Tony Venturoli New Program Director at WEBR Radio

[davideduardo]

I am new to this site. Overwhelmed however, by the extreme negativity and non solicited advice. Uninformed people who are more worried about grammer than common courtesy should really focus on their own self improvement.

The bad grammar, syntax and spelling in the "announce wanted" ad showed a lack of professionalism and a number of us here questioned how anyone qualified would be attracted by such an invitation. Then, the press release was so convoluted and distracted that it further put in question the professionalism of the operator.

I am curious as to how many of those commenting have owned a radio station? Two radio stations?

13 radio stations, most in markets over 1 million population.

A cab company?

Like a cab owner entering radio, I find it odd for a radio station owner to be in such an unrelated business such as cabs.

I know of one person qualified to respond to that.

The likelihood of a station owner having cabs is so low that you chap in Niagara Falls is likely unique.

I would like to address a few of the guesses and pot shots in this thread. I will start with the fact that WEBR and WLVL have a professional sales staff. Obviously most of you have never listened to the station to hear the multiple commercials that play daily.

It's never about how many commercials. It is about how much each one costs.

Constructive suggestions are helpful and welcomed but If you have not listened long enough then you really have no businesses commenting about what works and what doesn't. Over the last few years WEBR has faced many challenges as you seem to be aware of. Bill Yuhnke has not missed a beat.

But the criticism has been based on the multiple adjustments and inconsistencies in the format.

It is only the persistence and abilities of his ownership that will continue to drive this station forward. The format change was necessary and it is absolutely not the same as everyone else. I will bet if that if you listen, you will find something that you like.

And the point many have made is that the format is inconsistent, and if you like one thing, you likely will not like another.

 

[J-A]

I’ve been waiting to post & respond until after my last day at WEBR (which was today).

Bill is a good guy who loves radio & was able to buy his own station. That’s a really cool thing to most of us on this board. Just so everyone here knows, Bill LOVES talking radio - possibly more than Buddy. Ask him anything, I know he’d be happy to respond. We would always rush to reveal radio rumors to see who found things out first lol. I wish him the best of luck with both stations. I’ve had a great time creating the weekday & weeknight music formats and hope it does well for him this summer.

My only suggestion is one I’ve been saying all along (I know our previous PD along with others who are still at the station agrees) - don’t mix music & talk. Now that he has two stations, that’s something that could easily happen. It’ll eat at me if that happens now that I’ve left though lol.

About WEBR’s current music mix - it’s been changed up slightly as I prepared to leave so that it schedules easier. But the full version of the format from the last couple months (without a 9am weekday talk show to derail it) might pop up somewhere else someday. I’ve had a couple offers this past month - turns out out-of-town radio people listen to our stream & felt we were doing something unique. But for now I’ve decided to stay in WNY & go with another career I’m equally passionate about. If the offers still stand in late fall, maybe I’ll revisit it.

No matter what happens, congrats to Tony V! He’s one of the nicest people and the PD title is well deserved. While my expertise was with the computers & programs, his is with people - and that’s why he’ll be perfect at this.

 

[exdjted]

am new to this site. Overwhelmed however, by the extreme negativity and non solicited advice. Uninformed people who are more worried about grammer than common courtesy should really focus on their own self improvement.

THIS is what started this merry-go-round:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 2, 2023
Contact Bill Yuhnke, 716-867-1700

Yuhnke Makes Maestro Move at WEBR,
Hires Top Radio Jock to Lead Programming

Liberty Taxi legend and broadcasting maestro Bill Yuhnke is making news
again with the hiring of veteran radio jock Tony Venturoli as the new program
director at WEBR Radio 1440 AM on your dial.

This was a press release written for an audience of one. When you start a thread by announcing a "maestro" move, and referring to yourself as "Liberty Taxi Legend and broadcasting maestro Bill Yuhnke", you invite whatever extreme negativity and non-solicited advice you get.

There are thousands of good broadcasters out there who make programming decisions, hiring decisions and contribute to their communities everyday in countless ways that don't feel the need to blow their own horn or pat themselves on the back so hard they leave bruises.

 

[Mark1981]

I’ve been waiting to post & respond until after my last day at WEBR (which was today).

