• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

The Return of Wease

T

The Voice of Reason

Ok so I tuned in to his first show this morning on my way out of town just to hear if he’s changed during his months off the air. The program reminded me of his last show on WCMF; Technical mistakes, constant blabbering, numerous commercials jammed together; basically the same old same old.
While the Fox wasn’t one of the best stations in Rochester (are there any to brag about?) at least there was a flow of music during early morning drive time. Now I’m afraid all listeners are going to hear is some old hippie with his tired routines backed up by a new gang that includes yet another television newscaster playing radio newsman. (Is there anyone left who actually works in radio doing news anymore besides the folks at NPR affiliates?)
After close to an hour of listening to Wease, my radio dial went from the Fox over to WRUR-FM. If I’m going to endure conversation, it might as well be from people who have some intelligence rather than an individual who is months shy of collecting Social Security but whose mindset remains at Ridgemont High with Jeff Spicoli.
 
The same show he was doing at 'CMF is what he's doing, and exactly what Clear Channel signed up for.

Given that, he'll shift Fox's demos over the next three or four books to make them heavier on 35-54 men in morning drive, and that's the demo a lot of advertisers and agencies covet. Whatever you may think of Wease's act (and I like him as a person and as a radio personality though I acknowledge he has both his backers and his critics), it wins a lot of friends for whatever station carries him, and even in a slack economy, that's going to bring in some serious $$$. I think the Clear Channel Rochester cluster management brain trust will find they've made a lucrative decision bringing him on board.

The one other thing I'd advise them, is to start work now to develop a strong afternoon personality who'll build his or her own following and be able to glide into the weekday morning slot in about six to ten years. They should assume that Wease is going to be on board fulltime and go full tilt for a while, but eventually could decide some years down the road to slow down and downsize his work to weekends only or retire from active air work, like a lot of prominent personalities (like Jack Slattery or Jack Palvino) did. That's when they'll need plan B--and knowing Rochester and how it warms up very gradually to new faces and voices, it takes five or six years, or even longer, for a personality to develop enough traction and enough of a following in another daypart to glide smoothly into mornings. Now's not too soon for Fox to start using afternoon drive to develop their 2018 morning show.
 
I looked at Mr Fybush's website. Levin didn't even have the courtesy to wear a station-logo shirt. Instead he's wearing a FullTiltPoker.net shirt.

Nice.
 
Bob1370 said:
The same show he was doing at 'CMF is what he's doing, and exactly what Clear Channel signed up for.
Click to expand...

Exactly. And I KNEW it wouldn't take long to see the first "the new Wease show sucks" post on this board. Wow - just after 7am.

Yes, the show's rough around the edges but it's good to hear Wease back on the air.
 
MikeSmithWNYR said:
I looked at Mr Fybush's website. Levin didn't even have the courtesy to wear a station-logo shirt. Instead he's wearing a FullTiltPoker.net shirt.
Nice.
Click to expand...

I don't remember ever seeing him wear a WCMF shirt either when he worked there.
 
Rob Stutson said:
but it's good to hear Wease back on the air.
Click to expand...
I would advise you not get out the welcome mat.
According to Scott Fybush's column, Wease was less than thrilled with people calling the radio station after a while to welcome him back on the air. Ungrateful SOB or what! Here people take the time to offer their congratulations to, how did the D&C put it.... a "Rochester Radio Icon"... and he's upset. I wonder what his reaction would have been had nobody called?
 
Mark Giardina remarks, "Why not start formatting stations for the 22nd century while we're at it. ;D "

But I'm actually serious. Good stations always plan ahead, have a plan B in place. Check the history of legendary stations like WABC, or WBBF or WKBW, and you'll find they always had not only aces in their starting lineup, but a strong bench.
 
Bob1370 said:
Mark Giardina remarks, "Why not start formatting stations for the 22nd century while we're at it. ;D "
But I'm actually serious. Good stations always plan ahead, have a plan B in place. Check the history of legendary stations like WABC, or WBBF or WKBW, and you'll find they always had not only aces in their starting lineup, but a strong bench.
Click to expand...
Bob-
That's when there was a talent pool to draw from. Maybe you and others will disagree but as far as I am concerned the number of young people interested in a career in radio is dwindling. Add to that how many smaller market stations no longer have the "farm system" which benefited you, me, and a number of others who post on here. By 2018 I highly doubt most stations will have the experienced local talent needed to fill air shifts; outside of morning drive.
 
