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Wizard done on Monday?

M

MoonB

Heard there was a full staff meeting Monday at Hall. Bottom line…WIZN is taking the AC / Soft AC format that John Fuller didn’t take with his new Eagle 97.5. Bob and Tom are done Monday, and the new morning show is going to be “Bob and Sheri.” Don’t know what it will be called, but it will not be The Wizard anymore. Sorry it’s not Louie and Jim… would have loved to have had them back on air. Has anyone ever even heard the Bob and Sheri show?!?
 
Why the change? Are MP103 and Champ putting that much of a dent into the market share where they think a change is needed?
 
Actually, Bangor was one of the first affils for Bob and Sheri. They're also on WQHR Presque Isle Maine. Great show.
 
I was shocked when I read this post, and thought about it for a while before crafting my response.

My first question: Is Hall management stupid, cheap, or both? Flip the Wizard? Seriously? You're going to throw away 20 years of rock heritage in B-P because Stern took his ball and went to Sirius? Remember the days before Stern when you had a (then-listenable) Corm and the Coach? WIZN was the hippest station in town, with Nirvana and Pearl Jam dominating the music scene, and a morning show that generated more buzz than any show in town.

Just because John Fuller came to town to take on a dominant station with a big stick doesn't mean that Hall needs to do the same. The Wizard can still be a profitable station. The music, if presented properly, is still relevant. Ever heard of this video game called "Guitar Hero?" I hear that there's a few people who have bought it. Hell, when I was up there last Christmas getting drunk with my BHS buddies (22-23), we all went to our buddy's place to play Guitar Hero after the bars kicked us out!

The Wizard can still be relevant to Champlain Valley males. But to do so, they need a local morning show. Bob and Tom are failing, and Hall's first thought is to blow up the heritage, and put on another syndicated morning show? Even for a market as old as Burlington, the adult female demos are well-covered. Find a popular local figure, and hire him/her for mornings. Look outside of radio! Why doesn't Rusty Dewees have his own show yet? How about Tim Kavanagh (a close friend of mine, I might add?) Could Tom Messner do a show? Peter Clavelle? Make the Wizard Burlington's station again!
 
How about these slogans..
Bright 106.7 that's kind of generic
Sunny 106.7 roll of the tongue easily..
Magic 106.7 All the transplanted Bostonians will think they never left..
Honorable mention.. "Nobody Beats the Wiz @ 106.7".. Get to keep the call letters in place.
106.7 The Lake.. Slightly and gently used and worn once before.
106.7 Lite FM.. Handle just dropped in NYC, perhaps Clear Channel has that name copyrighted.
Got to have some coffee..
 
Apparently the folks at Hall think that there is more room for growth in the A/C arena. They will go after Star. With the upheaval at CC...and with Burlington in a holding pattern----that might seem to be the smart move. Also, take into account that "Classic Hits" Kool 105 is deep into it's new transition. My bet is that Hall will look to Kool to take on Champ. A question to ponder. Why not change the Wizard to Classic Hits and save some of the existing audience and turn Kool into the A/C competitor? Kool already had some females...Wizard already had males. I see where Hall is going but they took the long route around. Not to mention they will be blowing up almost 100% of the Wizard revenues as they are making a DRAMATIC change. The Buzz/Wizard sales staff must be so happy to have this upheaval. Not only are they treated as second-class citizens within Hall but now their income will be directly affected. Happy Happy Happy!!!! Class dismissed.
 
Mr. D

Sir:

Thank you for the lesson.

A tip o’ the hat to you for an extremely lucid, logical, plausible stratagem for the Hall cluster.
I seriously think you should bill them for that.

I swear I am not being sarcastic (It's hard to tell sometimes) – my praise is devoutly sincere.

Hope you’ve inspired more of that kind of thinking.

Louie Manno
 
Lighten: Don't worry. They won't listen to me. They already know much more than anyone else does.
 
I'm sorry. I have to say something. I grew up on the Wizard, from the days in the Steven's House in Vergennes. The Wizard is a staple in the Champlain Valley. I understand that a radio station must have positive cash flow as well as 80 - 90% sold stop sets. I mean that's how you pay the bills. However, B-P is a big enough place for a Rock station and with "Clear Channel" sitting on their hands with Champ, why couldn't Hall take advantage of this? Is Hall too old school to understand? Do they not understand Rock? What's next for The BUZZ? My deepest regret for the Programming and Sales Staff at "The Wizard." R.I.P. 1984 - 2007 :mad: I've lost a lot of respect for Hall Communications...

Happy Harry
 
The Buzz is sounding good and doing well... I think that one will be OK
 
it's a sad, sad day.....IZN was the coolest. Not too long ago, it played the best music, it had the coolest logo...and some of the greatest jocks you could come across in this market, and any market for that matter. :'(

A tip of the hat to: Arty Levigne, Joel Bolton, Rich Haskell, Steve Cormier(the guy who took that station to another level), Nancy Masino, Kate Rome, Bill "The Rocker"Corbeil, "The Coach" Tom Brennan, Mike Luoma, Dave Marshall, Steve Dodge, BJ Scott, Ian Kelly, Mary Williams, Bruce Kimball, Eric "The Kid" Koval et all.........man, that's alot of talented people.


I guess IZN is going to a "music of your life" format......"music of your life"? ....my a-s.......


I never understood IZN programming after Stern....there is a need for rock music...get a couple of people from the area to host the morning show...make it local, make it funny, talk about what people(guys 30-50) are up to....mix up the classic rock a bit, work some of the 90's bands(G'nR, Nirvana, Pearl Jam) into it, and work some of the stuff you hear these days(Nickelback, Matchbox 20 etc.)...and you're back in the game...oh well, screw 'em......
 
Well.. I guess change happens.. Who ever gets their hands on Champ will have the market. As long as they understand local radio, good programming and a tight playlist, I think they'll have a winner. I mean, who else would be in competition? ???
 
I have kept my ear to the ground for a day or two now and stumbled upon an interesting tid bit...Hall already owns a really big Soft Rocker in PA, www.roseradio.com....Can anybody say, "A Bigger and Better Variety of Soft Rock Every Day". :eek:
Rumor has it that IZN's current afternoon guy used to do afternoons in Rutland on WJJR "Your Home for Continuous Soft Rock"
 
So I'm guessing the Sun morning blues show w/ Mr. Charlie would be gone too...I live on the North Shore of
Boston (and do a long running blues show) but I've tuned in to "Blues for Breakfast" when I visit the Champlain
Valley. He has a band of the same name and also put together several volumes of "Best of the Green Mountain
Blues" compilations, with local acts raising money to benefit Camp Ta-Kum-Ta in Colchester (for kids with
cancer)
 
Thank you for reminding me "raccoonradio", ahhh Mr.Charlie, what a great guy, and a great musician. Blues for Breakfast was a part of everybody's balanced breakfast every Sunday. If what is runmored to be happening goes down, he and the show will be sorely missed.


"Bob and Sheri" in the morning. Ummmm, everybody i've talked to actually says they're preety good. But come on, we're talking about "The Wizard", it's Burlington and Plattsburgh's version of WBCN. What a joke Hall is, may a thousand Camels pee on their shoes.........
 
Monday should be a very interesting day in Burlington radio.

Will Wizn flip? And what are the odds this really will happen.

Not to mention no more Imus

Never a dull moment.

Hey, who knows maybe the CC Burlington deal will be announced as well? Any odds on who will buy them?
 
Louie,
You sound like you have some inside info here.
And I quote... "The Buzz is sounding good and doing well. I thing that one will be OK."

Fess up
 
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