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WCOJ's Revolving Door Spins Again

  • Thread starter fred flintstone
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fred flintstone

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All Access reports WCOJ morning host/PD Joe Thomas, who posts here as "TalkintheWalk," is out at WCOJ, Coatesville-West Chester. The item indicates Thomas is currently available. It does not make clear whether he jumped or was pushed. WCOJ's website currently does not mention Thomas.

WCOJ is owned by Route81 Broadcasting, mostly small stations spun off by Citadel in small markets in Central and Northeastern PA and Southern New York. The group was put together by former WCOJ owner and Y-100 manager Lloyd Roach, known for using WCOJ as a platform for his political and religious views. Roach was himself shown the door by his venture capitalist backers. Route 81 was formed with backing from Avalon Equity Partners, a private venture capital firm which mostly publishes gay newspapers and magazines.

Thomas, originally from New York City, came to Chester County after some 15 years working in the Lancaster market. He shifted WCOJ away from a mix of political talk and music to a mostly lifestyle-advice advice talk format, with syndicated programming such as WOR Network's Joy Brown and Christian financial planner Dave Ramsey.

WCOJ has had a history of personnel turn-over. WCOJ is not an Arbitron subscriber but reportedly has not shown a strong performance in Chester County ratings. The station subsists mainly on advertising for local merchants, tort and injury lawyers, preachers and brokered programming (Infomercials). The station is perhaps best known locally for its Swap Shop call-in program. Thomas made a valiant effort to upgrade the quality of the station and its once-legendary morning show (hosted for 40 years by Art Douglas). Under Thomas, the station did curtail a controversial series of "Abortion is evil!" spots, voiced by former WIBG personality Bill Wright, Sr., which many in the community found offensive.
 
That’s too bad. I mentioned here before that I recently moved back to the area and was searching for some good local AM radio. I thought Joe did a decent job at WCOJ in the mornings. The guy in the afternoon (name escapes me) on the other hand….uh, no!
 
Robert Henson is the afternoon person. His show never appealed to me, either, even when he was on in the morning.

Thought Joe did a nice job. Knowing the former owner, certainly by reputation, I'm sure the only way Joe got rid of the fabled abortion spot was after Lloyd was removed.

What's next, all Swap Shop, all the time? Might just catch on. I have this slightly rusty screen door...
 
Thomas seems like a nice guy, but he did a less than average job. He failed to grow an audience, and he should have seen the writing on the wall for some time now.

His material was worn and hackey. A good portion of his show was weather call-ins and birthday shout-outs. I mean, good Lord, there's only so much of that a sane person can take.

But as average as Thomas was, Henson is many levels below. He is not good, not funny, not entertaining, period. If I were him I'd get that CV and headshot updated real fast.
 
gatsby1922 said:
Thomas seems like a nice guy, but he did a less than average job. He failed to grow an audience, and he should have seen the writing on the wall for some time now.

His material was worn and hackey. A good portion of his show was weather call-ins and birthday shout-outs. I mean, good Lord, there's only so much of that a sane person can take.

But as average as Thomas was, Henson is many levels below. He is not good, not funny, not entertaining, period. If I were him I'd get that CV and headshot updated real fast.
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In all fairness, this is West Chester we're talking about. If Chester County were a radio market it would be something like 123. Thomas did an amazing job with what he had to work with. The same few callers over-and-over, the hang-ups, the calls an hour early for the swap shop. For much of his show he has people in the office and yet nobody screened calls. Some good interviews but a lot of local bureaucrats or people from community groups droning on about their thing. Lawyers. Preachers. And birthdays. But that's small market radio and Joe did a much better than average job of putting it all together on a shoe string.


Some good people have passed through WCOJ, generally unappreciated. Mostly management thwarted their efforts to do any kind of good radio. Some have gone on to better things. Some had enough of radio and left.

