WHAT'S GOING ON AT COX JAX?

[Brother Bear]

So the blood bath continues. The Sales managers for WAPE and WMXQ quit the same day, and Jodi at the Eagle "resigns". Add up the firing of Cat Thomas from APE just a few months ago, Jay Styles getting bounced from middays after a disastrous tenure, the entire Zoo leaving last December after 12 years and sitting out 6 months of non-compete then showing up across the street at Renda, and former midday man, APD, and MD Tony Mann leaving after 15 years to vanish from the Jax radio scene forever. Did all this start with Cox's inabilty to hold on to Lex & Terry and eventually lose them to CC?
It's a well known fact that the Jacksonville stations have been profusely bleeding green for some time, and rumor has it they are past the point of rescue as far as purging real talent to balance out the carnage.
So, who's next? Mark, Genny, & Dahmer have had no impact on the market and Rock 105 wallows in the ratings. Mark & Kris (The Morning Mess) on APE are a hollow shell compared to the show they succeeded and seem to be winning no friends as they apparently hold the entire city in contempt.
Bill Hendrich has taken a once formiddable group of stations and run them into the ground through mismanagement, ineptitude, or a blinding combination of both. Either that or he's little more than Bob Neil's lackey, and a shill for Rich Reis.
Gary Spurgeon must be smiling behind his desk at Renda.

 

[loganUSA1]

I think we need to touch on several things going on with the post below... first off my safe bet is that he is an angery ex p/t'er who never could cut it ANYWHERE and due to his lack of skill on the mic he resorts to bashing every radio company on the face of the earth... cause... he cannot cut it...

Ok... as a former p/t'er at Cox/Jacksonville I was around when several of the below transactions took place. I feel Cat was given a raw deal. The morning show and Tony out grew the demo, WHICH HAPPENS IN RADIO.... OMG...sorry to break the news!!! Jay was, if I recall correctly was #1 in midday's his last book (Spring). I am not sure how that is "disastrous." From what I heard the cluster is hurting money wise and a cheaper person was brought in.

Gary was awful at running the company and Cox fell into the hole when Gary took over and his lack of major market background was a big reason. HUGE flagship stations like WOKV, ROCK 105, and WAPE should not be run by someone coming from Erie, PA!!!

I am now gonna sit back and enjoy the replys to this... I have always wanted to write on here... gawd I feel like I live in my mothers basement, eating cheetos, and watching porn... and oh yeah listening to radio 24/7... I love radio too, it just doesnt pay the bills!

 

[Brother Bear]

Welcome, logan, to your Mom's basement! here comes the volley!
If I recall correctly, Tony and The Zoo left with solid #1's in their target demo's. Perhaps 'disastrous' was not so much referring to Jay's numbers as his inability to e-nun-ci-ate.
As far as Gary being 'awful' at running the company, if that were the case, why did the Cox big-wigs put them where he did in the first place? They weren't experiencing the giant sucking sound of lost revenue until well after he left, correct?
We both agree that OKV, Rock 105, & APE were once giants in this market, but 2 of the 3 have fallen into tennament status and Gary Spurgeon has been gone too long to continue to be your scapegoat.
So here's my safe bet ... you're a part-timer who has no idea of what radio was before accountants and failed disc jockeys bought radio stations and ended up programming jukeboxes with dials ... I have no doubt you love radio like all of us here do, but until it's your mistress, mother, giver and taker of life, and you've seen it go through so many changes in such little time from a perspective other than a part timer, don't be so bold as to think you've seen it all and come across so high and mighty.
Oh, and one more question ... Why did Gary fire you? Or do you just hate people that get it?

 

[JaxRocks]

WAPE Sales Mgr is getting into ownership in his home state so dont think he was pushed
Jodi is getting a PD get soon to be announced-too bad she didnt get the Eagle gig here but Good for her.....Yeah they are cost cutting at COX like everywhere esle but these recent defections are just some good fortune happening to good people...

As far as the rest...not sure about the Zoo's demo numbers but I think there time had passed for TOP 40...they should do well at GATOR...Tony Mann was still the best jock in the business , old or not...Renda screwed up by not giving him the keys to Movin' 100.7.... Jay was definitely more of a night guy...his 'style' was waay different than Tony's but the numbers were good.....

 

[AnotherCat]

I'm glad Jodi is getting a PD gig somewhere. She deserves it! Hope it's with a company that actually lets her participate in programming decisions.

 

[Whiplash]

Having worked with the Renda GM in Erie, PA, I was very surprised to see that he had made the big jump from Erie to Jacksonville. Was even more surprised when Renda made him the GM, after his Cox experience. Don't know about it now, but in the 90's the Jacksonville cluster was Renda's top cash flowing radio stations. The late Larry Garrett was a tremendous GM.

Only other comment is, I also feel Renda pulled the plug on the oldies format way to soon! Just feel the Movin format is a very poor flash in the pan. But I will say The Gator, and Lite 96.1 are very solid.

On the Cox side, there is no excuse for WAPE to not be #1.

 

[jstyles]

HAHA

It's funny I would always read what people wrote when I was in Jax and I never got mentioned... lol... this thing is like the Perez Hilton of radio... well it's sad that I just found out who BrotherBear is... considering I worked with him at the APE and had nothing but respect for that person. e-nun-c-ate... lol... I learned a long time ago not to burn bridges in this biz... after all its about who you know as opposed to individual talent. All ill say is COX is in a rough spot... but so is everyone else in radio...sales and revenue our down in almost everywhere city and cluster across the country... Cox, Clear Channel, Renda, Cumulus, Citadel, Entercom, CBS, etc, etc... Bottom line I loved my time in Jax, on air and in the clubs... Its still a great station, but hey the Yankees cant win the world series every year... BUT they win and stay consistant... In this radio day in age I am very lucky to have not spent a day on the beach during my transition and even stay'd with COX proving a statement I made before... thanks somewhat in part to a dear friend higher up in COX family. Disater was me playing O-Town - All or Nothing 2 hours in a row one fall night in 04 (tho TSL was #1 that book 18-34 for us at night and I believe I had a 17 share... JBT is just a monster at night I think they had a 20 share that book lol)... but Steve if that is you, sorry I couldnt pro-nou-nce better! Best of luck to you at Gator I am glad that you, Ami, and Eden all found a place in Jax, and did not have pick up your lives and move somewhere else... I am very happy for you guys!

btw

www.hot981.com

my new station!!!

- Jay Styles

 

[John FL]

Only other comment is, I also feel Renda pulled the plug on the oldies format way to soon! Just feel the Movin format is a very poor flash in the pan. But I will say The Gator, and Lite 96.1 are very solid.

True. But it gets back to everyone marching to the beat of the same drummer. There are a few powerful decision makers in radio. Do they always make the correct decision? Of course they don't. Many just follow like sheep. Oldies would have served Renda better - period. It would be refreshing to see more independent thinking, a return to local programming and to see those in charge recognize format potential and not just do what everyone else does. Perhaps the current way of doing things will see today's oldies return, especially if the format continues to do well in other markets.

HAHA

All ill say is COX is in a rough spot... but so is everyone else in radio...sales and revenue our down in almost everywhere city and cluster across the country... Cox, Clear Channel, Renda, Cumulus, Citadel, Entercom, CBS, etc, etc... .... but hey the Yankees cant win the world series every year...

Interesting how you made a reference to the Yankees and winning. I think to a large extent, the Yankess have performed very well for decades because Steinbrenner has literally raided the competition and offered big bucks to the very best in talent. It may not be totally fair but it comes down to you get what you pay for. If revenue is down, do you think it has something to do with the product offered? Over the years, talent has been restricted to the point that they are no longer relevant. The easy fix for Cox and others is to slash payroll and to pay as little as they can for those on the air or to give them so many different hats to wear. This is a short term solution in my humble opinion.

Terestial radio has the potential to do much better. Listeners respond positively to local community involvement and in hearing a friendly voice that makes them feel like they are listening to their best bud. And when that best bud promotes a product or service, I think that is a very effective route.

I just returned to town after spending a week in South Florida. Both going and coming, I drove during morning drive. Radio is a vast wasteland through most of this state. Talk about dull and boring. If I were an advertiser, I certainly wouldn't pay much to air an ad. And if the prime time of radio is terminal, things are certainly not good.

Interesting about South Florida is Cox Radio's WFLC - the Coast is performing very well and has virtually tied with the long time AC heritage station. One of the reasons I think is they have a lively morning show and the talent is given some liberty to actaully say something. Plus the station is staffed on the weekends. Yes, Miami is a much bigger market than Jax but I don't believe we deserve anything less. People respond when there is something worth listening to,

I don't feel sorry for Cox Radio. They get what they deserve. There had tremendous talent over the years here in Jax that has been replaced by something quite forgettable. And offering limited formats and discounting large segments of the listening audience doesn't help either.

 

[Whiplash]

I agree with your post JohnJax. Should have listened to our LPFM oldies station coming down 95 South in Flagler Beach! I like to think we are doing it the right way, for over 5 years now.

