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Note directly from WGST about news dept changes

R

rho01

I'm not sure why Randall told me three people were let go. This says four. That's what my original source said. Here's the rationale in more detail of what they are doing:

NEWS ALERT FROM WGST.........

WGST does still have NEWS.....and....TALK......and is, in fact, still a News/Talk station!!!

On Friday, we have let 4 people go that were in our news department. It is because we are rebuilding that department to make it so that it is more blended in with the programming. That's kind of a fancy answer, so let me give you an example:

NBC Nightly News has an anchor person that delivers the news. Straight on.

Fox News has a team of people that discuss the news. They deliver the news and then spend some time bantering back and forth about it. They have a little fun, they horse around, but you still get the news.

That's where WGST is headed. The station cannot beat WSB-AM by going head to head with the exact same format and structure. This will enable WGST to sound different from WSB-AM...and hopefully attract many more people just as Fox News has done against the regular network's news.

When we get the personnel in place to get this going, I will get back with you to have you listen. I'll want to know what you think!

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know and have a great weekend,

Katy Young
Senior Account Executive
Clear Channel Radio Atlanta
 
The sales department is trying to put a positive spin on budget cuts. I heard that as many as seven people were let go in news, programming and production.

The Kimmers comedy guy also quit in protest. Kimmer walked out of the station in a huff and did not do his show.

They can compare themsleves to Fox News if they want but Fox has been a fully staffed news operation comparable to their competition.

These money savings moves pure and simple. Not designed to help them in the marketplace.

> I'm not sure why Randall told me three people were let go.
> This says four. That's what my original source said. Here's
> the rationale in more detail of what they are doing:
>
> NEWS ALERT FROM WGST.........
>
> WGST does still have NEWS.....and....TALK......and is, in
> fact, still a News/Talk station!!!
>
> On Friday, we have let 4 people go that were in our news
> department. It is because we are rebuilding that department
> to make it so that it is more blended in with the
> programming. That's kind of a fancy answer, so let me give
> you an example:
>
> NBC Nightly News has an anchor person that delivers the
> news. Straight on.
>
> Fox News has a team of people that discuss the news. They
> deliver the news and then spend some time bantering back and
> forth about it. They have a little fun, they horse around,
> but you still get the news.
>
> That's where WGST is headed. The station cannot beat WSB-AM
> by going head to head with the exact same format and
> structure. This will enable WGST to sound different from
> WSB-AM...and hopefully attract many more people just as Fox
> News has done against the regular network's news.
>
> When we get the personnel in place to get this going, I will
> get back with you to have you listen. I'll want to know
> what you think!
>
> If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know
> and have a great weekend,
>
> Katy Young
> Senior Account Executive
> Clear Channel Radio Atlanta
>
 
> They can compare themsleves to Fox News if they want but Fox
> has been a fully staffed news operation comparable to their
> competition.
>

Not true. Go to the "News/Talk" format on this board and do a search of "Fox Radio." The new Fox radio network is pretty much considered a joke and it says a lot about WGST that that's the network they've aligned themselves with.
 
> The new Fox radio network is pretty much considered a joke and it says a lot about WGST that that's the network they've aligned themselves with.

Its was a company wide thing...not local.
 
> > The new Fox radio network is pretty much considered a joke
> and it says a lot about WGST that that's the network they've
> aligned themselves with.
>
> Its was a company wide thing...not local.
>


And yet the end result remains the same, doesn't it?
 
the question could be asked.... why couldn't they just make those kind of changes with the crew they already had in place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
 
>There is nothing short of a large static free signal that can save this radio station. I do remember when WGST was a decent news talker, and they were on 920, but now, forget it.. Sell it to a religious broadcaster, or go hispanic, or play unregulated noise, but this station is done.. cooked... OVER.<P ID="signature">______________
"Am Top 40 radio was the best"/Long Live 79 WQXI
Atlanta Georgia...........</P>
 
> the question could be asked.... why couldn't they just make
> those kind of changes with the crew they already had in
> place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
>
Guess the CEO had some expensive things on the old shopping list this year...new corp jet...another fleet of limos...got to get the money to purchase these necessities somewhere. Who needs news on a news/talk station anyway? Merry Christmas from Cheap Channel(we are on a mission to ruin radio - and hey, we're almost there!)
 
> > the question could be asked.... why couldn't they just
> make
> > those kind of changes with the crew they already had in
> > place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
> >
> Guess the CEO had some expensive things on the old shopping
> list this year...new corp jet...another fleet of limos...got
> to get the money to purchase these necessities somewhere.
> Who needs news on a news/talk station anyway? Merry
> Christmas from Cheap Channel(we are on a mission to ruin
> radio - and hey, we're almost there!)
>

WOW What a reach!! Dont ya think???

