Wired Mornings: What Were They Thinking? And What's Wrong With 100.3 The Beat?

[eGillCVI]

This morning, I was bouncing between 100.3 and 96.5 on my way to work. These are stations I normally check out only when I can't find anything I like on my other pre-sets. For some reason though, I found myself rather fascinated by their morning shows.

Monie & Pooch on 100.3 have a really good chemistry and, even when they're having a sloppy moment, it works because they still make the listener feel like part of it. The show included some crass morning show humor but it also redeemed itself because they talked about worthwhile things too (fund-raising, social causes, etc.)

96.5's new morning team, on the other hand, is a classic example of what's wrong with morning shows. Has anyone really listened to it? Does anyone disagree? This guy affects an obviously fake "radio voice" and rambles on and on about nothing of interest while not one, but two female sidekicks laugh incessantly as if he'd said something funny. All they have so far is an on-going pun in which they refer to Dick, another member of the show, as "the Dick" or "my Dick." Real funny stuff. I mean, I know "Rocco" had to go but is this really the best they could come up with?!

I don't have a problem with 96.5's format (although I think 100.3 does it better); I just can't believe the jocks they have on. Can anyone disagree with me on this? Am I missing a bright spot on their airstaff?

Also...what's the real reason 100.3 isn't doing better in the ratings? They're playing the most popular songs in the country and in an area that has a high concentration of folks who fit the audience profile. I don't buy that it's just the limited signal. Seems like they should be doing great with their target audience. (Maybe they actually are?)

 

[WhoDoYouThink]

To be fair, Kannon is a pretty good jock.

Seems to me that (with the exception of Dakota), Wired is almost exclusively hiring jocks that reek The Lifestyle. They seem to think that if the jocks LOOK the part and "act" the part...it will excuse them from having to SOUND compelling.

That's unfortunate...Since I really liked the Wired vibe when they first signed on. What they did was innovative, rule breaking and in your face. Now, in hopes of trying to SELL the thing, they've gotten soft and sound like every other white bred CHR/Rhythmic in the country. Too bad...Their original vibe seemed to be working in their favor. Now, they're tied with Q102.

BTW, somebody should tell Big Mama (and his useless twat sidekicks), that sometimes a whisper is more effective than a scream. Sounds to me as if they KNOW they're not good enough for mornings in Philly and are yelling (and forcing laughter) out of panic.

So, what WERE they thinking?? Do they actually think he sounds good???

> 96.5's new morning team, on the other hand, is a classic
> example of what's wrong with morning shows. Has anyone
> really listened to it? Does anyone disagree? This guy
> affects an obviously fake "radio voice" and rambles on and
> on about nothing of interest while not one, but two female
> sidekicks laugh incessantly as if he'd said something funny.
> All they have so far is an on-going pun in which they refer
> to Dick, another member of the show, as "the Dick" or "my
> Dick." Real funny stuff. I mean, I know "Rocco" had to go
> but is this really the best they could come up with?!
>
> I don't have a problem with 96.5's format (although I think
> 100.3 does it better); I just can't believe the jocks they
> have on. Can anyone disagree with me on this? Am I missing
> a bright spot on their airstaff?

 

[Ethel]

> To be fair, Kannon is a pretty good jock.
>
> Seems to me that (with the exception of Dakota), Wired is
> almost exclusively hiring jocks that reek The Lifestyle.
> They seem to think that if the jocks LOOK the part and "act"
> the part...it will excuse them from having to SOUND
> compelling.
>
> That's unfortunate...Since I really liked the Wired vibe
> when they first signed on. What they did was innovative,
> rule breaking and in your face. Now, in hopes of trying to
> SELL the thing, they've gotten soft and sound like every
> other white bred CHR/Rhythmic in the country. Too
> bad...Their original vibe seemed to be working in their
> favor. Now, they're tied with Q102.
>
> BTW, somebody should tell Big Mama (and his useless twat
> sidekicks), that sometimes a whisper is more effective than
> a scream. Sounds to me as if they KNOW they're not good
> enough for mornings in Philly and are yelling (and forcing
> laughter) out of panic.
>
> So, what WERE they thinking?? Do they actually think he
> sounds good???
>


Well what they (Beasley programmers) were thinking was how cheap this guy would work to fill the morning show slot. As the ratings on Rocco's show were down they needed to do something in a hurry. I have tried to give this show some listen but it is quite unbearable. Big Mama (I hate his name) does sound like he has some experience but those around him sound like they were throw backs from a be the guest radio DJ contest..
But maybe average non radio people listening will not find them offensive. We will see in when the ratings come in..

 

[CHRles]

>
> I don't buy that it's just the limited signal.

What limited signal?! The Beat's previous home on the dial had the limited signal.

 

[valkyrie777]

> Well what they (Beasley programmers) were thinking was how
> cheap this guy would work to fill the morning show slot.

The rap on George Beasley is that he throws around quarters as if they were as heavy as manhole covers. He doesn't throw money when he absolutely doesn't have to part with it. When Beasley went public with their IPO in the Spring of 2000, George Beasley got $82 million, plus or minus, from that initial stock sale.

He and sons Brian & Bruce plus daughter Caroline sell the fact that the jock(s) will be working the Philly market. That sometimes outweighs the actual salary received.

Beasley has always rhymed nicely with "measley"...as the joke in the XTU/WIRED hallways goes. Of course...it ain't no joke if you work there, huh.

 

[Ethel]

> > Well what they (Beasley programmers) were thinking was how
>
> > cheap this guy would work to fill the morning show slot.
>
>
> The rap on George Beasley is that he throws around quarters
> as if they were as heavy as manhole covers. He doesn't throw
> money when he absolutely doesn't have to part with it. When
> Beasley went public with their IPO in the Spring of 2000,
> George Beasley got $82 million, plus or minus, from that
> initial stock sale.
>
> He and sons Brian & Bruce plus daughter Caroline sell the
> fact that the jock(s) will be working the Philly market.
> That sometimes outweighs the actual salary received.
>
> Beasley has always rhymed nicely with "measley"...as the
> joke in the XTU/WIRED hallways goes. Of course...it ain't no
> joke if you work there, huh.
>

Do they ever trade out expenses for the staff like Apt rent..gas trade
for their vechicle..food?

I have a friend that used to trade out his Apt rent for 6 months to a year
along with his salary and he got gas free for his car sometimes.
(sales people got it too)

 

[valkyrie777]

> Do they ever trade out expenses for the staff like Apt
> rent..gas trade
> for their vechicle..food?
>
> I have a friend that used to trade out his Apt rent for 6
> months to a year
> along with his salary and he got gas free for his car
> sometimes.
> (sales people got it too)
>

Someone please correct me if I'm in error, but...I believe that XTU/WIRED trades out a "company car" for the GM and that the station vans/vehicles are trades. (FC Kerbeck, I believe)

Plus, the IRS requires those who get trades to treat them as having a cash value...and they want those who get the trades to pay taxes on them.

Gas trades for sales-people have been de rigeur in the past, but, with gas being more expensive than a comparable amount of Dom Perignon Champagne, they're less-inclined to do too much these days.

Restaurant trade for the sales vultures to entertain clients is still the biggest trade on the program log. When you hear a hotel advertised on a station, chances are good that THAT is a trade-out for rooms for the owner, a big client or a potential new employee when they fly him/her/it into town for "the interview".

Finally, the re-e-a-ally cheapo radio stations will trade out coffee-service (machine, cups, sugar, creamer and the coffee itself) for spots on-air.