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RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by Media Reader <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Media+Reader' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 20, 2023, 3:06 pm

Rick O'Dell today -
In the fall of 2015 I was hired by Neal Sabin and Norm Shapiro of Weigel Broadcasting to be the Program Director for their newest creation, 87.7FM MeTV FM Radio. As it turns out, the assignment came with plenty of excitement, surprises and triumphs over challenges, everything you'd want in a radio job.
But the time has come for someone else to fly the plane--and take it to new heights. I recently gave Neal a retirement date. October 4, 2023, will be my final day at the station.
(more)

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 9:10 am, in reply to "RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

Hi Rick. enjoy your retirement. While you are relaxing, I hope you contemplate taking a job knowing you further watered down the industry going forward and for the listener. (Save the BS that listeners do not want to hear jocks, especially in your format demo). Not utilizing jocks, full time or part time. I imagine that made for interesting staff meetings..... oh wait, there is no on air staff. I digress. Happy retirement!

Z

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 5:33 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

Dear WYTZZ95FM:

I understand your frustration and anger. This half-a radio station is a shill for ME-TV. Half of FM radios don't tune down to 87.7. This is merely someone's Apple or Spotify playlist with commercials thrown in. Someone's pet project at best.

JACK-FM, formerly heard on WJMK-FM 104.3, didn't have live DJs either. Nothing but pre-recorded liners which mostly fell flat. I'm surprised JACK-FM does so well in Los Angeles. Go figure.

Finally, the average listener to 87.7 is over 65 years old. I'm not bashing older listeners by any means. They're out of the most desired demographics.

If this were a "real" radio station, yes, it should have been filled with live personalities. A wasted opportunity. It's all about saving money and dumbing down the product. Shameful.

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 5:54 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

I don't have anything negative to say about MeTV-FM. It's a radio variation of MeTV and is popular enough that it's syndicated on affiliate stations around the country.

It's not designed to have an airstaff. The music and the liners do the talking.

Milwaukee has a very poor signaled 50s and 60s Oldies station, WRXS. It has higher ratings than several full market stations. It runs completely jockless.

I've noticed advertising on these stations rely less on ad agencies and more on local businesses, some of which are more than willing to run ads.

It's not that the audience isn't there. The older audience is actually more likely to be listening to radio than the younger audience. It's a sad fact but it's true.

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 6:31 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

Jeremy, this is one of the times you and I will majorly disagree & that is ok.

But, it is not designed to not have an airstaff. It is run that way because the parent company is broke ass. Period. They do not even own the signal they are on. They lease time.

This format is the demo that wants jocks as they grew up on it. There is no good excuse to not have jocks except to "normalize" it and run jockless in the future or having jocks speak less and less. CBS started that crap with Jack and it didn't go over so well.

Terrestrial radio has to offer something more, where listeners can just go listen to jock free stations online. That something is being live and local. Most terrestrial have not recognized that yet and their brand is sinking more and more everyday.

You are correct it is easier to sell local businesses than using an ad agency for a station like this. It offsets having to explain why your audience is 64+ heavy. Like the TV outlet (MeTv) is too. Just not sure how feasible it is and how many local businesses you have to sell including how many stopsets are required to pay the lights and the landlord for 87.75, do you have anything left over at all????

Z

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 6:23 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

Hunter you are correct on every level.

They are hardly in any major markets. They had to clear Milwaukee to fool advertisers (national especially) by airing it on an HD2 in the market where you already have Fonz-FM.

Z

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 6:27 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

99.1 HD2 is used for it's web stream these days. It simulcasts 87.7 directly. It's literally cheaper to lease 99.1 HD2 and let Audacy stream it than it is for them to stream the station itself.

WZTI (Fonz FM) is also signally challenged. Two weak translators. An AM that is in very bad shape (The signal suffers as a result) and an HD2. Fonz is almost entirely made up of mom and pop businesses who otherwise wouldn't advertise on the radio and like the others, runs automation. They do have a voice tracked Midday shift however.

Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)

Posted by Jeffro <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeffro' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on September 21, 2023, 7:56 pm, in reply to "Re: RICK RETIRES (O'Dell at METVFM)"

Z-

You know I agree with you on principal here, but it's unfair to attack Rick. We have all taken jobs that didn't align with our belief system, radio or not. Sometimes, you just need a paycheck. And sometimes (quite often these days), the options are few and far between. Doesn't make him a bad guy. I guarantee you it wasn't Rick's decision to go jockless. That was made long before his arrival.

Message received, but play nice!

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