Henson left about four years ago to fix BMWs (reportedly after a major blowup with Lloyd Roach). Henson was host of the morning show when he left. They had on their staff a guy who'd been a morning drive jock in LA, Houston and Atlanta. He was at the point in life where he wanted to move into management and figured he should get some sales experience. He offered to take on the morning show but instead they grabbed a Kennett Square preacher who'd been doing a public service program and high school basketball games for them. But Lloyd Roach often left programming decisions to his secretary.

The news has become wire copy, stories lifted from the Daily Local News and wraps from Radio Pa and a guy who strings for half a dozen stations in the burbs. The staff was always limited but they used to make some attempt at covering local stories. Now it all sounds canned. Apparently, it's just Henson, who reads news in the morning and does a call in show in the afternoon so who has time to actually get stories?

It seemed like things might be different under the new management but maybe not.
 
I think I was too harsh on Joe, maybe he was a bit better than average.

But his show was very stagnant. The only chuckle I ever got was listening to him try to silence Madeline (the weather-spotter from Avondale) and/or try to get Al (weather-spotter from Downingtown) to speak more than a one-word sentence. Bottom line: Joe should have been trying something different every month, to see if anything caught fire, and he never did that.

Didn't know about Henson's past, thanks for the info. He should return to the auto repair industry.
 
gatsby1922 said:
I think I was too harsh on Joe, maybe he was a bit better than average.

But his show was very stagnant. The only chuckle I ever got was listening to him try to silence Madeline (the weather-spotter from Avondale) and/or try to get Al (weather-spotter from Downingtown) to speak more than a one-word sentence. Bottom line: Joe should have been trying something different every month, to see if anything caught fire, and he never did that.

Didn't know about Henson's past, thanks for the info. He should return to the auto repair industry.
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His show would never have cut it on a Philly station, but he did a lot given what he had to work with. Given the train wreck Clear Channel does in the morning for Wilmington and Dover, they would do well to hire Joe (and fire the current bunch). With a bit more in resources, and fewer phone calls from the same-old, same-old people, he might do a heckuva show.
 
The item on All Access provides contact info, which is what they do when someone is "available."
This suggests that likely he was fired or something happened that caused him to quit unexpectedly without having lined up a new gig.
Tune in this morning and see if Hensen is back in the morning playing German military music and drinking songs. Get yourself in the mood to go out and invade Poland.
 
Joe was the most talented person on WCOJ in the last decade (or two). On Monday, he was encouraging listeners to contact their local Congressional representatives to gain help in WCOJ's fight over incroaching signal interference from a DC-area Spanish language station. (This is a problem that has come and gone for WCOJ since the Spanish station gained approval for a power increase sometime last year. At some times of the day, their signal totally obliterates WCOJ, even n the heart of WCOJ's listening area.) During the talk, Joe also gave the phone number for Route 81 management and encouraged listeners and sponsors to call there to see if the ownership was even interested in standing up for WCOJ's signal before the FCC. He said he "wonders if they even are."
Could this have been the straw that broke the camel's back for Joe? Would management think they could get anyone any better if they fired him? Just listen to the difference between Joe and the guy on the air this week (also a Joe) to see which is a more vibrant broadcaster.
As meager as this week's "Joe" is, it would be a major crime if WCOJ returned Henson to the mornings. He is a total waste of airspace, with his poor grammar, his attidude and total air presance. Listen to him in the afternoon, as long as you can, and see how many times he says, "News time - it is....." Cripes Henson, run an aircheck on yourself sometime.
Best Wishes to Joe Thomas. Perhap he will catch a ride down at WDEL, a professional operation, where he has weekended, and where his talents could be put to good use.
 
650AM said:
Perhap he will catch a ride down at WDEL, a professional operation, where he has weekended, and where his talents could be put to good use.
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He certainly sounds better than Loudell, and is MUCH better interviewer. Besides, he's willing to do interviews with people in this hemisphere.
 
