Pastrick Gone at 'HTT!

[Paul_Warren]

I just caught news on Fybush that Jim Pastrick's gone from WHTT. I guess middays and production are both considered expendable these days, even when you get both, plus a household name in the market, for the cost of one salary. Apparently Jim Siragusa will now be voicetracking noon to 7pm.

Jim Pastrick had much to do with inspiring what turned out to be a very satisfying 30-year radio career for me. I was a 'KB' Kid, also heard him on the old WYSL, and later had Jim as my broadcast instructor at the old Advanced Training Center in Tonawanda, in a class that included Mark Leitner, later of WBEN.

Man, I hate this...no way to avoid sounding like an obit. Jim, check your inbox, and stay in touch!

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I'm very sorry to read this. Jim is a classy guy, I enjoy his posts here. Jim if you see this best of luck, it's radio's loss to be sure.

Where will the madness end?

Let's start our own station!

 

[T_Magoo]

You try and insulate yourself from "The Turk" by your ability to wear many hats. Nobody wore more than Pastrick.

Terribly sorry Jimmy.

 

[raybo520]

Jim Pastrick , I want to wish you well. You are truly one of the most professional broadcasters not only in production where you shine but we sure kicked ---when WGR was news talk. Know that you have inspired many broadcasters over the years. Working with you were some of my best years in the field. I suggest you check out the local schools ...you are a great teacher. Jim if you are interested I'm at St. Bonaventure as an adjunct and would love to recommend you.

Salute!!! My friend!!!

Ray Marks

 

[The Voice of Reason]

For the second week in a row we read on here about a long-time radio veteran who has been laid off after years of service. (Bill Lowe and "Ace" made news last week.)
Apparently anyone with longevity and who makes a decent buck is on the short-list for being fired. At this rate pretty soon the only people on radio will those willing to work for minimum wage. Or radio will become the perfect haven for retirees, part-timers and casual employees.
Note to CBS, Clear Channel, Stephens Media, and Citadel: Keep on getting rid of the professionals on your staff. That will really attract more people to listen to radio; not that you folks give a damn as long as your bottom line is in the black.

 

[yugoidar]

Yeah, makes sense to me! Let's get rid of the guy who has delivered the best numbers on the station during his mid-day shift according to recent ratings. A shift that might be the most important in a format that depends heavily on "at work" listening.

I can't disagree with any of the comments above. Jim Pastrick is not only a longtime market veteran, but one of the brightest and nicest guys I've ever come across in the business.

Jim, I join with others in wishing you the very best! I hope you'll continue to post on this board, perhaps more frequently, since you're now free of any corporate "gag orders".

 

[Savage]

Jim, best wishes from Savage down the Thruway. Call or e-mail me if there's anything I can do.

RCS

 

[SirRoxalot]

Unbelievable. The guy who anchors the station is cut to "save" maybe $50K. You not only lose your #1 personality, you also lose argueably the best production guy in town, an incredible programming resource, and a guy who understands every aspect of the business. He's one of those guys who not only performs consistently at a high level, he makes the people around him better.

The picture is becoming clearer every day. Numbers don't matter. Revenue doesn't matter. All that matters to corporate is that they can cut a salary. The dwindling number of people who are left end up trying to fill huge voids, squeezing more and more jobs into the hours that they're allowed to work. BTW, overtime is verbotten. Gee, you think that the product might suffer? The people left are building Yugos, not Thunderbirds.

I had a bad feeling when I heard that Citadel's Lite in Syracuse was VTing "Jayne", a character created by voice talent Robin Marshall in NYC. I thought that Farid and Friends would at least wait until they had a rating book on "Jayne" to see if the show really had any impact before they rolled her out to other markets. I guess that I was giving them too much credit. I expect that we'll hear "Jayne" on Mix soon.

Good Luck, Jim. If a guy like you gets whacked, NOBODY is safe. BTW, I hear that he wasn't the only cut on Friday. Mary Beth Dwyer, who handled billing for Citadel for a LONG time, and a couple of sales people also got the bullet.

