Ried out at Entercom.

[flybynight]

If Entercom is facing fines over the FCC investigation, then that was a factor in this decision. When someone holds a prominent position for 20+ years, they may get complacent and feel untouchable. All employment is ultimately "At Will" and can be terminated with or without cause. Look at what's happening in the industry.

Reid was around when one of his PDs was fired for taking payola from record labels. He certainly is savvy enough to know the rules of the Radio Game. It appears he brought this on himself...

Back around 1986 I actually saw a music director (not in Buffalo) open up an overnight envelope from a record label. Guess what was inside? I'll give you a hint: You couldn't spin it on a turntable or cart it up, but you could definitely inhale it! I'm not sure what tainted the integrity of music radio more in those days, THAT kind of thing or the slimy "paper-adds". Of course those two acts were sometimes a tandem!

 

[TheBigA]

Of course those two acts were sometimes a tandem!

It's a lot more difficult to make a promise and have it not be seen, and most local PDs don't have that kind of autonomy any more. Everybody's watching.

 

[davideduardo]

Back around 1986 I actually saw a music director (not in Buffalo) open up an overnight envelope from a record label. Guess what was inside? I'll give you a hint: You couldn't spin it on a turntable or cart it up, but you could definitely inhale it! I'm not sure what tainted the integrity of music radio more in those days, THAT kind of thing or the slimy "paper-adds". Of course those two acts were sometimes a tandem!

I've heard about snort-o-grams, but one I had happen personally is even more extreme...

My office at the San Juan, PR, stations I managed was tropically decorated. The desk and shelving were pure white.

A record promoter came in to visit (I was basically the group PD, so they came to me first). Before I could see what he was about to do, he had made a big line of white powder on my white desk and was taking a silver tube out of his pocket.

It was not powdered milk. I slammed my fist down so hard on the desk that the powder flew into the air and dissipated. The record duck was more shocked about the "waste" of his treasure than aware of how angry I was. I grabbed him by the neck and kicked him out of the building.

The word must have spread quickly, as no promoter ever again even suggested anything similar. And at the time, powdered incentives were horribly common in the market. Obviously, the promoter just could not imagine that a programmer would not like to do a line or two.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Drew a line in the sand, eh.