WGST

[wooder]

Re: WGST - The Changes Are Starting?

"I've always been amazed that Rush Limbaugh didn't do better. You would think in the Atlanta market he would be strong but maybe Bill Maher is right, Americans are a lot more liberal (at least privately) than most people think."

The only reason Rush is on WGST is because he's syndicated by Premiere, which is in some form or fashion a part of Clear Channel itself. I've understood that the same thing has happened with his show in some other markets...getting stuck on smaller/lesser stations simply because CC owns them. Knowing that, I'm not convinced politics has much to do with it in this case, Art.

The fact that Rush doesn't do well in Atlanta has nothing to do with the political leanings of any listener, people listen to a show because they find it entertaining, not because the host is the same political bend. Look at all the fruitcakes who show up here spinning on their eyebrows because they hate the politics of a radio show host, hell, they're listeners!

THANK YOU, Barbapapa. Finally, someone on this board who gets it! Rush is successful because he's entertaining, not because most of the country are right-wing extremists. Same with Savage. Do conservatives really believe he's so successful because he reflects the attitude of the people who listen to him? He's a MANIAC, and that's why people listen.
Franken, on the other hand is unsuccessful because he's not a good radio entertainer. No other reason.

 

[herbiedradio]

Re: WGST - The Changes Are Starting?

Mr. Bloomquist blew up heritage stations in Charlotte (WBT), Richmond (WRVA), and Washington (WMAL). The only one of those three to be relevant in ratings is WBT and it took many years for that to happen.

Bloomquist made a big mistake, and he just going in the wrong direction in this awful programming change. Tom Hughes had personality, wit, insight, experience, and was a real radio talent. Everyone remembers the 1997 Planet Radio disaster, and this new programming is worse than that. Morning listners in Atlanta want local news, humor, a local slant from a live broadcaster, interaction and a sense ownership/fraternity that only Tom Hughes and his live team could provide. The Kimmer will be missed as well, and despite some of his faults he had a good following. WGST will be belly up by Spring and as someone else stated, Bloomquist will be putting his house on the market thereafter. Tom - We want you back on the Atlanta airwaves !!!!!!

 

[ajhenderson]

WBT is live/local 15 hours a day in a top-50 market and is a ratings leader. Please explain how WRVA isn't relevant... they might step it up if they had a little competition, but they run the top national shows and have local news around the clock. WMAL may be some irrelevant, but in a market that size, they don't do that poorly. Revenue isn't bad, and considering they clobber the almost non-existant other talk stations and do alright against Bonneville's news raping of the FM band, they're not that bad. Seeing that it has been an ABC O&O with the requirements that come with, what do you want him to do. GST far and away the worst of the four.

 

[MisterDaisy]

Re: Farewell WGST

some good people may have worked at WGST but it has never EVER been a great station nor a successful station

Are you sure? Why I heard Dave Ramsey say just yesterday that WGST "has a rich tradition of winning in the Atlanta market."

Dave often says "How do you know a (debt) collector is lying? His lips are moving!" Kinda of the same way you know Dave is lying.

Notice Clark Howard and Dave Ramsey overlap each other in Atlanta in the 3-4pm hour. Clark Howard is an inclusive kinda guy, never offensive and tolerant of other people's religious beliefs, political preferences, sexual orientation, etc. Dave is a self-centered egomaniac who sells himself and his program as if "he's only right", and ends each show with ""Remember, there's ultimately only one way to Financial Peace, and that's to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus." So according to Dave ... myself, Clark Howard, and Alan Greenspan can have no financial peace. Also according to Dave, he advises his followers to stop 401K contributions while getting out of debt, but to keep tithing. I don't mean to offend anyone on the board who is a committed Christian, but Dave Ramsey's misuse of religion to steer people to follow "his plan" and also guide them to his "Endorsed Local Providers" so they can sell mutual funds with high loads and transaction fees, is misleading and offensive. Clark always tells people to go to "fee only" financial planners who don't make a commission. Sorry WGST listeners, with Dave Ramsey you get what you deserve.

This sums up my feelings on Dave Ramsey perfectly.

 

[monkeymanmoi]

Re: Farewell WGST

Dave is a self-centered egomaniac who sells himself and his program as if "he's only right", and ends each show with ""Remember, there's ultimately only one way to Financial Peace, and that's to walk daily with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus." So according to Dave ... myself, Clark Howard, and Alan Greenspan can have no financial peace. Also according to Dave, he advises his followers to stop 401K contributions while getting out of debt, but to keep tithing.

