The ELITE of Providence radio

[McRadio]

A few years ago when I was a lurker here I was tempted to come out of my shell because a poster, who has since left the market, was in the middle of some slamfest and referred to the ELITE of Providence radio. I thought it was an unfortunate term at the time since it implied some sort of ruling class or chosen few and painted a pretty poor portrait of some in the business to both their comrades and outsiders.

Ironically some of who might have been considered the ELITE of Providence radio ended up being shown the door and are either in other markets, some off air, or out of the business completely.

But if you had to offer examples of who you might consider to be the ELITE of Providence radio, more in defining the markets and the stations they work at rather than in terms of being some sort of demi Gods, who would you suggest?

 

[Skynet74]

I think most of the Elite are no longer around. Can you honestly consider anybody currently on the air as someone who had defined the market? I honestly don't think so. When I think of the Elite of Providence, I think of people like Salty Brine, Carolyn Fox, Mike Sheridan. They have all influened the market and changed the scene in their own way.

I realize that Providence has it's fair share of other local celebs, however I don't think they fall under the category of market defining. There may be long term employees on air such as GIO at Pro-FM. But have they really done anything to change the face of Providence radio? In my opinion..No. They are just long term employees who do a respectable job. That's great, but I don't see them as having influenced Rhode Island radio in a way that changed the market.

 

[wknd92]

I think most of the Elite are no longer around. Can you honestly consider anybody currently on the air as someone who had defined the market? I honestly don't think so. When I think of the Elite of Providence, I think of people like Salty Brine, Carolyn Fox, Mike Sheridan. They have all influened the market and changed the scene in their own way.

I realize that Providence has it's fair share of other local celebs, however I don't think they fall under the category of market defining. There may be long term employees on air such as GIO at Pro-FM. But have they really done anything to change the face of Providence radio? In my opinion..No. They are just long term employees who do a respectable job. That's great, but I don't see them as having influenced Rhode Island radio in a way that changed the market.

John,
Molding the sound of Pro-FM in terms of imaging for the past 30+ years as Gio has as production/imaging director (as well as lending talent to the other stations in the cluster for many of the last 20), Gio absolutely has influenced the market (for many years, there would be a one upmanship contest between him & Goose over at HJY/HJJ). Dan Yorke has also been able to earn a checkmark in this distinction as he helped put the nails in HJJ's coffin. Lastly, I'd say that Paul & Al have defined the market in terms of male listeners in the morning for almost 20 years and still going strong; but yeah, there isn't ANYONE currently in the market doing anything on air....but you don't usually listen to local market anyway, right....you listen to satellite all the time.....

 

[Skynet74]

I do listen to satellite a lot. I listen to a lot of out of market radio as well. I woke up to WLS Chicago this morning. In the car I never hooked up satellite. So when driving I have no choice but to listen to local radio. I usually tune in WPRO. This morning I tuned in BCN. So it varies.

The point I was originally getting at though is that I'm looking at people who undoubtedly put a dent in the market. Gio is arguable because even though he molded a particular station, I don't quite see that ELITE (market defining) distinction that we are going after. Maybe I'm just raising the bar higher than you are. I don't consider Paul and Al as Elite either. They didn't define the market. The market was already defined before they came to town by someone named Carolyn Fox. Paul and Al were two guys from Alabama (or someplace down south) who were hired as replacements. However the station could have hired just about any other two guys to do the same thing and the other two guys probably would have done just as good of a job. Again I think you are confusing long term employment as market defining. When in reality long term employment doesn't even necessarily make you that good. For example.... Tayna Cruise. She's been on Providence radio for more than 25 years. She hasn't defined the market at all. Nothing Elite about a quarter of a century on the air if you haven't done anything to seperate yourself from the pack. All that makes you is a generic DJ who has been lucky enough to not be fired. There are thousands all across the country. (Ok well perhaps hundreds). It still doesn't make you Elite. It makes you a loyal employee. That's it.

Let me put it to you on a national scale. Howard Stern. Defintitely market defining and Elite. Same thing with Rush Limbaugh. Market defining and Elite. But the amount of years they've both been on the air have nothing to do with it. Stern was market defining his first year in New York! He was doing the unheard of. Ratings skyrocketed. He shook up the whole damn town. Imus did the same thing in the 70's. That is my definition of Elite. Limbaugh too. He made a name for middays. A daypart that was orginally not that important in radio. All of a sudden he pulled in the listeners within a few short years after his first broadcasting job. These days you have all sorts of programmers trying to hire people to compete with the pumpkin head. He is pretty damn market defining and Elite.

Like I said... I think that I may have raised the bar a little higher than you have when considering who can be considered market defining and Elite. I think that's why our opinions differ.

 

[and.u.r?]

To me elite has a negative connotation if you look at history,government,politics,etc.It's a ruling class type of thing.If however you look at people with instant recognition in the market and in some cases not just among their loyal audiences I would say Paul and Al,Giovanni and Kim,and Geoff Charles.Some might include some talk show hosts but outside of their listeners I don't think people really know what they are all about other than Buddy Cianci.But again I don't like the word elite yet it's the way some radio people think.