canyouhearmenow said:
Maybe Dave E has the numbers are how much a national award is worth in terms of local ad sales?
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The Evolution Of "The Mikey Show"
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
Maybe Dave E has the numbers are how much a national award is worth in terms of local ad sales?
Radio darn....don't know what you mean by Dave E....is that like Bill W? Anyway....IF the brain trust at Lincoln Financial had a clue, they would have tried to keep Cliff and company (small "c") by renegotiating their salary down. There is no question they would have taken the pay cut because that's just way the business is now. And while being named best radio show in the country is not something you can automatically take to the bank, it is something you could use to get publicity in outside media and use it on on-air promos to make KSON look bigger than life to your listeners. Plus, I'm sure it would make sense as KSON makes sure that its competitor gets nothing of value from record companies/promoters/artist managers. (Do you understand any of this radio darn?) But nooooo...What you have at KSON is someone who used to dive a van and is there only because Daddy used to be in the KSON flatbed Band (great credentials) and now oversees the marketing of all three stations. He is the guy who bought all those billboards and bus signs for the Mikey show last year which proved to be a giant waste of money as they lamely tried to breath life into this stillborn, slapped-together mess of a morning show. By the way, someone told me that Mikey spent a whole segment last week talking about his pedicure. I'm not making this up. These guys make Jeff and Jer sound cutting edge.
canyouhearmenow said:
Let me see if I can clarify a few things for you CYHMN. I worked with the person you refer to for a lot of years. Yes he was connected to KSON via his father, but it's not at all unusual to get a position from your connections. He did indeed start at the lowest rung on the ladder, and over time showed his value as a promotions/marketing manager. In my memory and opinion, he earned the position he now holds.
As to the billboards and bus signs, that's something he has a voice in, but the final decisions on that kind of expenditure comes from way over his head. If you're going to try to make a new morning show go, or whatever big promotion you're working on at the time, you spend the money to give it a chance.
I don't know Mikey, and quite honestly never once listened to him, but whatever others did to promote the decision that was made to make him their cash cow comes from out of town, with the support of those in town. In the end, the top local guy is betting his job on the project. The folks underneath are just executing.
RadeoEngineer said:
Was this Al Turner?
It does sound like that when the Cliff and "small c" company mikes were off that a lot of time was spent lamenting Mikey. Certainly this campaign to blame him for the C and c demise sounds like something that has been festering for some time now and you have to wonder who's behind it? It is a real bummer to lose a nice-paying morning show gig in San Diego, so I can understand the bitterness, but all you have to do is wait a year or so and another one will come along 
Since Radeo engineer and Radio Darn are apparently radio vets, let me simply ask these questions...I would like to see your answers....
1/Did you know Mikey promised L-F that his entire show would come with him to 94.9 and in fact they even had a (rather large) contract amount agreed on. Then Mikey had to admit he was lying to L-F and said that his longtime show-mates were jumping off the Mikey ship and staying behind. Do you not think that is weasel-like?
2/ Are you aware that his former show-mates now at Rock 105 can't stand him and call him a untrustworthy creep? Just ask them. I am not making this up or exaggerating. Heck, see if you can get Shauna to talk about the kind of person Mikey is. However I'll bet Shauna is perfectly happy to watch the Mikey trainwreck unfold at a competing station.
3/ Do you think it is good for the financially strapped radio industry to be overpaying such a low wattage morning ensemble which is failing so miserably?
Look, I know a ton of talented people who are out of work because the radio industry has been imploding financially. I would admit that I would not care so much about this if Mikey Esparza and his random band of nobodies weren't getting paid so much, sucking the life out of L-F. I contend that this had to do with Cliff getting blown out. Maybe you disagree. I must say L-F is neither the best radio company nor the worst, but they don't deserve this mess even though they brought it on themselves. But I will bet you there are some management people at L-F/S.D. who are looking at moving on. For them to keep this limp-d--- show on the air is demoralizing and economically unnatural. Wisconsin wants to outlaw public employee unions. I say while were at it, let's make it easier to set aside expensive, multiyear contracts for talent that is not adding to the gross national product.
And yes, that would be Al Turner.
1/Did you know Mikey promised L-F that his entire show would come with him to 94.9 and in fact they even had a (rather large) contract amount agreed on. Then Mikey had to admit he was lying to L-F and said that his longtime show-mates were jumping off the Mikey ship and staying behind. Do you not think that is weasel-like?
2/ Are you aware that his former show-mates now at Rock 105 can't stand him and call him a untrustworthy creep? Just ask them. I am not making this up or exaggerating. Heck, see if you can get Shauna to talk about the kind of person Mikey is. However I'll bet Shauna is perfectly happy to watch the Mikey trainwreck unfold at a competing station.
3/ Do you think it is good for the financially strapped radio industry to be overpaying such a low wattage morning ensemble which is failing so miserably?