This is how I feel as well minus the ego part. I have heard Dave say many smart things and you can't deny the power of getting out of debt, but I ALWAYS wait for the religious aspect to take priority and it drives me insane. I believe in giving to charity, but the tithing issue is almost enough to keep me from ever listening to Ramsey.

 

[Mike_Rose]

WGST was a top ten radio station in the market in most of the 1990's. During the first Braves era, it was often a top five station and sometimes a top three.

Not bad for an AM station with a lousy signal in moring dirve, afternoon drive and at night.

The FM simulcast also helped in most of that period.

 

[70sdj]

Most of the 90's must mean 1990-95 after that, no ratings vs the big WSB machine, and no Braves. Only a change to management that didn't know anything. When they put those (edit name calling) in charge, it when down the dumper. Nancy and Mikey and the rest of those (edit name calling) ruined it all.
And for the (edit name calling) who said personality has nothing to do with ratings and revenue......For the love of God, he is exactly what has killed great radio stations with great personalities.
Mike Rose has NO business taking any credit for anything good that ever happened at the real GST, only the downfall with the rest of his (edit name calling)iots!

 

[RichardWarner]

I was at 'GST from 1980-1993, not employed by the AM station per se, but rather as the person charged with launching and operating their statewide news network. Moving over from WSB AM because the promise of launching a network was such a cool idea, I was impressed with how intelligent WGST's air talent was. Bob Coxe always reminded me of Steve Allen, Forrest Sawyer was nothing short of brilliant and Tom Hughes was laugh-out-loud funny, particularly when paired with Steve Holman. There was Boortz for a time; love him or hate him, he is entertaining. There was Tech and Falcons football. But what struck me in later years as Jacor took over was how the tone (outside of AM drive) became so sophomoric, full of non-stop off-color jokes, bellicose hosts and shallow arguments. Yes, the signal sucked, 'SB finally got their competitive act together (by hiring said hosts from 'GST) and there was a long period without much in the way of sports...but in the end, I think taking the low road did them in.

 

[70sdj]

Right on Richard! Perfect observation!

 

[OgOgglby]

I feel a little better now that Richard Warner agrees with me that WGST was indeed great at one time. If the 80's was ancient history, then the talent that WSB hired from the "G-spot" isn't - they're still there. (And here's a toast to Gene Blaine - the Ol' Lamplighter...and if anyone here remembers that, I'll buy you dinner)

 

[Mike_Rose]

Most of the 90's must mean 1990-95 after that, no ratings vs the big WSB machine, and no Braves. Only a change to management that didn't know anything. When they put those (edit name calling) in charge, it when down the dumper. Nancy and Mikey and the rest of those (edit name calling) ruined it all.
And for the (edit name calling) who said personality has nothing to do with ratings and revenue......For the love of God, he is exactly what has killed great radio stations with great personalities.
Mike Rose has NO business taking any credit for anything good that ever happened at the real GST, only the downfall with the rest of his (edit name calling)iots!

I cannot take credit for the success of WGST in the 1990's. Eric Seidel was the guy who made that happen and I was just on the support staff like many people.

I really don't care who you blame for the downfall but I want to make sure Eric gets credit.

 

[ol_dave]

I was at 'GST from 1980-1993, not employed by the AM station per se, but rather as the person charged with launching and operating their statewide news network.

The much valued GRNS (those guys would cringe when the affiliates called it GRiNS) It pretty much sucks these days, too.

I wondered where you were hangin' out these days, Richard... good to see ya posting here.

 

[Bob Wildes]

I was surprised when Tom Hughes announced that it was his last
day. A truly class act that WGST could not afford to lose, in my
opinion. Hopefully he will resurface on another local station in the
near future.

I've listened to the station for at least part of the day for twenty one
straight years, but don't see that streak continuing.

Good to see you posting Mike. You showed class by plugging Eric
instead of responding to the cheap shot.

 

[WhatDoIKnow]

So educate me . . . When will the numbers come out that accurately reflect the full effect of the recent changes made at WGST?

 

[TMT]

Mike, thanks for the credit, but it belongs to you and many others who implemented our plans and vision for the radio station. We thoroughly enjoyed being David to WSB's Goliath. Indeed, at the height of our success in the mid-90s, with the Braves, we were well ahead of SB in the critical dayparts that both stations (and their sales departments) coveted. It felt strange to be leading when we were so used to being Avis vs. Hertz. So, we simply refused to stop acting like David.

You, Nancy, Tom, Sean, Rush (despite being piped in from NYC), Kimmer, Denis and a world class news department all shared a common goal. We were the News Monster, to be sure (and we can thank Kimmer for that), and it was a brand that, while in use for a relatively short period of time, made a permanent imprint in the market's psyche.

