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NEPA Morning shows

C

CowboyBob

Guest
I do a lot of traveling with my job and as a former radio guy that means many hours of surfing trying to find something to listen to. Recently I was back in NEPA for the first time in years. What's the morning show landscape like now? Did my ears deceive me or are Rocky and Sue still on KRZ? Call me crazy, but I thought they retired to Florida about five years ago.

Who are the current local morning shows in NEPA?

How do they rank in the key demos? 18-34 and 25-54?

Are there any shows that are really underpreforming, but stay around because they have been successful for years and they get by because of what they've done, instead of what they are currently doing?

My quick take by the way from a few days in the area:

Rocky and Sue, yeah I heard them, and they sound the same. Family friendly safe chit chat that seems to attempt to be edgy, but fails in its efforts. Nothing wrong with that. They seem so comfortable that they almost don't sound like they are working which is a good thing.

Doc Show. Doc Medic I'm guessing? Very relaxed and fun. This show seems to talk about real life issues and the personalities really put themselves out there. I hate shows that don't open up to the audience. This show does and I'd be shocked if the ratings they get are anything but stellar.

Jen and AJ. Now, I go back to when Kid Kelly was on this station as Hot 97, and I'm not trying to be mean, but they have dropped the HOT and gained the annoying. I'm not attacking. I'm just stating opinion. I'm out of the demo, but I've always found it strange to listen to a woman fronting a CHR morning show. The guy, AJ, seems to be just there to laugh and run the board.

Frankie Warren: Has the show changed, ever? He's a pro. Don't fix what ain't broke. Good guy, good show. Nuff said.

Daniels and Webster: Great to see these guys still around. In this day and age it's shockign that they still are in the same spot. Like Rocky and Sue the show hasn't changed much, but if the following is still strong, why change anything?

That's my take. I eagerly await the responses!

CB
 
> Jen and AJ. Now, I go back to when Kid Kelly was on this
> station as Hot 97, and I'm not trying to be mean, but they
> have dropped the HOT and gained the annoying. I'm not
> attacking. I'm just stating opinion. I'm out of the demo,
> but I've always found it strange to listen to a woman
> fronting a CHR morning show. The guy, AJ, seems to be just
> there to laugh and run the board.

Jen & AJ is favorite for students who are riding on a bus to school. When
I was in high school, my bus driver always have Hot 97 on! The morning
show was hosted by Kid Kelly and was a bit more entertaining then the current
duo.

> Frankie Warren: Has the show changed, ever? He's a pro.
> Don't fix what ain't broke. Good guy, good show. Nuff
> said.

Frankie is doing OK at Magic ratingswise, but as a morning show host for
17 years(I think he came over to Magic around '88), he totally fits the
female demo. Since I don't listen to this station and only listen to its
"real" soft rock competitor EZ-103, I don't pay much attention to him.

> Daniels and Webster: Great to see these guys still around.
> In this day and age it's shockign that they still are in the
> same spot. Like Rocky and Sue the show hasn't changed much,
> but if the following is still strong, why change anything?
>

The duo works well with older men because they have been around since
Rock 107 came on the air a long time ago. Not as offensive like the Jen
& AJ show, they are considered to be "family-friendly" morning program,
as opposite to Frankie Warren. I sometimes listen to them while each time
we go on out-of-state trips.

They can also be seen on WBRE & WYOU
 
What about classic morning shows? Harry West back in the day?
 
You've pretty much touched on the major morning shows here in the area. Terry McNulty was on WNAK (94.3) for about a year before re-retiring. It was more of the same old stuff from him as well. Jim Bone is on 97.9X--Citadel's rock station--I've only listened to him a couple of times, he appears to be real laid back but his numbers seem to be good. Citadel's country station (93.7)is making some changes. They had Jude Morgan and Keith Edwards on as the morning team for the last year and a half, but I heard through the grapevine they got canned last week. They're running liners saying "A New Morning Show is Under Construction" with a "Whole New Attitude" whatever that means.
 
> They had Jude Morgan and Keith Edwards on as the
> morning team for the last year and a half, but I heard
> through the grapevine they got canned last week. They're
> running liners saying "A New Morning Show is Under
> Construction" with a "Whole New Attitude" whatever that
> means.
>

Here's some quotes from Captain and Keith's web-page (you have to search for it on the station's website since the main page has removed it).

Keith...."I've been fired from every radio
job I've ever had."

Cap'n [Jude] Morgan..."Shortly after high school it hit me that I would never be cut out for working a real job, so I landed my first radio gig for $4.75 an hour.
Here it is about 20 years later and I'm still trying not to get fired."

