WPRO Market Manager Fired by Cumulus

5-21-15

That's according to the GoLocalProv newspaper which states Barbara Haynes (pictured) may have been dismissed from the East Providence station due to a series of ongoing personnel issues at the station. The station has dealt with a public fight between former staffer Ron St. Pierre and host John DePetro, a boycott by labor groups and the organization For Our Daughters, and, most recently, the arrest of a producer on child porn charges. In addition to WPRO The other stations Haynes oversaw included AM 790, HOT 106, and Lite 105. No replacement is mentioned in the newspaper article.

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Larry Elder Fired From KABC

12-3-14

Cumulus did not officially confirm Elder was fired from KABC after his shift Tuesday but the radio industry was buzzing about it and the Los Angeles press was writing about it. Don Barrett, who covers L.A. radio extensively on his website http://www.laradio.com/ wrote that Elder's agent George Green called him to confirm the talker was fired Tuesday. Green told Barrett that Larry's ratings were "going through the roof in all demographics." Elder was also fired by KABC back in 2008. He returned to the station 2010.

(12/3/2014 10:28:58 PM)
Simple question: Why, when someone gets canned, doesn't the honcho spokesperson for the company offer up a quote about so-and-so getting sacked from their radio "family." If I see that term used again in a parroted quote, I'm gonna puke. So watch out because there'll be quite a splash.
(12/3/2014 9:26:20 PM)
You just gave me the final reason to delete 790 from my radio pre-sets. Larry's show was the only decent one left to listen to after your 're-vamping' this year. Sorry for your loss.

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What A Way to be Fired

11-21-14

By now you've probably heard that Tribune Media pulled the plug on "87.7 The Game in Chicago." In fact, you may have even heard about it before some of the on-air staff did. Ben Finfer and Alex Quigley learned they were fired while they were on the air. According to The Sporting News, Finfer said, "We're doing a live show here. And to be told this way, it's really a letdown. We're getting screwed on this one ... We just found out on Twitter a half hour ago that the station is being taken off the air. We were not told about this ahead of time. We didn't know anything about it. We were coming back from a break and saw on Twitter from Robert Feder that the station is being taken off the air. Can you believe that? A lot of really talented people were hired to work at this station and found out through Twitter they were fired. Nothing from the bosses."

Tribune Media launched The Game 87.7 last February on a low-power television frequency that doubles as an FM radio signal. Also out are Jonathon Brandmeier and Garry Meier. Brandmeier's morning show aired on The Game 87.7 and the online streaming site wgn.fm. Meier's afternoon show aired only on wgn.fm. Robert Feder broke the story.

Finfer added, "You would assume you tell the employees before the media. You assume they have the common courtesy to let some hosts on the air know that something might be coming so you don't find out when you're coming back from a commercial break. I've never heard of such a thing. I've heard of of some pretty crappy things in this business. You talk to radio people and you'll hear awful stories about the way they've been treated. I'm not sure I've ever heard anything like this. Who would have though Marc Trestman would make it past mid-season and not us?"

(11/21/2014 5:39:15 PM)
Ah the radio musical game of chairs begins.. Let's see where Brandmeier and Meier land. Maybe the Loop?

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What Got Them Fired

5-22-14

Here's some of the audio from "Kimberly and Beck" that lead to the duo being fired. If you were the GM of the station, would you have made the same decision. In the audio clip, you'll hear Kimberly say, "The dude can look like a lady and the city is going to pay for it. Your, your, your tax dollars at work." That is followed by a clip of the song from Aerosmith, "Dude Looks Like a Lady." Beck goes on to say, "Does that mean, then, if women want a boob job, they'll pay for a boob job because that's only right?" Listen to the clip. Let us know your thoughts. What would you do?