I heard the talk about the DC-area Spanish language station and actually thought this was a good idea. I lived in the DC area and often wondered why I was hearing bleeding from that station here (very broken) over WCOJ. Not having first hand knowledge of WCOJ, I just figure it was their signal that was the issue. Seems that might not be the case.
As has been stated here, Joe Thomas could have and maybe should have done more but I did appreciate the ‘funness’ of the local weather folks, the local political interviews, and the fact that it was indeed local! As for Henson, I have tried a number of times to listen since coming back to the area last summer….no can do. Last and final straw was when he was attempting to do some sort of ‘is your co-worker ready to go postal’ bit on the day of the Amish school shootings!!
 
I laughed when I read some previous posts, from another thread, regarding Henson. People don't like this clown, and he's offensive. I read the posts regarding his "Chinese" bit. A classless boob this guy is.
 
Joe Thomas was hired by Gavin Stief, the ex-CEO who now works for Comcast. that was a brilliant move. JOe Thomas was fresh out of WLAN at that time. Joe has alot of friends over at WSTW and WDEL, hell he knows almost all of the Delmarva Broadcasting company personel. JOe Has talent and sour grapes on Ira Rosenblatt for letting the only guy with talent go. The other 'Joe" you all are hearing is their production guy....JOE Hartnett, who used to be on 950 WPEN when it was a moldy oldies station. I guarantee JOe Hartnett won't hold a candle to anything that Joe Thomas did....even if that old stale cracker Ron McNeil helps him out. Quite honestly, I wish WCOJ would just fall apart, it sucks and not enough people listen to it anyway. Robert Henson's show was cool when he came back on the air, now all he does is talk to their secretary Caitlin. that station wouldn't know compelling radio if it jumped up and bit Ira Rosenblatt on the ass. I think some pompus ass like Ira will go on the cheap with the morning show. Joe Thomas had a fear when he was there. it seems that the guy who hosts that "talk radio countdown" show on WCOJ's weekend schedule also does a morning show. Joe ALWAYS was worried that Ira would find this out and what that show to replace Joe Thomas's show because it was cheaper to run automaton vs a live show. Oh well, Ron's Crap Shop can't keep the station alfoat all by itself since nobody seems to favor Robert henson's show either. I'll certainly be there to help pound nails in it's coffin when it finally goes the way of all mediocre backwater radio. Too bad though for Joe thomas, maybe he'll go back to NY, either way Good Luck Talkinthewalk, I'll miss you buddy.
 
Captain Happy said:
Joe Thomas was hired by Gavin Stief, the ex-CEO who now works for Comcast. that was a brilliant move. JOe Thomas was fresh out of WLAN at that time. Joe has alot of friends over at WSTW and WDEL, hell he knows almost all of the Delmarva Broadcasting company personel. JOe Has talent and sour grapes on Ira Rosenblatt for letting the only guy with talent go. The other 'Joe" you all are hearing is their production guy....JOE Hartnett, who used to be on 950 WPEN when it was a moldy oldies station. I guarantee JOe Hartnett won't hold a candle to anything that Joe Thomas did....even if that old stale cracker Ron McNeil helps him out. Quite honestly, I wish WCOJ would just fall apart, it sucks and not enough people listen to it anyway. Robert Henson's show was cool when he came back on the air, now all he does is talk to their secretary Caitlin. that station wouldn't know compelling radio if it jumped up and bit Ira Rosenblatt on the ass. I think some pompus ass like Ira will go on the cheap with the morning show. Joe Thomas had a fear when he was there. it seems that the guy who hosts that "talk radio countdown" show on WCOJ's weekend schedule also does a morning show. Joe ALWAYS was worried that Ira would find this out and what that show to replace Joe Thomas's show because it was cheaper to run automaton vs a live show. Oh well, Ron's Crap Shop can't keep the station alfoat all by itself since nobody seems to favor Robert henson's show either. I'll certainly be there to help pound nails in it's coffin when it finally goes the way of all mediocre backwater radio. Too bad though for Joe thomas, maybe he'll go back to NY, either way Good Luck Talkinthewalk, I'll miss you buddy.
Click to expand...

