An alert OMW reader called this to our attention, and we've confirmed it: TRN's Laura Ingraham has been dropped by Clear Channel talk WHLO/640 Akron.
She's been replaced in the 9-11 PM slot by another TRN host, Rusty Humphries.
OMW hears that one reason for the Ingraham departure on WHLO is timing.
Originally brought aboard in her live mid-morning time slot (then 10 AM to noon on 640), Ingraham was moved to nights on WHLO after the station grabbed Premiere's Glenn Beck, when sister talk WTAM/1100 Cleveland dumped him.
We hear that a 12-plus hour tape delay for Ingraham's show just wasn't working in the eyes of the folks at Freedom Avenue, as news events can certainly change between 9 AM and 9 PM.
Ingraham continues to air live from 9 AM-noon on Salem talk WHK/1420 Cleveland.
Some folks are wondering if WHLO's move would clear the way for NextMedia's WHBC/1480 to carry Ingraham in their 10-noon slot, with talk on the horizon very soon at the Canton oldies outlet. We haven't heard any word about that, at least so far...
Monday, March 12, 2007
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21 comments:
Ingraham would be a good starting point for 1480 to build around.
She is established and would be a good lead in to Dennis Miller.
Akronites can still get Laura on 1420, which reaches Akron decently.
Clear Channel should do something about the mess on 106.9 and get rid of those responsible for the sad state of all stations at Freedom Ave.
Better idea... OMW should do something about the caravan of cowards that infest this board like rats on a ship... With their endless barrage of bitter, sneering commentary and juvenile observations!
A caravan of cowards? Like you, who doesn't post your name?
It is funny hearing people whine on a media board about people expressing their right to free speech.
Clear Channel cronies have a problem with free speech, when the speech tells the truth about the filth that is Clear Channel.
If you can't handle opinions, stay away from places where people express them. And get out of radio. Your distain for free speech is an insult to everyone who fought for this right.
Face it guys, the majority of people who don't work for Clear Channel realize how badly they have hurt the radio industry. They are the worst thing to ever happen to the raio industry. Many of those that DO work for them also realize this, however they are afraid of speaking out.
Keith Hamilton, Keith Kennedy, and the like are blinded by the little paychecks they receive. When they are cast out like yesteday's garbage, they will realize that they have been sticking up for the devil.
In Hamilton's case, whispers coming out of Freedom Ave hint that he better get a resume ready. I hear Kennedy is programming WRQK because Hamilton isn't computer savvy enough to learn Selector. Perhaps DPIII will hire him as a board op.
WRQK is now voice tracked from 7pm until Bob & Tom begins in the morning.
If you thought the night girl Meagan sounded bad live, you should hear her voice tracked. Ouch.
The best station in the history of Canton has been reduced to rubble. How sad.
Clear Channel should do something about the mess on 106.9? Are you even listening to the station? I think the music has never sounded better. I have noticed that they dropped some of the tired, lame, burned oldies. They have fresh new imaging, a new nice looking logo, and a better website than they had before. CC has done something about the mess that Cumulus left for them.
I believe that Keith Hamilton is to blame for all that is wrong with radio and the word in general. I do have some solid examples. 1. Hamilton was seen in the golf coast area just 2 days before hurricane Katrina, plus Rock 106.9 plays Rock You Like a Hurricane in regular rotation. Coincidence? I think not. 2. Hamilton took a vacation in Iran. 2 days later Iran announces their nuclear program, plus Rock 106.9 plays System of a Down (a middle eastern group) in regular rotation. Coincidence? I think not. 3. Hamilton takes another vacation in the Bahamas, 1 day later Anna Nichole Smith found dead, and the baby has Hamilton’s eyes! Rock 106.9 plays Crazy Bitch in regular rotation. Coincidence? I think not. 4. Hamilton airs “hidden message” Valerie Plame, Valerie Plame, in the music on Rock 107 over 5 years ago. 5 years later, Rock 107 changes name to Rock 106.9 and Scooter Libby convicted in the Plame case just weeks after Hamilton visits D.C on vacation, Hamilton plays Henry Rollins “Liar” on his lunch request show.
Coincidence? I think not.
I could go on and on with examples on how Mr. Hamilton is to blame for everything!
Your sacasm doesn't change the fact that Hamilton has done nothing for Rock 106.9, since they "relaunched," except watch the staff shrink and shrink, much like he said was his goal on the old Rock 107 website. After someone complained about his rant about wanting to fire everyone, he changed the script on the new Rock 106.9 website. Now he says he wants to take care of family. lol However, the old rant about firing everyone is still up there on the old webste. I have a screen shot of the page, so when Hamilton or Clear Channel tries to pretend the comment never existed, I will have proof.
http://www.wrqk.com/includes/news_items/5/news_items_more.php?id=7§ion_id=5
Hamiliton doesn't have the maturity or people skills to succeed in a PD position. He has become even more arrogant and demeaning to staff and his temper is as bad as it ever has been, if not worse.
Make jokes all you want, but it is no laughing matter how Clear channel has taken an amazing heritage station and turned it in to a voice tracked sewage pit, with an incompetent pair of Keiths at the wheel.
Not long from now, I am told, Hamiliton will be the only person broadcasing live from Freedom Ave.
From 19 hours a day of live in-house broacasting to 15 hours a day of voice tracking.