Does anyone have any airchecks of Renda's short lived oldies FM? Would like to hear how they sounded.

 

[John FL]

With a little research of Flagler Beach radio, I'll assume you are talking about 93.3 - WFBO. Hey, you need to promote better in posts...LOL. Anyway, thanks I'll check it out. With the holidays around the corner, I'll be heading back to South Florida and I'll tune in on the way.

And to tie in to the subject of Cox Radio, it made me think of the importance of empowering people. You appear to be pleased with "doing it the right way" and that's the way it should be. I often wonder what kind of core values a company like Cox has. They don't seem to trust their teams to do the right thing, be creative and responsive to local markets or to make decisions.

It's a no win situation. Imagine being a PD there where you are handed a playlist, don't allow your talent to talk much and given a promotion that is used in similiar formats across the franchise. And of course you are totally responsible for the ratings and revenue. Not a good business decision if you ask me. Talk about not being the captain of your own destiny. I've learned a long time ago that those who operate and manage this way are totally insecure.

And to your last point, Renda's attempt at oldies in Jax was in a word a disaster. They just had the wrong people in place who did not understand the format potential. Ironically, they were getting it together when they flipped. They made a big blunder all the way around. I'm still hoping they come to their senses and down the road take the route WCBS-FM did in NYC. Admit the mistake and return the format to the people. Take care....

 

[preferprivacy]

Was told by someone that total market revenue is down almost 15% this year.

So even is everyone had a similar share of the pie from 2006, that's somewhere around nine millions LESS dollars going to radio stations, ouch!

Wake up!

It's not a Cox, Clear Channel, or Renda issue - all radio is flat (if lucky) or down (like Jacksonville).

Radio as we knew it is gone, probably forever. Doubt we'll ever see live jocks 24/7 again - live 12/5 is probably the new reality.

Those companies that survive and thrive will be those that understand they are in the content business NOT the radio business. Radio is merely an outlet for the content - and unless your content is unique and compelling (which most music stations are NOT) then you are doomed.

 

[John FL]

Your points are very well taken, Prefer Privacy. This situation is not something that happened overnight. The way Cox Radio has operated is coming back to bite them.

A major part of the problem with them is they have centralized decision making and with that lead to the death of local appeal and community responsiveness. If you are in the business to attract advertisers there first needs to exist willingness for clients to do business with you. Maybe on a national level, they could be OK but local may be a different story.

Cox Radio does not have a good reputation in Jax as far as I'm concerned. And while I don't want to beat a dead horse, I'm sure there are local sponsors who no longer want to do business with them after they fired some very good people right on Christmas Day. That event alone shows greed to be their God. Hey, I'm a Capitalist just like the next guy but what they did was inexcusable.

Even when revenue was OK, their design was to slash talent payroll and minimize on-air interaction with the listener to a point where it no longer matters if anyone is on the air or not. People turn to radio to be informed and to be entertained. Both are lacking in their cluster. (WOKV excluded but that's a different story). So to your point about content, it's certainly not unique and not compelling.

I'm sure anyone who lands a gig with them and are in some type of management role such as PD, are aware that it's just a stepping stone to something else. I can't blame their teams for not being loyal as certainly the company isn't loyal to them. Once you outrun your usefullness (according to them) or cost a little too much - you are gone. A heck of a way to do business.

When you think of the very fine people these guys have had on board and how in the past they were all over the community hosting events, charity drives and at their sponsors outlets drumming up business and you look at what we have now - radio is certainly a shell of what it once was.

Their motivation is $$$ only but in my book when you take the high road to achieve goals, the positives of a good reputation alone will carry you further and make you one of the most admired companies in the community. Just my opinion but that helps attract business.

I can't hide my feelings as you all know. I don't like how these guys operate. Again, they get what they deserve.

 

[John FL]

Radio as we knew it is gone, probably forever. Doubt we'll ever see live jocks 24/7 again - live 12/5 is probably the new reality.

A recent Forbes article titled "The Worst Jobs for the 21st Century" indicates that given the current radio environment, we can see a 5% reduction in employment for announcers by the middle of the next decade. While not surprising, this strategy is just wrong - perhaps good for the bottom line in the short run but bad for John Q. Public. Remember the times when radio served the public as a public trust?

Anyway, Cox Radio and others want advances in technology and consolidation to continue along the way it's going. Perhaps, there is some light at the end of the tunnel.

While I've pretty much thrown my hands up at the overall ineffectiveness of the FCC, there is on the table a possible ruling by them regarding unattended radio (automation). Here is the link in case you are interested. http://www.rwonline.com/pages/s.0049/t.6992.html

Let's keep our fingers crossed some degree of life can be brought back to radio and to attract talent back to it. The big guns will fight this but even if there is compromise, things will certainly be better than they are currently.