Don't hold back, Rubberballs. What do you really think?

Full disclosure: Captain Happy once worked for WCOJ (in case you hadn't noticed). So did I. So have lots of people. He didn't like the way he was treated. Neither did I. Neither did lots of people. Even with Lloyd gone, there is some "out" about the place. Anybody should think twice before sending them a package - and then think again.

The frustrating part is Captain Happy seemed to really try to do something with the station in the sales end. Just as Joe really tried to do something with the programming end - and just as Steve Bryant did before him. All the attention WCOJ gets is testimony to how much people on this board want local-live radio to succeed (in spite of everything). And, while I can appreciate Happy's resentment, the truth is WCOJ is not mediocre backwater radio; it's pretty good backwater radio and better than it was before Joe got there. I hope his absence hits current management in the pocketbook.

I hope the Lensfest family is around to regret what's happened to their cable systems under Comcast and what's happened to what was once a great small town station under Lloyd and now Avalon.

The syndicated morning show is Doug Stephan, distributed by Radio America. He used to be on the first progressive talk network, I.E. America. Radio America now distributes the show. They also handle the Michael Reagan Show, which WCOJ handles in the evening. COJ's choice is: Go Back to the Future with Hensen or Dougie. Go syndicated. Maybe Stephan or maybe the I-Man (from Westwood One). Or try to find a morning guy who hasn't heard of WCOJ (or already worked there).
 
Henson is a terd

Admitted that Thomas was fired on his show tonight, and we sounded kinda smug about it, too.

This kid is a zero.
 
::)WCOJ PROVES THAT IT STILL SUCKS

I don't get Robert Henson!!

Joe Thomas and Robert had shared station space, and quite frankly Robert Henson should have been writing down some of the professionalism that I am sure Joe Thomas exuded. In fact I am quite sure that Joe was the closest thing to a real honest to god genuine broadcaster that WCOJ has seen in a loooooooong time. Nuts to Ira Rosenblatt for letting Robert treat Joe like a piece of shit. I hear that station's death knell now!
 
Hi gang. New user name. (Firefox doesn't work well with this board I've come to find.)

I appreciate all the kind things, as well as the critical ones, said about me. Honestly, this may sound like a load of crap, but if letting me go keeps WCOJ local, then that's fine with me.

I've been fired before and for less noble reasons and I'll land somewhere but Chester County deserves their own station, cornball or not.

I'll be on the radio racket at around 10:20 on Friday, before that one of my WDEL friends, Roger Girke, is playing at Vincent's so you can stop by and we'll hoist one.

As I noted during the height of the interference problems; It's encouraging to know that people cared enough about WCOJ to struggle with interference that almost totally obliterated us. Most other places, once the listener punches you out, you're done for. You passion about what we were doing (or not doing) gave me the same feelings.

As far as Robert goes, he knows I still cherish my "Friend of the Negro" award he gave me for two consecutive years.

Ken, ease up pal. I'm cool with it, you should be too. BTW, it wasn't specifically Doug Stephan I was worried about... the actual quote was... "If we don't get more advertisers on this station, mine is the first ass out the door."

Peace,
Joe Thomas
1150am WDEL "Consumer Hotline"
9am-12noon Saturdays
 
Sorry, Joe. You gave them better than they deserved.

the actual quote was... "If we don't get more advertisers on this station, mine is the first ass out the door."
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Sounds like they are following the Clear Channel style of management. Those making more are the first ones cut.

Kudos for being able to stand it this long.

I've listened to Doug Stephan. He does a good show but it's not a substitute for local-live in morning drive - especially on a station that promotes itself as local.

I hope WDEL finds a weekday spot for you. IMHO they should go back to talk in afternoon drive and put you up against Hannity. How many hours a day of overseas phone calls can anybody stand?

I've been using Firefox here all along with no problems. If you want, feel free to PM me and maybe we can figure out what's happening.

Looking forward to hearing you tomorrow.
 
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