PLR PD Let Go

[Steele1080]

I don't know how many of you on this board are in radio, but a PD these days in radio has to sit in a lot of meetings, many of which they would rather not have to be in. They have to be in them because they are "ASKED" to be in by a higher person in management or they are in them so there is not one more lame ass sales promotion that gets on the air. There are already enough on anyone's air. They also have to be on many company conference calls, some of which get nothing done. They also have morning show meetings, consultant meetings, aircheck sessions with the other air staff, sit with the promotions and/or marketing director regarding the Spring or Fall Promotion. Add two more promotion meetings if they are rated Summer and Winter. Some still do the music log, some have an APD/MD. If they are a current based music station, they have to meet and talk to record people. Some are not as accessible so the APD/MD meets with them and then he/she meets with the PD. There are also client meetings they are sometimes asked to be in on when they are trying to get a new client on, do a big buy/promotion with a big client, etc. There are research meetings, especially if they are testing their library and it's a hug one, they've got to spend time deciding which songs they need to test. If you only get to test 400, which 400? If they are serious about their HD2/HD3 channels, they are also working on the programming for them. Somewhere in there they eat lunch. I used to be a PD and in this day and age, I am glad I am only an air talent/APD. My former PD was in so many meetings he was frustrated. He felt in many ways it got in the way of him programming the station he gets paid to program. So, unless you walk a mile in someone else's shoes, don't belittle what their responsibilities are. You may not agree with their vision for the station and how the station sounds, but they have a job to do and not a lot of time to do it in. I would hope that if they were to critique you on your job, you would feel the same way.

WOW! Sallyspizza is the real deal. Been there DONE that. Hopefully Sallyspizza is not the current place of employment! I AM still lucky enough to be in these trenches. 18 years same great station. There ARE some tricks of the trade on time management though not covered here: Department head meetings>myself and two other PD's in our cluster get together before each meeting and agree that "all is well" when we're called on. What they don't know, they can't overmanage for us. Meetings alot shorter and food is served! Sales Promotions>We pleasantly nod in approval to the sales person and ignore it all the way to the top. (easier if you're a private in-house owner vs. group.) Our owner/GM wants zero sales clutter on air i.e. so when it gets to the top HE shoots it down. Alot of this business is sales coming up with value added promotion in hopes of landing an account! Our owner is keen to this! Selector>I DO my own. NO APD/MD to impart their vision on my canvas. Website>I've got a young techie type who covers the bases here! I trust him! That's HIS canvas! He makes us look great in return. Oh I let him on-air weekends for his efforts. GOOD jock!DJ airchecks> We go out for beers where I can be brutally honest AND it usually gets corrected(oh, I'm the morning guy with ratings!). WPLR>A major success story on the northeast corridor and may the PD land on his feet. Great coverage Sallys!

 

[Steele1080]

I don't know how many of you on this board are in radio, but a PD these days in radio has to sit in a lot of meetings, many of which they would rather not have to be in. They have to be in them because they are "ASKED" to be in by a higher person in management or they are in them so there is not one more lame ass sales promotion that gets on the air. There are already enough on anyone's air. They also have to be on many company conference calls, some of which get nothing done. They also have morning show meetings, consultant meetings, aircheck sessions with the other air staff, sit with the promotions and/or marketing director regarding the Spring or Fall Promotion. Add two more promotion meetings if they are rated Summer and Winter. Some still do the music log, some have an APD/MD. If they are a current based music station, they have to meet and talk to record people. Some are not as accessible so the APD/MD meets with them and then he/she meets with the PD. There are also client meetings they are sometimes asked to be in on when they are trying to get a new client on, do a big buy/promotion with a big client, etc. There are research meetings, especially if they are testing their library and it's a hug one, they've got to spend time deciding which songs they need to test. If you only get to test 400, which 400? If they are serious about their HD2/HD3 channels, they are also working on the programming for them. Somewhere in there they eat lunch. I used to be a PD and in this day and age, I am glad I am only an air talent/APD. My former PD was in so many meetings he was frustrated. He felt in many ways it got in the way of him programming the station he gets paid to program. So, unless you walk a mile in someone else's shoes, don't belittle what their responsibilities are. You may not agree with their vision for the station and how the station sounds, but they have a job to do and not a lot of time to do it in. I would hope that if they were to critique you on your job, you would feel the same way.