Bill is a good guy who loves radio & was able to buy his own station. That’s a really cool thing to most of us on this board. Just so everyone here knows, Bill LOVES talking radio - possibly more than Buddy. Ask him anything, I know he’d be happy to respond. We would always rush to reveal radio rumors to see who found things out first lol. I wish him the best of luck with both stations. I’ve had a great time creating the weekday & weeknight music formats and hope it does well for him this summer.

My only suggestion is one I’ve been saying all along (I know our previous PD along with others who are still at the station agrees) - don’t mix music & talk. Now that he has two stations, that’s something that could easily happen. It’ll eat at me if that happens now that I’ve left though lol.

About WEBR’s current music mix - it’s been changed up slightly as I prepared to leave so that it schedules easier. But the full version of the format from the last couple months (without a 9am weekday talk show to derail it) might pop up somewhere else someday. I’ve had a couple offers this past month - turns out out-of-town radio people listen to our stream & felt we were doing something unique. But for now I’ve decided to stay in WNY & go with another career I’m equally passionate about. If the offers still stand in late fall, maybe I’ll revisit it.

No matter what happens, congrats to Tony V! He’s one of the nicest people and the PD title is well deserved. While my expertise was with the computers & programs, his is with people - and that’s why he’ll be perfect at this.

Thank you, John, for contributing to this thread. A couple of things:

First, I did personally email Bill ten days ago about the dismissal of Kelly Wahl, and I did not receive a response. So, I question your contention that he would be happy to respond.

I have become friends with Kelly largely through her presence on WEBR. I didn’t know her before meeting Kelly at the 2021 BBA holiday luncheon. I really enjoyed her show! She brought an enthusiasm and infectious personality to her presentation. Please know I was a P-1 listener to WEBR. Weekdays and weekends! I was rooting for Bill and his team to take off. But I‘m standing up for Kelly. My listening is now limited to a couple of friends who work at WEBR on weekends. Granted, I’ve only heard her side of what happened. I will argue, though, that you shouldn’t have been allowed to dismiss Kelly when you, yourself, were leaving the station. Kelly was very loyal to WEBR. She believed in what you were doing. Kelly’s dismissal left her broken hearted. The optics don’t look good here. Two strong women — Kelly Wahl and Gail Ann Huber — were dismissed this year. Maybe these firings were warranted for whatever reason. But I’m skeptical!

I’ll end with this. After reading some of the other learned responses to this thread, I doubt there is a format out there that will generate a huge audience for a station with a poor AM signal and an FM repeater with a limited range. So, if WEBR tops a one share 12+ a year from now, I will personally deliver a bucket of 50 wings from LaNova to the WEBR staff. This is a rare bet I hope to pay off! But Bill is going to have to earn back my trust after the unfair dismissal of my friend Kelly.

 

[J-A]

So first, Gail. I had no part in whatever happened and just had to live with the result.

As for Kelly - be real. I had a legitimate reason and I’m not going to post a private matter on a public forum. Same goes for a private message with a stranger (or anyone that’s not Kelly).

I will say this though - 97 Rock would be crazy not to take advantage of either of these current availabilities.

 

[Radio-Bored-Op]

I’ve been waiting to post & respond until after my last day at WEBR (which was today).

Bill is a good guy who loves radio & was able to buy his own station. That’s a really cool thing to most of us on this board. Just so everyone here knows, Bill LOVES talking radio - possibly more than Buddy. Ask him anything, I know he’d be happy to respond. We would always rush to reveal radio rumors to see who found things out first lol. I wish him the best of luck with both stations. I’ve had a great time creating the weekday & weeknight music formats and hope it does well for him this summer.

My only suggestion is one I’ve been saying all along (I know our previous PD along with others who are still at the station agrees) - don’t mix music & talk. Now that he has two stations, that’s something that could easily happen. It’ll eat at me if that happens now that I’ve left though lol.

About WEBR’s current music mix - it’s been changed up slightly as I prepared to leave so that it schedules easier. But the full version of the format from the last couple months (without a 9am weekday talk show to derail it) might pop up somewhere else someday. I’ve had a couple offers this past month - turns out out-of-town radio people listen to our stream & felt we were doing something unique. But for now I’ve decided to stay in WNY & go with another career I’m equally passionate about. If the offers still stand in late fall, maybe I’ll revisit it.

