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The Evolution Of "The Mikey Show"

Mr. Engineer, with so many good people out of work and with entire stations relying on voice-tracked shows, it just seems like its a crime against nature for a guy in 9th or 10th place in key demos to get so much money. That's all. All we're doing here is just talking about it. We don't make decisions. Most everybody who participates in this blog doesn't even live in San Diego let alone work in radio so this whole thing is kind of silly anyway.

Just as some cried foul when Clear Channel did what it did to the radio business, there are those of us who hate to see a corporate mistake like this that does nothing but hurt the company in particular and the whole industry in general. As I said, my concern is that the Mikey Show will not just bring down the people who agreed to this (I say screw 'em anyway), but it could possibly sink the whole damn station and that would be a pity. The day before it was named the best morning show in the country, KSON's morning show was shown the door, and money was cited as the reason. You may say there is no connection. I would say there just might be since they COULD fire Cliff and they COULD NOT YET toss Mikey.

Conversely, I take it you think overpaying a loss leader is a good and natural thing and that this is the right way to run a radio station. Is that what you stand for Mr. Engineer?

If I do seem engaged in this, it is because I know people who used to work with him and let's just say he is not held in very high regard by them. I think his ethics in getting this job are questionable. I also must say if this was happening at some other station I didn't care about, it wouldn't chap my hide so much.
 
First, Mr. Engineer, whether I work in radio or not does not take away from what I have been saying. Either I am full of crap or I am not. If I am, and you worked for all these years here hanging out with Tony & Kris and you can tear down what I say based on logic, evidence or experience, then for goodness sake do it. We are in a new radio reality and although you are clearly a stand-up, decent person with a solid radio pedigree, you don't seem (in my mind) to be able to fully grasp how bad this Mikey Show fiasco can be for what radio there is left in San Diego. THERE IS NO MORE MONEY IN THIS INDUSTRY and for this this underachiever to be sucking precious resources out of it, is a scam in my opinion. Some guy at 91X who gets less than 10 per cent of what the Mikey Show gets paid is killing the Mikey Show in the ratings. Are you incapable or unwilling to understand that concept and how unnatural that can be? Whether I work in radio at this time or not does not take away from what I have to say. And by the way, if I were you, I would not not reference Tony and Kris as a career benchmark. That's like saying I grew up with Pete Best before he joined the Beatles. Oy vey.....
 
And if you are suggesting that I am one of Mikey's ex co-workers at KIOZ, please let me reflect what the Arbitron numbers seem to be saying: the Mikey show remnants are even less relevant than the new Mikey show. Can you say KIOZ format change? Does 20th place make you quiver with excitement?
 
Hey you know what Mr Radeo Engineer, I have spelled out what makes me tick. I would sure like to know what motivates you other than you used to work with Tony and Kris. Now THERE'S a legendary radio team!!!!! Good grief.
 
yes I have worked in radio. So what's your point! I don't think the purpose of this is to take personal potshots at other contributors. You used to work in radio and you used to live in San Diego. So what? If you can't defend yourself in an argument relating to radio in SD in 2011, then I suggest maybe you shouldn't insult the guy who can. I feel like I have a legitimate axe to grind with this mess and I have spelled out why in great detail. It seems like you just want to get pissy just for the sake of getting pissy but you just don't have enough info or background to properly engage in this conversation. With all due respect, I don't think the fact you used to know Tony and Kris amounts to much with regards to this conversation...with all due respect. Please challenge anything I said. I urge you to. But I'm not sure you are capable to do so. I think my point still stands.
 
canyouhearmenow said:
yes I have worked in radio. So what's your point! I don't think the purpose of this is to take personal potshots at other contributors. You used to work in radio and you used to live in San Diego. So what? If you can't defend yourself in an argument relating to radio in SD in 2011, then I suggest maybe you shouldn't insult the guy who can. I feel like I have a legitimate axe to grind with this mess and I have spelled out why in great detail. It seems like you just want to get pissy just for the sake of getting pissy but you just don't have enough info or background to properly engage in this conversation. With all due respect, I don't think the fact you used to know Tony and Kris amounts to much with regards to this conversation...with all due respect. Please challenge anything I said. I urge you to. But I'm not sure you are capable to do so. I think my point still stands.
Click to expand...

Man, you do get worked up don't you? I'm glad you finally answered the question so I have some perspective about where you're coming from.