Look, I know a ton of talented people who are out of work because the radio industry has been imploding financially. I would admit that I would not care so much about this if Mikey Esparza and his random band of nobodies weren't getting paid so much, sucking the life out of L-F. I contend that this had to do with Cliff getting blown out. Maybe you disagree. I must say L-F is neither the best radio company nor the worst, but they don't deserve this mess even though they brought it on themselves. But I will bet you there are some management people at L-F/S.D. who are looking at moving on. For them to keep this limp-d--- show on the air is demoralizing and economically unnatural. Wisconsin wants to outlaw public employee unions. I say while were at it, let's make it easier to set aside expensive, multiyear contracts for talent that is not adding to the gross national product.
And yes, that would be Al Turner.
1- No. I have no knowledge of the negotiations between LF and Esparza.
2- No. I don't know any of his former or current crew.
3- Can't answer the question because of the way it's worded. It's clearly meant to evoke a negative response. Turn it around and ask if it was OK to be overpaying an overperforming morning show that's bringing in tons of revenue.
Lincoln Financial is not a broadcasting company. They're basically an insurance company that came into ownership of the Jefferson-Pilot stations when they bought out Jefferson-Pilot Financial and all their assets. I guarantee you LF would sell all of the stations in a heartbeat if they could get a decent price. Whatever contract they signed with Esparza will have to be honored.
The Promotions/Market Manager for the San Diego cluster is Chris Turner, a good guy and very competent.
2- No. I don't know any of his former or current crew.
3- Can't answer the question because of the way it's worded. It's clearly meant to evoke a negative response. Turn it around and ask if it was OK to be overpaying an overperforming morning show that's bringing in tons of revenue.
Lincoln Financial is not a broadcasting company. They're basically an insurance company that came into ownership of the Jefferson-Pilot stations when they bought out Jefferson-Pilot Financial and all their assets. I guarantee you LF would sell all of the stations in a heartbeat if they could get a decent price. Whatever contract they signed with Esparza will have to be honored.
The Promotions/Market Manager for the San Diego cluster is Chris Turner, a good guy and very competent.
@ Canyouhearmenow: A small correction to your rant: Mikey did not lie to Lincoln Financial. He negotiated with them, on behalf of his team, to bring the entire crew over. He actually had the deal in place and called to tell them the news, when they told him that they had decided to stay behind, and that he was on his own.
Talk about weasel-like! But I'll bet Shauna didn't tell you that part in detail.
-- Doc
Talk about weasel-like! But I'll bet Shauna didn't tell you that part in detail.
-- Doc
His old crew never told Mikey they would follow him to 94.9. Are you not aware of that? Esparza erroneously told Lincoln Financial that he was delivering a team. That was never true. They had agreed on a price that was more than twice what the current crew gets. So then they had to go back and re-negotiate a new figure which totals about $500-k annually.
Are you telling me Mikey was being a standup guy? He was never given the approval to "negotiate for his team."
Radeo Engineer...Maybe Chris Turner should not be blamed for the expensive billboard/bus sign campaign. So I wonder who did think of it. What a huge waste of money. Hey Engineer, you maintain the Mikey Show is bringing in tons of money....gee that must be great considering the show is 8th and 9th in 2 key demos.
Are you telling me Mikey was being a standup guy? He was never given the approval to "negotiate for his team."
Radeo Engineer...Maybe Chris Turner should not be blamed for the expensive billboard/bus sign campaign. So I wonder who did think of it. What a huge waste of money. Hey Engineer, you maintain the Mikey Show is bringing in tons of money....gee that must be great considering the show is 8th and 9th in 2 key demos.
canyouhearmenow said:
No, pay attention. I turned your question around to elicit a positive response rather than the negative repsponse your question was written to elicit. I never suggested Esparza and company were bringing in tons of money. I just turned your question around to elicit a positive response. The question I would ask you is, how do you know so much about the negotiations? Are you part of Esparza's old team with an axe to grind? Did you sit in the meetings? Did you have a bug in Rick Jackson's office? Explain how you know these things, without using hearsay.
As to Chris, he suggests a campaign, the higher ups approve said campaign, and he executes. What's wrong with that on his part?
By the way, I know the "higher ups" in the chain, and they're making the best decisions they can. I've seen them make bad decisions, and I've seen them make good ones too. It ain't easy brother.
And if you don't like Mikey and his crew, do what I do by default, don't listen. If you have hard feelings about Cliff being let go I get it, but I learned a long time time ago life, and especially the radio business, isn't fair.
