What happened to Bob Leonard?

[TheLaffer]

I'm not sure what your gripe is with some of the other people, but that's your opinion. I don't know which of the Dallas formats you're referring to, but they're all live around the clock. There are no voice tracks. John Lacy, who does overnights on Starstation is a long time Dallas market veteran.

My gripe is mainly with the part-time weekend folks, with the obvious exception of Steve Eberhart. There's a part-time guy who's truly an asset to the format. I've also talked to him on the phone on more than one occasion, and was probably one of the very few talented people without the swelled head. As for "there are no voice tracks", I'm sorry...I'm not buying that. I can set my watch by the liner card that John Lacy is reading. He's a great talent, no argument there, but I have a hard time believing that that shift is live. I hear the same liners repeated over and over again, and big gaps of dead air...largely from the hour not being timed out right. It sounds like a board op trying to fit local liners, network liners, and music well within that 60 minutes.

And at least one hour was repeated every day on the Bob and Lori show, when it was on. Unless some drastic changes were made since April of 2005, when I left, I don't see the operations having changed much, if at all.

From what i hear Steve Eberhart should be programming the 24 hour formats or at least Starstation. I don't know him, only met him once in the hall but agree, he's a nice guy without the ego.

 

[bleonard47]

Having worked with Steve Eberhardt for years, I concur entirely. He's a great guy. Truly one of the few "good ones." And.....for the record, John Lacy is live

 

[Steve Eberhart]

Just for the record, I am not looking for any fulltime employment at this time at ABC or anywhere else for that matter, but thanks for the kind words!
Never say never, but right now I've got my hands full working part-time and doing Mr. Mom duties!

 

[kenhawk1160]

And.....for the record, John Lacy is live

If he's live, he needs to do more than read liner cards...that's what his show sounds like. When I would hear the dead air gaps in that overnight shift, there were no attempts to go on the air and ad-lib. Just those carted 'bursts' or dead air.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Just for the record, I am not looking for any fulltime employment at this time at ABC or anywhere else for that matter, but thanks for the kind words! Never say never, but right now I've got my hands full working part-time and doing Mr. Mom duties!

You built your reputation on the Mr. Mom thing, Steve, and you do it very well. Keep up the good work!

 

[Funny Aint it]

Wow, so, I'm confussed. Who worked where? Worked for Peter or for another format? For how long?
Steve is super nice. I've met him before. What do you think of the new morning guy with Lori. Lori is nice too.
What would you like to see there? Just curious... Any formats there that you do like? Blew my mind about Phil Hall last Friday.

 

[kenhawk1160]

What do you think of the new morning guy with Lori. Lori is nice too.
What would you like to see there? Just curious... Any formats there that you do like? Blew my mind about Phil Hall last Friday.

I like Richard Stevens. I'm told he's the brother of Shadoe Stevens (both guys apparently use the same fake last name), but he came up through the ranks and paid his dues, like his brother, rather than ride coattails. Lori St. James is really starting to come into her own, and I think Bob Leonard had a lot to do with that, since they had similar lifestyles and seemed to interact very well.

I think Westwood One does a very good job with their formats. POSITIVE: They do lots of contests and promos, good music mix with top-notch talent. They've been digital since at least the late 80's. Plus they act on affiliate input and their PD's immediately get back to their affiliate managers when questioned. NEGATIVE: Because it originates on the West Coast, there's a three-hour time zone difference between affiliates back east. You have a shift change right smack in the middle of AM drive.

I like Jones because they put out a quality product for the money (none). They're still analog to my knowledge, but their talent is also top-notch (I like Ted "The Bear" Richards), and they don't do much in the way of contests or giveaways, but if you prefer to do your own drop-in contests at the local station, that's immaterial. They were one of the first in the business to offer affiliates a match-up playlist and a music library (they'd even print your cart labels) for the time you were local. They sincerely wanted your business and it seemed like they really cared enough about you as an affiliate to get it.