So if you've worked in radio, you know that sometimes decisions are made regarding programming that don't work out as expected. That can happen for a lot of reasons, but you should know that having been in the business. I really don't have an argument with the point you're making. I get it. LF is paying a lot of money to a programming decision that isn't working out. I've seen it many times. It's a crapshoot.

I don't recall taking any personal potshots at you, though you certainly have at me, I just asked a question that sent you into verbal overdrive.

I'll give you one thing though, the fact that I know Tony and Kris doesn't mean squat to what I did in radio in San Diego over a 30 year career. I also know lots of other people. Cliff, Jack Diamond, Booger Bill, Dave Rickards, Chainsaw, Sonny, and add infinitum. Have I dropped enough names for you to gain your required level of status yet?

What bothers me about this is that things have been explained to you about how radio personalities and contracts work, yet you continue on this obsessive crusade to set things right over which you have no control. It must be very frustrating to you. I'll define it for you in two words; epic fail. I'll guarantee you that your rantings will have no influence whatsoever about the outcome of what happens at 94.9. The folks at LF know far more than you do and they already know they have a problem with this deal without your constant rants. You're just frankly annoying like the mosquito in the tent that keeps buzzing around your ear but no matter how many times you slap the side of your head you miss the bug.

I have no idea why you feel like you have a "legitimate axe to grind." You don't work there, you weren't involved in any decisions made against your recommendations, and you're not footing the bill. Do yourself a favor and don't listen.

Have I now answered your "challenge" of being capable of responding to your peurile rants?

And by the way, I didn't used to know Tony and Kris. I still know them.

Have a pleasant evening. I'd suggest a dose of KYXY with high quality headphones.
 
WHOA! Take it easy you guys! It's just a radio show.
If it works it stays, if not, it gets thrown in the trash and station management never discusses it ever again.
 
Only one problem radio jomo....Station management can't throw it in the trash because there is about a year and nine months left on the contract. As it was described to me, the only way LIF can void this contract is if there is a format change. So right now, LF management is getting this bad decision rubbed in their face....and the only way they can stop the stop the pain is to flush the entire station.
 
Mr. Buffaloe,

I dont recomend a good set of headphones and listening to KyXy! The processing is so bad that he will either get a headache far worse than he does listening to the Mickey show, or he will be tone deaf within an hour. Someone there needs to take a class on audio processing and how to set up and Orban! And yes it is an Orban not an Omnia. Perhaps high quality headphones and listening to 100.7 the processing sounds superb for the format!
 
The station has been running promos all weekend about how a "major announcement" will be made Monday morning on the Mikey Show. If this is nothing but a cheap scam to promo some contest or giveaway, I would suggest this proves that 94/9 has jumped the shark and truly has none of the credibility it spent years building. You can not tell your listeners you have something very significant to tell them and the bait and switch them with a contest no one cares about. Let's hope I am wrong.
 
canyouhearmenow said:
Only one problem radio jomo....Station management can't throw it in the trash because there is about a year and nine months left on the contract. As it was described to me, the only way LIF can void this contract is if there is a format change. So right now, LF management is getting this bad decision rubbed in their face....and the only way they can stop the stop the pain is to flush the entire station.
Click to expand...

I'm sure the brains at LF are trying to find someone to get rid of that contract they way NBC went over trying to get Conan off the Tonight Show.

They could do the obvious thing and pay the staff off to leave with a lump sum, if they are seriously starving KBZT as a whole. They could keep paying them and just take them off the air like CBS is doing with Tom Lekyis right now and try to see if they can make more money on going back to music in the mornings than what they're doing right now. They could move the show over to a new timeslot, think nights or afternoon drive time.

Here's an idea that could be a real shocker...what if LF moves The Mikey Show over to...get ready for it...KSON. It could work, especially when KBZT's Alt Rock format has nothing to do with Mikey's show. I might just sounds crazy right now.

Anyway, this big announcement that's going to happen tomorrow morning (oops it's midnight already), THIS morning is at 10 AM, a rather odd time for announcements to be made. If it was a concert promo or a show promo, they would most likely do it at 7 or 8 AM but the time this is happening might play a role.
 
