A
abcparamount
Guest
Steve Wight? Really?
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Who should be in the 2009 Rhode Island Radio Hall of FAme
- Thread starter Kenny Atkinson
- Start date
M
Moonstruck
Guest
abcparamount said:
Well he did have an impact on talk radio in RI. I don't remember much about him other than that he was controversial. His career did end up in the toilet though. I wonder if he's respected within the radio community though, or looked at as someone who could have gone on to better things if he played ball. There's probably an element that agrees on his being inducted and an element that wouldn't take him seriously but you can't deny he had his day in the sun.
abcparamount said:
I knew he didn't spell his surname White, but didn't know if it was Whyte or Wight. Anyway, I don't necessarily feel he should be inducted at this point but am just making a prediction. It depends on how those voting feel about him & his contributions. Frankly, I never worked with him per se but did work in the same building with him & didn't find that others had problems with him as a co-worker. Before I met him I thought I was about to meet the devil incarnate, & it just wasn't the case. He was a soft spoken nice guy with those around him. What would go on behind closed doors between him & the PD might have been another matter, but if you didn't bother him he didn't bother you.
wknd92 said:
2 isn't good enough. I'll just play like a PD & change things until I get it right.
Ange, Jimmy Gray, Jim Mendes, & Ron stay since I think I have at least 1 or 2 in that group.
Dump Berko. He doesn't need this anyway. Steve Wight was more a matter of adding another obligatory posthumous vote. I wanted at least 1 sports person but will ditch that idea for now.
I'll add:
Geoff Charles, who I meant to include in my original list anyway.
Larry Kruger for both solo work & part of the Salty show.
Big John
Jones & Joan as one entity
Mike Sheridan
Buzzy The Bee also gets a sentimental vote
That's my final answer, Regis
YIKES. Did I miss a headline?
Has Steve passed away?
Runrigger said:
Has Steve passed away?
M
Moonstruck
Guest
Re: YIKES. Did I miss a headline?
Yes probably within the last five years or so
Holland Cooke said:
Yes probably within the last five years or so
I might as well get in the guessing game too. As far as a BIG surprise....got 4 probables.
Posthmously, Bob LeChance, great person. Was GM of WPRO-FM back when it was beautiful music, even before it became "Stereo Island" Also earned his stripes as an Account Executive. Also, posthuously, the "Dean" of Rhode Island Newsmen, Monroe "Bud" Toevs.
Also, perhaps a radio station owner, Don Hysko (sp?) of Demand Radio, WXTR-WGNG fame.
And another veteran. Howie Holland, one of the "5 swinging Gentlemen" fame on WPRO-AM back in the early 60's. He also did weather reports on Channel 12..and later went on to have his own successful advertising agency
Wouldn't be surprised to see Joe Thomas in there too, but that puts me at 5 probables. Ah, lets go with 6, Carolyn Fox......and if we're going for 7..Mary Ann Sorretino (again sp?) Jim Mendes makes alot of sense too.
Jake Pacquin would be a good representative on the production side of radio. I give up, guess I'll just have to wait until Thursday or Friday..
Posthmously, Bob LeChance, great person. Was GM of WPRO-FM back when it was beautiful music, even before it became "Stereo Island" Also earned his stripes as an Account Executive. Also, posthuously, the "Dean" of Rhode Island Newsmen, Monroe "Bud" Toevs.
Also, perhaps a radio station owner, Don Hysko (sp?) of Demand Radio, WXTR-WGNG fame.
And another veteran. Howie Holland, one of the "5 swinging Gentlemen" fame on WPRO-AM back in the early 60's. He also did weather reports on Channel 12..and later went on to have his own successful advertising agency
Wouldn't be surprised to see Joe Thomas in there too, but that puts me at 5 probables. Ah, lets go with 6, Carolyn Fox......and if we're going for 7..Mary Ann Sorretino (again sp?) Jim Mendes makes alot of sense too.
Jake Pacquin would be a good representative on the production side of radio. I give up, guess I'll just have to wait until Thursday or Friday..
Not just on-air talent?
Last year's first crop was all on-air people, right?
I like JimmyONE's idea of recognizing some of the other folks, behind-the-scenes, and in-the-corner-office, who contributed so much.
