OMW hears that WHBC-FM/94.1 Canton "Mix 94.1" personality Steve Rockford is out at the NextMedia AC outlet. His last program was Tuesday.
We hear that new "Mix" programmer Hunter Scott will fill in, though we do not know if that situation will become permanent...
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
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34 comments:
Brady Russell. Calling Brady Russell....
its about time. Anyone who hasn't gotten their resume ready at that place needs to.....immediately!
BREAKING NEWS: Paul Harvey out at WHBC-FM
Here's "the Rest of the story": Updated music (Outkast & Nickleback?), no more "Super Highway", AE's flying out the door at a record pace, 1/2 of the morning show missing, more on-air staff certain to leave (whether through firing or retirement) and on and on.... And that is since Terry Simmons was fired in November. What a mess.
Hey Kaylee and Madison.......wake up! You are next.
Calling Steve Rockford a "personality" is a very generous interpretation of the term. Brady rocks (and no, I'm not Brady).
What about Tom Sullivan? Is he available? He knows the station, the market and he is as talented and professional as they come. Plus, he knows the music.
I feel bad for a lost job. Let me say that first.
But WHBC is only getting better each day right now. A former 101.7 listener, I've switched to them in the mornings when I get ready for work and I'm pretty sure I am not their usual target demo listener.
The morning show needs personality quickly but I bet big things are in the works. And Hunter Scott was great on MMS, he will add personality to the Afternoons!!
Canton radio is very exciting right now.
Brady Russell??? what the he@# are you thinking!! Calling Blane Williams....she is the ultimate rocker....
Wow I never heard Steve on MIX94,but anytime your let go it hurts. Again some of the comments are harsh,but again I never heard his show. I guess Hunter will do the pm drive for now it wouldn't surprise me if it becomes a permanent thing one pay 2 jobs has been the norm in broadcasting. At one time WHBC AM/FM WAS A STATION THAT HAD VERY LITTLE OVERTURN,NOW THAT'S A THING OF THE PAST. I wonder if Hunter is gonna get his old morning zoo partners in at MIX.
coming soon to Mix 94.1...
Mike Benson returns in the morning.
I'm not kidding.
Mike Benson is working in Baton Rouge La. as a successful sales rep. I don't think he'd come back to work in Canton for 22-25k a year.
Brady Russell and Tom Sullivan? Aren't they a little old to play the kind of music I heard on 94.1 tonight? I pity the poor sales reps having to explain that noise and Hunter's sex talk to their clients. And what's with that sickening music playing underneath Fred as he babbles on and as Pam giggles on the AM morning show? These professional stations are now an embarassment.
Whats with the Brady Russell sighting on South Market today? Does the man have no pride?
Oh they've been talking and they are paying more than $25k.
Lots more than $25k.
Someone in the building tells me Steve Rockford showed up on Freedom Avenue today. Apparently he wasn't the nicest guy.
If you just got fired and were actively pursuing a gig...you'd think you could be a little friendlier.
Word is alot of former Canton air personalities from various stations have been making stops on Freedom Avenue lately.
Hmmmmmm.....
Someone just told me That I'm being mentioned here. Hi guys! Nice to see some things don't change! As far as being too old for the music being played.........excuse me!!!!!! You're only as old as you feel and right now thats about 80 years old! LOL! As for WHBC-FM....I know what they pay......max 25-28k.....to the previous poster, I don't know where you are getting your information, as for me....I have friends in the building. They couldn't pay me enough to get back into that situation. AND as for Mike Benson....just spoke to him a few weeks ago. He's not interested. Trust me......he's making wayyyy too much money to come back. Time to drink that purple Kool Aid!
Tom Sullivan
strange, we must have been listening to different whbc's this afternoon/evening, because i didn't hear anything too crazy out of HS. the most 'hardcore' song i heard was gnarls barkley's 'crazy,' which i also heard some artsy guys with knit-caps playing on acoustic guitars in a coffee house over the weekend...not exactly shock and awe, people.
as for 'sex talk,' i didn't listen to every minute of the shift, but i heard him talking about taking his kids ice skating and watching the ball drop on tv on NYE. ooooooh, is canton ready for this outlandish behavior?
if AE's don't think they can sell this newfangled smut, then they've got issues. plenty of people are looking for jobs, let them walk...
grow up.
Having seen a copy of the severance agreement that the former NextMedia staff in Canton have been asked to sign in order to get their final checks, Mr. Russell has zero chance of being a cog in the WHBC wheel anytime soon..the station would have to be sold in order for that to happen..
I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but it's going to come off that way reguardless, so here goes.
