Mechanicaldawg
Roosevelt Ranger
Local talk off the dial at GST as hosts are dropped
By RODNEY HO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/22/06
News/talk station WGST-AM (640) dumped its entire local personality staff Tuesday, including veteran talk-show hosts Tom Hughes and Kim "The Kimmer" Peterson.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, the station began airing syndicated personalities from out of town, a much cheaper alternative for a station whose ratings and revenues have dropped precipitously in recent years.
Once a regular top 10 presence in the 1990s, WGST ranked 20th in the Atlanta market among listeners 25 to 54 over the summer, according to Arbitron.
Management is keeping only syndicated giant Rush Limbaugh in its daytime lineup. Limbaugh, the nation's biggest talk-show personality, has the only program pulling in passable ratings at WGST.
"We haven't been as successful as we have hoped to have been at GST," said Chuck Deskins, market manager for Clear Channel Atlanta. "We're making changes to try to better position ourselves in the marketplace."
A Wall Street Journal financial show replaces Hughes, who's been at WGST on and off for nearly 30 years, from
5 to 8 a.m. Cincinnati-based talk show host Mike McConnell takes over for Denny Schaffer from 8 a.m. to noon. Dave Ramsey, a Brentwood, Tenn., financially oriented talk host, grabs the 3-7 p.m. slot from Peterson, who was hired at GST in 1992.
Schaffer, the mid-morning host who's been at the station for 14 months, was informed of his firing Tuesday after his show was over. He 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 said.
Hughes was the only personality who got to say goodbye on the air. "Things could have been done differently, mercy yes," he told listeners. "But I do know it's not your fault, not you out there listening."
Before signing off, he quoted a famous World War II song: "Til we meet once again, you and I, wish me luck as you wave me goodbye."
In the 1990s, GST was a solid second behind dominant news/talk station WSB-AM, especially when it was simulcast on the FM dial at 105.7. But when GST lost its FM signal in 2000 to a rock-music format, GST's ratings began to slide, exacerbated by the loss of listeners outside the Perimeter who couldn't pick up the AM signal, especially at night.
When GST grabbed the Atlanta Braves broadcasts in 2005, it didn't help the station, since many people chose to listen to the games simulcast on 96rock (WKLS-FM) instead. As revenues dropped, GST cut news people and support staff for many of the personalities, especially Peterson. The station will still air the Braves next season.
Mike Rose, who worked as Peterson's producer from 1992 to 1996, said the Kimmer thrived as a patriotic war veteran, a former Marine with a jokey demeanor and several catchphrases such as "Semper Fi" and "Gotta go. You're killing me!" Peterson was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
"People think he was dumbing down to play to the audience," Rose said, "but you could hear there was good subtle satire on the show."
Neal Boortz, who worked at WGST for many years before moving to WSB-AM in 1992, said "the real raw deal is Tom Hughes. He's a class act, a great news man. I hate to see him go."
Michael Harrison, editor for trade publication Talkers magazine, said syndication is a common option for struggling stations. "You could save the cost of an entire salary, not to mention production and support staff," he noted.
By RODNEY HO
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/22/06
News/talk station WGST-AM (640) dumped its entire local personality staff Tuesday, including veteran talk-show hosts Tom Hughes and Kim "The Kimmer" Peterson.
Starting Tuesday afternoon, the station began airing syndicated personalities from out of town, a much cheaper alternative for a station whose ratings and revenues have dropped precipitously in recent years.
Once a regular top 10 presence in the 1990s, WGST ranked 20th in the Atlanta market among listeners 25 to 54 over the summer, according to Arbitron.
Management is keeping only syndicated giant Rush Limbaugh in its daytime lineup. Limbaugh, the nation's biggest talk-show personality, has the only program pulling in passable ratings at WGST.
"We haven't been as successful as we have hoped to have been at GST," said Chuck Deskins, market manager for Clear Channel Atlanta. "We're making changes to try to better position ourselves in the marketplace."
A Wall Street Journal financial show replaces Hughes, who's been at WGST on and off for nearly 30 years, from
5 to 8 a.m. Cincinnati-based talk show host Mike McConnell takes over for Denny Schaffer from 8 a.m. to noon. Dave Ramsey, a Brentwood, Tenn., financially oriented talk host, grabs the 3-7 p.m. slot from Peterson, who was hired at GST in 1992.
Schaffer, the mid-morning host who's been at the station for 14 months, was informed of his firing Tuesday after his show was over. He 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 said.
Hughes was the only personality who got to say goodbye on the air. "Things could have been done differently, mercy yes," he told listeners. "But I do know it's not your fault, not you out there listening."
Before signing off, he quoted a famous World War II song: "Til we meet once again, you and I, wish me luck as you wave me goodbye."
In the 1990s, GST was a solid second behind dominant news/talk station WSB-AM, especially when it was simulcast on the FM dial at 105.7. But when GST lost its FM signal in 2000 to a rock-music format, GST's ratings began to slide, exacerbated by the loss of listeners outside the Perimeter who couldn't pick up the AM signal, especially at night.
When GST grabbed the Atlanta Braves broadcasts in 2005, it didn't help the station, since many people chose to listen to the games simulcast on 96rock (WKLS-FM) instead. As revenues dropped, GST cut news people and support staff for many of the personalities, especially Peterson. The station will still air the Braves next season.
Mike Rose, who worked as Peterson's producer from 1992 to 1996, said the Kimmer thrived as a patriotic war veteran, a former Marine with a jokey demeanor and several catchphrases such as "Semper Fi" and "Gotta go. You're killing me!" Peterson was unavailable for comment Tuesday.
"People think he was dumbing down to play to the audience," Rose said, "but you could hear there was good subtle satire on the show."
Neal Boortz, who worked at WGST for many years before moving to WSB-AM in 1992, said "the real raw deal is Tom Hughes. He's a class act, a great news man. I hate to see him go."
Michael Harrison, editor for trade publication Talkers magazine, said syndication is a common option for struggling stations. "You could save the cost of an entire salary, not to mention production and support staff," he noted.
n regular guys website,they were speaking of this and how the targeted demographic of classic rock and talk radio(us)were listening more to XM and Sirius,and had the money for cds and stuff.That's why the other channels geared toward young folks (hip-hop/alternative/dance)and (no offense intended at all,just referencing their website) country stations were still doing well