YES Radio darn!!! That's exactly what it is. This "major announcement" was about inviting listeners to go to a parking lot and get mikey show bumper stickers....and if you do, you might win a motorcycle or a bicycle or a big screen TV. If you listen to the podcast you'll see that Mike Esparza says this represented the pinnacle of his professional career. He said it about 7:30. I am not making this up!!! wow....this station has really jumped the shark. 94/9 used have the brightest, best educated, hippest audience. Now they think that this lame stunt that once worked with the Rock 105's meatheads will work at 94/9. This is a station that has lost its way. It's a Frankenstein mess that wants both the hip music-heads and those with the monster truck meathead mentality that used to listen to the Mikey show on Rock 105. I haven't seen such a culture calamity since Tim Dukes was brought in from Kentucky by Jacor/Clear Channel to take 91X into hillbilly hell. Meanwhile Mikey's ratings spell it out. 9th place....11th place in key demos.....But I'm NOT complaining. This is really getting interesting.
 
I think after this new book, we need to rename this blog "the de-evolution of the Mikey Show." Man, this overpaid morning show is tanking badly and it appears to be bringing down the whole station with it. It's been this way for too many months now, so I dare you to tell me I'm wrong. But if you can, please do.

The question is who will blink first? Will Clear Channel pull the plug on KIOZ, or will Lincoln Financial let its once great 94/9 slip into the abyss? And if KIOZ goes first, will KBZT start rockin' hard and torpedo its once solid rep as the coolest station on the planet? You have to know there is some hardcore Kremlin watching between these two camps. I'm sure each camp is trying hard to find out what the other is doing.

Having the Mikey Show followed by 94/9's current music is like having a morning Nascar show followed by Terry Gross of Fresh Air. Of course I exaggerate but you get the point. The point is, this 10 a.m. culture shock is just too much to ask of your listeners.
 
note to radiojomo re moving Mikey to KSON....don't see that happening. for one, KSON is doing well right now. They don't need to change too much. Two/I think the Mikey show's giggling and gibberish about nothing would not go over with the country crowd. It would be like a fart in spacesuit.

Keep in mind Mikey's contract could be voided if the station changed format. Most radio contracts are written like that. I'm just not sure L-F wants to throw out the baby just so they can flush the soiled bathwater.

It's interesting that Clear Channel is doing extremely well with two of its stations (My and 9-3-3) while it is eating it with two others: KUSS and KIOZ. KGB is just kind of hovering around the middle. I'm sure, however, KGB is doing just fine with its bottom line since it paying so little in salaries.

Someone told me on the mikey show on Monday they talked about going to the Coachella music fest and a cop pulled a gun on them because of their bad behavior in the back of a pickup truck. No arrests were made. But what's funny is that nobody cares. What's the line? They can't even get arrested....
 
"Keep in mind Mikey's contract could be voided if the station changed format. Most radio contracts are written like that. I'm just not sure L-F wants to throw out the baby just so they can flush the soiled bathwater."

Question, do you know this somehow or are you just postulating? It's my experience that contracts can't be broken by format changes. Where do you come up with this stuff?
 
Let's just say that this clause has existed in recent radio contracts involving local stations and local talent.
Do I know for a fact that it is true with Mikey Esparza? No.
Do I know that his current team of sidekicks even have contracts. No. But I must say I doubt they do.
 
canyouhearmenow said:
Let's just say that this clause has existed in recent radio contracts involving local stations and local talent.
Do I know for a fact that it is true with Mikey Esparza? No.
Do I know that his current team of sidekicks even have contracts. No. But I must say I doubt they do.
Click to expand...

No. Be specific or STFU. You don't know jack poop. Such a clause would be unlikely in any contract negotiated by a responsible agent. You don't negotiate easy outs such as a "format change." Geebus, you're such a blow hard.
 
RadeoEngineer said:
canyouhearmenow said:
Let's just say that this clause has existed in recent radio contracts involving local stations and local talent.
Do I know for a fact that it is true with Mikey Esparza? No.
Do I know that his current team of sidekicks even have contracts. No. But I must say I doubt they do.
Click to expand...

No. Be specific or STFU. You don't know jack poop. Such a clause would be unlikely in any contract negotiated by a responsible agent. You don't negotiate easy outs such as a "format change." Geebus, you're such a blow hard.
Click to expand...

Well he even creatd a new name for himself, "anonymous blogger flunky" or Mr ABF as he shall henceforth be known.
 
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