I just decided to put this as a new thread since the old one is nearing the archives. BigTymer, if you want to move this post to that thread and feel it would organize things better, I'm fine with it. I just thought I'd state my reason for putting this as a new thread, and I don't have any intention of flaming the board.
>>I work for another station in the cluster, and the leadership at WWL that I think you speak of?.....is truly one of the most passionate, incredibly visionary, genuine and absolutely most dedicated individuals I have ever met in this industry. This person loves their STATION above all other priorities, and LIVES every moment in that ambition. The one always there after all have gone home each night, the one who is so incredibly connected to the lives of their talent and employees, that they'd do absolutely anything for them. And they have, they will, and they DO. EVERYDAY. They live for everyone ELSE, not themselves. They do it with integrity and vision. They will probably even not like the fact that someone pointed it out...like me...because to be honored for their work...is truly the LAST desire on their list in life. All of this, of course, only from what I have personally seen in my short time in New Orleans.<<
I know you said you won't be responding to any replies of your post, but I really am curious as to how/why you say they "live for everyone else." I'd really would like to know what happened the night of July 5-6 when the station decided not to do overnight coverage of Tropical Storm Cindy. It's amazing, the hosts and personalities on there talk all the time about "you need to be prepared for hurricanes, make back-up plans, etc." Where was their emergency/backup plan for that night? I won't accept any excuse or reason for no storm coverage of the storm. What a hypocritical way for management to act--go back on their own words after assaulting the listeners with the anxiety talk about hurricanes. If anyone at Entercom had watched FOX 8 news that night, Bob Breck used the VIPIR model and said the storm would not be turning as early as the National Hurricane Center predicted, thus making a rough night for New Orleans and the surrounding area. Kaare was doing sportstalk that night. They should have asked him to stay on till midnight at least (and he's handled long hours like that before so there should not have been any reason for him to sign off). Then get someone else to do overnight till the morning news at 5.
>>Everyone deserves to be held accountable, in the light of others' opinion, so for that, you have the complete right to say what you want in this board. But this, of course, are MY words, and spoken as my own opinion only as well. Thank you for making me feel the need to express it.
Really. That's exactly the point I'm making.....<<
Certainly I welcome your point of view. Maybe the the people at Entercom have honest intentions to make things very successful, but over the last half-year or so, WWL has taken a hit in the ratings. Even one of their sister stations on FM beat them out! I think Garland was a good takeover for David Tyree, but I do not believe Spud has lived up to expectations for the most well-known station in New Orleans. I have already discussed the sports replacements so I won't write them again
>>I have nothing to protect, and nothing to lose, and no reason to say this except for the fact that anyone who doesn't know the magic that is behind WWL, regardless of the "radio baggage" or the views expressed on the air through others, or yourself...it is this exact type of attitude of bringing your personal opinions of past talents chosen by that management, your personal views of the way that management runs their ship and how you'd do it different....that shows you truly aren't yet in the realm of understanding that to run a talk station, (I believe) especially in a city such as ours...isn't about one or two talent picks that YOU think were off-focus.<<
I do understand where you're coming from--that management has to look at several scenarios and take the path they believe is best. But to wave off listening to most of the feedback from the listeners over the past 5 years is disgraceful.
>>It's about crafting a vision, of all sides, and removing personal opinion and desires from that hiring/firing/decision process on all levels within the station...truly, putting the STATION above all else. That highly coveted balance....this person so deservingly exemplifies.<<
I want to focus on what you say "crafting a vision, of all sides." How glaringly wrong you are, mainly here I refer to the sports programming. Every day for sections of the year over the last few years whenever Benson makes a stadium statement, every show has dedicated its full 2, 3, 4, or 5 hours of hammering the Saints issue to death, shoving the "you'd better pony up the money, or else you lose your team and the economy goes bad." Yeah, I guess it's easy for the host to say that when he/she gets free tickets to every damn ball game as well as press box freebies (namely the buffet open only to the media). It's almost as though you'd swear Tom Benson was the owner of WWL radio. Add to this that since the Zephyrs left WWL/WSMB after 1999, the station just threw Zephyrs coverage in the dump. Now, I'm not saying that they should reserve several nights of doing majority Zephyrs coverage (after all it's not a major league club and not everyone can see every home game), but maybe once in a while have one of the Zephyrs broadcasters on to talk about the latest with the team and the parent club, etc. Many times they don't even announce the score of the previous night's ball game (which stays up for several hours after the most recent game on the Zs website), they say the wrong opponent, get the score in reverse, or say that the game was at home when they were on the road, vice versa. The Zs did great with drawing people when WWL carried them, but with WWL promoting the Saints as their #1 program entity, the public doesn't get a balanced view on sports.