(5/23/2014 2:59:47 PM)
Wake up America, you now live in the land of the liberal political correct. Any opinion or comment against the very liberal left you make at your peril. Freedom of speech is a relic of the past. It is sad, but it is what is today. The GM, here, was just doing his job in the current political correct American reality. Don't like it move to Australia.
(5/23/2014 2:50:14 PM)
It's one thing to be edgy and take the show to the edge of the cliff - it's another thing to jump off! As too often is the case, this team clearly did not know when to pull it back.
(5/23/2014 12:36:47 PM)
Congrat to them, if this team is looking for a job, our station is hiring, this is our kind of programming. Radical radio is not gone.
(5/23/2014 10:57:34 AM)
OMG! Someone said something that MIGHT offend someone else!Get rid of them immediately!!! It MIGHT cause someone to rethink their purchase of advertising! Get rid of them immediately!!! When you have weak management whose existence is determined by the quarterly report you end up with an industry watered down and bland. No one is going to take a chance and no one is going to do anything out of the mainstream consensus. Play it safe and figure out who to blame when your industry is flat.
(5/23/2014 10:43:16 AM)
No doubt the segment languished in bad taste. But aren't live jocks hired to be a little controversal and edgy? They may have taken it too far in many of the comments, but did it warrant firing?
If they were a reputable team, and ratings and sales were strong, wouldn't a suspension served the same purpose. Maybe a little community service would have been good.

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Cox Buys Billboards to Get Bucs Coach Fired

10-25-13

The Tampa Bay Bucs are winless so far this NFL season and the sports community is not happy. 102.5 The Bone, owned by CMG in Tampa, has taken that unhappiness to the next level by purchasing billboards demanding the team fire the head coach. Cox is getting some nice local publicity from the billboard campaign and we're happy to do the same. Cox GM Keith Lawless tells Radio Ink, "The ?Fire Schiano? billboard is simply a reflection of the Tampa Bay community?s opinion of the Buccaneer?s Head Coach.  Our listeners have voiced their opinion that they are tired of a team, that on paper, should have a winning record.  This billboard isn?t a message to the Buccaneers as much as it is a message to our listeners that we are right there with them."

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Hannity Gives $25K to Fired Operator

10-25-13

Sean Hannity called the Affordable Care Act hotline during his radio program earlier this week and spoke with operator Earline Davis, who was later fired for agreeing to speak on-air. Yesterday, during The Sean Hannity Show, Hannity announced that he would be donating one-year?s salary to Davis and her family, in addition to launching a campaign to help her find a new job. Listeners can visit Hannity.com or email jobs@hannity.com

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Here's The Bit That Got Them Fired

6-17-13

It may be uncomfortable to listen to, as it should be. Cumulus' "The Ticket" in New Orleans posted the audio from the Atlanta morning team -- "Mayhem in the AM" -- mocking Steve Gleason. It's hard to understand how the hosts made the decision to allow this to happen. How does anyone get to a point where they believe making fun of someone suffering from any horrible disease is humorous? If you were the General Manager and this happened at your station, what would you have done? LISTEN

Our Atlanta Discussion Board is talking about the incident HERE

And, of course, with social media playing such a huge role in our lives today, listeners to the station are sounding off on the station's Facebook page

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Atlanta Hosts Fired For Mocking Former NFL Player Gleason

6-17-13

Radio received national attention Monday for all the wrong reasons. But, the punishment was quick and severe. Lincoln Financial Media Atlanta Senior Vice President and General Manager Rick Mack says Nick Cellini, Chris Dimino, and Steak Shapiro, formerly known as "Mayhem in the AM," on 790-AM The Zone in Atlanta have been fired. The three were let go after making fun of former new Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason. Gleason is suffering from ALS, is in a wheelchair, and has lost most of his motor skills.

The hosts did a bit pretending Gleason called in to their show so they could ask him questions. Most of the responses in the bit were knock-knock jokes, and at one point the caller says he doesn?t know if he will be alive next Thursday. Mack and Lincoln are now left to deal with the fallout of the show's cruel prank which was quickly criticized on social media. Here's the statement from Rick Mack.
"We deeply regret the offensive programming that aired this morning on 'Mayhem In The AM' on 790 The Zone, related to former New Orleans Saints player Steve Gleason and his battle with ALS. We suspended the three individuals involved immediately following their comments and have since terminated their employment. 790 The Zone, our owners, sponsors, and partners in no way endorse or support this kind of content. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Gleason, his family, and all those touched by ALS."