As for ABC/SMN, they're very promotion intensive, like Westwood One. They originate in Dallas, so a one-hour time difference isn't that much difference to East Coast affiliates. Their music mix is very good, the weekday talent is very top-notch, but like Jones, they're still analog. BIG NEGATIVE: You have to besiege some of the PD's with phone calls until they respond. Their customer service department is a clever idea, but with very few exceptions, they listen to you complain and that's it.

 

[bleonard47]

Richard IS Shadoe's brother. Lori tells me he's a very nice guy and I believe it. He absolutely paid his dues. I wish him nothing but success with the show and his dealing with some of the inane situations he will inevitably face.

 

[TheLaffer]

That's peter for ya. I'm parttime SURVIVOR at ABC. Was Fulltime but Peter and others routinely hire questionable talent at best these days. Peter thought he would get Phil Hall's gig but that would NEVER happen. However Peter should have more security now that Chris Miller is in. Maybe.

See, Laffer, that's what I don't understand. When these satellite networks came about in the early 80's, stations were asked to sign up under the pretext "Our jocks don't screw up, they have years of experience, and they sound better than anything you can afford...put us on, fire your jocks and let it run." The mistakes I spoke of were just the tip of the iceberg...they started repeating hours of the morning show. What you heard during the 7 o'clock hour you'd hear again during the 9 o'clock hour. Then on September 11th, when the WTC was coming down, ABC TV (which also at the time owned SMN) had wall-to-wall coverage, and Hits and Faves was still playing music. Our GM got on the phone with Peter Stewart and asked him why they didn't stop the music go to the network. The answer he got was that the network wasn't wired into the control room board. Major U.S. catastrophe and they don't have Big Brother wired into the board??? The boss was really steamed over that one, as was I. The format is sold for cash and barter, and yet little Jones Radio (OK not so little any more) charges no cash, only the barter, and they do a far better job. ABC could draw a lesson from their competitors in this regard.

Well Ken, all i can say is you get what you pay for on the 24 hour formats. Most of the Jocks making over 60K were blown out for one reason or the other. Yes some jocks are still there making over 60K but few very few. The pd before Stewart was making close to 100K. Stewart started as pd around 40K.

I started at SMN as a jock in 89. Tyler had that place running like a well oiled machine. Technically everything sound superb. The jocks were all top notch including parttimers. When Cap cities ran it it was ok but when ABC took over things started to slip a bit. When Disney took over it was a slow descent culminating around 2001. Most of the really good talent was run off by 2003. There are still good people there but they're slowly going buh bye!

 

[kenhawk1160]

Well Ken, all i can say is you get what you pay for on the 24 hour formats. Most of the Jocks making over 60K were blown out for one reason or the other. Yes some jocks are still there making over 60K but few very few. The pd before Stewart was making close to 100K. Stewart started as pd around 40K. I started at SMN as a jock in 89. Tyler had that place running like a well oiled machine. Technically everything sound superb. The jocks were all top notch including parttimers. When Cap cities ran it it was ok but when ABC took over things started to slip a bit. When Disney took over it was a slow descent culminating around 2001. Most of the really good talent was run off by 2003. There are still good people there but they're slowly going buh bye!

That's surprising. I thought network jocks were doing better than that financially. Especially there since it was taken over by ABC. I should have known better since they moved everything to Dallas from Chicago. Yes, you do get what you pay for, but paying cash and barter for ABC, in what's slowly degenerating into crap isn't worth anything. You don't pay cash for Jones, but the human-error mistakes I hear from their guys is far less than what I've heard on ABC. The presentation on Jones is a little more bland, but bland can be improved upon at the local level.

 

[pro4aa]

That's peter for ya. I'm parttime SURVIVOR at ABC. Was Fulltime but Peter and others routinely hire questionable talent at best these days. Peter thought he would get Phil Hall's gig but that would NEVER happen. However Peter should have more security now that Chris Miller is in. Maybe.

