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ROCHESTER FOLKS: PICK ONE FOR YOUR MARKET

G

GeorgeKramer

Guest
For the people from the Rochester market, if you could select one on-air personality (talk show host, newscaster, morning show host, DJ, anyone is up for grabs) from Buffalo for your listening area and have him or her be placed into "the scene" of Ra-Cha-Cha and be heard on a regular basis, who would it be and why?
 
George, if I understand your posting right, you want Rochesterians to pick a Buffalo personality for Rochester radio. You, obviously have no knowledge of Rochester. As far as the population in Rochester is concerned, Buffalo does not exist. Buffalo just might as well be a suburb of L. A. What I am saying is, Rochester is EXTREMELY clickish. Even the corporate big shots have learned out of towners do not work here. I, for one, am glad it is that way.
 
I think the obvious one is Mike Schopp. He used to on the air there, used to live there and I believe broadcast some minor league sports games there.

I think Sandy Beach could work ANYWHERE. I could see him landing somewhere with either a mid-morning or mid-afternoon show, either talking politics/pop culture/life in general like he does now on WBEN or just spinning records/CDs/digital music on an FM in morning drive or for the drive home.
 
George, how many Buffalo radio stations reach Rochester? And how many Rochester radio stations reach Buffalo? How are people supposed to have opinions about personalities in other markets if they're unable to listen to them? And if they CAN listen to them, why would they change markets?

It's a dumb question, George. Unless you're on the Buffalo-Rochester shuffle. Ain't many guys around here in that position. Is that what you do, George? Go back & forth between Rochester & Buffalo?
 
Without trying to sound like a clown, ;) I live in Leroy, so I can and do listen to both Roch. and Buffalo radio. Having said that, I agree with what the posters on this thread not named George state. Rochester is very clickish, most listeners are not going to change markets and George must have a lot of time on his hands. :D
 
Not a huge number of people have worked in both markets. A few come to mind, including Clint Buehlmann (first job at WHAM as a kid fresh out of Bennett High before coming back to Buffalo and WGR in 1932) and Foster Brooks (not originally from the area but worked first in Buffalo, then at WROC-TV in Rochester and eventually made Rochester a lifelong summer home)...later on, native Rochesterian Jim McLaughlin came from WNYR in Rochester to WYSL, then KB and finally WBEN. Irv Weinstein as a school kid appeared as an actor in productions on WHAM while growing up in Rochester, then moved from coast to coast before winding up in Buffalo in 1958 to become a local legend. Don Postles, who grew up in Irondequoit, also made the move down the Thruway to Buffalo. Bob Savage has been prominent in both Buffalo and Rochester radio at various times in his career before coming back to the Rochester area to set up his own shop.

Each place has its own rhythm and feel, and you have to be in Rochester, or Buffalo, for a little while to get the sense of place that helps you be effective. Having a little experience myself on both sides of the Rochester/Buffalo equation, it doesn't take too long if you work hard and learn the unique aspects of life in each town. I can't agree with folks who think of Rochester as cliquish, although I do agree Buffalo is a city of good neighbors....
 
About twenty years ago, members of the Western New York congressional districts explored an idea that Rochester and Buffalo should be linked by high speed rail and increased government and development co-operation. It was their studied opinion that such a plan would benefit the economies of both cities. The idea had some merit, but it never got any real traction. Too bad, because the two cities' economic well-being is far more enmeshed than some would like to believe.

I think air talent can make the transition between the two cities quite well. I've also observed sales and management from Rochester transition to Buffalo. Each city has traits and characteristics that are common to the other, yet there are distinct differences that go beyond sports, restaurants and entertainment preferences, Sabres and Bills not withstanding.

Used to be that Rochester was considered more affluent than Buffalo, but the economic downturn hasn't exactly bypassed the Flower City. Rochester readers and posters will instinctively respond that Buffalo is far more "on the ropes" than Rochester. Let's leave that debate to another thread.

The worst mistake made by a manager, sales person or air talent that transitions from either market to the other is to not acknowledge the differences and similarities of the markets and insist on forcing a square peg into a round hole. I've observed that attitude on a few occasions and the results are less than encouraging.

How many times have people in Rochester said, "It's Rochester, dammit!" when a media person made the mistake of saying "this is the way we did it in Buffalo." Similarly, when Rochester types insisted that what worked in Rochester would automatically work just as well in Buffalo, the responsorial psalm is usually, "This ain't Rochester, pal." Smart air talent, sales people and managers know this and make adjustments.
 
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