Lets see, we have a couple of people from a news department (from a single station) let go, and you are ripping a whole company???

This Clear Channel bashing gets SO old folks!

Explain to me, in detail, how Clear Channel is ruining radio? I will await your informative post......
 
> > > the question could be asked.... why couldn't they just
> > make
> > > those kind of changes with the crew they already had in
> > > place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
> > >
> > Guess the CEO had some expensive things on the old
> shopping
> > list this year...new corp jet...another fleet of
> limos...got
> > to get the money to purchase these necessities somewhere.
>
> > Who needs news on a news/talk station anyway? Merry
> > Christmas from Cheap Channel(we are on a mission to ruin
> > radio - and hey, we're almost there!)
> >
>
> WOW What a reach!! Dont ya think???
>
> Lets see, we have a couple of people from a news department
> (from a single station) let go, and you are ripping a whole
> company???
>
> This Clear Channel bashing gets SO old folks!
>
> Explain to me, in detail, how Clear Channel is ruining
> radio? I will await your informative post......
>
They are not going to make any changes, it is just an easy reason to give for letting go so many people. They could if they wanted to make changes to there "sound" with the people they had. So, what about the people that have been there a long time and did not get let go? Does "randell" think they are able to change there sound but the people that were let go are not able to do so? Come on, "we are changing our sound " is SUCH a cop out! GST tries SO hard to compete with wsb, at least the news department does or did when Paul Mann was there. But they do not have the resources,meaning the manpower to do so. That is there fault! If you want a product to get bigger and better you HAVE to invest in it. I'm out here.
 
> > > > Lets see, we have a couple of people from a news department
> (from a single station) let go, and you are ripping a whole
> company???
>
> This Clear Channel bashing gets SO old folks!
>
> Explain to me, in detail, how Clear Channel is ruining
> radio? I will await your informative post......
>
Explain to us..... If Cheap Channel is such a great company, then why do they insist on making all of thier properties sound the same? Why do thier news talk operations suffer in the ratings? Why do they go thru so many programmers?
because they know nothing about good radio.. Please someone kill WGST... God what a nightmare radio station. No signal=DEAD ON 640 am. <P ID="signature">______________
"Part 15 radio is better than whats on the air now"</P>
 
since when do a/e's write programming memos?? this is soooo stupid, it's just more cost-cutting, the battle with wsb was lost long ago, no hope to change that. think bloomy knew it going in.


> I'm not sure why Randall told me three people were let go.
> This says four. That's what my original source said. Here's
> the rationale in more detail of what they are doing:
>
> NEWS ALERT FROM WGST.........
>
> WGST does still have NEWS.....and....TALK......and is, in
> fact, still a News/Talk station!!!
>
> On Friday, we have let 4 people go that were in our news
> department. It is because we are rebuilding that department
> to make it so that it is more blended in with the
> programming. That's kind of a fancy answer, so let me give
> you an example:
>
> NBC Nightly News has an anchor person that delivers the
> news. Straight on.
>
> Fox News has a team of people that discuss the news. They
> deliver the news and then spend some time bantering back and
> forth about it. They have a little fun, they horse around,
> but you still get the news.
>
> That's where WGST is headed. The station cannot beat WSB-AM
> by going head to head with the exact same format and
> structure. This will enable WGST to sound different from
> WSB-AM...and hopefully attract many more people just as Fox
> News has done against the regular network's news.
>
> When we get the personnel in place to get this going, I will
> get back with you to have you listen. I'll want to know
> what you think!
>
> If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know
> and have a great weekend,
>
> Katy Young
> Senior Account Executive
> Clear Channel Radio Atlanta
>
 
> the question could be asked.... why couldn't they just make
> those kind of changes with the crew they already had in
> place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
>
exactly, all 4 of them sucked?? don't think so
 
You're off track blaming CC...

The firings of the news people most likely have NOTHING to do with Clear Channel aka Cheap Channel... it's more than likely PD Randall Bloomquist's idea. This is his MO -- he comes in and makes massive changes to a station and brings in his "own" people. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm not sure Kimmer is long for GST.......

As for the Fox News reference, I suspect they were referring to the morning show w/E.D. Hill and Steve Doocy and the "Fox Report" where Brit Hume chats it up w/Fred Barnes, Mara Liasson, et al and NOT the radio network, which leaves a lot to be desired. That's why even though it's the main national news source for CC stations, very very few of them actually run the newscasts. WHP in Harrisburg, PA is one of the only ones I know of, and they only run the first segment.

And finally, regarding signal strength, more power does not mean more listeners. If you have compelling programming you can attract a large audience. The same goes for advertising -- more ads does not mean more listeners. Just because some companies throw big $$$s around on ads doesn't mean you're buying.