If anybody ever wanted to put together a great radio station, there's a lot of talent out there. Put Jim Pastrick, Slick Tom, Harv Moore, Tina Peel, and some underused part-timers like Anita West to work, and you could make things pretty interesting for the local cost-cutters. Every single one of them would more than pay for themselves within a year.

 

[Bob1370]

WHTT is obviously throwing in the towel in the AC battle when they're casting aside one of their best assets.

If we had a normal competitive situation someone would snap him up right away and profit from it. In today's world of corporate anorexia, the broadcasting business is too busy eating away at essential organs to stay healthy even through the next quarter, much less the medium term future.

This isn't just false economy...it's now gone all the way to nuts. Anyone understand why Citadel is so bent on reducing the value of a once-great and lucrative station to bare stick value?

 

[Mark Giardina]

Jim-

We've never personally met but I've always been impressed with your comments on this board.

I am truly sorry that you have become the latest casualty in this insane firing spree in broadcasting.

I wish you the very best and am certain you will land on your feet very quickly.

Sincerely,

MG

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

At times like this, the less said the better (like talking up a 17 second intro); so I'll simply say a heartfelt "thank you" to each and every one of you for the kind words and support. It's genuinely appreciated. And thanks to the many professionals with whom I worked at Citadel Buffalo. These are indeed trying times for those in and out of the business. I hope to be back... and I wish everyone well. Stay warm. It's cold outside.

 

[Ustabeadj]

A great talent, a good guy and a superb professional, even though he once hired me. Jim, good things comes to those who wait, and plot!

Lanigan

 

[Debaser]

And here we have yet another perfect example of what's wrong with the industry today. People don't make a whit of difference to the soul-less accountants who run the show. It's all about how they can make themselves look better to their boards of directors. Chances are they don't even know the names of the people who work for them.

And when the industry dies and the stocks are worth less than the paper they are printed on (a time that is not all that far from now), these rapers and decimators of a business that once once run with passion, will take the millions they are socking away for themselves and go off to ruin another industry.

It's too bad, really. They should all be in jail.

And guys like Jim Pastrick should still have their jobs.

 

[Steven21]

They should all be in jail.

Cheers.

As much as we blame the corporations, let's not forget the lobbyists whose stock and trade is getting our elected representatives to do what's NOT in the public's interest.

Radio corporations would be far more "responsible" had they not had Washington in their back pocket.

 

[Jim Cummings]

No surprise about Jim Pastick. The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of. The one thing I noticed about him was the way he talked down to his listeners. He came off as a "smart-ass". Not the way to get ratings in today's radio. Hard lessons to learn Jim. Maybe Home Depot is hiring.

 

[Steven21]

No surprise about Jim Pastick. The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of. The one thing I noticed about him was the way he talked down to his listeners. He came off as a "smart-ass". Not the way to get ratings in today's radio. Hard lessons to learn Jim. Maybe Home Depot is hiring.

No surprise? Numbers? Smart-ass?

Are you aware of what's going on industry-wide?

Lots and lots of people are being ousted who are everything from nice to rotten, great numbers to bad, on air and off. You either have an ax to grind or are very short on experience.

I knew the Buffalo board was astonishingly civil for an internet messageboard (a radio one no less).

For anyone concerned that Pastrick may have been getting a big head from this thread....thank Jim Cummings for making #1 on the parade!

Hey Cummings---I heard Clear Channel just ruined a bunch of lives most recently in Austin. I bet they could use a reality check on that board. Get to work! And just to whet your appetite, rumor is one of them was a smart-ass, and we know how you feel about those!

 

[Element9]

No surprise about Jim Pastick. The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of. The one thing I noticed about him was the way he talked down to his listeners. He came off as a "smart-ass". Not the way to get ratings in today's radio. Hard lessons to learn Jim. Maybe Home Depot is hiring.