When are people going to quit drinking the Tom Sullivan, Brady Russell now Steve Rockford Kool-Aid? Be honest with yourself, dead air on WHBC-FM would get ratings. I'm not saying these guys aren't good jocks. They are. I find it difficult to believe that everytime there is an opening their names come up. Do you really believe these guys are the answers? and if so, what do you base it on?
and the line....They couldn't pay me enough to get back into that situation...translates into...nobody has asked me, but the phone will ring any minute, I'm sure of it.
The Self Promotion is amazing.
Who let the sensible guy in?
Hey Jim,
Nice of you to drop in and offer your comments. A correction however...you must be using the Guyanaise translation of my statement. The CORRECT translation of "couldn't pay me enough money" translates to...."I've had enough of these pinhead corporate radio types to last me a lifetime". Been there done that. As far as me ever going on the air in Northeast Ohio again........I'm a betting man.....I'd bet the farm on that never happening again. The state of radio in Northeast Ohio is critical. We used to have some of the finest stations in the nation here. They have all been reduced to voicetracked, pablum. Unless we get back to local ownership, with REAL radio people in charge, we're stuck with what we have. Fortunately for me, I've (along with millions of others) have discovered a device called an IPOD. Amazing device....all of my favorite music,no commercials and no supposed air personalities........gee....what a concept. Now for some shameless promotion, I own my own business buying and selling Classic muscle cars. Need a "69" Roadrunner? Pays the bills and is lots of fun....kinda like radio "used' to be. OK JIm.....time to make some more money....have fun with that Kool Aid.
Tom Sullivan
(yes, I use my name)
Tom- Do you have the time warp on your ipod? You're the only guy I know who ever demanded it be played every Friday on a soft ac radio station. ;-)
and not flaming here just pointing out facts:
Tom says: I've had enough of these pinhead corporate radio types to last me a lifetime"
Yet Tom worked for recently:
WHBC: Fulltime under Beaverkettle, Part time under Nextmedia.
WNPQ: Under Jim Natoli
WZKL: (i think) Local ownership.
How exactly did you get your fill of pinhead corporate radio types if you've never really worked with them? and I'll say this before you take a shot at me...I think Tom is one of the most entertaining personalities canton/akron radio has had. He worked in LA and could still today. So yeah, I'm a fan of his work, just not the typical rhetoric that comes from him and others who have had little or no experience working for the corporations and base their opinions on anonymous postings on message boards. Most of which come from those who didn't get it and the bus ran over them.
I have noticed a lot of so called experts that have all the answers to all the radio stations problems. Why don't you apply for the position of Program Director if you want to help fix these stations? It is real easy to bash a personality or a programmer but unless you have worked in the business you have no idea what you are talking about.
Anyone can express any opinion they want. No matter how hardheaded, it won't bother me. It's when people start carping about the people who have a divergent opinion that I get riled. Read the other opinions, post yours and move on.
Hey Tom, "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas is my favorite song...LOL
It was featured in one of the greatest movies of all time, "Old School"
Kevin Gillman
What happened to Steve Rockford?? I thought he was one of the best. What a shame 94.1. I will stop listening unless there was a really good reason??
hi steve, welcome to ohio media watch!
and if you're not steve, and you're going to give up whbc because someone whose show sounded like a bowl of plain oatmeal tastes, then i don't even know what to say to you.
No --this is not Steve. I am a 39 year old female and if you think he sounded like that--then i dont even know what to say to YOU. He sounds better than the new guy. But i guess it is your opinion; i just wanted WHBC and Steve R. to know i thought he was a great radio person and an asset to that station; so there !
Can someone please give me some idea of why Steve R is gone?? Did he do something bad or were ratings down or what? And if the ratings were down, then it was not his fault; because after so long some people get sick of hearing only X-mas songs. Would somebody please let me know the reason THANKS!
they don't do ratings by the month. therefore, christmas music was not the downfall of the much beloved "quaker oats presents: the steve rockford show (co-staring wilford brimley & friends)."
Want some reasons?
NextMedia, WHBCs Denver-based parent company has about 300 million of them..that's 300 million dollars in long term debt, after buying the Canton combo for 43.1 million dollars in 2000.
Mr. Rockford is just one of 15 people in 2006-07 who were either fired or left the company..and there will be more..its only a matter of time, and when NextMedia can find someone to take the combo off their hands..
Mr. Rockford was not doing anything wrong necessarily..he was a victim of circumstances beyond his control..
Thanks for some answers!!!
Well then i guess NextMedia are just a bunch of money hungry people who dont care what they do to other people's lives?? When you do wrong to others, it always comes back to bite you in the butt! So to all 15 people who were let go, hang in there! They w(NextMedia) Will get their payback someday....
I cannot listen to 94.1 any longer. I do not support their decision to fire Steve Rockford or their new programming. I think they have ruined what 94.1 once was. However, if you like the way 94.1 was, then I recommend that you tune into "MY 101.7". It is a local station that plays todays music along with the 70's and 80's. Please give that station a chance. They are truly fantastic.
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