And by the way man, people were upset when James Holley by Golley left, then booger Bill, then Jack Diamond, then Lisa and Skip, and then Tony and Kris. It happens. Cliff Dumas has enough money to buy you and me 10 times, and he'll be fine. He just won the ACM award for geebus sake. You know who I hate not being on the radio? Halloran. Captain Chaos. One of the best there ever was and a really decent human being, but a business (yes it is a business) decision was made to part company with him. If you named even the most remote band in the world he would know who they were and what they did. There are lots of these stories in radio, and more to come. Don't get so emotionally involved. Go play golf or drive a go cart.
I really dont get this why are you busting Mikey and a promotion guy... If Mikey was able to negotiate what ever salary he was able to negotiate.. More power to him.. Its called business and its a game of chess. Some of us lose the game some get knocked out. All of it boils down to ratings and what can be sold. Thats it in a nut shell. Its a very simple formula. Mikey has a big nut to crack to keep his job going. If his numbers dont support his time slot and they cant sell it he will be gone as well. Blaming everybody for your loss is so unfair. There has to be some responsibility for yourself. Cliff is happy to take His award but that award has limited power to your sales base. At some point it can be used to accelerate sales but really its all about the content and if the content isnt there the ratings arent there. Just like a marriage you have to own up to it and say.. Maybe I could have done this a little better. I did this well I lacked in this.. I learned this from this experience and I am moving forward. Trying to blow everyone else up and blame them for your demise is so disrespectful and not worthy of a national award. Be bigger be better and move on. Ranting on here over the loss shows no class. Suck it up its hard to lose your job but you lose all credibility as a top of the line guy pulling everyone else down.
Radeo...I do stand corrected about the billboard/bus sign campaign. Just because it was a huge futile waste of money, the guy who bought those is not necessarily responsible. But unless I was mistaken, that was the only such campaign purchased by any San Diego radio group in 2010. With so many people getting fired, I think its just such a waste to pay that much money for a show that is going nowhere.
And yes, you are correct. If I don't like the Mikey Show, I can simply do what most everybody else is doing in S.D., stop listening.
Regarding Mikey negotiating a good contract for himself, he entered negotiations saying he was representing his whole team when in fact his whole team couldn't stand him and opted to stay at Rock 105. That's not "just business." That is creepy and slimy. And second, you act like its OK for Lincoln Financial to spend $500k a year on this show and six-figures on a billboard campaign to jumpstart it. Where do you think this money comes from? This is money going out that is not coming back and that puts the entire radio station in peril. Do you think L-F corporate will stand by while all these bad decisions are being made locally? It was reasonable for them to take the chance on the whole Mikey Show as it was at Rock 105. They made a huge mistake by settling for this low-quality replacement show.
I am not connected in any way with Cliff. I just think it is a crime what Lincoln Financial is doing to itself and to local radio. Cliff was not the best or brightest, but he produced good numbers, and I am sure he would have stayed in SD for less money. He was the namesake of the Best Radio Show in the country according to ACM, and while it does not immediately mean an instant cash reward for the host station, at least it brought national attention and an aura of quality to KSON. Do you people not get that?
To Radeo: while I will not go drive a go cart, I respect your suggestion that I should not get so emotionally involved. It sounds like you have given up on radio. It's just that I haven't yet.
And yes, you are correct. If I don't like the Mikey Show, I can simply do what most everybody else is doing in S.D., stop listening.
Regarding Mikey negotiating a good contract for himself, he entered negotiations saying he was representing his whole team when in fact his whole team couldn't stand him and opted to stay at Rock 105. That's not "just business." That is creepy and slimy. And second, you act like its OK for Lincoln Financial to spend $500k a year on this show and six-figures on a billboard campaign to jumpstart it. Where do you think this money comes from? This is money going out that is not coming back and that puts the entire radio station in peril. Do you think L-F corporate will stand by while all these bad decisions are being made locally? It was reasonable for them to take the chance on the whole Mikey Show as it was at Rock 105. They made a huge mistake by settling for this low-quality replacement show.
I am not connected in any way with Cliff. I just think it is a crime what Lincoln Financial is doing to itself and to local radio. Cliff was not the best or brightest, but he produced good numbers, and I am sure he would have stayed in SD for less money. He was the namesake of the Best Radio Show in the country according to ACM, and while it does not immediately mean an instant cash reward for the host station, at least it brought national attention and an aura of quality to KSON. Do you people not get that?
To Radeo: while I will not go drive a go cart, I respect your suggestion that I should not get so emotionally involved. It sounds like you have given up on radio. It's just that I haven't yet.
I have to whole heartedly agree that the Mikey show is not good! Mikey for years has been "phoning it in", but Jeff and Jer have been as well since they left Q-106. If you listen to all of the great morning shows that are still on today and listen to them in 1998 they are drastically different!! The creative parts are completely gone! No good funny bits, just a bunch of angry old men venting their opinion on the world. If I wanted that I would watch the tv series "Becker".