More Coverage HERE at USA Today, NFL.com and CBSSports.com.

(6/18/2013 6:27:23 AM)
Management's reponse was quick and decisive. 3 people lost their jobs. Would you have the managers quit and shut down the station, too?
(6/18/2013 5:13:16 AM)
Oh look, ANOTHER comment from Ronald T. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
(6/18/2013 1:06:31 AM)
Management sure knows how to get distance in a hurry. Even as disagreeable as the comments might have been, these guys were not hired to be creamy butter tarts-of-the-air. So, they crossed an unspecified but still expertly camouflaged line. So, what. It's part of the turf.

Delivering superficial and even (possibly) insincere apologies for a crew that was making the station money five minutes before contains another brand of hypocrisy.

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Thanks for The Memories And You're Fired

5-16-2012

Excluding Jerry Lee of course, life can be difficult for stand-alone stations in major markets when there are clusters up the road that can do more with less and cut expenses and still operate during recessions. Independently owned WFNX has been competing in the Boston market for nearly 30 years. Until yesterday that is, when Stephen Mindich notified his staff he was selling to Clear Channel. He then fired 17 of the 21 employees. Mindich said, "Despite its celebrated history, its cutting edge programming , its tradition of breaking new music, its ardent fans among listeners and advertisers, for some time it has been difficult to sustain the station  -- especially since the start of the Great Recession." Read the entire Mindich memo below.

Clear Channel owns four stations in the Greater Boston area, including WXKS-FM (KISS 108), WJMN-FM, WXKS-AM and WKOX-AM. Clear Channel CEO John Hogan said, "This was a great opportunity to expand our footprint and our listenership in Boston, a key market with millions of fans who love radio as much as we do. We look forward to adding 101.7 to our Boston broadcasting family." The purchase price between the two parties was not announced.

More coverage on the story HERE and HERE

Here is the memo Mindich putting an end to it all at WFNX-FM
Dear Members of the PM/CG Family:

Because this is an emotional announcement to make, let me cut right to the chase. This morning I met with the staff of WFNX  to announce the pending sale of the station to Clear Channel Communications.

Over the years, WFNX has done spectacular things. Since 1983 the station has played an historic role in bringing new music to audiences in and around Boston. We introduced Nirvana and Pearl Jam to wider audiences in 1991. Together with the Boston Phoenix we staged the notorious Green Day concert at the Hatch Shell in 1994. Three years later, FNX and the Phoenix organized a group reading and broadcast of Allen Ginsberg?s controversial poem Howl, featuring talents as varied as rocker Peter Wolf and Poet Lauriat Robert Pinsky, along with civil liberties attorney Harvey Silverglate and me. We?ve formed creative partnerships with local museums and many other important not-for-profit organizations such as the AIDS Action Committee. In addition, for years we broadcast One In Ten, the only program on a commercial radio station in the nation dedicated to the issues and lifestyles of the GLBT community. And throughout it all, FNX has continued to break new music, most recently the work of Foster the People, Fun, and Gotye -- to name just three. 

Here comes the catch....

Despite its celebrated history, its cutting edge programming , its tradition of breaking new music, its ardent fans among listeners and advertisers, for some time it has been difficult to sustain the station  -- especially since the start of the Great Recession.

And that is why the station is being sold.

The mechanics of the situation are this:

WFNX will the file the paperwork necessary to trigger the license transfer with the Federal Communication Commission later today.

WFNX will remain on the air during the time it takes to complete the FCC process.

Events and concerts -- such as the Best Music Poll (June 13th) and the Seaport Six (June 14th) -- will take place as scheduled. The best place to get news about the last round of FNX happenings will be to stay tuned to the station itself.

In closing, let me salute the scores of immensely talented and dedicated staff who sold the ads, promoted the events, programmed and played the music, and did so many other things that made WFNX a national force in modern rock and -- most important of all -- a force, an outlet, and a sponsor for the music that defined Boston for nearly 30 years. It was a great run and I will miss the station.