No matter what happens, congrats to Tony V! He’s one of the nicest people and the PD title is well deserved. While my expertise was with the computers & programs, his is with people - and that’s why he’ll be perfect at this.

Well said !!!

 

[DaveMasonsd]

I've spend a few minutes listening to WEBR- and concur with many of the opinions listed here, but it's easier to critique from outside the walls of the station. A few things are happening here though that establish some questions.
What is the format?
What is unique about WEBR?
What is its market? (Supposedly Niagara Falls and/or Lockport)
What is its target audience ?

A brief listen to the station poses these (and other) questions that the listener might be wondering as well. Like:
"What is it about this station that I might like?"
"What do I get from WEBR that I don't get elsewhere?"
"Does where I live matter to WEBR?"
"Is it a station that's aimed at me?"
All the talk about the memo from the owner makes me harken back to the days of "one owner, one station" -and I kinda wish it were that way again. All of the signals in Western New York were once unique and some were well positioned for success. In 2023 that's not the case. Can a PD from out of town make the station local, fun and relevant? That's a tough call. Can WEBR serve a segment of the population that's not being served ? Can WEBR market to that segment ? Can WEBR make money ? Maybe that last question isn't as important right now, especially if the cab business is good. John Catsimatidis in New York City has a 50kw blowtorch to play with and it SOUNDS like New York City. If WEBR can make it, it must determine the area covered and sound like that. Fish where the fish are and make them happy. That's how the individual weekly/monthly newspapers survived until the cost of operating them vacuumed up their ability to make money. Radio doesn't have a newsprint expense or a distribution problem. WEBR, like many stations in 2023 has a relevance problem. But to the owner and his family-maybe that's not a problem. If the PD is out of town, maybe that's not a problem to the owner. Maybe the bills aren't being paid by the advertising. Maybe that's not a problem. I can assure you that everyone on this forum has heard from people who know your job better than you do. But when you OWN the station, maybe that's not YOUR problem. At least he's not forced into putting 90% into the pockets of shareholders...and he's trying something. I don't disagree that the station needs help and focus. Let's hope that -maybe - Tony can provide that from far away.

 

[musicianslegacy]

I stand by my post. People make assumptions and have no real facts. You do not know who wrote the post for Bill. You do not know much the commercials cost. You do not know what professionalism is. It certainly isn't trying to judge someone and post negative comments about them. I don't care how many Radio Stations you have owned your greater than thou attitude and dismissive remarks are not commendable. I see that you felt the need to disect my response as I am sure it rattled you. The truth hurts.

 

[musicianslegacy]

I've spend a few minutes listening to WEBR- and concur with many of the opinions listed here, but it's easier to critique from outside the walls of the station. A few things are happening here though that establish some questions.
What is the format?
What is unique about WEBR?
What is its market? (Supposedly Niagara Falls and/or Lockport)
What is its target audience ?

A brief listen to the station poses these (and other) questions that the listener might be wondering as well. Like:
"What is it about this station that I might like?"
"What do I get from WEBR that I don't get elsewhere?"
"Does where I live matter to WEBR?"
"Is it a station that's aimed at me?"
All the talk about the memo from the owner makes me harken back to the days of "one owner, one station" -and I kinda wish it were that way again. All of the signals in Western New York were once unique and some were well positioned for success. In 2023 that's not the case. Can a PD from out of town make the station local, fun and relevant? That's a tough call. Can WEBR serve a segment of the population that's not being served ? Can WEBR market to that segment ? Can WEBR make money ? Maybe that last question isn't as important right now, especially if the cab business is good. John Catsimatidis in New York City has a 50kw blowtorch to play with and it SOUNDS like New York City. If WEBR can make it, it must determine the area covered and sound like that. Fish where the fish are and make them happy. That's how the individual weekly/monthly newspapers survived until the cost of operating them vacuumed up their ability to make money. Radio doesn't have a newsprint expense or a distribution problem. WEBR, like many stations in 2023 has a relevance problem. But to the owner and his family-maybe that's not a problem. If the PD is out of town, maybe that's not a problem to the owner. Maybe the bills aren't being paid by the advertising. Maybe that's not a problem. I can assure you that everyone on this forum has heard from people who know your job better than you do. But when you OWN the station, maybe that's not YOUR problem. At least he's not forced into putting 90% into the pockets of shareholders...and he's trying something. I don't disagree that the station needs help and focus. Let's hope that -maybe - Tony can provide that from far away.

