alton doth protest too much. Here's the bottom line. Most 'Burghers don't identify with Bauman the way they did Krenn. Never did. No matter what was going on inside. I say "be careful what you wish for" if in fact some other morning show on air people are glad Krenn's gone. Sports and news people have been on a revolving door on that show and Bauman just isn't that likeable on his own, especially since he started name dropping. It isn't like "Jimmy and Steve" leaving for Fla or Paulsen leaving on his own. Those departures made it easier for the new or remaining on air talent to get themselves into a groove. This was a firing. And the 'DVE audience isn't a forgiving bunch. There are a lot of mad Pittsburghers. They are mad at 'DVE and CC and at this point are saying things like "Sorry (insert 'dve dee jay name here), I like you but I'm not listening until Krenn's back." If it get's out that anybody in the studio in the morning is happy he's gone, it's Katy bar the door. The show is done. No matter what the circumstances are, justified firing or not. I'm not saying they don't have a right to work with someone who puls his weight, I'm saying that the listeners need a lot of convincing to believe Krenn was a bad seed, and nobody in that line up, including Paulsen, is heavyweight enough at this point to carry the day. It's about numbers and ratings.
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Scott Paulsen and Bill Crawford joining WDVE
- Thread starter DavidZ
- Start date
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Alton
Guest
;D Okay, that's funny, but I don't protest too much. I merely am giving you the TRUTH of the matter as I know it from people who work there and as a radio professional who knows how the business works. Why is it so hard for you to understand that sometimes you must take the weak link out, no matter how popular you claim he is?
Secondly, face the fact that Krenn is gone. Not coming back. Do I like Baumann or think he's likeable enough to carry this show? No, not really. I do think having Paulsen will help sustain backlash. But, let's wait and get a year's worth of PPM to make a "is it working or not" decision. And, that isn't your opinion or mine that decides that, that is PPM. I do think they'll develop a niche. Change was necessary (especially as you see numbers leaving that show).
Thirdly, dismissal of Krenn is NOT about the listener. That is rule #1. It's about the revenue. It's about your budget. It's about making all that work. In this case, there was just cause to get rid of the weak link, no matter how popular you viewed him. Is it worth it to spend that amount of money on guys like Krenn? No. They (management) does not care one iota about Pittsburgh history or the fact that Krenn was there for 24 years. They took a chance and now are working on building that show back. It was a business decision, period. They don't care about his so called popularity. (If he were so popular, his Jim Krenn Raw" show would've had better digital numbers than they did. Lots of people are told "we're going in a different direction" everyday. Accept that this was Jimmy's turn. Life goes on.
If the real story came out (which, it won't), then people would be certainly understanding of him being off the air and gone. These people who you claim are mad would change their tune. Yeah, I believe there are people who are mad. I also believe that they wouldn't stand to work with a slacker like Krenn either. They deserve better as a listener. Do I think what's in there now is better? Not sure, but I do know that show can evolve as they have people in there who are hard workers and eventually, it will show (in PPM).
CC Managers don't have to convince the listener of anything. All they need to do is keep their budgets.
Alton said:
The problem I have with your analysis is that you make the assumption that CC management knows what they're doing. Based on the pathetic state of CC at this time I think that is a BIG stretch. CC is teetering on the edge of oblivion because of it's own complete incompetence. Hopefully this will help put an end to their sorry existence. I for one will not miss them.
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Alton
Guest
Well, than you assumed that because I made no assumptions. I am no way saying they know what they are doing, but as what I know from insiders there and what I know as a radio professional, I think getting Krenn off and out is the right thing to have happened.
I even stated I am not defending CC, and I do think they are not very smart at all (read my posts on this board), but in this one case, I think they did the right thing.
Oh believe me Velvet, I am one of the first people to think and say that dumb people are at the helm there, but even dumb people make a good decision now and then. This was a good decision.
And yes, I truly believe CC is a horrible company. They are greedy and has killed the radio industry.
Clear Channel knows what it's doing in Pittsburgh. Its success in this market speaks for itself.
Nana boo boo, I know something you don't know...guess what Alton, I (and I'm betting most people on here) know people who sit in that studio too, but I'm not coming on a MB and trying to trash someone's reputation because I do.
PorkyBogut, I had to look up the expression "Katy bar the door" because I never heard it before, but now that I have, it's pretty freakin' awesome.
PorkyBogut, I had to look up the expression "Katy bar the door" because I never heard it before, but now that I have, it's pretty freakin' awesome.
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Alton
Guest
I never trashed anybody's reputation. I merely spoke the truth. I also didn't throw it in anybody's face.
Grow up!
No, you didn't, because you won't tell us what you're talking about. I said you tried (unsuccessfully).
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Alton
Guest
Are we in fifth grade? You sound so childish! Yes you did! Yes he did teacher! Yes corporate, I most certainly stated the truth without trashing Krenn's image. If there is a tarnsih, it's his own doing. (or not doing).
I stated as much as I will without disclosing private information. I will not succumb to your grade school tauntings. Perhaps one day you will read of the true story in the Post Gazette, or perhaps not. But, you will not get that crucial fact from me. Now stop making assumptions and throwing taunts and go on back to your life.
I stated as much as I will without disclosing private information. I will not succumb to your grade school tauntings. Perhaps one day you will read of the true story in the Post Gazette, or perhaps not. But, you will not get that crucial fact from me. Now stop making assumptions and throwing taunts and go on back to your life.
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I wonder what the "crucial fact" could be? I'm guessing that Jim barbecued and ate Ralph the Cat.
