I don't know if anyone started something like this, but here goes anyway. The year? 1984. I was PD at WGR in Buffalo. Our staff consisted of Stan Roberts, Joe Galuski (now at WSYR), Frank Benny (RIP), Shane, John Otto (RIP) and Bob Beyette over night (til replaced by Bob Dearborne's "Nighttime America".) We were doing well, the station had gone from 5th to 3rd 12+. Bill Irwin had just left the station as GM and John Soller had come in from Cincinnati to run the place. Someone in our company had questioned the wisdom of keeping Stan Roberts on the air. It was SUGGESTED that we talk to George Hamberger (who-at the time-was at CFTR in Toronto). I met with George, really liked him and thought it might be a good idea to do as was suggested -and put George on in mornings and (gasp) send Stan packing. We had talked with everyone from the GM all the way up to corporate and got approval to make the switch. George was more contemporary and it looked like the station was gonna get even better. One problem. Between the time we sealed the deal with George, and the news was given to Stan, George mentioned to the receptionist at CFTR that he was leaving. She had friends in Buffalo, and somehow the story got to Alan Pergament. First thing he does is call me at 'GR. John Soller was out of town, in the process of moving his family to Buffalo from Cincinnati. I didn't know what to do- so I denied anything was going on. Mind you, as a young PD, I'd never had to talk to the press before. Not about something as potentially serious as this. I felt I had to get approval from the GM on an issue like this -and couldn't get to Soller before Alan called Stan. So, I did what any stupid fool would do, and denied anything was going on. The next day things seemed normal for awhile, but Alan DID get to Stan. Stan, in turn called me-by then Soller had returned to town, and we broke the news to Stan. He was crushed. I was making funny noises all the way up and down the halls and ended up with gallstones because of it. Buffalo wasn't happy with me and the change. Stan had done mornings on 'GR for 10 years after his tenure at KB. Stan and I had become pretty good friends, we spent plenty of social time together - and got along well. I chose the corporate suggestion rather than to stay true to Stan's friendship.
Pergament (rightfully so) ripped me a new one for the next 6 months as Stan moved down the alley to WBUF-which had (as I recall) switched back to those calls from WFXZ. The headlines ? "Stan Roberts devastated from WGR Firing" - and that story went on as to how I'd lied to Pergament. Subsequent stories referencing Stan always included the firing and the fool who denied it at the start. The last I remember was "Stan's ratings at WBUF have vindicated the fired WGR morning man as he (came close to or beat) WGR's new morning man George Hamberger. Roberts was fired in a situation initially denied by Program Director Dave Mason". I think he bettered BUF's morning ratings -while we had maintained our morning ratings. (This was 25 or so years ago.) I think Alan reminded me of that story when I came back to Buffalo in 89 for mornings at WBUF. (During my tenure at 'BUF Larry White, his wife, my wife and I were having dinner at a Chinese restaurant- and at the table next to us -you guessed it. Stan and his wife.
Well, it took 25 years but it came back to me 2 weeks ago when, at about 5:50am, during my morning gig on KOGO radio in San Diego, I opened an E-Mail telling me of "changes" they were making to the morning routine on KOGO, and I wasn't going to be part of those changes. When our management tried to apologize for the method, I just raised my hand and said "I understand. I've been on the other side of it". I didn't go into the whole story-but I think I can now honestly say I know how Stan felt. At least my employers didn't deny the story-and despite phone records to the contrary, they say they tried to contact me when they learned that my replacement had given the story to the press in Baltimore.
Just something to remember. I'm sure I'm not alone in all of this.
I don't k
Pergament (rightfully so) ripped me a new one for the next 6 months as Stan moved down the alley to WBUF-which had (as I recall) switched back to those calls from WFXZ. The headlines ? "Stan Roberts devastated from WGR Firing" - and that story went on as to how I'd lied to Pergament. Subsequent stories referencing Stan always included the firing and the fool who denied it at the start. The last I remember was "Stan's ratings at WBUF have vindicated the fired WGR morning man as he (came close to or beat) WGR's new morning man George Hamberger. Roberts was fired in a situation initially denied by Program Director Dave Mason". I think he bettered BUF's morning ratings -while we had maintained our morning ratings. (This was 25 or so years ago.) I think Alan reminded me of that story when I came back to Buffalo in 89 for mornings at WBUF. (During my tenure at 'BUF Larry White, his wife, my wife and I were having dinner at a Chinese restaurant- and at the table next to us -you guessed it. Stan and his wife.
Well, it took 25 years but it came back to me 2 weeks ago when, at about 5:50am, during my morning gig on KOGO radio in San Diego, I opened an E-Mail telling me of "changes" they were making to the morning routine on KOGO, and I wasn't going to be part of those changes. When our management tried to apologize for the method, I just raised my hand and said "I understand. I've been on the other side of it". I didn't go into the whole story-but I think I can now honestly say I know how Stan felt. At least my employers didn't deny the story-and despite phone records to the contrary, they say they tried to contact me when they learned that my replacement had given the story to the press in Baltimore.
Just something to remember. I'm sure I'm not alone in all of this.
I don't k