Admittedly, I'm less-than-objective, because he was my boss three times, but I'd sure cheer for Dick Rakovan. He was the GM during WPRO's 1970s Camelot era; then he ran the Providence-based Outlet Radio Group (stations in LA, Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Providence). Later, he managed stations in Chicago and Washington; and now he's Senior Vice President of the Radio Advertising Bureau.
Often in radio, people don't-know-how-good-they-had-it until they-haven't-got-it-any-more. But we who were part of that WPRO heyday knew-darn-well, at the time, that we were there AT-the-right time. Back then, it SEEMED that the-collection-of-characters "Rakets" inherited, rounded-up, hugged, spanked, and genuinely LED was a special bunch. Like a-crack-in-time.
But what I learned later, after WPRO, was that Dick did that everywhere. Every bunch he captained had real mojo. The whole was greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts. These situations are like rowing crew, everyone-pulling-in-the-same-direction. 'Seems quaint now..
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
Last year's first crop was all on-air people, right?
I like JimmyONE's idea of recognizing some of the other folks, behind-the-scenes, and in-the-corner-office, who contributed so much.
Admittedly, I'm less-than-objective, because he was my boss three times, but I'd sure cheer for Dick Rakovan. He was the GM during WPRO's 1970s Camelot era; then he ran the Providence-based Outlet Radio Group (stations in LA, Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, Orlando, and Providence). Later, he managed stations in Chicago and Washington; and now he's Senior Vice President of the Radio Advertising Bureau.
Often in radio, people don't-know-how-good-they-had-it until they-haven't-got-it-any-more. But we who were part of that WPRO heyday knew-darn-well, at the time, that we were there AT-the-right time. Back then, it SEEMED that the-collection-of-characters "Rakets" inherited, rounded-up, hugged, spanked, and genuinely LED was a special bunch. Like a-crack-in-time.
But what I learned later, after WPRO, was that Dick did that everywhere. Every bunch he captained had real mojo. The whole was greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts. These situations are like rowing crew, everyone-pulling-in-the-same-direction. 'Seems quaint now..
HC
www.HollandCooke.com
I agree. Jimmy may be on the right track in that it's the nature of this board to think of jocks when it comes to inductees & we shouldn't be limiting ourselves to that way of thinking. I thought of Joe Thomas, but nobody can find him.
And I think the big surprise will be....................THE MAYOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BOO-YA in advance if that's the case.
And I think the big surprise will be....................THE MAYOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BOO-YA in advance if that's the case.
Last I knew Joe Thomas was in Vegas. That was around 2000-2001. He was confined to a wheel chair, but don't know the conditions why. Dick Rakovan as GM would be an excellent nominee. From 1976-78 Gary Berkowitz tried on serveral occasions to sell me on switching to FM, with no success.
One talk in '78 with "E. Tinkey Holloway" convinced me.
As far as the Mayor. I don't know what the credentials are for the Hall of Fame. Is it for those who were in the business, or to those who are still in the business, or it doesn't matter one way or the other.
One talk in '78 with "E. Tinkey Holloway" convinced me.
As far as the Mayor. I don't know what the credentials are for the Hall of Fame. Is it for those who were in the business, or to those who are still in the business, or it doesn't matter one way or the other.
Everything we do is for you...
Suntanned friends at Scarborough, bluejeans in Diamond Hill snow.
For you, just you.
Newport's Cliffwalk, after dark.
All-of Southern New England.
For you, just you, it's WPRO
Suntanned friends at Scarborough, bluejeans in Diamond Hill snow.
For you, just you.
Newport's Cliffwalk, after dark.
All-of Southern New England.
For you, just you, it's WPRO
Z
za-rex
Guest
jimmyone said:
You can be past or present to be inducted and though it might rub a lot of people the wrong way let's face it, Cianci would be a valid inductee. He walks the walk and talks the talk.
"before consultants came in and ruined it all..."
In the early 1970s, in most radio stations, there was a double-pane glass window between the receptionist and the disc jockey.
This caused DJs to polish their ventriloquism skills. When there were two-or-more-people in the studio, and ANYONE unfamiliar in reception, the-people-in-the-studio would talk-about whoever-was-in-reception without-moving-their-lips.
I can remember -- like it was yesterday -- being in the PRO-FM studio, first floor, behind-the-glass-behind-the-receptionist, talking with Jimmy Gray...when...he...walked...in. Late 40s, trenchcoat, carry-on luggage.