Oh well, so it goes.<P ID="signature">______________
The Real ⌠Northernmån⌡ approved this post.</P>
 
> >>
> Keith...."I've been fired from every radio
> job I've ever had."
>
> Cap'n [Jude] Morgan..."Shortly after high school it hit me
> that I would never be cut out for working a real job, so I
> landed my first radio gig for $4.75 an hour.
> Here it is about 20 years later and I'm still trying not to
> get fired."
>
> Oh well, so it goes.
>
I'm not a big fan of country music but I have to tell you that
Keith and Jude were a very funny, creative morning team. They
appealed to a male demo that could have prospered had Citadel let the
show grow and build. The eating contests they did with Hotdogs,
Pierogies and Sausages were the stuff of legend. Again, funny
creative guys derailed by a "WIN NOW" at any cost philiosophy.
Yonkstur
 
> > > >>
> > > Keith...."I've been fired from every radio
> > > job I've ever had."
> > >
> > > Cap'n [Jude] Morgan..."Shortly after high school it hit
> me
> >
> > > that I would never be cut out for working a real job, so
> I
> >
> > > landed my first radio gig for $4.75 an hour.
> > > Here it is about 20 years later and I'm still trying not
>
> > to
> > > get fired."
> > >
> > > Oh well, so it goes.
> > >
> > I'm not a big fan of country music but I have to tell you
> > that
> > Keith and Jude were a very funny, creative morning team.
> > They
> > appealed to a male demo that could have prospered had
> > Citadel let the
> > show grow and build. The eating contests they did with
> > Hotdogs,
> > Pierogies and Sausages were the stuff of legend. Again,
> > funny
> > creative guys derailed by a "WIN NOW" at any cost
> > philiosophy.
> > Yonkstur
> >
> It's funny to me that first Citadel is stupid for putting
> the station on to begin with, and then when the morning show
> tanks harder than the rest of the station, which is pretty
> hard to do as badly as the station is doing, Citadel's
> stupid for having a "win now at any cost mentality" and
> getting rid of them. (BTW, I'm not saying you, personally,
> Yonkstur, called them stupid for putting the station on, I
> can't remember that specifically that far back, but it was
> the general concensus around here).
>
> Win at any cost? Please. Did any of you look down enough
> pages to even find JR in any demo? They're not even in the
> ballpark of "win". They're barely showing up in the market
> at all. Looks to me like they're just trying not to fall off
> the radar. The show was moderately funny and creative, yes,
> but it was also predictable most of the time, and it didn't
> appeal to a wide enough audience.

More than enough blame to go around here. The format should have gained traction by now, but what happened to the promotion? There was a blitz at the start. It's disappeared.
>
 
Looks to me like they're just trying not to fall off
> the radar. The show was moderately funny and creative, yes,
> but it was also predictable most of the time, and it didn't
> appeal to a wide enough audience.
>

As expected,Jess "Sarcasticity" Wright(APD/MD/middays JR 93-7) has felt it necessary to criticize me in a public forum during a difficult time in my career. If you click on "show all user's posts" you'll see that Jess moves around quite a bit. I however have spent 20 years working in the NEPA market.
Like that's a good thing right? Well it seems to work for a few guys I know and admire like Frankie Warren, Stan Phillips, John Webster,Jim Rising,Doc Medek
just to name a few. I may never be in the same league as these guys, but I feel I might be doomed to another 20 years of trying.
 
Hey Jude...

But seriously, don't feel so bad about being a victim of circumstance and things beyond your control. You and Keith both are a coupla funny (expletive used as a noun deleted)'s. Everybody knows that.

As far as the static and criticism, remember, there's no shortage of people who know what should have been done. That's not the trick though. The trick is knowing what needs to be done. Doesn't keep them from spouting off though, which is actually pretty funny in it's own right. Think Ralph Kramden.

And as far as being doomed to another 20 years in this market, well sure, maybe we're a little behind the curve here in good ole' NEPA, but the way I look at it, that just gives us a little more of a heads-up to sidestep the crap that comes sloggin' down the big pipe. And remember, radio sure beats working.

>I however have spent 20 years working in the
> NEPA market.
> Like that's a good thing right? Well it seems to work for a
> few guys I know and admire like Frankie Warren, Stan
> Phillips, John Webster,Jim Rising,Doc Medek
> just to name a few. I may never be in the same league as
> these guys, but I feel I might be doomed to another 20 years
> of trying.
>
 
> As for how often I move around, yeah, I do. I don't know if
> that makes me a lesser jock in your eyes, or if you were
> just trying to find a way to slam me back for what you
> perceived as a personal attack.
>

If I wanted to slam you I would've critiqued your music programming the way you critiqued my show. You waited a week for someone to bash us in this forum and when it didn't happen you couldn't stand it. I have learned from my experience and I am moving on. And John...when I wrote "doomed" to this market I meant in a good way.
 
> Looks to me like they're just trying not to fall off
> > the radar. The show was moderately funny and creative,
> yes,
> > but it was also predictable most of the time, and it
> didn't
> > appeal to a wide enough audience.
> >
>
> As expected,Jess "Sarcasticity" Wright(APD/MD/middays JR
> 93-7) has felt it necessary to criticize me in a public
> forum during a difficult time in my career. If you click on
> "show all user's posts" you'll see that Jess moves around
> quite a bit. I however have spent 20 years working in the
> NEPA market.
> Like that's a good thing right? Well it seems to work for a
> few guys I know and admire like Frankie Warren, Stan
> Phillips, John Webster,Jim Rising,Doc Medek
> just to name a few. I may never be in the same league as
> these guys, but I feel I might be doomed to another 20 years
> of trying.
>

You took a chance leaving the somewhat comfortable role you had at Magic, kudos for that, unfortunately there are no guarantees in life. I'm sure you'll bounce back if not here, in a different market. Maybe it's time to chuck your hometown and head for Kookamonga! Best of luck!<P ID="signature">______________
The Real ⌠Northernmån⌡ approved this post.</P>
 
I don't think it's in any way respectful to tell you
> everything you're doing is the best I've ever heard if it's
> not what I believe.

To sum it up concisely the way I should have from the beginning and then I'm done...
Why do it in this forum when it's easy to figure out who you are? I don't think it reflects well on management personel like yourself to post those kinds of comments here.
 
> > > > >>
> > > > > > > >
> > Again,
> > > funny
> > > creative guys derailed by a "WIN NOW" at any cost
> > > philiosophy.
> > > Yonkstur
> > >
> > It's funny to me that first Citadel is stupid for putting
> > the station on to begin with, and then when the morning
> show
> > tanks harder than the rest of the station, which is pretty
>
> > hard to do as badly as the station is doing, Citadel's
> > stupid for having a "win now at any cost mentality" and
> > getting rid of them. (BTW, I'm not saying you, personally,
>
> > Yonkstur, called them stupid for putting the station on, I
>
> > can't remember that specifically that far back, but it was
>
> > the general concensus around here).
> >
> > Win at any cost? Please. Did any of you look down enough
> > pages to even find JR in any demo? They're not even in the
>
> > ballpark of "win". They're barely showing up in the market
>
> > at all. Looks to me like they're just trying not to fall
> off
> > the radar. The show was moderately funny and creative,
> yes,
> > but it was also predictable most of the time, and it
> didn't
> > appeal to a wide enough audience.
>
> More than enough blame to go around here. The format should
> have gained traction by now, but what happened to the
> promotion? There was a blitz at the start. It's
> disappeared.
> >
> This is what I meant when I said "WIN NOW" at any cost.
They started out with a bang promotion wise and then it just
faded away. Any truly successful institution starts out slowly
and needs to build momentum. The characteristic of this radio group has been make it a success fast....or else. With JR's morning show, despite the
talent and longevity of such, even if they weren't making
traction, what they needed was time. The impatience of corporate
radio makes for a trail of victims that is so sad. It sets up a
vicious cycle, no loyalty from listeners or advertisers because
both do not know what they're going to hear from the frequency
on any given day.
Keith and Jude were/are two of the good guys and I "wish them well
(AHEM---and people wonder where I got the title for the book!!!) in
their future endeavors".
Yonkstur
 
> ...
>
What happened to all of Jess"Sarcasticity" Wright's negative comments about Keith and me? They've all disappeared or been edited to make it seem like she's wishing us good luck in our future endeavors. Jess, you might want to edit that one titled "12plus trends in today" from the fall where you make a point of mentioning that Captain and Keith placed higher than Jen and AJ. That's when Jules Riley was programming the music instead of you. Why mention your sister station? Simply stating we came in 7th 12 plus would've made the point. When I saw that I thought,"God it's only a trend. Jen and Aj might be kicking some butt next trend."
 
> I don't think it's in any way respectful to tell you
> > everything you're doing is the best I've ever heard if
> it's
> > not what I believe.
>
> To sum it up concisely the way I should have from the
> beginning and then I'm done...
> Why do it in this forum when it's easy to figure out who you
> are? I don't think it reflects well on management personel
> like yourself to post those kinds of comments here.
>
Curiously.....in light of JR's lackluster showing in the past book do you believe they will blow it up by the end of the year and switch to "Jack" or something like it. Citadel already has done this elsewhere (I think Alb, NM). Obviously, from a competitive standpoint having a country competitior against Froggy makes sense (helps prop up Magic and others); how entrenched to country is Citadel really in NEPA.

Kevin Fitz
 
>.
> >
> Curiously.....in light of JR's lackluster showing in the
> past book do you believe they will blow it up by the end of
> the year and switch to "Jack" or something like it.

Kevin did you know that you are partially responsible for me getting mixed up in this kooky business? When I was in high school I entered Rock 107's
"Daring DJ" contest where they let people come in off the street and host an hour on sunday morning. I went on the air as "Doctor Tongue". Guess who was my board op? You could've bitched me out and told me to go to law school. But no! You had to be cool about two obnoxious kids taking over the radio station.
I'd like to close with a line from a song we had about once a week on the Junior morning show--"Help Pour Out The Rain" by Buddy Jewell....

"Daddy if I get to heaven can I taste the milky way? Am I goin' there to visit or am I goin' there to stay? Will I get to see my Grandpa and meet Jesus face to face?" Now here's Keith as Jebediah the foul-mouthed Amish man talkin' about his f%^&*$#ng buggy.
 
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