Thank you all,

Stephen M. Mindich

(5/18/2012 3:54:44 AM)
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(5/17/2012 12:14:52 PM)
I can't imagine such a short viewed person. The people on that station made it worth listening to, for those who did. If he had any decency, he would leave the stsation intact, even down to the janitor, as it was turned over to its new owners. Clear Channel would likely given them the boot, but maybe not. Point is, don't wreck it as you turn it over.

'My' station was done that way... Owner died, someone new took over, and got rid of everybody. She had no knowledge of broadcasting, but insisted she knew more than anybody there. The station is not being 'profitable'. But SHE got her way.

(5/17/2012 11:23:39 AM)
Don't know the station. Don't know the personalities. Don't know the market. Don't know the owner's circumstances.
I do wonder, however, if the station could deliver some decent Books and how well their ad-clients made out.
I mean, there's nothing like boxcar numbers and deliriously happy advertisers to keep an outfit trundling along quite nicely.
(5/17/2012 11:05:16 AM)
Stephen Mindf*ck does it again!
(5/17/2012 10:34:46 AM)
It is sad to see another great independent station sold off as well as talented people out of work. My prayers for everyone to be well. It was a great run! Thank you!

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I Was Fired Too. Here's What I Did.

by JJ Duling
I think it's safe to say the radio talent world was rocked last week by hundreds of 'R.I.F.' firings at the two biggest companies.  It's put a lot of you (even those still employed) in the position of having to soon ask yourself, "what's next for me?" Earlier this year, I found myself in a similar position and it can be...well, challenging. 

You may decide to hang in or opt out and re-invent yourself, perhaps in a completely different profession. I'm sure you know you are not alone. You'll hear a lot of noise in the near term, some affirming your love for your craft and others telling you it's the end of the road.  It can be terribly confusing and demoralizing.

I can't tell you how many times, during my year-long job search, I've heard the following from colleagues, friends and even some family:
? "Dude, get out of radio.  The business stinks-it's over"
? "Radio isn't what it used to be...no way I'd stay in this business"
? "There are no jobs!  Why bother?"
? "Hey, you had a great run- but it's time to go to work for a living"
? "Radio sucks.  It's all corporate!  Why would you still want to do it?"

Sorry to disappoint but I honestly don't find myself ready to "give it up" or "get out now".  Why? It isn't a matter of me being stubborn, in denial or not realizing the reality that the business has changed so dramatically during the past dozen years.

I simply can't imagine abandoning radio because I really, truly, genuinely love what I do.  How many of us are so blessed we can say that about our jobs and really mean it?  I love my craft a great deal.  There is nothing like building a fun, exciting, compelling radio station, creating a hot buzz, getting those numbers in and knowing you have something unique and special going on. There's nothing quite like helping on-air talent grow into greatness.  Nothing like bringing a team together and being on a mission. Nothing like brainstorming an event idea and having it turn out way better than you envisioned.  Nothing quite matches the thrill of being part of a group of winners all doing something great.

I love being part of all the cool stuff we get to do. We were almost thrown in jail with the WSNX "Mystery Money Man" stunt.  We set a Guiness Book mark with the "World's Biggest Musical Chairs" and won a free MTV concert for Notre Dame with "Rock Alike" when we were in South Bend.  We debuted 98 Surf FM/ Pensacola-Ft Walton Beach #1 in about 100 days on-air.  Our facility at WOLL/West Palm Beach was a dive with bars on the windows in a crack neighborhood but we banned together and rocked the house (Radio Ink's Eric Rhoads did a weekend shift for us and was shocked his car wasn't stolen). 

We got to do an Arrow station in Nashville and cranked it up to #2 for several years (no shame in being second to WSIX in those days) and were honored to have Peter Frampton play St. Nick at our "Breakfast With Santa" event. We had an all-star line-up in Orlando at Big 100 that was the only FM not to simulcast with a TV station during Hurricane Charlie and did a 50kwAM/100kwFM simulcast with our N/T station...their news folks with our seasoned pros (like Mike Harvey, Bob Berry and  Chris Rivers) that kept listeners informed and feeling safe during an amazing, destructive event. How fun it was to do an Adult Hits launch in Louisville (Louie FM) and have immediate success working with Atlanta legend J.J. Jackson and wonderful pros like Lori Bradley and Traci Taylor (one of the few in this format genre that was a big success).