> They are not going to make any changes, it is just an easy
> reason to give for letting go so many people. They could if
> they wanted to make changes to there "sound" with the people
> they had. So, what about the people that have been there a
> long time and did not get let go? Does "randell" think they
> are able to change there sound but the people that were let
> go are not able to do so? Come on, "we are changing our
> sound " is SUCH a cop out! GST tries SO hard to compete with
> wsb, at least the news department does or did when Paul Mann
> was there. But they do not have the resources,meaning the
> manpower to do so. That is there fault! If you want a
> product to get bigger and better you HAVE to invest in it.
> I'm out here.
>
 
> > > > > Lets see, we have a couple of people from a news
> department
> > (from a single station) let go, and you are ripping a
> whole
> > company???
> >
> > This Clear Channel bashing gets SO old folks!
> >
> > Explain to me, in detail, how Clear Channel is ruining
> > radio? I will await your informative post......
> >
> Explain to us..... If Cheap Channel is such a great company,
> then why do they insist on making all of thier properties
> sound the same? Why do thier news talk operations suffer in
> the ratings? Why do they go thru so many programmers?
> because they know nothing about good radio.. Please someone
> kill WGST... God what a nightmare radio station. No
> signal=DEAD ON 640 am.
>


OK I thougth I had asked a very simple question. And I see no one is willing to answer it.

Why do YOU assume that these moves are all related to Clear Channel corporate? You are quit blinded by the way the Atlanta operation may be run. You ASSUME that all of Clear Channel is run that way. You ASSUME that Corporate is dictating what happens.

May I suggest that you get out a little and see how radio is run elsewhere?

As far as the stations sounding the same..... Thats news to me. And even if they did, truly what difference does it make? Unless you travel a LOT, you may not even notice. And if you did travel a lot, perhaps you would like to hear a station I am somewhat familiar with.

From the CC stations I have heard, there is a lot of local programming, and the PDs have the ability to do what they want to please the LOCAL audience. DO CC stations share info? GOD I HOPE SO! If they didnt that would be a bad business model! (BIG HINT HERE: Radio is a BUSINESS)

But in the meanwhile.... I still await the detailed reasoning behind why Clear Channel is ruining radio. Or is it that the big bad company is successful in making money in the radio business?

Now go play with your part 15 equipment. Let me know if you need an audio board. I may have one for you (seriously!)
 
> > > > the question could be asked.... why couldn't they
> just
> > > make
> > > > those kind of changes with the crew they already had
> in
> > > > place..... i would agree on budget cuts...
> > > >
> > > Guess the CEO had some expensive things on the old
> > shopping
> > > list this year...new corp jet...another fleet of
> > limos...got
> > > to get the money to purchase these necessities
> somewhere.
> >
> > > Who needs news on a news/talk station anyway? Merry
> > > Christmas from Cheap Channel(we are on a mission to ruin
>
> > > radio - and hey, we're almost there!)
> > >
> >
> > WOW What a reach!! Dont ya think???
> >
> > Lets see, we have a couple of people from a news
> department
> > (from a single station) let go, and you are ripping a
> whole
> > company???
> >
> > This Clear Channel bashing gets SO old folks!
> >
> > Explain to me, in detail, how Clear Channel is ruining
> > radio? I will await your informative post......
> >
> They are not going to make any changes, it is just an easy
> reason to give for letting go so many people. They could if
> they wanted to make changes to there "sound" with the people
> they had. So, what about the people that have been there a
> long time and did not get let go? Does "randell" think they
> are able to change there sound but the people that were let
> go are not able to do so? Come on, "we are changing our
> sound " is SUCH a cop out! GST tries SO hard to compete with
> wsb, at least the news department does or did when Paul Mann
> was there. But they do not have the resources,meaning the
> manpower to do so. That is there fault! If you want a
> product to get bigger and better you HAVE to invest in it.
> I'm out here.
>


I am still waiting for someone to explain to me how CC is ruining radio. I see this post was someone that doesnt like WGST and the news department. Perhaps you got passed over by them? (Not a cheap shot, seriously asking the question).

Of course WSB will have a bigger news department. They are the heritage station in town. and they cover the metro area like no one else (signal wise).
 
> Explain to us..... If Cheap Channel is such a great company,
> then why do they insist on making all of thier properties
> sound the same? Why do thier news talk operations suffer in
> the ratings? Why do they go thru so many programmers?
> because they know nothing about good radio.. Please someone
> kill WGST... God what a nightmare radio station. No
> signal=DEAD ON 640 am.
>

I agree. Chump Channel is only part of the reason why terrestrial commercial radio is in such bad shape these days. After all, it's all about the money.
 
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