See, Laffer, that's what I don't understand. When these satellite networks came about in the early 80's, stations were asked to sign up under the pretext "Our jocks don't screw up, they have years of experience, and they sound better than anything you can afford...put us on, fire your jocks and let it run." The mistakes I spoke of were just the tip of the iceberg...they started repeating hours of the morning show. What you heard during the 7 o'clock hour you'd hear again during the 9 o'clock hour. Then on September 11th, when the WTC was coming down, ABC TV (which also at the time owned SMN) had wall-to-wall coverage, and Hits and Faves was still playing music. Our GM got on the phone with Peter Stewart and asked him why they didn't stop the music go to the network. The answer he got was that the network wasn't wired into the control room board. Major U.S. catastrophe and they don't have Big Brother wired into the board??? The boss was really steamed over that one, as was I. The format is sold for cash and barter, and yet little Jones Radio (OK not so little any more) charges no cash, only the barter, and they do a far better job. ABC could draw a lesson from their competitors in this regard.

Well Ken, all i can say is you get what you pay for on the 24 hour formats. Most of the Jocks making over 60K were blown out for one reason or the other. Yes some jocks are still there making over 60K but few very few. The pd before Stewart was making close to 100K. Stewart started as pd around 40K.

I started at SMN as a jock in 89. Tyler had that place running like a well oiled machine. Technically everything sound superb. The jocks were all top notch including parttimers. When Cap cities ran it it was ok but when ABC took over things started to slip a bit. When Disney took over it was a slow descent culminating around 2001. Most of the really good talent was run off by 2003. There are still good people there but they're slowly going buh bye!

You're entitled to your opinion. But you're making specific claims and not backing them up with facts about how you have this information. Let's see here...you started in 1989 at SMN as a fulltime jock. Then you were let go because you were making too much money. Then a year later, you came back in a part time capacity. So that means, with the exception of one year, you've been working at ABC for 17 years and you have nothing but complaints about it. Why would you continue working for a company for that long if it's that bad? Also, you quote salaries. Unless you were in management, how would you know those salaries? As a jock, you wouldn't have access to that information. If you're going to claim that "you saw a pay stub" on a copy machine, or you "saw some confidential information" then it would seem you got fired for something other than making too much money.

"Crackhead". Read into what you may. It's not necessary a Drug Term as you insinuate.

Really? Then you shouldn't leave your personal attacks open to suggestion. Please clarify what you meant by calling the person in question a "Crackhead" in a public forum? I simply suggested you look up the term libel.

 

[TheLaffer]

That's peter for ya. I'm parttime SURVIVOR at ABC. Was Fulltime but Peter and others routinely hire questionable talent at best these days. Peter thought he would get Phil Hall's gig but that would NEVER happen. However Peter should have more security now that Chris Miller is in. Maybe.

See, Laffer, that's what I don't understand. When these satellite networks came about in the early 80's, stations were asked to sign up under the pretext "Our jocks don't screw up, they have years of experience, and they sound better than anything you can afford...put us on, fire your jocks and let it run." The mistakes I spoke of were just the tip of the iceberg...they started repeating hours of the morning show. What you heard during the 7 o'clock hour you'd hear again during the 9 o'clock hour. Then on September 11th, when the WTC was coming down, ABC TV (which also at the time owned SMN) had wall-to-wall coverage, and Hits and Faves was still playing music. Our GM got on the phone with Peter Stewart and asked him why they didn't stop the music go to the network. The answer he got was that the network wasn't wired into the control room board. Major U.S. catastrophe and they don't have Big Brother wired into the board??? The boss was really steamed over that one, as was I. The format is sold for cash and barter, and yet little Jones Radio (OK not so little any more) charges no cash, only the barter, and they do a far better job. ABC could draw a lesson from their competitors in this regard.

Well Ken, all i can say is you get what you pay for on the 24 hour formats. Most of the Jocks making over 60K were blown out for one reason or the other. Yes some jocks are still there making over 60K but few very few. The pd before Stewart was making close to 100K. Stewart started as pd around 40K.

I started at SMN as a jock in 89. Tyler had that place running like a well oiled machine. Technically everything sound superb. The jocks were all top notch including parttimers. When Cap cities ran it it was ok but when ABC took over things started to slip a bit. When Disney took over it was a slow descent culminating around 2001. Most of the really good talent was run off by 2003. There are still good people there but they're slowly going buh bye!