WOW! Sallyspizza is the real deal. Been there DONE that. Hopefully Sallyspizza is not the current place of employment! I AM still lucky enough to be in these trenches. 18 years same great station. There ARE some tricks of the trade on time management though not covered here: Department head meetings>myself and two other PD's in our cluster get together before each meeting and agree that "all is well" when we're called on. What they don't know, they can't overmanage for us. Meetings alot shorter and food is served! Sales Promotions>We pleasantly nod in approval to the sales person and ignore it all the way to the top. (easier if you're a private in-house owner vs. group.) Our owner/GM wants zero sales clutter on air i.e. so when it gets to the top HE shoots it down. Alot of this business is sales coming up with value added promotion in hopes of landing an account! Our owner is keen to this! Again, a major timesaver not having to creatively give stuff away from clients that don't exist yet.Selector>I DO my own. NO APD/MD to impart their vision on my canvas. Website>I've got a young techie type who covers the bases here! I trust him! That's HIS canvas! He makes us look great in return. Oh I let him on-air weekends for his efforts. GOOD jock!DJ airchecks> We go out for beers where I can be brutally honest AND it usually gets corrected(oh, I'm the morning guy with ratings!). WPLR>A major success story in the northeast corridor and may the PD land on his feet. Great coverage Sallys!

 

[GlennO]

You've made some very good points here about the role of a PD today. The job was never a walk in the park. It was the most challenging job I ever had back in the eighties, but today's technology and research tools haven't lessened the workload and stress for these managers at radio's Ground Zero. In markets big and small, there are now less people to share the programming department chores, but still a full sales staff and a bottomline emphasis like never before. That alone creates a different dynamic inside a radio station. A PD who can hold his or her own in this brave new world and still foster a creative and fun environment is a rare breed indeed.

 

[amfmradio1]

Hey Wondergirl,

If you want Landry, Lapitino (who always says "ah" between each word) & Prodoti to stay there forever so you can listen to them, be my guest.

They are not the epitome of Rock Radio.

I believe you've been sheltered, & need to broaden your Radio listening horizons.

Log on to radio-locator.com, & listen online to other stations around the USA - you'll find better jocks & better music variety than 'PLR.

If you don't want to do that, at least give I-95 a try - great rock variety (& better jocks).

 

[djflash]

As Justin Long's character said in Live Free or Die Hard about a Creedence song...
"Just because it's old doesn't make it Classic"
There is very little that surprises in most commercial radio anymore...
rut radio...boring. I'm not looking for shock but a little imagination will go a loooong way.

 

[wondergirl]

Thanks am/fm (or Jack) I will try listening around. WPLR has become like an old friend, very comfortable, but I'm game, I'll try surfin around. BTW which station do you work on? I believe you said it was a 100,000 watt fm rocker in the south, would love to check you out. I think I remember you on WCCC, the grim reaper or something like that.

 

[caliv]

OMG!
The Grim Reaper....SUCKED!!!!
That awful attempt to have a deep voice
That was the WORST example of radio I have EVER heard.

 

[Duggan]

OMG!
The Grim Reaper....SUCKED!!!!
That awful attempt to have a deep voice
That was the WORST example of radio I have EVER heard.

exactly!! Yet he is the first person on the board to critisize other jocks.I'll admit I listened to Jack Allen on PLR because I could not believe just how bad he was. It was the same mentality of someone who drives by a horrific car crash to see a body. He was a car wreck on air. How the hell do you work a classic rock station and announce Voodoo Chile (pronounced like child with the d) as "Voodoo Chilly". Once the novelty of car wreck radio wears off, he's jobless and off to pollute the airwaves of another city. But anyone who has any longevity, to him those are the people who truly suck. Oh the envy to watch (or hear) someone do something better than you could ever hope to do.

 

[amfmradio1]

Hey Caliv & Duggan,

You still think that amfmradio1 is Jack Allen, the Grim Reaper, & you say he sucked, was the worst, bad, etc. But, the fact is, these are some of the stations he worked at, & had a tenure of 10+ years. So, there's something to be said for that. I really don't think he has anything against anyone who has any longevity.

