Shake up at Curtis Media Winston-Salem/Raleigh

[nuffsaid]

You are absolutely correct, Don Curtis is not stupid! He and Phil have a game plan and would not surprise me to see some format moves in the Winston market.

 

[VODood]

WRDU doing classic rock pre-Robbins/Spitzer dominated 96rock. When Robbins//Spitzer changed WRDU to classic hits, it left a gaping hole for 96rock to take advantage and move ahead of 'RDU. Had RDU kept being a classic rock that rocks, 96rock would still be second fiddle. 96rock saw the dumbass move, took advantage and forced WRDU to flip (the brand was destroyed by mgmt, not 96rock).

FM talk and sports (WXYT/Detroit for example) are ratings winners, and inexpensive compared to music stations with licensing etc.

Will CC Raleigh/Greensboro have an in-house news staff? I doubt it. Not even a shared one. News will most likely be sent from WRVA/Richmond or another CC news station. Goes on everywhere. CC Cleveland provides news for Columbus and Pittsburgh, a Top 20 market.

 

[YoungRadioBlood]

Note that the originator of this thread has not contributed anything more to clarify their original comment. Makes me think they were just dropping their turd in the punch bowl then getting off on the reaction.

I totally agree dittohead1.

Beware 1st time posters (like the originator of this here thread)

I'm a relatively new user too but I can back up jbutckovitz. I just happen to have rediscovered this web site and work in the business in this area. Freeman will be heading to WPTF and be on the air by December 7th. I have some sources within Curtis Media as I'm sure jbutckovitz does as well.

Also another note...WMFR 1230AM is dropping their "news" talk format and going to 24/7 Sporting News Radio syndication. The long run of Max in The Morning with Max Meeks will be done by the first of the year and WMFR will no longer carry any local programming as far as what I have heard.

 

[dittohead1]

Note that the originator of this thread has not contributed anything more to clarify their original comment. Makes me think they were just dropping their turd in the punch bowl then getting off on the reaction.

I totally agree dittohead1.

Beware 1st time posters (like the originator of this here thread)

I'm a relatively new user too but I can back up jbutckovitz. I just happen to have rediscovered this web site and work in the business in this area. Freeman will be heading to WPTF and be on the air by December 7th. I have some sources within Curtis Media as I'm sure jbutckovitz does as well.

Also another note...WMFR 1230AM is dropping their "news" talk format and going to 24/7 Sporting News Radio syndication. The long run of Max in The Morning with Max Meeks will be done by the first of the year and WMFR will no longer carry any local programming as far as what I have heard.

Well, since you're such a wealth of information, what will PTF do with their current AM host, Mr. Fitzgerald? Is he out?

 

[drive-in]

If this rumor is true, I wonder if Curtis Media plans to rearrange more of the programming on their talk stations. They've used the Rush/Hannity combo to anchor their AMs (WSJS/WPTF) while having less popular shows on the FM WZTK which is in between the Triad and Triangle. They might use some of the programs from WZTK to fill the void on the WSJS and WPTF. Also, if WMFR is going to all syndicated sports talk, then I would assume that the Dr. Laura and Fred Thompson shows will be moved elsewhere. It will be interesting to see how the new schedules for their stations end up.

Where will High Point be without Max Meeks?

 

[rkramden]

Yesterday Don said they will keep IMUS on the air whether 850 The Buzz flips to Oldies, a "lifestyle" Talk format to complement WPTF. Uncle Don told the Triangle JOURNAL, "We will be carrying IMUS. He's a proven commodity in the market. He’ll do quite well."

 

[JockDude]

A little bird told me...

Brian Freeman 5:30--9:00 am (becomes P-D)
Scott Fitzgerald 9:00--12:00 noon (replaces Dave Ramsey)
Dave Ramsey 12:00 noon--3:00 pm (replaces Rush Bob)
Rick Martinez loses P-D title and assumes N-D duties only

 

[rkramden]

That 12-3Pm void left by Rush will be filled by Ramsey? I truly think there are better choices out there somewhere. That proposed changed lineup for PTF doesn't look very intimidating to me.

 

[JRobbins]

WRDU doing classic rock pre-Robbins/Spitzer dominated 96rock. When Robbins//Spitzer changed WRDU to classic hits, it left a gaping hole for 96rock to take advantage and move ahead of 'RDU. Had RDU kept being a classic rock that rocks, 96rock would still be second fiddle. 96rock saw the dumbass move, took advantage and forced WRDU to flip (the brand was destroyed by mgmt, not 96rock).

FM talk and sports (WXYT/Detroit for example) are ratings winners, and inexpensive compared to music stations with licensing etc.

