Vince Sweeney

[usradioguy]

Happen to be in Northeastern PA a few weeks ago on business in a donut shop in Pittston ordering coffee notice the patrons talking about Vince Sweeney I thought it was strange as far as I know he has been off the air for a number of years I will give credit where credit is due people are still talking about this guy so I guess they love him bad mistake to Vince the ax

 

[DRx]

Vince is one of the best and one of the nicest people I ever worked with at WARM or know.
And as a reminder "Vince said it would be like this."

 

[dmer]

I always found it odd that it was reported they canned him because he was not a meteorologist. Then, down the line admittedly, they hire Kristi Capel, who lo and behold, is not a meteorologist. Now don't get me wrong. I like Kristi. She's quirky, which is good in the morning, but is not utterly ridiculous like some morning people who do the weather on a rival network. And it's not Kristi's fault Vince Sweeney was canned. Just seemed a little hypocritical on the part of studio heads.

But, even Vince would have to admit, she is just a tad hotter than he was

 

[Vince Sweeney]

Happen to be in Northeastern PA a few weeks ago on business in a donut shop in Pittston ordering coffee notice the patrons talking about Vince Sweeney...

If you'd been there roughly a month ago, you would have seen me and Snedeker at the same time, which was purely coincidental. Joe and I have always gotten along just fine. In fact, he invited me to come up and do weather with him some morning, so that will likely happen in the near future.

FWIW, it's been about three and a half years now and life outside of broadcasting is sweet indeed.

As far as Krisiti goes, I have no problem whatsoever with the woman. Do keep in mind, though, that she did not succeed me, it was Dave Kuharchick who was my immediate replacement.

Hey, thanks guys, it's nice to know you're not forgotten, not a footnote to the history of the market!

 

[Roger]

You are the best Vince.

 

[dmer]

I feel bad for Dave Kuharchik too. He was eventually promoted to chief meteorologist for WYOU and they killed their news. Now he is out of the job too. I wonder what happened to him when his contract ran out.

I don't blame Kristi (or Kuharchik) for Vince being let go. Really, that is managements call. It is true Kristi wasn't even living in Wilkes-Barre when Vince was let go. I like Kristi, and not just because she is a hottie. She does a good job with the weather. I guess at the end of the day, news is a cutthroat business, and no one is really safe. WBRE can get a news director who can't stand Kristi and get rid of her too. Look at what happened to Eva Mastromatteo. How many days before she is collecting unemployment?

 

[Roger]

They took Mark Hiller off mornings and moved him to WYOU and then killed WYOU.

 

[rchesnav]

I guess Mark got shunted to the bottom of the BRE seniority list, and stuck with weekends. Is he doing the FOX news too? Does the news with class. Vince is another classy fellow- Had a chance to chat with him when I got a haircut@ Mary's.

 

[NXEA]

I was an intern at WBRE during your very first forecast Vince; it was a Saturday or Sunday if I remember correctly? I think Jayne Budga might have been producing. Brian Roche (I forget his on air name!) was anchoring, I think. If I've gotten it wrong forgive me but it was a long time ago: 1985ish? Anyway, when all was said and done, everyone at BRE thought you had been doing this for years as you came off so smooth. I think you also handled the assignment desk at that time possibly?

I bet most people today would remember the 'Vince said it would be like this' promos. A great marketing campaign.

 

[Vince Sweeney]

I was an intern at WBRE during your very first forecast Vince; it was a Saturday or Sunday if I remember correctly? I think Jayne Budga might have been producing. Brian Roche (I forget his on air name!) was anchoring, I think

Good Lord, now there is one heck of a solid memory, far better than mine, I tell you. That said, I do indeed remember my very first night on WBRE.

Jayne was producing, Brian "Francis" Roche and Greta Kreuz were anchoring. It was Saturday, November 16th, 1985. No, that wasn't in my head, I just looked at a 1985 calendar. My point of reference has always been that it was the Saturday before my mother's birthday.

I had zero TV experience, except for an audition I once did for PM Magazine, a job I obviously was never offered. We did a couple loose rehearsals during the week prior, and that was that. Come Saturday night, it was me and the camera. It went well and I really couldn't wait to come back and do it again at eleven.

WBRE had held an "open audition" for the weekend weather position a few weeks before and quite a few local radio types, like me, showed up and tried out for the job. I can't recall all of them, but a few names I do remember but won't mention. At least two of them are still on the air with regularity here in the market. Things went OK, they offered me the job the next morning. Initially, though, we hit a problem; money.