I like the thought that Wease's Rochester-bred NYC Comedian "sidekick" is being introduced, and may be Wease's eventual replacement. If you hear Jamie Lissow's airtime increasing over the next year, don't bet that Wease will last anywhere near six years.

With Wease and John DiTullio, "The Wease Show" may have a lock on "Worst Voices in Professional Radio".
 
SirRoxalot said:
With Wease and John DiTullio, "The Wease Show" may have a lock on "Worst Voices in Professional Radio".
Click to expand...

Clearly Rox never heard the late (I think) James Brownyard on the long-gone WHYP in North East, PA.

Oh wait - you said "professional" radio...
 
SirRoxalot said:
With Wease and John DiTullio, "The Wease Show" may have a lock on "Worst Voices in Professional Radio".
Click to expand...
They both sound like they gargle with razor blades each morning. But between both of them I bet they earn way over a half million dollars a year. Go figure! I've heard better sounding announcers at small market stations.
 
Mark_Giardina said:
Maybe you and others will disagree but as far as I am concerned the number of young people interested in a career in radio is dwindling. Add to that how many smaller market stations no longer have the "farm system" which benefited you, me, and a number of others who post on here. By 2018 I highly doubt most stations will have the experienced local talent needed to fill air shifts; outside of morning drive.
Click to expand...

I'll be one of those who will disagree... in my own experience recruiting, there are plenty of young people interested in a career in radio. The problem is that radio isn't interested in offering any of them a "career." A part time, low wage job? Them we got. Not in abundance, but they're there. Unfortunately, a part-time, low-wage job will not support anyone, nor will it offer the opportunities to really develop any talent. In the end, we still end up where you predict: no real talent left to replace the current generation.
 
By 2018 the only people that will be interested in working in radio are retirees (hopefully me by then) who have experience and want to subliment their income. Or people currently employed in the business who have no desire to find other employment, or can't find another job.
 
They both sound like they gargle with razor blades each morning. But between both of them I bet they earn way over a half million dollars a year. Go figure! I've heard better sounding announcers at small market stations.
Click to expand...

That's probably a big part of their popularity(especially Wease) - they are the anti-announcers. They sound real to their audience. Personally, I like the guy who is doing afternoons at The Fox - great sounding voice/delivery for classic rock - is he a CC out of town voicetracker or is he actually live and local?
 
2018?

Mark_Giardina said:
By 2018 the only people that will be interested in working in radio are retirees (hopefully me by then) who have experience and want to subliment their income. Or people currently employed in the business who have no desire to find other employment, or can't find another job.
Click to expand...

The way the industry is going, the only people likely to be listening to radio 2018 - if the bandwidth hasn't been co-opted for other uses - are likely to be retirees and others who can't afford cheap, high-speed Internet access.
 
I like the guy who is doing afternoons at The Fox - great sounding voice/delivery for classic rock - is he a CC out of town voicetracker or is he actually live and local?
Click to expand...

Heard the name earlier today - it's "Joe Reilly"(which I believe dates back to the days of Randy Michaels) - that's CC/Rochester's modern day version of "Jerry Jack." It's a fake radio handle and an inside radio joke all in one :)
 
WCMF has made a buy on local TV promoting their morning crew. At least Entercom isn't going to just roll over and play dead.
Who knows CMF's morning crew, which hasn't done a bad job since Wease left, might give the old hippie a run for his money.
 
And The Wease Show has "bought" a schedule of TV promos on.....wait for it.....WHAM TeeVee!

Jeepers! Whoodathunkit??

I'm feeling kinda left out. WYSL-TV, here we go.....
 
OK Mr. Voice, what did Wease do to you to make you dislike him so much? Just curious. Also I doubt very much that CMF will make a run. I love those guys in the morning, but they have been missing a big portion of their show since January.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom