Not Quite Vox in the Upper Valley

[radiowatch]

Got a phone call late last night...It isn't really Vox thats buying the CC stations. It's Jeff Shapiro I think. I don't believe he has any financial stake in the new Vox company. It kind of takes it back to the days before Vox. Keep an eye on that rate card going down and get ready for all commercials radio. But it's better than one of the big guys owning it.

 

[Ms_Milk_Maid_Mary]

Holy moly radiowatch! I must say you should come on up here to the farm in Sharon! We need to talk about your sources!!! My big girlfriend at cc heard the same thing! And there might be another new and secret partner...Rumor has it they sealed the deal back in October! But then again, I'm just a little ol' farm gal! Oh, my! Norma Jean is heatin' up another pot of joe! Lord knows we need it to keep up with all this action! WOO HOO!!!!! :-*

Ms. Mary

 

[NHRadio]

The way I hear it, Shapiro is teamed up with Courtney Galuzzo to buy these stations. Oy. That may well be the first sign of the apocalypse...I think the return of Bob Frisch would be the second...any nominations for the 3rd and final sign? Rob Wolf? Brian Dodge?

 

[NO DAG]

Little harsh on Jeff and Courteney. I'm with you totally on the other people you mentioned. Say what you will about the boys, but they know how to sell, and that's what pays the mortgage ! Tons easier getting things done, and getting answers than being owned by a huge company.

 

[Oldbones]

The way I hear it, Shapiro is teamed up with Courtney Galuzzo to buy these stations. Oy. That may well be the first sign of the apocalypse...I think the return of Bob Frisch would be the second...any nominations for the 3rd and final sign? Rob Wolf? Brian Dodge?

Isn't Brian Dodge in prison?

 

[NHRadio]

I'm almost positive he's out now. The last legal trouble I was aware Dodge was in was 2004 in Vermont for passing bad checks according to the NERW of 5/3/04 but don't know if he did time for that. I know he had served at least 2 previous sentences for vehicular homicide and domestic violence and was somewhere in the Midwest pulling the same stunts he pulled in NH, VT and MA.

 

[NO DAG]

Does Brian Dodge still own any radio stations ? Does he own a small AM in the NH seacoast region, and did he own WCFR-AM in Springfield for a while, buying that off of Rob Wolf ? Also a slew of translators and maybe even some of them are even legal ?

 

[NHRadio]

I've heard he owned the Springfield VT AM, but don't know for sure. I do know he put what is now WZSH (107.1 Bellows Falls) on the air in IIRC 1983 as WTIJ but sold it in the late 80's to Brad and Evelyn Weeks who flipped it to Country, then Classic Rock in 1990.
He did own a bunch of translators (and a boatload of CP's which were never built) and most were indeed legal, except for the fact the FCC applications in the name of shell corporations and straw buyers to hide his involvement and a lot of them operated with higher power than authorized.

 

[THE_VIKING]

I recall doing a remote one afternoon at a convenience store in Springfield VT 5 or 6 years ago back in my days at Q106, when a beat-up Chevy Celebrity pulled up with a licence plate that said "Love" or some such thing. (For the record, my car wasn't much better at that time.) Out came Brian Dodge, he intoduced himself, and bragged about how many listeners he had on his Love "network." Hung around for a bit, grabbed a Q106 bumper sticker, gave me a business card, and left. I believe this was when he owned WNBX.

Strange man. I think this was before all his "trouble" began, but, as a great man named Billy Gibbons once sang.. "I might be mistaken"...

 

[CrankyYankee]

Re: Brian Dodge

Where Mr. Dodge is now, I do not know.

But, I saw him in October of 2003 at the wake of Vermont's famous actor/farmer Fred Tuttle.

He was sitting with some people and gave me quick "Hmm, don't I know you from somewhere" look at me but didn't get to his feet and follow through with a formal greeting.

So, I would guess that at least in that time period his was in or around Vermont.

