Posted on 11/09/2006 4:12:07 AM PST by mcg2000
The Memphis radio market is going through another shakeout this week, this time with employees of Clear Channel Communications.
WEGR-FM Rock 103 on-air personality Bev Hart, an 18-year veteran and familiar voice to Memphians as part of the station's "Wake-Up Crew," was among those who disappeared from the air this week.
Hart was let go along with Rock 103 night deejay Chris Jarman, KJMS-FM V-101.1 deejay Michael Slack, WDIA-AM 1070 deejay Captain Curtis and WHRK-FM K-97 deejay Simone Party. Seven other employees in support positions also were let go.
The jobs were eliminated as part of declining listenership to commercial radio stations because of competition from commercial-free satellite radio and other providers, from the Internet to iPods. An article this week in "Radio INK" magazine said Sirius radio, one of several emerging satellite providers, reported 3 million new subscribers since last fall.
"We pretty much are not in the radio business as we've known it," said Tim Davies, Clear Channel radio division vice president and market manager. "There are many more choices out there for advertisers to reach potential customers."
The Clear Channel staff reductions followed similar cutbacks last week at Memphis stations recently purchased by Entercom Communications. Among those were on-air personality Steve Conley, at WMC-FM 100 for 27 years, who was dismissed along with market manager Terry Wood and night deejay Garner Miller. Twitch, a deejay at WMFS-FM 93X, was also let go.
At Rock 103, Hart's fellow "Crew" members, Tim Spencer and John 'Bad Dog' McCormack, posted a note on a Wake-Up Crew link on the station's Web site bidding her farewell:
"After over 18 years with The Crew, Bev Hart has left. It was not her choice or ours. She did nothing to bring this about. Radio stations across the country are going through heavy changes as they adjust to the new realities of an Internet world. Some very talented people are ending up on the street. Many of them are friends. Bev is family and we'll miss her sorely."
The message was signed "Tim & Bad Dog."
-- Michael Lollar: 529-2793
Not trying to muscle in on your post, but if anyone reading this is from Raleigh, NC. What happened to WRDU? I went out of town for a week, and when I got back it's gone.
Maybe you're noticing a trend that is more national than is apparent.
bump for later
You post one of the lamest, inconsequential stories in the news today; by some miracle, you draw a substantive comment (from Recon Dad); and then you insult him? Get a life.
IBTZ.
Inconsequential? It's in the appropriate forums ... and why'd you click on it? lol never mind you ...
WNIC, a Clear Channel station in Detroit dumped Gene Maxwell last week. I think he was in the afternoon drive for 20-30 years. Very smooth delivery and decent ratings.
And yet my satellite radio has no commercials and plays things I have never heard (both old and new) or things I have not heard in a long time. That and interesting commentaries not inane juvenile attempts at humor. Well, except for Stern which is another story altogether. I don't think they get it.
Satellite radio is giving people the music they want to listen to just like cable gave people a choice over broadcast television. I'm so thankful since I can now listen to what I like instead of the very limited choices forced on me here in Podunk.
I only brought that up because one of the local sports guys in Cincinnati got canned over a slight tiff with one of the Bengals, which in the past would have been nothing. He had 18 years with the station.
I thought Furman was suspended????
I miss Bev Hart at 103. She tried at least to keep Bad Dog in line!
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