Thursday, March 08, 2007

Q104's John Conner Out

Though it's pretty much a "long tradition" here that we're away when news breaks - it just happens that way - we apologize for this one.

AllAccess reports that CBS Radio hot AC WQAL/104.1 Cleveland "Q104" middayer John Conner is exiting the station, as Q isn't renewing his contract when it expires on March 31st. Evening host Tim Richards moves into the daylight hours to replace him, starting April 1st.

Richards joined the station last year after a stint as morning co-host at D.A. Peterson top 40 outlet WZKL/92.5 Canton, otherwise known as "Q92".

And Conner himself was once heard in the evening time slot, before then-middayer Jen Toohey took over afternoon drive after Brian "Fig" Figula departed for a PD gig in Michigan.

The move of Richards to middays will leave the "Q104" evening slot vacant.

So, WQAL is launching a contest - "Cleveland's Next Top Jock" - where "listeners will have input" on the next evening personality at the station.

The guy going through all those tapes and resumes for the evening slot, WQAL programmer Dave Popovich, also takes the music director duties from the departing Mr. Conner...

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

A little off topic but WKBN Is Losing Its Anchor Team: March 8, 2007 12:06 p.m.
By Andrea Wood
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Just seven days into their ownership of WKBN-TV and WYFX-TV, NVT Television LLC is faced with finding replacements for their top news anchors, Robb Schmidt and Sarah Eisler.

Schmidt announced his resignation late Wednesday; his last day anchoring WKBN’s 6 and 11 p.m. broadcasts and WYFX’s 10 p.m. newscast is April 6.

Eisler announced her resignation last month; her last day anchoring WKBN’s 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts is March 30.

From the business journal: http://www.business-journal.com/

Anonymous said...

I wonder if Dave P will try to steal his buddy Action Jackson from WMJI. Action is more suited for Q104 anyway.



* Popovich replaced Scott Howitt with Jackson back in 2001.

Anonymous said...

John is a great talent and even a better person. I can only wish him the best in his future endeavours in radio and I hope he lands on his feet real soon.

Anonymous said...

Correction: WMJI first replaced the "Scottster" in PMD with Mike Ivers, who until then had been WGAR/99.5's evening jock.

When WZJM/92.3 went belly up weeks later, Action (along with Sandy Bennett, who took evenings) became a WMJI fill-in. Action eventually took the PMD slot that July when midday jock Daune Robinson left to the upstart WFHM/95.5 (but came back two years later to replace Sandy in evenings).

In essence, Ivers first replaced Scott Howitt and then replaced Daune; while Action only replaced Ivers.

- Nathan Obral

Anonymous said...

The question is why was Scott Howitt let go when he was consistently ranked #1 in the ratings?

Anonymous said...

Howitt was let go to protect Triv in the ratings and to cut costs.

All of Clear Channel's FM stations (Kiss, GAR, Buzzard, Majic, Mix), have at least one voice tracked and/or syndicated daily DJ.

They basically saved a few bucks on the FM side to protect their AM cash cow (pun intended).

Anonymous said...

Do you think it's just possible, just slightly that Scott was let go for being a pain in the arse? Same with Danny Wright? I'm not saything they were, but I'm always hearing it was to protect triv. That's just plain silly. Only having one afternoon show with numbers leaves you open for attack say from Opie and Anthony.

BTW: Anybody see numbers for WMMS in pm drive this week. Looks like Maxwell is on the hunt

Anonymous said...

Why would Jackson leave WMJI with its high ratings to go to WQAL which is an also ran? Buddies or not, doesn't make much sense for Jackson to do that. Maybe Jackson wouldn't have to do any voice tracking at QAL, that might be the only plus.

Anonymous said...

Voicetracking other markets is optional, not forced. You make anywahere from an extra 6k-10k doing it. So how is leaving that a plus?

Anonymous said...

Make an extra 6k, help put other jocks out of work.

The Clear Channel way...

Anonymous said...