The WBRE weekend job paid less than WARM was paying its part-timers, which was even then $8.00 an hour. I was doing afternoon drive at WARM and making fair money for the time and just couldn't on principle take a television job that was paying less than our part-timers. That impasse lasted maybe two days before WBRE's ND called and tossed a few more bucks my way. Those few bucks came with a stipulation, and again your memory is great; I had to "help out" on the assignment desk between the six and eleven on Saturday and Sunday night.

Sitting on scanners soon led to me riding with photogs on news stories to grab sound. That, in turn, led to me doing weekend packages, which were always fluff but lots of laughs - it was basic "make something out of nothing" and we did. I wish I had some of them on tape. Sadly, I've never been much of a saver.

Predictably, WARM fired me about two months into my moonlighting at WBRE, the same thing they had done to Brian Roche and Tim Karlson before me. No good reason, just fired. A decent severance package since they had no just cause, but fired nonetheless.

Those weekends at WBRE were some of the absolute best times of my life. Thanks for being so nice!

 

[Tom Woods]

I've got to say this...Guys and gals in radio and TV get knockerd down a lot but get up quick and are rarin' to go again.

I have a lot of respect for Vince Sweeney and Mark Hiller...Two of the better guys in the business.

 

[warmland]

Predictably, WARM fired me about two months into my moonlighting at WBRE, the same thing they had done to Brian Roche and Tim Karlson before me. No good reason, just fired. A decent severance package since they had no just cause, but fired nonetheless.

Those weekends at WBRE were some of the absolute best times of my life. Thanks for being so nice!

Vince,

Your the best. Nextstar wanted someone cheap, cut the old budget as they say.

Tim was let go at WARM by the "Kimble" or Mr Shakespeare as Harry West called him. Tim asked for a transfer out of WARM. Mr. Shak...I mean Kimble said "Sure, no problem. They transferred Tim to the unemployment line.God rest his soul.

Just another sorry close friend of Tim know well.

 

[Vince Sweeney]

Thanks, Tom, for your respect, it means a great deal to me. I guess all of us who worked/work in broadcasting became accustomed to the capricious firings over the years. It also reminds me of something an old friend of ours was fond of saying, "You become a victim of your own success." Keith Martin was convinced that those who stay in the business long enough do become victimized by their own success. I'm sure we could all relate a story or two.

The process with all three of us was the same; 1) Upon landing the WBRE job you'd get a hearty letter of glowing praise from home office in York, telling you how great it was you were bringing good things to WARM's name and reputation, 2) A period of silence, one where no one in management said anything to you about the new part-time job at all, so you figured all was well, 3) The out-of-nowhere firing, which I don't believe Tim or Brian ever saw coming, but I know I'd figured it was simply a matter of time before they got me.

Warmland, Bill Kimble was a whole 'nother story...

 

[warmland]

Warmland, Bill Kimble was a whole 'nother story...

Vince, The Kimble move to us outsiders looked like the owners of Susquehanna were panicking. KRZ blew them off to #2 then keep on coming. Possibly "IF" WARM had not placed so much talk on the air that fast and teaming you guys (Harry West & Jim Gannon) WHAT!!!, the station "may" have held on longer. Of course WARM was not good at playing hit songs. Where or whom picked that playlist out must have never heard of the trades. For example, WARM did not play "Betty Davis Eyes when it was a hit. I guess they thought that since they didn't play it , no one would even know it was out there and number one.....WRONG. I remember talking to GG when GBI first stating getting some good books. he was of the opinion that FM in this market was a long way off .Even GG left to run a power house FM in Williamsport. When the books started dropping, Susquehanna no longer was a staple company.Ther are so many stores of so many people getting a raw deal from there it's sad.

 

[marker101]

Slightly off topic, but since it was mentioned about WARM ignoring songs:

Sounds like the Top 40's of today in this market. Ignore a song until it's tested well and is almost recurrent status in other markets...then bring it here. I can't count how many times a song has taken months to get to the airwaves in NEPA when it's a smash everywhere else. Too afraid...the programmers of the CHR's here don't want to take a chance. And it's sad.

 

[Tim Y]

Re: Dave Kuharchik

Dave does occassional weekend weather on channel 27-ABC in Harrisburg.Does an excellent job.A real professional. Tim Y

 

[travist102]

...and Brian Roche is doing a great job co-anchoring WGAL's News 8 at 5:30, and is part of their investigative team.

Yes... Vince and Mark are two of the good guys in the biz.