 

[wannabepd]

I know this idea of governement intervention sounds good to some, the reality is this...There always has been, and always will be unintended results directly related to government action. In a nut shell, GOVERNMENT control is never the answer. Radio operators should be free to fail without the Federal government getting involved. If the public is no longer interested in the product, you can't force them to buy it. In this case competition is causing big changes in the radio and television market place. Many have been shouting about local content or the lack of it on local radio. Consider the idea that the public is able to get what they want somewhere other than the local radio station. Maybe the public is not interested in the local chatter. There should be a role for government in the public market but telling operators how to operate is not the answer. If you owned a buisness selling paper clips and someone down the road came up with a staple that can be removed without tearing the paper, what would you do? You would be faced with competition, would you try to find a way to maintain your market share or would you go to the government for some regulation that would level the market for you? That is not a free market. Oldsmobile is gone. GM was selling Oldsmobiles for decades and now the brand is gone. It happens when there is competition for the market dollars. Some companies or even entire product lines can vanish. Remember those IBM word processors? When was the last time you saw an ad for a calculator? If you are in radio today and have not developed another skill you are taking a risk. It is not the role of government to save us from our own bad decisions. This is a free country to realize your dreams or fail. If local radio begins to gain more market share it should be the result of operators finding a new way to program and sell their product. If it is the result of some government regulation, it is built on sand and can change over night if the government wants to pander to some group. Looking to the FCC is not the answer. We clearly live in a time when more of us have no clue what a free market is. It's just sad.

 

[JaxRocks]

Well on a positive note....Congrats to Michele Michaels who has survived the madness at Cox Radio to make her way to Afternoon Drive on the EAGLE.......Perfect station for her and I wish her all the best!!

 

[BIG APE]

I'm curious Wannabe aPD.. What kind of radio experience do you have and was it or is it in Jacksonville? BIG APE!

 

[wannabepd]

BIG APE...I worked in a top 50 market for many years as PD and air talent in several formats. I was average at best. I have moved on to a new career that is a better fit for me.

 

[John FL]

And while not unique to Jax, the total control Cox has over the talent - especially those in local management such as a PD - hurts them in the long run. It's not surprising to see those who were shown the door have been successful elsewhere. I'll just name two here.

Like him or not, Scott Walker - now in Detroit- appears to be moving the ratings onward and upward at his oldies station. Overall #5 in the entire market - not shabby at all. I don't believe he is on the air - and that's a good thing. But I'm certain he has a lot more latitude and control where he is now than when he was with Cox. And it's making a difference.

Another alumni - Pat Garrett - went ahead of the power curve and developed an updated oldies playlist ahead of what most in that format were doing. Pat can easily come back to Jax and given creative control make something out of a floundering station here. But obviously it won't be at Cox Radio. His biggest problem, not including himself, is he's with a station that lacks good talent. IMHO, his skills are being wasted.

You have to empower your team to make decisions and be unique to the local market served. Cox Radio doesn't follow this.

I'm still hoping that 2008 will bring about some more change in the Jax market even beyond WROO. Oldies need to return here and if someone like Pat who knows what he's doing is allowed to do his thing - it will be a recipe for success and it certainly won't be happening in the Cox cluster.

 

[mhsbroncos2005]

JohnJax...very good point on that about the need of Oldies to come back to market number 47 here. The latest trends show oldies heading upward and that is a sign that the oldies are not dead..not esp when its like in the Top 5 for formats. I wish Renda would try it again but this time do it the right way. The first time was just a miscue from the start. What talent do we have out there....well if I were one who had a station and was to go oldies I would be in contacts to Pat Garrett first to get him as PD/MD. I would also look at bringing in Dave Scott and Tom Murphy as well since the market knows well from these two highly regarded personalities as well. Those three mentioned would get a station up and going in a heart beat. But in all we need the oldies back here in JAX ASAP. The talent is there and the music is around us but where is the station?

 

[preferprivacy]

Sorry to interrupt a rant with facts,

FACT - the format switch has been good for 96.9

dropping Oldies and going Classic Hits raised the ratings for the station considerably

I looked at A25-54, Spring and Fall, for:
COOL - 2003, 2004
EAGLE - 2005, 2006, 2007

EAGLE is up anywhere from 20% to 40% from COOL
and COOL was clearly trending down (exception
was Fall 2004 - when they went Christmas for the last
month of the book prior to the format change)

End of debate.....