I was staying away from this thread because I've criticized a lot of people on this board, including Pastrick, saying his better days were years ago on 97 Rock. Then Jim Cummings posts his good cheer and makes me feel like there's always a bigger snotnozzle than me. To the local people from Citadel who have been fired or haven't had contracts renewed in the last year, Harv Moor, Slick Tom, Gail Ann Huber to Pastrick, I wish you well and hope you all find new gigs in radio. You wouldn't have lasted in the business as long as you have if you weren't doing something right. Your lives have been messed with by people who couldn't care less. The radio business is in a tail spin because of the greed and stupidity of men and women who have golden parachutes. Debaser said it all in his post.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Opinions are like ...

No surprise about Jim Pastick. The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of. The one thing I noticed about him was the way he talked down to his listeners. He came off as a "smart-ass". Not the way to get ratings in today's radio. Hard lessons to learn Jim. Maybe Home Depot is hiring.

Gee, Mr. Cummings, how about if you introduce yourself and establish a little cred before you start bashing people. Sorry, but your name is unfamiliar to me. Can you give a clue as to the depth of your radio expertise?

Here's what I can discern so far:

"The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of."

Let's see, the target audience for "Mix" is Women 25-54. According to the Fall Arbitron - the latest book, and one typically skewed by Christmas music during the last couple of weeks - Pastrick was 4th in the market. He came in behind Star, 'JYE, and 'YRK. Since it's a copyright violation to post actual numbers, let me just say that Pastrick's numbers were 2.5 shares higher than his lead-in from morning drive, and 2.6 higher than the PM drive numbers that followed his shift.

WHTT is taking on two long-entrenched AC stations, and programming has shifted focus within the demo several times since they "evolved" into "Mix". Yet, Pastrick has consistently had the highest rated daypart. BTW, anybody remember all the outside promotion that Citadel spent money on trying to help WHTT have impact as "Mix"? Do you remember the big TV promo push last fall after Mix ended the "Flashback Weekends" and refocused 35-44? How about the bus cards, billboards, and newspaper ads? What, you don't remember any of that? It's almost like THERE WASN'T ANY OUTSIDE PROMOTION.

Perhaps, Mr. Cummings, you prefer bland liner-card readers who endlessly repeat the same old positioning statements. As far as Pastrick being a "smart-ass" is concerned, even IF it was true, do you conceed that there may be some listeners who prefer a little humor to the perpetual "smile" of Roger Christian (not to criticize Roger - he's a bonafide mid-day monster), or the invisible pleasantry on WJYE?

WHTT had the best ratings in recent memory with personalities like Tom Shannon, Harv Moore, and Jim Pastrick. A lot of listeners still expect a little something more from WHTT, but unfortunately they keep getting less and less and less. This is NOT an indictment of Bill Lacey or Joe Siragusa. It's just that they can't possibly VT skillfully enough to live up to the standards established in the past.

Thank you, Mr. Cummings, for your opinion. I suspect that you're aware of Home Depot's hiring status because you need to follow those particular trends in your own life.

 

[weck1230]

No surprise about Jim Pastick. The guy had no Arbitron numbers to speak of. The one thing I noticed about him was the way he talked down to his listeners. He came off as a "smart-ass". Not the way to get ratings in today's radio. Hard lessons to learn Jim. Maybe Home Depot is hiring.

Wow. Just wow. Someone must have a lot of time on their hands to randomly troll boards without any knowledge at all. Knowing Jim "Pastick" as well as we do, I'm sure he had a hearty belly laugh when he read this one....

 

[overandout]

Sorry....Can't hold my tongue on this one! Mr. Cummings, Jim and I worked together at HTT and he was one of the "good guys". Never was there a moment when I needed something, that he wasn't there assisting and educating. His zest for the business was always at the forefront and his desire to make the station better was always at the top of his "to do" list.

Jim walked into the studio each morning armed with information and news to make his show interesting and motivating. He was never a card reader....he was a man with a mission to fill his five hours with kind words and pertinant information.

I trust you've never met Jim, because if you had, you would know what most of us do....that he is a "hall of famer".

Jim...ya know I love ya! Welcome to the beach!