riley on several occasions. LOL I think Decker is the only person to ever use both Decker and Riley on a majority of Stations he appeared on.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm what was Reb's WFMS name hehe

 

[Jim Burrows]

I never thought I would reply to one of these but I had to say say a few words about the loss of Brian James on another post. Naturally, like for many, there are great memories of being placed in radios bullpen, known as Metro Traffic. Once I saw Rich McDonald was being allowed to use the Commodore 64 at the home I had to chime in for a minute. My Metro names of note, there were a bunch, were Brad Park (WENS), Rod Black (WTLC) and Barry Cade (WZPL). On WENS I was working with Bernie. Way too much fun! On WTLC it was a goat rodeo. On WZPL I worked with Julie Patterson, the BLACK WIDOW, of radio partners. I had 2 runs at Metro. One was with Ken at the helm and the other with Paul and Max. Kudos to them for managing the inmates. Terrorizing Reb, on air and off, was a dream come true. Quick note to "words2you" who seemed to get his undies in a wad over the "Legends" reference. Trust me, all of us knew we weren't legends, we were just a bunch of broadcasters that respected and enjoyed the opportunity and had way too much fun.

 

[Robb_Reel]

I had the good fortune of working for Metro Indy twice: once after the Susquehanna buyout and then again in conjunction with my Cumulus duties after my return from Columbia.

My thanks and best wishes to all of the talented and nice people with whom I got to be associated: Darren, Steph-a-roo, Tim, Mindy, Wendy, John, Don, Scott, Matt, Mike, and everyone else my failing memory forgot.

Countless other friends and colleague have also clocked in and out in that Castleton bullpen.

It was always busy and sometimes hectic, but we still managed to have some fun.

Best of health and luck to all fellow Metro alumni.

 

[radioho]

I never thought I would reply to one of these but I had to say say a few words about the loss of Brian James on another post. Naturally, like for many, there are great memories of being placed in radios bullpen, known as Metro Traffic. Once I saw Rich McDonald was being allowed to use the Commodore 64 at the home I had to chime in for a minute. My Metro names of note, there were a bunch, were Brad Park (WENS), Rod Black (WTLC) and Barry Cade (WZPL). On WENS I was working with Bernie. Way too much fun! On WTLC it was a goat rodeo. On WZPL I worked with Julie Patterson, the BLACK WIDOW, of radio partners. I had 2 runs at Metro. One was with Ken at the helm and the other with Paul and Max. Kudos to them for managing the inmates. Terrorizing Reb, on air and off, was a dream come true. Quick note to "words2you" who seemed to get his undies in a wad over the "Legends" reference. Trust me, all of us knew we weren't legends, we were just a bunch of broadcasters that respected and enjoyed the opportunity and had way too much fun.

Weren't you also on the 'bear' team at one of the attempts at county music in town? Like 'Teddy Bear' or something where everyone had a 'bear' reference in their name?

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

I think Jim was T.J. Bandit when he appeared on the Bear. dont quote me on that but im sure it was him