I have also met Scott Howitt he is a super nice guy and if anyone was a pain the butt it would be Danny Wright as that has been his reputation(Not a personal attack read Mike O's book to find that out) Scott was probably let go to cut costs which is a shame. Anyone know where Scott is working now?

Anonymous said...

Famous last words in history: You're not good enough to work in alliance

Sue tyler is now middays in Buffalo.

Tim Richards is now Middays in Cleveland.

Getting fired in Alliance is a blessing.

and off topic a little. Want a job in Alliance? Get releases/fired/downsized from every other station in town.
For example:
Mike benson
Doug Lane
Bob Bishop
Mark O'Brian
kathy Vogel
Jim Chenot
Tom Daniels
Rob Mackenzie
Igor
Lisa Dillon
Chris Casele
and rumors are Joe Kleon will be on this weekend.

Some of these are decent jocks. Others were hired simply because Donnie gets his rocks off hiring people leaving other stations because in his words "i know it makes them mad"

Anonymous said...

VODood's take on Scotty is correct. He hired me twice, and I hired him once. Quality guy, likes beer.

Anonymous is wrong about Danny Wright. Worked with him twice, always a pro. Quality guy, likes beer.

JbC
(also likes beer)

Anonymous said...

Joe Kleon will not be on Q92 this weekend. I just spoke with him. He said whoever started that rumor is a windbag that knows nothing.

Although, if you read the Rock 107 ratings that Joe has posted on his website, it would not be surprising that other stations are looking at him.

Joe's website says he was #1 M18-34 #1 M18-49

#2 P18-34, P18-49, P25-49, M25-49 and M12-24.

#4 M35-54, W18-49

Joe is a nice guy and a great jock who had great numbers the whole time he was at Rock 107. I hope he pops up somewhere soon.

Ohio Media Watch said...

Just clarifying in our "Separation of Comments From OMW" department: We've heard nothing about Joe Kleon's next on-air appearance, be it at WZKL or anywhere else.

We haven't heard it even as a rumor.

Of course, we reported the move of ex-WKDD'er Rob Mackenzie to Q92 a while back.

-The Management

Anonymous said...

To anonymous..

You seem to know a lot about the building in the cornfield. Are you sure you weren't someone who got releases/fired/downsized from the Q? 'Cause, boy, you sound bitter!

Anonymous said...

Of course the folks at Freedom Ave. are bitter about WZKL.

They have huge numbers and are a huge threat to the few folks left at the cesspool at Freedom Ave.

I hope Joe Kleon ends up at WZKL, just to watch him kick Rock 106.9's a**. He was the highest rated Spring 06 jock on WRQK. That had to make a certain self centered PD angry.

Best of luck Joe.

Anonymous said...

Joe- Get over it already. It's a shame what happened, but it's not like you didn't have 6 months to prepare. Take your negative energy and do something positive with it, write a resume rather than nonstop "Clear Channel Sucks" "Keith Hamilton Sucks" posts on this page.

We get it already.

Anonymous said...

Does it make sense for WZKL to hire Kleon? I don't think so. He had #1 ratings with men, but 'ZKL is a female driven format.

Anonymous said...

I am the one writing many of the Keith Hamilton sucks comments and I still work for Clear Channel.

He is not liked very well over at Freedom Ave, and he was not liked very well by those at Martindale.

Unearned ego + poor people skills + Temper Temper Temper does not = a good PD. Hamilton will not last long with Clear Channel.

Thank god Keith Kennedy is his friend. That is the only way he could ever make it to PD.

What has he done for the station, so far? They are now voice tracked from 7p-5a. When the spring book begins, see what happens to another "friend" of Hamilton's. Fishhead, get your T&R ready. Hamilton will throw you under the bus. Wait and see.

Anonymous said...

Hamilton sounded bored to tears this afternoon at Hardings Park Cycle. One of the worst remotes I have heard in quite a long time.

Anonymous said...

The interview with the guy running for State Rep on the DePuka Show on Friday was equally as nausating.

Ohio Media Watch said...

New comments for this post have been closed, per our new comment policy.

--The Management