Is that great radio?
How about you list all the great things Hamiliton has done to make Rock 106.9 a better station?
That would be far more impressive than your less than witty sarcasm.
Bring it, if you got it.
vodood is wrong! Humphries IS live at that time and as much as I love Laura, Humphries live at night is one of the best talk radio shows in the country. Laura should be on live, Dennis Miller will fail in talk radio .. like he did on HBO, CNBC, Fox, Monday Night Football etc... and Rusty Humphries is on his way to being one of the biggest talk personalities in the US. I can finally stopped being chained to my computer to listen to him in Akron.
Thanks to Keith Hamilton for visiting the board.
Next time, it may be better to have someone else defend you, as you are not very good at it.
I think Keith Kenedy should be fired for giving the important job of PD to his friend and not looking for someone with experience, who knows how to deal with people. Did Kennedy look, or even interview people for that position? Was he interested in finding the best person for the job, or more interested in saving his friend? Hmmm. Could that violate EEO laws?
Another reason? For making the change to Rock 106.9 the most lackluster launch ever.
Maybe in a year or so, they will get the website working properly. They have only had almost six months, since they knew CC would take over and still the website blows.
I like how Hamilton spends time on his "19th hole" feature, while neglecting the fact that the listen live and other parts of the website (and the station) are not up to par. Someone should tell Hamilton what priorities mean.
The best part of the new WRQK website? When you go to "Hamilton's 19th hole" there is a picture of a woman in a bikini, who looks like she is moving her bowels on the Rock 106.9 logo.
At least they got one thing right.
Now let's thank Joe Kleon for visiting!
Sounds like someone has a case of the sour grapes to me.
Let's be real & try to Narrow it down to who this could possibly be. Most likely candiates are those recently departing the stations:
Joe Kleon (released by Cumulus prior to the LMA, so he has no experience working with CC)
Rob Mackenzie - already pretty much blasted CC and KK on his myspace blog.
Greg Steele. Weekender
Garrett Hart- Has better/more important things to do than bash on the website
So all these hate Hamiton, hate Kennedy posts are coming from one or two of the above. I'm guessing two.
Oh did I?
Not sure why I am wasting my time, but let's quote it, shall we?
"I want to be mad, but at the same time, I was given a
shot at KDD. He gave me my own shift...why, I don't
know. I was TERRIBLE! He must have heard some kind of
potential there."
"...I learned alot, from everyone there."
"...There were alot of fun times. Dammit, I'm gonna miss it!
"
That was Saturday February 17.
Nobody likes a liar. I'm just pointing out the facts.
With that said, do I comment on here? Yes, absolutely.
But there isn't a single comment of mine on this topic.
Thanks for playing.
You took the bait Rob & You just proved their point. You appear in your new post as angry and bitter.
If Someone is upset that they were fired from radio they have every right to be. I was fired back in 1995 from WTAM by the current program director Ray Davis. Do I hold it against the man? Absolutely not. My life has come past that and I m sure he has no idea who I am. My name is in homage to the late great caller to the Pete Franklin show. Anyway the reason I wrote on here is that far too many people are commenting that fired employees are the ones taking shots at Clear Channel and such. I have never worked for Clear Channel so I would not know what they are like. Its a matter of preference for some people. Coke or Pepsi. I see nothing negative in the post by Rob MacKenzie towards his former employers.
Sour apples...your post was long winded, I would have fired you too.
I don't know why I am wasting my time, but here goes. I will only reply to such BS this one time.
I have known Keith Hamilton for over 20 years. We met when we were 16-17 years old during the worst of times at the Safe Landing Runaway Shelter in Akron. My friendship with Keith during the few weeks we stayed there helped me through those tough times, which followed my father's death.
Here is a pic of us taken at Safe Landing.
http://www.joekleon.com/joekeith.jpg
Even if I was petty enough and lacking of integrity like many anon cowards here, I would not know who to blame for my firing from WRQK. Do I think Keith H. had the power to make that decision on his first day as PD? No. Do I have any hard feelings toward him? No. I had a great time at Rock 107 & was #1 or close to #1 the entire time I was there. I got along great with the staff and had a blast. Was I sad to go? Of course.
The fact is I do not know if Cumulus or Clear Channel gave the order to release me. Neither company would give me an answer and I still do not know. It is a big secret, for some reason.
I ask that I not be included in this sad & childish waste of time. I have many more important things to do, such as building my studio business & keeping my mortage paid.
If not for phone calls talling me about this nonsense, I would never have visited these 'Dr. Laura comments', as I could care less about her. Why post such crap in a Dr. Laura thread anyways?
If anyone has any questions & would like to speak to me, please leave a name and number at the phone number on my website, or email me.
http://www.g4orce-studios.com
http://www.myspace.com/joekleon
One more thing. I do have experience working for Clear Channel, when I began working for WNCX in the late 1990s. So the person posting that doesn't know what they are talking about. Not a big surprise.
And with the comments from Mr. Kleon and Mr. Mackenzie - the real ones, not the guesses at them - we close this topic.
Until further notice, comments will be automatically closed after approximately 24 hours. This will include posts below this one.
Comments on topics not having to do with the original item or related topics will be deleted. (And no, that doesn't mean "the same company owns the station".)
Our next action will be to not allow comments on all new posts.
-The Management
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