These are valid questions and posed in a professional manner. While they are not for me to answer, I appreciate the expertise in which they were posed.

 

[John Gallagher]

The WEBR website still mentions Don Angelo, aka Del Manning in his earlier radio career. Is Don still involved?

 

[Bill Yuhnke]

The WEBR website still mentions Don Angelo, aka Del Manning in his earlier radio career. Is Don still involved?

Don Angelo and I will always be friends.We talk about changes in radio all the time.

 

[KurtLockport]

I've spend a few minutes listening to WEBR- and concur with many of the opinions listed here, but it's easier to critique from outside the walls of the station. A few things are happening here though that establish some questions.
What is the format?
What is unique about WEBR?
What is its market? (Supposedly Niagara Falls and/or Lockport)
What is its target audience ?

A brief listen to the station poses these (and other) questions that the listener might be wondering as well. Like:
"What is it about this station that I might like?"
"What do I get from WEBR that I don't get elsewhere?"
"Does where I live matter to WEBR?"
"Is it a station that's aimed at me?"

WLVL is specifically targeted towards primarily Lockport, second Eastern Niagara County and then I guess third would be the rest of Niagara.

WJJL was specifically Niagara Falls and maybe North Tonawanda. I can't tell you what WEBR is targeted at now. They put it on 105.3 FM to increase the listening area I assume and kept a Niagara Falls show on. Tom Darro's show was always about the Falls. It's an amazing show but it appeals to NF and not much elsewhere. I wouldn't move it to WLVL though and probably not the others either.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Oversimplified: agency sales are analytically based, while local direct is emotionally based.

Agency sales are, first and foremost, achieved by meeting the Cost Per Point in the agency client's target demo. Relationships come in only when there are multiple stations that meet the client's goal, and not all of them will get the buy; that is where liking the station rep will make a difference.

Local direct selling is based on more than ratings, such as offering one-day turnaround for new copy if the client has a sale or some new merchandise or offerings. It's about finding out what the client's needs are... what in the old Jason Jennings sales courses was called the "consultant sale" where the seller asked plenty of questions about the client's business and needs. The idea there was to spend very little time pitching the station and a lot of time finding out how to do what the client needed.

Almost left brain vs. right brain selling styles.

I was told this was exactly how the sales staff at WFTL 1400 Fort Lauderdale sold in the '70's. Even though the station had ratings they concentrated on 35+ and managed to get agency buys as well. That is until the combined Dade-Broward (Miami-Fort Lauderdale) book. It was great for the high powered FM's and death to the lower powered or severely directional AM's.

 

[davideduardo]

I was told this was exactly how the sales staff at WFTL 1400 Fort Lauderdale sold in the '70's. Even though the station had ratings they concentrated on 35+ and managed to get agency buys as well. That is until the combined Dade-Broward (Miami-Fort Lauderdale) book. It was great for the high powered FM's and death to the lower powered or severely directional AM's.

In 1981 the Dade and Broward general managers voted for or against joining the markets.

As GM of WHTT, I voted against. Matt Mills, the GM of WHYI, right down the hall from us, voted for it. The "for" contingency won.

 

[John Gallagher]

Don Angelo and I will always be friends.We talk about changes in radio all the time.

Don had an early radio career stop here in Erie, PA on WRIE from 1971-1973 or so as Del Manning. I actually called into his show back then (I was 12 or 13) and he put me on the air doing a Jimmy Cagney impersonation. Listened to that station frequently since it's all my Mom listened to.

 

[Tall Thin One]

Don Angelo and I will always be friends.We talk about changes in radio all the time.

Interesting, Bill, in that more than one person after reading Musicianslegacy's first post on the board in your defense thought that the writer actually might be Don Angelo.