>>They've done it with a humility that is pristinely true...and with a vision of radio and news/talk that personifies the very bones of what journalism is all about...and at all costs, captures the essence of what many in this board speak of quite often.....real radio just like it "used to be"...real radio that surpasses corporate suits and blandification. You say that's what you want...and then, when it's staring you in the face, and happening on your radio, in your market, you suddenly criticise.<<
Humility? I stated a couple of weeks ago about Del Giorno running a commercial during the Saints-Seahawks preseason game. Mentioning the "award-winning news team." What awards have they won? Seriously, what awards are they? Are they from national or local well-known/well-respected newsmedia groups? Heck, I even checked the Press Club of New Orleans website a few months ago, I don't recall seeing any award given to WWL radio (at max one award) this past June. Are these awards sort of like a ceramic poundcake trophy given to USC a couple of years ago by the crybabies at the AP for being "national champs" when everyone agreed that the trophy which LSU went on to win was the true national champs? (BigTymer, I know you'll like that ) And another thing, stalling on the air while leaving little time to take calls or carrying an arrogant tone towards the caller (Tyree was accustomed to doing this and I have noticed Garland doing the same thing lately) doesn't show much humility.
>>WWL is far from failure.<<
Maybe so, maybe not. Yeah, I'd agree to some extent with your statement. I guess when you have 50KW of power and you can make up for the local audience you've lost to other growing stations in New Orleans by drawing in listeners from across the Gulf Coast during daytime and then at night over 3/4 the country, then you won't have much problem keeping the Arbitron very strong. But I do realize the station was dealt a blow with losing Andre, Buddy, and David
"I wish you would or could spend more time with them. Because even in the brief times I have...you can't miss the fact that WWL is being steered by an incredibly undefinable spirit."
I'm sure your colleagues are great people personally. But all that most, if not all, of us can only post our opinions on radio, especially WWL, by what we've heard on radio and followed over recent years. I'm sure if I had the chance to meet them in person I could get to see the particulars of their decisions
>>Again, please do not take this to mean you are not entitled to your views. But this is mine, and I appreciate your reading it. I really do think that even the fact that people question the talent chosen and the decisions made by a PD...means that PD is doing something right...because news/talk is, in my opinion, at its deepest core...exactly that...The ability to analyze and understand the world around us in all facets. If people didn't question those decisions made? WWL would never be the bastion of broadcasting it is...a station that isn't defined by who steers it, but has a soul all it's own. A radio station with a soul. Wow. I think that's what we all love about this business, right? Look. We've got one. Thanks to many...not "because" of one
In my view.
Thanks again for the chance to express them here on Radio Info.<<
Despite the rant(s) that I have made, I do want to thank you for responding. You did it with class. We all have a right to believe that our businesses/places of employment are delivering a good product. It's what keeps us going. But radio involves the listeners and their opinions and not just management and theirs.
>>I will not be replying to any messages further on this topic, even if in response to this post...on this board, as again, I only wished to express my view and move on. Thank you for respecting that.
Tyler<<
Thanks again for the well-written post.
>>I work for another station in the cluster, and the leadership at WWL that I think you speak of?.....is truly one of the most passionate, incredibly visionary, genuine and absolutely most dedicated individuals I have ever met in this industry. This person loves their STATION above all other priorities, and LIVES every moment in that ambition. The one always there after all have gone home each night, the one who is so incredibly connected to the lives of their talent and employees, that they'd do absolutely anything for them. And they have, they will, and they DO. EVERYDAY. They live for everyone ELSE, not themselves. They do it with integrity and vision. They will probably even not like the fact that someone pointed it out...like me...because to be honored for their work...is truly the LAST desire on their list in life. All of this, of course, only from what I have personally seen in my short time in New Orleans.<<
I know you said you won't be responding to any replies of your post, but I really am curious as to how/why you say they "live for everyone else." I'd really would like to know what happened the night of July 5-6 when the station decided not to do overnight coverage of Tropical Storm Cindy. It's amazing, the hosts and personalities on there talk all the time about "you need to be prepared for hurricanes, make back-up plans, etc." Where was their emergency/backup plan for that night? I won't accept any excuse or reason for no storm coverage of the storm. What a hypocritical way for management to act--go back on their own words after assaulting the listeners with the anxiety talk about hurricanes. If anyone at Entercom had watched FOX 8 news that night, Bob Breck used the VIPIR model and said the storm would not be turning as early as the National Hurricane Center predicted, thus making a rough night for New Orleans and the surrounding area. Kaare was doing sportstalk that night. They should have asked him to stay on till midnight at least (and he's handled long hours like that before so there should not have been any reason for him to sign off). Then get someone else to do overnight till the morning news at 5.
>>Everyone deserves to be held accountable, in the light of others' opinion, so for that, you have the complete right to say what you want in this board. But this, of course, are MY words, and spoken as my own opinion only as well. Thank you for making me feel the need to express it.
