Clear Channel is fucking up my radio

[da flayboyant 2]

http://www.accessatlanta.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/accessatlanta/radiotalk/index.html

Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk

11/21: Denny, Kimmer out, too
By Rodney Ho | Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 01:13 PM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



With Tom Hughes out, it looks like Kim “the Kimmer” Peterson is next. His Web page has been taken down, replaced by syndicated talk show host Dave Ramsey.

Denny Schaffer, mid-morning host, has been taken off the Web site, too. He’s being replaced by syndicated Mike McConnell. He airs out of 700WLW in Cincinnati, the former headquarters for Jacor, a predeceessor company to Clear Channel. Schaffer said he didn’t see it coming: “I’m going to enjoy the holiday, love my family and get on my knees and see what God has for me.” He loves Atlanta and hopes to stick around.

“We haven’t been as successful as we have hoped to have been at GST,” said Chuck Deskins, market manager for Clear Channel Atlanta since the summer. “We’re making changes to try to better position ourselves in the marketplace.” He wouldn’t comment about the Braves or whether the station may have overpaid for the rights.

The Kimmer, a former U.S. Marine and staunch conservative, possessed a trademark laugh, trademark phrases (“You’re killing me!” “Semper Fi!”) and an often light touch. His support staff had been stripped away from him the past year (Jim Gossett, Pete Davis, Wayne Kitchens) so speculation of his departure has been rife for quite some time. He’s been a WGST staple for many years.

Eric Seidel, a former station manager at WGST from Sept. 1986 to January 1997, hired the Kimmer in April 1992 after he had been fired at WSB-AM. He liked his news image. “I didn’t know his full personality at the time,” he said. “When we saw the comedic side, we harnessed it.” He got Jim Gossett and Leslie to join him.

“Based on what little I know of the ratings, It’s a matter of economics,” he said. “It’s very sad. We had a great operation there a few years ago.”

In Seidel’s mind, he had three strengths: “His patriotism, his poltiical philosophy and his sense of humor.” Unfortunately, “every show needs good production support and I don’t think he’s been getting that for quite some time.”

Mike Rose, who worked with the Kimmer as his producer from 1992 to 1996, said under a team environment, the Kimmer thrived. “People think he was dumbing down to play to the audience, but you could hear there was good subtle satire on the show. There was nobody more self deprecating than the Kimmer. Atlanta radio has lost a good talent.”

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11/21: Hear GST’s Hughes farewell
By Rodney Ho | Tuesday, November 21, 2006, 08:27 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution



Tom Hughes bid his farewell at 8 a.m. this morning after many years doing mornings at 640/WGST-AM. Nicknamed “the King,” he has been a well respected news man in town. Updates forthcoming. I left a message with Hughes at his home. He is truly a gracious, class act . Hopefully I’ll hear from him today. Here’s a link to his farewell via mp3

“I’ll take this opportunity to leave,” he said. “Am I happy about it? In some ways. I recognize radio like all media today is fiercely competitive, crowded and they do keep score. Things could have been done differently, mercy yes. But I do know it’s not your fault, not you out there listening… We put you folks through a lot moving up and down the dial, AM, AM and FM, Back to AM, taking away an hour, adding an hour. The G goes away. Now the G is back, thank goodness. The pre-dawn struggle just to hear us at times. For those of you who have been loyal, I’ll miss all of you very much. I’ll miss the daily demand of preparing and presenting news stories that will inform, educate, exasperate and sometimes even amuse you. Now just my wife will have to endure my bad jokes.”

He complimented the staff. “I can’t say enough about the Kimmer, who created the whole ‘King’ thing, which I’ve had to put up with all these years. The Kimmer-he’s the best. And Randall Bloomquist, our program director. Great guy. Don’t pick on him.”

He quoted a WWII Fly Boy farewell: “Til we meet once again, you and I, wish me luck as you wave me goodbye.”

He will be replaced for now by a syndicated Wall Street Journal program with Gordon Deal from 5 to 8 a.m., according to the WGST Web site.

This is actually the second time GST and he parted ways. Back around 1997, when GST stripped down its news staff and went to something called “Planet Radio,” Hughes was fired. But a few months alter, Planet Radio was gone and Hughes was hired back. Hughes has been a mainstay at the station even as its ratings have fallen off.

[jeromechickenbone]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

[da flayboyant 2]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

well sirius doesnt have the kimmer or the king.

[Sikotic™]

Fuck the FCC

[jeromechickenbone]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

well sirius doesnt have the kimmer or the king.

Or commercials.  Sirius rules.

[da flayboyant 2]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

well sirius doesnt have the kimmer or the king.

Or commercials.  Sirius rules.

but i want the kimmer and the king. clear channel just fucked up my ride to and from work. 

[jeromechickenbone]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

well sirius doesnt have the kimmer or the king.

Or commercials.  Sirius rules.

but i want the kimmer and the king. clear channel just fucked up my ride to and from work. 

Yeah so fight the power and get sirius.  That'll piss of Clear Channel more than anything

Seriously though I know what you mean.  Hopefully those guys will get on somewhere else. 

[Sikotic™]

Clear Channel has single handedly destroyed radio.  Get Sirius it's 1000x better.  I have that shit on 24/7

well sirius doesnt have the kimmer or the king.

Or commercials.  Sirius rules.

but i want the kimmer and the king. clear channel just fucked up my ride to and from work. 

They'll probably end up on Sirius or XM.