Me, without-moving-my-lips: "Who's that?"
Jimmy, without-moving-his-lips: "Joe Somerset."
Me: "Who's Joe Somerset?"
Jimmy: "The consultant."
Me: "What's a consultant?"
Shortly, the GM himself came down and gave the stranger a warm welcome. Then, for-the-next-two-days, the stranger, the GM, and the PD would:
1. disappear behind closed doors; and
2. use up restaurant trade.
Then, the stranger was gone.
The following week, we got memos about AccuWeather and stuff like that.
"Hmmm," I thought.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED...what did the conversation sound like...behind those doors, and at those restaurants?
Even though we workerbees weren't invited...we were intrigued.
"Best practices" made sense.
After all, Arbitron doesn't care.
It works the same way in Providence that it works in Noo Yawk.
Arbitron doesn't care if you're AM or FM, music or talk, North/East/South/West, small/medium/major market.
It works the-way-it-works. And if you know how it works, you can work it.
Fast-forward to present day: In-advance-of next week's station trek, this workerbee-turned-consultant is feverisly prepping the conversation which several dozen workerbees will share, over lunch. Powerpoint, airchecks-and-promos-from-other-markets, video...dang-near everything-but-helium-filled-balloons.
My goal is to effect the sort of change that we did way-back-when, implementing what-the-stranger-shared behind-closed-doors and in hushed restaurant meetings. Although I prefer to open-the-doors and serve lunch.
In the early 1970s, in most radio stations, there was a double-pane glass window between the receptionist and the disc jockey.
This caused DJs to polish their ventriloquism skills. When there were two-or-more-people in the studio, and ANYONE unfamiliar in reception, the-people-in-the-studio would talk-about whoever-was-in-reception without-moving-their-lips.
I can remember -- like it was yesterday -- being in the PRO-FM studio, first floor, behind-the-glass-behind-the-receptionist, talking with Jimmy Gray...when...he...walked...in. Late 40s, trenchcoat, carry-on luggage.
Me, without-moving-my-lips: "Who's that?"
Jimmy, without-moving-his-lips: "Joe Somerset."
Me: "Who's Joe Somerset?"
Jimmy: "The consultant."
Me: "What's a consultant?"
Shortly, the GM himself came down and gave the stranger a warm welcome. Then, for-the-next-two-days, the stranger, the GM, and the PD would:
1. disappear behind closed doors; and
2. use up restaurant trade.
Then, the stranger was gone.
The following week, we got memos about AccuWeather and stuff like that.
"Hmmm," I thought.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED...what did the conversation sound like...behind those doors, and at those restaurants?
Even though we workerbees weren't invited...we were intrigued.
"Best practices" made sense.
After all, Arbitron doesn't care.
It works the same way in Providence that it works in Noo Yawk.
Arbitron doesn't care if you're AM or FM, music or talk, North/East/South/West, small/medium/major market.
It works the-way-it-works. And if you know how it works, you can work it.
Fast-forward to present day: In-advance-of next week's station trek, this workerbee-turned-consultant is feverisly prepping the conversation which several dozen workerbees will share, over lunch. Powerpoint, airchecks-and-promos-from-other-markets, video...dang-near everything-but-helium-filled-balloons.
My goal is to effect the sort of change that we did way-back-when, implementing what-the-stranger-shared behind-closed-doors and in hushed restaurant meetings. Although I prefer to open-the-doors and serve lunch.
< 24 hours from the major announcement at Navigant CU Headquarters....one announcement was made this morning in the 8am hour on 92 Pro-FM (because fo the telethon tomorrow), Giovanni is the 1st member of the class of 2009 for his 35 years service at the same station (a feat only beat by Salty Brine and his 50 years at WPRO-AM in this market). Guests this morning were Coach Colletto (part of the HOF board of directors), Gary Berkowitz and Tom Cuddy. A recognition that he richly deserves for all of his work (both on and off air)
"Giovanni...for his 35 years of service at the same station"
APPLAUSE
APPLAUSE
APPLAUSE
That's big ANYWHERE.
APPLAUSE
APPLAUSE
APPLAUSE
That's big ANYWHERE.
Z
za-rex
Guest
Did he ever work anywhere else, even weekends?
- Status