This isn't reminiscing about 'back-in-the-day'.  It's reveling in being a part of show business.  Radio really is the most personal, intimate, interactive part of show biz. And, save for a day or two here and there, I've loved every minute of it; despite all the changes and challenges, I wake up every day wanting to do it all over again.

Does this mean I don't get the occasional creeping negative thought? Of course not. Staying positive is the one of the biggest challenges when one is looking for work (as millions in America can attest, including many in my home state of Michigan whose families grew up in the auto industry).  It really is vital to have enough true faith so I view any opportunity that closes as a new one about to open right around the corner.

To my friends and colleagues who, out of love and caring, suggest "give it up, dude", sorry but this is what I was gifted to do, the fire still burns within me and I intend to keep doing it until some fat lady insists on singing directly to me. 

JJDuling@aol.com

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I Just Got Fired. What Do I Do Now?

It probably begins with a little shock, especially if your dismissal comes as a surprise to you and your low on the totem pole and severance pay is not part of your exit plan. Now what? You have to explain to your family you have no job. You have to deal with the emotion of being unemployed (am I a failure?). You hear the horror stories about the economy and how there are no jobs. Heck, you don't even know where the unemplyment office is.

Brian Egan was working at WMZQ in Maryland when he was handed a manilla envelope 2 years ago. It wasn't an oversized Christmas card. He two daughters under ten and he was facing life without a job. He tells us what he did and offers up some advice on what you can do.

"OKAY, it just happened to you. Don't buy into your brain telling you, "They'll miss me so much, they'll be begging me to come back when they see my fans calling and emailing." These aren't radio people calling the shots. They're investment bankers who have to find 18 Billion Dollars in the couch cushions, so get over it. The sooner the better.

"My biggest regret was just letting my "fans" or audience fade away.  The biggest question I had two years ago was, "How can I stay in  touch with my 'fans?'" If you just got the boot, and you can connect through social media with your strong core audience, ask them how they want you to stay connected.  Sound is just a medium. But, if they want you to start streaming your own podcast, go for it. Some may own local businesses who can help support you in your venture."

#1 DOWNSIZE. Move to a place where you really want to live, can afford to live, and can see yourself being happy, even if you're not in  radio anymore. Move there.

#2 RENT. Go all Dave Ramsey with Gazelle intensity and stay debt free. When the call comes to move, being debt-free gives you that  "FRREEEEEDOOOOM." 

#3 GET OUT OF RADIO SHAPE. Look, our industry's sedentary workplace doesn't give us a great reputation for being fit. So, if you're  not in the best physical shape, now's a good time to use the extra time to re-tune your body.  Especially if your health insurance is going  bye-bye. Make the gym a reason to get out of bed, especially Morning Show peeps. You'll be amazed at what see in the eyes of "real  people" at that hour.  Set a goal that fits you. I went from 230 lbs to completing a Half Ironman with Team in Training in 10 months  (@185).  When you look good, you feel good, you present better, you're more confident, etc. Don't take the extra year I did to figure this  out.

#4 DO SOMETHING. Let the local stations know what you have to offer, and then move on. Open your own Ad  Agency/VoiceOver/Creative Services business, or join one that already exists. But get right to work doing something, don't wait around for  the phone to ring. I stumbled into doing NHL-Style announcing (with Music and Goal Horns, etc) at local youth Hockey Games. An old  friend (WSIX's John Anthony) couldn't offer me a radio gig, but suggested that I take over what he had been doing for his son's league  games.  The kids and the parents LOVE it. Am I getting paid to do the games? Sometimes I get $15 a game, but I've done 45 games this  month, and so far $0. So it's hard. But I'm showcasing my skills and getting "fans." And I have a reason to stay sharp. I'm developing a game sponsorship pitch to the parents who own businesses for in-game mentions.