 

[caliv]

amfm,
I'm all about tipping the hat to longevity but...10 years of overnights followed by constant posts about this one sucks and that one should be fired warrants my opinion that he was not a tallent at all.
I used to listen to him just because after a night of a few beers he was so awful that it was actually funny.
We ALL sucked when we first got in the biz but some continue to NOT grow, learn or evelvo.
I never understood why nobody worked with him.
Perhaps a few good airchecks and he would still be woooooooooorking

 

[amfmradio1]

Hey Caliv,

Jack/Grim Reaper (he was given that name by 'CCC PD Ted Sellers) did not just do overnights @'CCC from '88-'96, but also worked different shifts @'PLR from '96-'02, & also Magic104, Rock102/Wacky102 & I-95, since '78! Was it the beer you drank that made him sound so awful that it was actually funny? He was so restricted in what he could do that he couldn't grow or evolve in the CT market. It was suggested that he have a co-host. Lapatino is a train wreck. He says "ah" in between each word. Jack is still working at a 100,000 watt Classic Rocker in the South.

 

[radio monkey]

Jeepers amfm you sure know an awful lot about Jack Allen...like his whole resume!

so what station does Mr. Allen work for and what shift is he doing so we can all listen to the legendary deejay?

 

[wondergirl]

am/fm
I think the reason eveyone thinks that your Jack Allen is that on one of your previous messages you signed it Jack Allen. Quit frankly I don't think it makes a difference. It seems that most of you on this site work in the radio business and want to keep some kind of low profile and thats perfectally understandable. But I sense a real hatred among some of the people here. I would like to know where Jack is working so I can tune in. I remember Jack on wplr and he used to make these long pauses between words to the point where a listener thought there was dead air. He didn't sound bad, voice wise, just very monotoned with no energy or feeling kinda blah. Disc Jockeys like Pam Landry, Mike Lapatino, Mike Prodoti aren't the typical "Disc Jockey" but they are real and make you feel like they are actually talking to you even through there many restictions. I can see where jack may a gripe with wplr, but let it go I think it's been over 4 years now.

 

[bigmax]

am/fm
I think the reason eveyone thinks that your Jack Allen is that on one of your previous messages you signed it Jack Allen.

wondergirl - i laughed out loud!

 

[amfmradio1]

Wondergirl,

Where is the post from amfmradio1 that is signed Jack Allen?

 

[Duggan]

This has been posted here before, but the moderator continues to delete it, so once again here goes

Randy,

Best Regards to you & your wife.

--Jack Allen
Charlotte NC

post number 173 in am/fmradio1 archives

 

[DJRO]

Ed Sab did not :-\ screw me, Ron, I left WPLR (as weekend DJ) twice, once while Griffin was PD to do nights at Rock 102 WAQY Springfield, MA http://rock102.com/ and a second time to go further north for Mornings/PD at CHR Moo92 WMOO Derby VT http://www.moo92.com/...also I never used "Ron O'Brien" at PLR,
I was "Ron O".
I gave ample notice to both PDs prior to departing. I handled Saturday and Sunday late morning shifts for nearly three years under Griffin, and handled Sunday late morning under Sab for about three months. I was also gratefully handed most if not all of the prime daypart fill ins for Pam, Lappy and an occasional Smith & Barber or Night Shift fill. The only run in I had with Sab was him telling me not to talk about software on the air, it was a quick blurb and I mean quick, but he was right - THAT'S IT!! Eddie didn't screw me, in fact if you asked what PD treated me the best I would have to say Griffin, then, 5 years with Steve Wiersman at 104.1 WYSR Hartford Now with http://www.broadcastarchitecture.com/... then, the three months I worked with Sab.

No one screwed me out of anything at WPLR.

Best wishes to Ed Sab.

-Ron

Sabatino got screwed?

He's the one who screwed a lot of great Radio Hosts/Personalities - like Ron O'Brien, Large Dave & Bison, to name a few.

Dominant?

'PLR was dominant before he came in - under the guidance of PD John Griffin (aka Wiggy Wigmaster). Bring him back!

It was Cox' mistake to bring in Sabatino - he did nothing for the ratings or the morale of the air staff.

Clean house - Landry, Lapatino & Prodoti.

Revamp the music programming & the lame, boring, predictable presentation.

 

[wondergirl]

am/fm
I guess it's common knowledge that you are Jack Allen, not that it makes a difference, I would like to know where you are working now. You seem to avoid that question eveytime it's asked. Why? ??? I appauld "Ron O" for setting the record straight. I know large Dave was upset about that quotation about being screwed by Eddy Sabatino as well as Bison. Bison still does fill in's for the station and Dave, I believe, is part time at I 95. This much I do know and that's Dave and Bison (Dr. Hollander) are still very good friends.