The problem is when these big shows start making big money (over 200K a year) they just dont care and their competitve spirit is gone!! Listening to someone tell us about their mansion, and Baluga caviar (I know its mis-spelled), when most of us are living in one bedroom apartment, and struggling to get by, they are alienating their audience. I love DSC, but Shelly Dunn and Jerry from Jeff and jerk are the poster children for snoberry!
Cut some of these people's pay and let them listen to airchecks of their shows from back in the 90's and tell them to do that again! The only ones that are still good at what they do are Dave Chainsaw and Chris Boyer, the rest have got way too big for their breeding!
The problem is when these big shows start making big money (over 200K a year) they just dont care and their competitve spirit is gone!! Listening to someone tell us about their mansion, and Baluga caviar (I know its mis-spelled), when most of us are living in one bedroom apartment, and struggling to get by, they are alienating their audience. I love DSC, but Shelly Dunn and Jerry from Jeff and jerk are the poster children for snoberry!
Cut some of these people's pay and let them listen to airchecks of their shows from back in the 90's and tell them to do that again! The only ones that are still good at what they do are Dave Chainsaw and Chris Boyer, the rest have got way too big for their breeding!
CYHMN,
I'm sure the fine folks at LF are pleased with your concern for their decisions and spending plans. I don't have any knowledge of why they went with Esparza or what was in the contract negotiations. All I can tell you is that they have a Pres and VP of programming that lend a lot of heft to these decisions. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't. I suspect In Cliff's case he wanted a bigger contract and they didn't want to do that. Cliff has plenty of work and will undoubtly land another radio gig if he wants one.
As to me having given up on radio, I suppose for the most part I have because it doesn't provide me with interesting programming, with the exception of some of the NPR stuff. Remember though, just because I'm one of the rare ones that came up through programming as a jock and production director, most of my career was screwing the wires together.
I'm sure the fine folks at LF are pleased with your concern for their decisions and spending plans. I don't have any knowledge of why they went with Esparza or what was in the contract negotiations. All I can tell you is that they have a Pres and VP of programming that lend a lot of heft to these decisions. Sometimes they get it right, sometimes they don't. I suspect In Cliff's case he wanted a bigger contract and they didn't want to do that. Cliff has plenty of work and will undoubtly land another radio gig if he wants one.
As to me having given up on radio, I suppose for the most part I have because it doesn't provide me with interesting programming, with the exception of some of the NPR stuff. Remember though, just because I'm one of the rare ones that came up through programming as a jock and production director, most of my career was screwing the wires together.
With all do respect "Radeo," don't "suspect" things. Cliff never asked for more money and L-F never offered him anything. They just froze him out like they did with other people they blew out at 94.9 over the last year, and then when his contract was finished, they simply told him he was done.
My concern with L-F's Mikey Show spending is that it will not only lead to these people who made the bad decisions getting blown out, but it may also mean 94.9 may alter it's much loved and respected music format. 91X is now killing 94.9 in the ratings but there are those of us who love what 94.9 stood for musically.
Even though you don't know what you are talking about as far as Cliff asking for more money, I still respect your years in the industry and I suspect that you really do care. And yes, you are right, Cliff will get another gig, but it's mind-blowing that they blew out a quality, solid, award-winning morning show just to save money to mitigate their Mikey Show fiasco.
My concern with L-F's Mikey Show spending is that it will not only lead to these people who made the bad decisions getting blown out, but it may also mean 94.9 may alter it's much loved and respected music format. 91X is now killing 94.9 in the ratings but there are those of us who love what 94.9 stood for musically.
Even though you don't know what you are talking about as far as Cliff asking for more money, I still respect your years in the industry and I suspect that you really do care. And yes, you are right, Cliff will get another gig, but it's mind-blowing that they blew out a quality, solid, award-winning morning show just to save money to mitigate their Mikey Show fiasco.
canyouhearmenow said:
OK
If there were any questions....this is how the Mikey show used its segment on KNSD's "Radio Week" segment....Mikey talked abut how soft his skin was and how he likes messages
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/on-air/a...4_9_s_The_Mikey_Show_San_Diego-116597798.html
A few days earlier I'm told he spent a whole segment on him getting a pedicure
Folks, I am NOT making this up. Now is there any question about why his show is tanking and why "music intensive," and much less expensive shows on 91X and KPRI are beating him?
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/on-air/a...4_9_s_The_Mikey_Show_San_Diego-116597798.html
A few days earlier I'm told he spent a whole segment on him getting a pedicure
Folks, I am NOT making this up. Now is there any question about why his show is tanking and why "music intensive," and much less expensive shows on 91X and KPRI are beating him?
canyouhearmenow said:
So are these instant messages he likes, or subliminal ones?
I know what you mean though - i used to love Seinfeld until they did a whole show about.... nothing! I mean guys like DSC can come up with creative lesbian sex jokes, so why's Mikey wasting his time on toenails?
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