: :I wonder what the "crucial fact" could be? I'm guessing that Jim barbecued and ate Ralph the Cat.
Alton, just about every post I have in this thread states that I don't have enough information to say whether Krenn deserved to go or not. That's really not what I am talking about. I actually lean towards the camp that says he must have dug homself a real hole for them to can him. If he was abad employee, that's that. Sometimes bad employees need to be fired. Sometimes good employees who do not get ratings that lead to advertising revenue have to be let go too. That's what I am talking about here. What I am saying is something you affirmed in an earlier post. To CC and 'DVE it is about numbers. Ratings and revenue versus what they shell out in salary, etc. to produce the morning show. That's why I think this might spell a slow end to the morning show. If Randy, Bill and sometimes Scott can't regain the fans who left when Krenn disappeared, they will be met with the same fate. A sustained ratings drop will lead to a drop in advertising revenue. That would lead management to look closely at whether they are getting a prudent business return on their investment. So for you to say the listeners don't matter is pure foolishness. I'm sure Randy makes good money, and Paulsen, in any capacity, didn't come cheap. When Jimmy (Roach) & Steve left, they did it on their own. Same with Paulsen. "Paulsen and Krenn" and "Krenn and Bauman" had to prove their worth to the audience, but they weren't dealing with a chunk of audience who felt scorned by the station management. That's a harder audience to reclaim. If they don't get the numbers, whether they are on time for work or not, they won't last.
Not sure I can be any clearer.
Not sure I can be any clearer.
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Alton
Guest
Understood PorkyBogut and I agree with what you said. However, I never said the "listeners didn't matter". I said that the dismissal of Krenn wasn't about the listener. It's about revenue.
Yes, the listeners have been dropping off the morning show (sharesthat used to be near 20 are now near 12 and 14). It's been declining each year and probably noticeable in the last few years with the new management team assessing what they're shelling out for that show. I still stick to my guns that removing Krenn was the best thing as opposed to keeping him.
Krenn is now out of sight and out of mind. I don't see the angry fans revolting much on social media anymore. CC totally mishandled the announcement of this (not saying anything and doing it when Krenn was still under contract and couldn't speak for himself). Truth will tell in their next few PPMs how this new configuration clicks and builds listenership up again. But, I don't think the small angry/emotional crowd boycotting or whatever will be enough to say that removing Krenn was a mistake.
Yes, the listeners have been dropping off the morning show (sharesthat used to be near 20 are now near 12 and 14). It's been declining each year and probably noticeable in the last few years with the new management team assessing what they're shelling out for that show. I still stick to my guns that removing Krenn was the best thing as opposed to keeping him.
Krenn is now out of sight and out of mind. I don't see the angry fans revolting much on social media anymore. CC totally mishandled the announcement of this (not saying anything and doing it when Krenn was still under contract and couldn't speak for himself). Truth will tell in their next few PPMs how this new configuration clicks and builds listenership up again. But, I don't think the small angry/emotional crowd boycotting or whatever will be enough to say that removing Krenn was a mistake.
How much of that decline is really Krenn's fault though? Every since the Janet Jackson boob scandal at the Super Bowl CC has neutered every comedy show on their entire network. Add to that the fact that CC management seemed more interested in turning the morning show, and every other CC show for that matter, in to a sports talk show. All and all it simply was not, and is still not, a very funny show. I listed for a half hour this morning, it was torture. I switched back to XM.
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Alton
Guest
GREAT point Velvet! I think that certainly added to the declining numbers of the DVE morning show. And you are right, it simply is not a very funny show. Hasn't been for quite a few years.
C
california
Guest
Even a beautiful rose eventually withers, no matter what you do. The morning show is not funny anymore and that's sad. But the truth is what we thought funny or entertaining in the 80' or 90's just isn't today. I've had the impression, long before the Randy hold out, that the show sounded mailed in. Jim sounded a little burned out. When he started showing up at 7:30, I thought he was sick or had personal problems. The truth appears to be that he was burned out. It happens, I know. Hey, it was a great run and he made oodles of money. We should all be so lucky. Good luck Jim and thanks for the memories.
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Alton
Guest
Well said California. I thought the show has long been mailed in, too.
But if that's the case, then they should have given Jim the chance to publicly resign (I guess I should put resign in quotes) rather than have an unnecessary PR disaster. It's bogus to tell someone "yes, it's OK to come in an hour late every day" and then fire them partly because of it. If they made concessions on contract things that they later weren't fine with, that is CC's own stupid fault.
Now the fun starts. Krenn is back in the public eye and seems to be ready to roll. DVE had about three krenn-free months to get the post-Krenn morning show going. He is still under a non-compete, but his public presence casts a real shadow now as opposed to the speculation that cast a shadow since his departure. How things go for him during the non-compete period will dictate how people will receive him if/when he is able to go back on radio. He was on with Stockey, Marty Griffin, and the local print media had stories. He appeared to be congenial, happy, and is obviously well-liked by the guys who interviewed him. Even if there were issues in the studio at DVE as Alton has intimated, the only people who care about it are the people in the studio or otherwise involved at the DVE and CC. Krenn's public persona is untarnished and he will be as popular as ever. If CC and DVE feel they had to get rid of Krenn (and i don't know one way or another), the real litmus test on whether it was smart and worth the risk starts now.
I've listened to DVE enough to get a true sampling of how it is going. It is average morning radio on a good day.
I've listened to DVE enough to get a true sampling of how it is going. It is average morning radio on a good day.
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