Will CC Raleigh/Greensboro have an in-house news staff? I doubt it. Not even a shared one. News will most likely be sent from WRVA/Richmond or another CC news station. Goes on everywhere. CC Cleveland provides news for Columbus and Pittsburgh, a Top 20 market.

Give it up VODood your dumbass comments a full three years later are still off the mark. As I've explained on this board before; the Fall of WRDU happened when Buddy Scott and Bob Edwards took John Boy and Billy off, moved them to WTRG and then proceeded to put Bob & Tom on RDU...let's see that killed two stations at once...freaking brilliant.[EDIT]
Robbins


[EDIT-inflammatory]

 

[carolinaradio]

A little bird told me...

Brian Freeman 5:30--9:00 am (becomes P-D)
Scott Fitzgerald 9:00--12:00 noon (replaces Dave Ramsey)
Dave Ramsey 12:00 noon--3:00 pm (replaces Rush Bob)
Rick Martinez loses P-D title and assumes N-D duties only

What will air 12-5am? I'm assuming C2C will be leaving WPTF, as it's leaving WSJS/WSML.

 

[YoungRadioBlood]

Well, since you're such a wealth of information, what will PTF do with their current AM host, Mr. Fitzgerald? Is he out?

Haha. I can understand your sarcasm and skepticism about my comments but the people I know at are at WSJS not WPTF. Wether you just to believe it or not is your decision. I'm just letting people know what I have heard.

Freeman is out at WSJS, Meeks is out and WMFR is changing their formats to ALL sports. No Dr. Laura, Fred Thompson or any political talk. It is literally Sporting News 24/7. Also JR Snyder will be hosting mornings in Freemans' place at WSJS, the live and local hour from 9-10AM most likely will be eliminated or just tacked onto the morning show to make it 6-10. Also word is they might be getting rid of Ramsey because apparently it is doing awful.

 

[FIDELIPACK]

Max Meeks has been wanting to retire since the 90's. JR Snider is a great choice for WSJS mornings and Freeman will be an asset for WPTF. I have no idea if any of that is true, but there is your positive spin if it is. As for Sporting News Radio, can anyone name the big sports station in the Triad? I didn't think so. Somebody should go all sports there and make some real money.

Oh, and thank you Jon Robbins for shutting that idiot up. We were all hoping he'd left for Toledo...for good. What a whiner.

 

[YoungRadioBlood]

There is 790 the ball out of Winston-Salem which airs Mark Pacman from Charlotte from 3-7pm and airs Fox Sports Radio/Dan Patrick throughout the rest of the day. Their ratings are absolutely horrendous. I don't know if 24 hours of Sporting News Radio with no local shows is much of an upgrade.

Does SNR ever do well?? I've lived in a bunch of different areas in the country and it always seems SNR is always on a low level AM station that doesn't do well.

 

[xpd]

Max Meeks has been wanting to retire since the 90's.

Not that, is absolutely untrue. If Max Meeks had wanted to retire since the 90's, he would have done so. Max loves getting up in the morning and getting on the radio. If Max wants to retire now then he will. But knowing Max as I do, if he is leaving in January, then it is because Curtis Media wants him to leave.

 

[JockDude]

"xpd" is right! Max loves getting-up in the mornings to talk with the folks in High Point. He is one of the few remaining radio vets, who loves the business despite what has happened to it!

Another radio veteran now out of the business is Mike Blackburn. He just retired from WPTF after decades on 680. He is a true professional, who rolled with the punches at Curtis Media...and he suffered through many! For those folks, who don't know Mike, he is a brother to Fred Blackman, who is now retired from WGHP-TV.

 

[rkramden]

When did Blackman retire? I just heard him last Friday doing the news on WPTF.

 

[Hourly]

You stand corrected. I just got off the phone with Max and he is retiring at the end of this year. He also said he had not thought much about it until the last year or two. He is a gentleman. Mike Blackman planned to retire this year and has.

 

[rkramden]

Don't correct me. He hasn't RETIRED yet. When December 31st comes and he walks out of Highwoods for the last time that's when he is officially retired. So, what your trying to say is that Mike Blackman has planned to retire this year and he will at the end of the year.

 

[YoungRadioBlood]

Max Meeks has been wanting to retire since the 90's.

Not that, is absolutely untrue. If Max Meeks had wanted to retire since the 90's, he would have done so.

Yeah I didn't think that was true either....Hard to believe a guy who is 86 years old and been on the radio for 45 years is forcing himself out of bed to at 430 in the morning to do his radio show. I think Max still loves his show and I know his "birthday club" contest is enjoyed by the people of High Point.

It looks like that 7th floor studio in the Radio Building will be a historic relic as of January 1st

 

[drive-in]

Meeks really enjoys his work. The airwaves won't be the same without him.

It's sad to see WMFR being reduced to a zombie station with nothing but canned SNR programming.