 

[neutralparty]

At last check Brian was in Western Mass. and still occasionally pops up for visits in the Valley. A clarification, Brian never owned 1480 - WCFR-AM aka WNBX - he leased it from Rob Wolf, who later sold it to current owner Bob Vinikoor.

 

[ThreeFer]

I recall doing a remote one afternoon at a convenience store in Springfield VT 5 or 6 years ago back in my days at Q106, when a beat-up Chevy Celebrity pulled up with a licence plate that said "Love" or some such thing. (For the record, my car wasn't much better at that time.) Out came Brian Dodge, he intoduced himself, and bragged about how many listeners he had on his Love "network." Hung around for a bit, grabbed a Q106 bumper sticker, gave me a business card, and left. I believe this was when he owned WNBX.

Strange man. I think this was before all his "trouble" began, but, as a great man named Billy Gibbons once sang.. "I might be mistaken"...

"Viking", don't you have job applications to be filling out for when the ratings come out and your current station Frankly takes a huge hit? Hope you saved that business card!

 

[Andy Taylor]

ThreeFer ,Do you find something wrong with everything? You're other name isn't argy is it?

 

[CrankyYankee]

Here's a link to a story on the sale in the "Eagle Times"...

http://www.eagletimes.com/print.asp?ArticleID=2317&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=4

 

[ThreeFer]

ThreeFer ,Do you find something wrong with everything? You're other name isn't argy is it?

There's a big difference between Argy and I, Andy. Argy doesn't like anything about today's radio. I happen to like a lot about radio. I just don't particularly care for Nassau's dumbed-down, cookie-cutter, "this is how we do it in Jersey" way of doing things, and it's obvious this Shapiro character is in the greatest position of any broadcaster in NNE to exploit this to his advantage.

That said, back on topic, best of luck to the Great Eastern group, the less success Nassau has, all the better for radio in general. Best of luck to 'BLM by the way, I know they'll have a memorable ratings book. Should be out in a couple of weeks, right?

 

[argytunes]

Andy & Three-Fer...

There are LOTS of things about "today's radio" that I enjoy! Especially when the formats are good, the production is tight, the jocks know the music (or talkmeisters know their subject), and the commercial clutter is kept to a minimum! ;D

Unfortunately, too many radio station owners (and corporate execs) operate on the theory that "every other radio station does their programming in a particular manner so our station has to do it this way too!" Hence..."cookie-cutter radio!"
And you and I are in complete agreement on this...Three-Fer!

I suppose it's easier to cop-out and use the excuse: "That's the way things are done now" than utilize a brain cell or two in order to think up a better idea! :

Believe it or not...there are still a few creative sparks (including different formats) left when it comes to innovative radio broadcasting! But you'll never convince a "skeptic" (corporate or otherwise) that this fact is true! :-\

argytunes

 

[NO DAG]

"It'll be fun," that was quoted by Mr. Shapiro in the Claremont Eagle Times in reagrds to his upcoming purcahse, and the compeition he once owned. That is the way radio should be fun, healthy competition is fun, rewarding, and brings out the best. A rising tide lifts all boats, and the advertisers and listeners are the ultimate winners !

Go get em !!

 

[nhradiochild]

"It'll be fun." That is the hallmark of Jeff Shapiro's boyish charm. I like the man as an individual, but it was rough working for his stations in their final days. I once likened him (and I regret at the I time referred to him exclusively as he was part of a group making the decisions) to a "slumlord" of radio stations, treating them more like real estate than an integral part of broadcasting.

I regret this not because I've heard any backlash from Mr. Shapiro, but because I knew his history and knew he started out with the best of intentions and created a fine radio station which I fell in love with and I guess was heartbroken seeing it a shell of its former self.

I think he may have gotten caught up in the moment of buying stations that he desired (or maybe even persuaded to purchase) against his better judgement and it came back to haunt him.

I wish him better luck with his new group of stations. I'm pretty sure he's in the market he desired from the get-go now. I also hope that he retains his renewed status of "local broadcaster" and does not become a "radio group" again.