You're entitled to your opinion. But you're making specific claims and not backing them up with facts about how you have this information. Let's see here...you started in 1989 at SMN as a fulltime jock. Then you were let go because you were making too much money. Then a year later, you came back in a part time capacity. So that means, with the exception of one year, you've been working at ABC for 17 years and you have nothing but complaints about it. Why would you continue working for a company for that long if it's that bad? Also, you quote salaries. Unless you were in management, how would you know those salaries? As a jock, you wouldn't have access to that information. If you're going to claim that "you saw a pay stub" on a copy machine, or you "saw some confidential information" then it would seem you got fired for something other than making too much money.

"Crackhead". Read into what you may. It's not necessary a Drug Term as you insinuate.

Really? Then you shouldn't leave your personal attacks open to suggestion. Please clarify what you meant by calling the person in question a "Crackhead" in a public forum? I simply suggested you look up the term libel.

Pro4a,

I could care less wheter you believe me or not.

Let me clarify further and be more specific....

I worked as a jock when John Tyler was running things. I did other things as well. But why do i want to out myself? Too many people in this business ready to blackball you if you say something they don't agree with even when its factual and many others agree.

I left SMN and worked elsewhere for a few years and came back when ABC was owner in an undisclosed capacity. Yes i do know what many salaries were and is. Not all but many. If you know what YOU'RE talking about you would know just how many salaries went south after 2000. Not all but many. You would also know the Network was better run in the 80's and part of the 90's.


Yes i was canned for making too much because my replacement was making 30K LESS than me, but one never knows, i COULD have been fired because my boss didn't like my haircut or for whatever other reasons. It was NOT "Discipline Reasons" why i was let go. Sorry to dissappoint you. Yes i work their parttime and i DID say there is still good talent their but there have been many mistakes and corners cut. Right are wrong those are the facts.

As for the "crackhead" remark. Ok Ok he LOOKS like a Crackhead ;D Another day in Paradise huh Chris?

Please don't make it look like i'm nothing but 100% negative on the place. I'm not. After all, they still have ME.

PS: I know why Phil Hall was let go.

PSS: Let me give you some "Ballpark figures on salaries past and present:

Robert Hall/350K+Stocks and bonuses 80's/90's
Phil Hall/ 175K 90's-2006

Jim Zippo/Oldies format 175K+
Current Mornings/ 75K=

Leonard/150K+
Current Mornings/50K+

Suprizingly a few people on the overnight shifts make good money because of their many years their.
One person does close to 60K OVERNIGHTS.

 

[bleonard47]

Laffer,
I don't know who you are and normally I wouldn't dignify your allegations, but some of the people on your list are friends. I can tell you that I believe you are mistaken about some of your salary suggestions. I KNOW you're dead wrong about mine. Your "stab" at what I made at ABC is incorrect as is your guess at what I'm making now. Not to mention what I'm doing. I did morning readio for 40 years. I have been retired for over a year. I'm doing something I truly enjoy right now. Make sure your facts are correct before you post them as such on a public forum.

 

[TheLaffer]

Laffer,
I don't know who you are and normally I wouldn't dignify your allegations, but some of the people on your list are friends. I can tell you that I believe you are mistaken about some of your salary suggestions. I KNOW you're dead wrong about mine. Your "stab" at what I made at ABC is incorrect as is your guess at what I'm making now. Not to mention what I'm doing. I did morning readio for 40 years. I have been retired for over a year. I'm doing something I truly enjoy right now. Make sure your facts are correct before you post them as such on a public forum.

Bob,

Let me clarify...i stated your "ballpark" salary of 175K when you left ABC. Maybe less/maybe more. I have no idea what you're making now. The person currently doing your show on starstation started at 50K. Back in the day the best paid PD/Jocks were on the Hot AC. Morning guys started at 80K and up. Don't know what it is now as i'm sure the salaries aren't what they used to be.

 

[bleonard47]

I misunderstood......but, still out of the ballpark.................

 

[yardape101]

Hi, Bob. I was there for a short period while you were there. I'm really glad you're doing well. Let's have a chicken salad sandwich and a glass tea sometime.

 

[bleonard47]

I'd love to, Yardape....but, I don't know who you are. e-mail me......and pay for [email protected]