#5 PREPARE TO TRANSITION. See the opportunities everywhere you go. Open your mind to recognizing when your skill set aligns with a problem that needs solving. As someone who was Talent, and not sales, I don't have solid business instincts and chops. Get them. I recommend the book Business Model Generation. And it's accompanying website BusinessModelGeneration.com and the super cool iPad app that helps you develop a Business Model Canvas for your ideas and see if they are really viable.  I'm using it right now to pitch some of my new Media ideas to businesses, in the language they speak.

#6 DECIDE IF YOU'RE IN OR OUT. I've applied for all kinds of "regular" or retail jobs: Apple, Starbucks, Nordstroms, etc. with few replies. I got an interview for the Apple Store because the guy used to listen to me in high school in Knoxville, TN. He was cool, but politely said, look until your divorce from Radio is final, I can't afford to train you and have you leave when a PD calls. And that was that. 

My radio divorce is not final.  Radio and I are on a break.  Did I ever imagine it would be longer than 2 years? No. I went 19 years straight without ever losing a gig. So it can be a brutal time ahead if it just happened. If you're "still in," like me, to quote Andy Grammar, "You Gotta Keep Your Head Up."  We're all going to have to make our own breaks. Our cheese has been moved. I'm trying to transition to becoming a creative problem solver in my local community and find ways to utilize my unique talents and bring value to peoples' lives.

THROUGHOUT all this ENJOY your family. These "hard times" might just be the happiest times you remember with them, 30 years from now.

Reach out to Brian at Brian Egan brianegan1@aol.com or visit his website at www.BrianEgan.com

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Have You Been Fired? We Want To Help You.

If you've recently lost your job, no matter which company you worked for, Radio Ink would like to help you find work. Starting today we have created an entire page so you can post your resume, pictures, work history, links to your MP3 files and any other information you would like other broadcasters to know about. We will promote this page for you and feature a new "Pro Of The Day" every day on our headlines. If we can connect you to a broadcaster in need of your services we'll do it and at no charge to you. Let's move forward - and get you back to work quickly. If you would like us to help, send your materials to edryan@radioink.com.

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Multiple Award Winning Broadcaster Makes it Back After Being Fired by Clear Channel.

July 6, 2011

At one time, Skip Mahaffey was living the radio life to its fullest. In 1996 he won the CMA Broadcast Personality of the Year. In 2001 and 2003 he would win that award again, this time at Country powerhouse WQYK in Tampa. In 2001 Mahaffey would tack on Country Air Personality of the Year for Billboard Magazine. At the time he was working without a contract for CBS. Clear Channel came knocking on his door planning to blow up its rock station and flip it to Country. Mahaffey took the big morning show money from Clear Channel and four years later he was fired. Mahaffey tells Radio Ink the facts may come out a little different depending on who you ask but that's how he sees his radio career going from winning awards to sitting on the beach.

Mahaffey was in a difficult position for talent. He wanted to get back on the air but I had a year left on my contract that Clear Channel was paying. If he  went back to work, he would lose a substantial amount of money, so he had to sit it out and take the cash. But a year off the radio is like a decade for talent. Out of sight, out of mind. It just makes getting back in the business that much more difficult. Mahaffey spent my time writing and publishing a book. "It's the story of my brother and me growing up in a dysfunctional divorced household in the 60's."

Yesterday, Mahaffey was back on the air in Tampa after a short stint in Tulsa. He has to purchase his airtime now, but whatever it takes to get back on the air. He says he owes a lot to the folks at Journal for helping him get back. "I have to say thank you to Bill Berry, the late and very under appreciated Tom Land and the people at Journal. KVOO was a wonderful experience and I will always be grateful for them picking me up and bringing me into their family. But being away from home was difficult and they understood and appreciated my position and were kind enough to give me the freedom to step away and come home."

