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Status of Steve Kass at WSAR?

D

Dighton Rockhead

Steve Kass has been missing this week from WSAR. Up until today, I just dismissed it as probably a week's vacation for the "Kass-Man"......until......

This afternoon, one of WSAR's many elderly callers asked today's fill-in host (along with the young lady whom I assume produces and runs the board)......in essence......if Kass was coming back next week.

The two of them either could not or would not give a straight answer, and did the best they could to tip-toe and tap-dance around the question.

......never a good sign......

I'm left wondering if somehow the Karams' managed to blow up a good thing over there?

Anyone out there with the low-down?
 
He's out of there ! He announced it on facebook the other day. He said he couldn't stand the management there. The talented Paulie G. had the same issue.
 
Well!......That confirms my suspicion. Didn't realize Paul G. was gone as well.

Looks like WSAR is doomed to mediocrity as long as the Karams' remain at the helm.

1480/1400 might still be a notch above 1320/990......but that's not saying much. ;D
 
I don't even know how that place still exists. The only thing I can come up with is the fact that it's a two radio station town. One station isn't even in English. WSAR survives by default.
 
They compete with WBSM. They both look @ the whole South Coast as their market but I know WSAR is decidedly Fall River-oriented. Not sure about WBSM.
 
The only reason I listen to WSAR is Rob Carolyn, informative, witty, intelligent.

I listen at 5 :20 am and then again about 5:45 a.m. that is all

S sad, evans, et all so boring.
 
Didn't Paul G come to WPRO from WSAR under the same ownership? If so he knew what he was getting into but still too bad if he's gone. BTW there's a Steve Kass roast next month and the lineup reads like a who's who of WPRO past and present. A fly on the wall would get an earful there with private conversations. I think Kass left on good terms though to take that position at Big Brothers.
 
WSAR is the kind of radio station that every PD fantasizes about saving. Just the thought of being able to turn such a toilet bowl into something to be proud of is a challenge that any Manager would like to succeed at. Afterall if you are such a good PD or General Manager that you can turn that loser station around, than you are one amazing talent! But I think the crushing realization hits when they actually start working there and see first hand what they have to work with. Owners who most likely fight against any change that they perceive being outside the little box that they live in.

I'm convinced that Happy Hec is still there just because nobody can pry him off the seat. The guy has not one iota of talent. Absolutely no originality or motivation in that head of his to do anything creative or impressive whatsoever. Time and temperature checks 20 times hour. Does he not think that people own their own clocks? What year does he think this is anyway? He is in the morning drive slot! The most lucrative time of day and he does absolutely nothing but show up and read a clock and thermometer. Thank God for Happy Hec. What would Fall River do without him.

If I took over that station he would be the first one to go. He's useless. OK.. well maybe useless is a bit strong. He does show up at that dump every morning which shows that he at least has a good work ethic. I'll give him that much. But that's the only amount of credit that I can give him. He gets on the air with that boring monotone voice of his and he doesn't do one single interesting thing. At least Salty Brine at WPRO was expressive. He had a strong opinion and a fun personality. This guy Hec gets on the air and he sounds like he just woke up. It almost sounds like he doesn't even know where he is.

He might be the greatest guy in the world in his private life. But there is a world full of great people out there and being a great person in life doesn't mean you'll be a great radio personality. Happy Hec is a prime example of this. He should kiss the Karams on the mouth every single day for not firing him. It's truly a miracle that they keep him around. I am sure it's because they are friends. If there wasn't a friendship involved there, Happy Hec probably would have been fired 20 years ago. He is so replacable that it's not funny. Literally any broadcast student could step in and do the exact same thing Hec does in the morning. Just sit there. Repeat the time and temperature for most of the show. Say "Uh-uh.. yep Uh-uh" in response to everything your co-host says... and then start talking about what time it is again. FREAKING USELESS!!!

Are they still doing those bartered programs too? The last time I checked their schedule it looked like a bunch of random programs someone threw at the wall. What a train wreck that place is. After Harry Houdini died he must have taken permanent residence as a ghost inside that building.... because it's nothing short of a magic trick that WSAR has survived.
 
The fact that Steve Kass and Paul G. are gone and that Happy Hec is still around should tell you everything you need to know about WSAR.

I would be willing to bet that Hec has not said or done ANYTHING even remotely interesting in his long.....LONG.....L-O-N-G......career. And my guess is that if anything ever happened to Hec....the Karams' would run out and find the next closest thing to him and continue the 20 time & temp checks an hour for the next 35 years in morning drive.

There are two things that keep 1480 from being the worst station in the market:

1) 990-WALE being off the air.
2) 1320-WARL being ON THE AIR. ;D
 
I can't say a bad word about Hec Gauthier. Personally, he's a great guy. Heart of gold. Professionally, a mentor of mine. I've worked for some dogs in my day - Hec isn't one of them.

To understand Hec Gauthier (and his longevity) is to understand local radio. He's known, well known on the South Coast. Dare I say even a commodity? The same can be said for folks like Pete Braley (sp?) in New Bedford, Ray C up in Fitchburg, and Bruce Arnold in Lawrence (although Bruce is now unofficially retired). At last check, Hec is also a sales rep for the station. There's some value to having your morning host going on the sales call for regional/national buys. There's also something to be said for longevity...at least three generations have listened to Hec wake them up in the morning. He seems to be doing something right. As for Hec "kissing the Karam's everyday", I'm sure it's a mutual admiration society. Hec brings what I mentioned above, and the Karam's have their "constant" in Hec. A perfect match for a local radio station owner.

And if he's "riding the wave to retirement" - who can blame him? Most (if not all) of these guys mentioned don't have a 401k to fall back on, thanks to radio. So, what else are they going to do? They do what they know and love, and that's radio.

Marc Lemay
 
My simple point is that your "Best guy" should be the one you put on in Morning Drive. If the best you can do in the morning is to put on a guy who basically just does non stop time and temperature checks for 4 hours, than I don't know what else I can tell you. Like I mentioned before, it doesn't really matter how great of a guy he is in his personal life. If you own a station, do you want "Mr. Nice" on the air who isn't going to do a damn thing to help your ratings at all.... or do you want someone who will be on fire every morning and drive your ratings through the roof?

There is -safe radio- and then there is -interesting radio-. The Karams have chosen to go the safe route. Well so be it. That's their choice. If they are happy than good for them. It just doesn't come off as fun for the listeners. Not great entertainment there at all. They've got a mundane host with a mundane show. If Hec's strong point is in sales than yank the guy off the air and let him use more time to make those sales. He's just so incredibly uninteresting on the air that it's embarassing.
 
We're going to agree to disagree on this one...it may not be interesting radio to you (and a few other folks on this message board), but it appears to be working. Lucky for all of us, every radio has a tuning dial.

Marc
 
haverhill01835 said:
We're going to agree to disagree on this one...it may not be interesting radio to you (and a few other folks on this message board), but it appears to be working. Lucky for all of us, every radio has a tuning dial.

Marc
Click to expand...


Well I've always prided myself on honesty. I would rather come here and be honest than come here and sing words of phony praise. Happy Hec may work, but it doesn't mean that someone else couldn't work a lot better. That's all. Its 6:30 by the way.
 
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