Even during the Olympics when few Atlantans were listening, perhaps mostly because so many fled the city in fear of 24/7 congestion, you and everyone helped make WGST one of the best sounding radio stations in America. The News Monster was never better!

I'll always remember the dedication of the programming and news staffs. Everyone shared the desired goal to win. We were family. And just like family, there were disagreements around the table at times, but any attacks on any one of our people from the outside was like an attack on all of us.

It's been interesting to read the various comments that have accounted for a dozen or more pages of postings here. The fact is, WGST did enjoy substantial success. If you measured that simply through ratings, especially 12+ numbers, then you're looking at the wrong metrics. The station was profitable, often eclipsing revenue forecasts. But the intrinsic rewards were many, as well. Often in the form of awards from our peers for the incomparable work of the news department and the "cutting edge" (a phrase I despise, but it seems to fit here) approach of our talk programming.

It was all about attitude on the air and off. In our marketing, in our talk programming. The attitude seemed to be in most peoples' DNA. And one of the most satisfying things for me was that the push-the-envelope attitude of our talk programming, which was by design, never bled over into our news reporting. Hence, the news department had a well-earned respect and deep credibility in the market.

A lot of super talent--both on-air and behind the scenes--passed through WGST during my cumulative 16 and 1/2 years there. And, yes, more than a few landed at WSB. I always respected SB and its usually relentless competitive reflexes. Based in the same city as Cox Corporate, there was always the sense that SB would spend what it takes to maintain its dominance. Sort of like Reagan getting the Soviets to spend themselves right into bankruptcy, I suppose.

And it's worked.

Eric Seidel

 

[wja30319]

With regards to WGST: It is bewildering the changes. Normally when you tweak programming via talent it is incremental and positive. I think that their (WGST) problems started with dropping Glenn Beck and Paul Harvey (actually, they really started with Plan-It Radio a/k/a Planet Radio). Cutting Tom Hughes off at 8AM made no sense at all to me, and this is when I started channel surfing the AM dial because I don’t drive to work before 8AM.

Denny Shafer was an OK guy, but not local and that’s what you need in that slot (see: Neal Boortz).

Likewise the emasculation of Kimmer with the departures of Kari Dean/Jim Gossett, Pete Davis and Wayne Kitchens makes no sense at all. Same could be said for: Denis O'Hayer, Steve Holman, John Adams, Gene Henssler, etc. What are those guys smoking there?

I understand that they have problems with their signal but that never stopped me from listening (especially Tom Hughes who in my opinion was the best AM guy in the market).

The only logical explanation for this is that they made a really bad bet on the Braves. So now all they have left is Rush who, after nearly twenty years, is probably going to start getting a little cranky himself. I don’t imagine it will be too much longer before he moseys on over to satellite.

Like I said, they lost me last year. I guess we should wish them good luck, as the station has a long and storied history here.

 

[fussbudget]

Eric;

I consider myself most fortunate to have worked with some of the most talented folks in the business during my decade + at GST. We knew we had a top notch product and the most dedicated staff of professionals anywhere. Sure there were many day to day frustrations, but looking now through the rearview mirror, it was without doubt, the best bunch of folks I've ever had the honor of knowing.
I won't reveal my identity here but I really believe my opinion is reflected in the voices of the many who were lucky enough to pass through those doors at Pharr Rd and later the "Building of Death." I agree, the credit for the success of WGST and GRNS goes to everyone who put their heart and soul into it.

 

[RTibbs]

They should have made GST the regional mexican station. It has the strongest signal of any of the Hispanic AM's in my opinion. It has to beat the garbage(except for Rush) that they now have on their station.

By habit I have turned to GST twice in the morning and couldn't be any less impressed. That WSJ morning show is boring. Why not at least make a play for Imus it would have to be better than this. Like Imus or not he bring a good roster of guest every morning not some story on how the new beds at the Sheraton expect to liift gross revenues by 2%.

 

[70sdj]

Great to hear from Mr. Seidel.
A failure on the air so he becomes at PD. Brilliant.
A failure at PD so he becomes? What else, a consultant!
Only in radio.

By the way, for those who really want a history lesson on GST it was Mike Wheeler (the original, not the CC guy now) who made GST the great radio station it was. He hired the talent that got it started, got the station to sound as good as any all news station in the country.
It was when he left and Mr Seidel took over programming that it started down the drain.

 

[RickSklar77]

A dozen-plus pages on WGST, and no mentions of Gabe Hobbs? As the VP/News-Talk for Jacor, and then (now?) Clear Channel, plus the PD of WGST for a time, how was the station under his direction?