Really. That's exactly the point I'm making.....<< Certainly I welcome your point of view. Maybe the the people at Entercom have honest intentions to make things very successful, but over the last half-year or so, WWL has taken a hit in the ratings. Even one of their sister stations on FM beat them out! I think Garland was a good takeover for David Tyree, but I do not believe Spud has lived up to expectations for the most well-known station in New Orleans. I have already discussed the sports replacements so I won't write them again
>>I have nothing to protect, and nothing to lose, and no reason to say this except for the fact that anyone who doesn't know the magic that is behind WWL, regardless of the "radio baggage" or the views expressed on the air through others, or yourself...it is this exact type of attitude of bringing your personal opinions of past talents chosen by that management, your personal views of the way that management runs their ship and how you'd do it different....that shows you truly aren't yet in the realm of understanding that to run a talk station, (I believe) especially in a city such as ours...isn't about one or two talent picks that YOU think were off-focus.<<
I do understand where you're coming from--that management has to look at several scenarios and take the path they believe is best. But to wave off listening to most of the feedback from the listeners over the past 5 years is disgraceful.
>>It's about crafting a vision, of all sides, and removing personal opinion and desires from that hiring/firing/decision process on all levels within the station...truly, putting the STATION above all else. That highly coveted balance....this person so deservingly exemplifies.<<
I want to focus on what you say "crafting a vision, of all sides." How glaringly wrong you are, mainly here I refer to the sports programming. Every day for sections of the year over the last few years whenever Benson makes a stadium statement, every show has dedicated its full 2, 3, 4, or 5 hours of hammering the Saints issue to death, shoving the "you'd better pony up the money, or else you lose your team and the economy goes bad." Yeah, I guess it's easy for the host to say that when he/she gets free tickets to every damn ball game as well as press box freebies (namely the buffet open only to the media). It's almost as though you'd swear Tom Benson was the owner of WWL radio. Add to this that since the Zephyrs left WWL/WSMB after 1999, the station just threw Zephyrs coverage in the dump. Now, I'm not saying that they should reserve several nights of doing majority Zephyrs coverage (after all it's not a major league club and not everyone can see every home game), but maybe once in a while have one of the Zephyrs broadcasters on to talk about the latest with the team and the parent club, etc. Many times they don't even announce the score of the previous night's ball game (which stays up for several hours after the most recent game on the Zs website), they say the wrong opponent, get the score in reverse, or say that the game was at home when they were on the road, vice versa. The Zs did great with drawing people when WWL carried them, but with WWL promoting the Saints as their #1 program entity, the public doesn't get a balanced view on sports.
>>They've done it with a humility that is pristinely true...and with a vision of radio and news/talk that personifies the very bones of what journalism is all about...and at all costs, captures the essence of what many in this board speak of quite often.....real radio just like it "used to be"...real radio that surpasses corporate suits and blandification. You say that's what you want...and then, when it's staring you in the face, and happening on your radio, in your market, you suddenly criticise.<<
Humility? I stated a couple of weeks ago about Del Giorno running a commercial during the Saints-Seahawks preseason game. Mentioning the "award-winning news team." What awards have they won? Seriously, what awards are they? Are they from national or local well-known/well-respected newsmedia groups? Heck, I even checked the Press Club of New Orleans website a few months ago, I don't recall seeing any award given to WWL radio (at max one award) this past June. Are these awards sort of like a ceramic poundcake trophy given to USC a couple of years ago by the crybabies at the AP for being "national champs" when everyone agreed that the trophy which LSU went on to win was the true national champs? (BigTymer, I know you'll like that
) And another thing, stalling on the air while leaving little time to take calls or carrying an arrogant tone towards the caller (Tyree was accustomed to doing this and I have noticed Garland doing the same thing lately) doesn't show much humility.>>WWL is far from failure.<<
Maybe so, maybe not. Yeah, I'd agree to some extent with your statement. I guess when you have 50KW of power and you can make up for the local audience you've lost to other growing stations in New Orleans by drawing in listeners from across the Gulf Coast during daytime and then at night over 3/4 the country, then you won't have much problem keeping the Arbitron very strong. But I do realize the station was dealt a blow with losing Andre, Buddy, and David
"I wish you would or could spend more time with them. Because even in the brief times I have...you can't miss the fact that WWL is being steered by an incredibly undefinable spirit."
I'm sure your colleagues are great people personally. But all that most, if not all, of us can only post our opinions on radio, especially WWL, by what we've heard on radio and followed over recent years. I'm sure if I had the chance to meet them in person I could get to see the particulars of their decisions
>>Again, please do not take this to mean you are not entitled to your views. But this is mine, and I appreciate your reading it.
I really do think that even the fact that people question the talent chosen and the decisions made by a PD...means that PD is doing something right...because news/talk is, in my opinion, at its deepest core...exactly that...The ability to analyze and understand the world around us in all facets. If people didn't question those decisions made? WWL would never be the bastion of broadcasting it is...a station that isn't defined by who steers it, but has a soul all it's own. A radio station with a soul. Wow. I think that's what we all love about this business, right? Look. We've got one. Thanks to many...not "because" of one In my view.
Thanks again for the chance to express them here on Radio Info.<<
Despite the rant(s) that I have made, I do want to thank you for responding. You did it with class. We all have a right to believe that our businesses/places of employment are delivering a good product. It's what keeps us going. But radio involves the listeners and their opinions and not just management and theirs.
>>I will not be replying to any messages further on this topic, even if in response to this post...on this board, as again, I only wished to express my view and move on. Thank you for respecting that.
Tyler<<
Thanks again for the well-written post.