"But really, the answer to this question comes long before my time in Tulsa. After I was fired from Clear Channel, I found it very difficult for any station to take a hard look at adding me to their station. Many times I was told 'we can't afford a Skip Mahaffey' to which my response was always, 'I make $300 a week off unemployment...you can afford me!' Difficult was an understatement and I found myself in a position that many very talented professionals are in, so I had to do something drastic. I knew the key was to re-invent my program, but to what? That was the question."

"I knew what I wanted to do but I wasn't sure how to execute it. I have to give credit to Mike McVay, Heather Cohen and the Weiss Agency and more than anyone, Gabe Hobbs for helping me understand that the talk format was indeed where I needed to go and give me the encouragement to step into that arena, and to venture out of the comfort of three decades of Country radio. I had been in conversations with Salem in Tampa since late 2009 about doing a 'live and local' talk show in town. We all agreed that Tampa needed someone who was more concerned with the local audience than the national. We had come to terms as to what we wanted to accomplish but I just couldn't get a commitment from them and I had to pay my bills. That's when KVOO came along. Nine months later, it was apparent that I was going home and I reconnected with Salem. In a very short period of time, I found myself right back where I was a year earlier, we knew we wanted to do the show, we knew that Tampa needed a live and local talk show but I just couldn't get them to commit to a date. By the end of Spring, I was at a point where something needed to happen...NOW!"

"It was by total coincidence at that point that I was contacted by Brenda Lynn (BL of The Sportschix fame) asking me if I would sit in as a guest with her. She told me she had started a show on WTAN (best known for bartering 'Ask the Expert' and 'Let's Talk Bowling' types of programming.) I had such a great time, it fit like a glove. I knew this was something I needed to explore further. After weeks and weeks of anguishing over stepping into the bastard step-child of radio 'barter' I remember Gabe telling me 'do whatever you have to do to establish your platform and get your product on the air.' So I sucked it up, used money from my unemployment checks and a leap of faith from a couple of sponsors and in I went. Forty-five minutes before I returned to the air in Tampa, the verdict came down in the Casey Anthony case. It was another example on the power, immediacy and intimacy of radio. My audience wanted to vent, and I was able to give them that forum."

Mahaffey says his show theme will be values without judgment. "The line between the value system of the Country listener and that of the Talk listener is razor thin. I've talked to thousands of Country fans across the country and PPM shows that the P1's and P2's spend a lot of time jumping between News/Talk and Country. My goal is to provide a bridge to cover that jump. I think radio in general is so focused on competing with Smart phones and Pandora, that we have forgotten that a large part of our job is to serve and entertain our community. We spent over a dozen years in this market building a brand of being the place people turned to when something happened, good or bad. PPM killed that aspect of local radio. The SkipShow will bring back that platform for the community. People equate 'Talk Radio' to 'Political Radio,' that will NOT be the case with the SkipShow. If the main topic of the day in Tampa is political, then I'd be wrong to ignore it. But the two words you won't be hearing out of me on my program is 'conservative' and 'liberal.' Because when you do (according to Holland Cooke) you immediately alienate one-half of your potential audience. That's not smart."
After all he's been through, the ups and downs, the big money and the unemployment checks, Mahaffey returned to sometimes brutal business of Radio because of he loves it. "I realized that I have no other marketable skills whatsoever! Seriously, I love and still believe in this medium. Radio is personal, it's immediate and it still provides a one on one connection between the 'content provider' (us) to the consumer (them) that NOBODY else can provide. Brutal is an understatement. I can name half a dozen talents in Country radio worthy of a million dollars a year (Johnson and Johnson, JD Pellitier, Bill Whyte, Chad Mitchell and most recently Becky Brenner) who are not working. I can't speak for them but I know them all well enough to know that that fire still burns inside them and that their best days are still ahead. Maybe I'm being a Pollyanna, maybe I'm an idiot. I believe in what I believe and I am passionate about the profession. Besides Home Depot Orange does not look good on me.

Skip Mahaffey can be heard on WTAN (1340 AM) at 4PM Eastern and on the WTAN website www.TanTalk1340.com and www.SkipShow.com. Reach out to Skip at skip@skipshow.com

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