Monday, November 16, 2009

Radio's Rubes

Rube Goldberg is the patron saint of the old radio industry.

Don't know Rube? He was a popular early 20th century cartoonist who sketched comics depicting multifarious devices for performing simple tasks in unusual and often convoluted ways.

By the early thirties, the Merriam-Webster dictionary turned his name into an adjective, defining it as "accomplishing something simple through complex means."


The same definition could be applied to the old radio industry, accompanied by banking, insurance, and a select - but large - number of public companies that cloak their cooked booked financial statements in indecipherable jargon and figures.

But eventually even the most complex, convoluted financial schemes crash and burn.


Take the ethically dubious Farid Suleman, CEO of the crumbling Citadel radio group, which, at any moment, will file for Chapter 11 protection.


Poor Farid. Tired of toiling under Mel Karmazin as his official bean counter, he wanted to prove he could be a number one.


Instead, he proved to be a lifeguard who couldn’t swim. Mini-Mel he will never be.


But failure is rewarded in the radio industry many times over.


Despite his destruction of the third largest radio chain in America, one notion being bandied about would have him falling uphill by staying on as CEO of Citadel to help bring the chain out of bankruptcy.


When Suleman gobbled up the ABC Radio chain - he got the networks, too. Losing Sean Hannity to Clear Channel and Paul Harvey to his life cycle erased $8 million in revenue off the books compared to a year ago. Overall, network revenue was down 31.5 percent, which translates to a $13.5 million loss.


Let’s stop here for a moment. Paul Harvey was 92. How many more years and how many more breaths did Farid foresee squeezing out of him? Did he expect Harvey to give him five years advance notice before he passed away?


I’m stunned that Suleman didn’t come up with some Rube Goldberg apparatus that would record every word Harvey ever said so he could assign some poor minimum wage schlub to continue his broadcast by rearranging words from prior newscasts and commentary.


When Farid bought the nets, Hannity made it apparent that he had no intention of sticking around and cozying up to the draconian management of Citadel once his existing deal expired.


Granted, Citadel-ABC was the last bad big deal in radio broadcasting - but it’s painfully evident no lender bothered to skim through Farid’s faulty Rube Goldberg-style business plan. Was it assumed that being Mel’s beanyman was reason enough to fund his folly?


Disney wanted ABC Radio off their books. They were cutting a deal with Steve Jobs to acquire Pixar and weren’t interested in holding on to yesterday, especially when the radio division was likened to a country club.


Last Tuesday, just after Suleman signed off on still another massive staff bloodbath and the elimination of whatever localism remained on his distressed properties, he joined eight other radio group heads, to pitch the FCC on myths and legends. Specifically, they were asking the commission to make FM receivers mandatory in cell phones. That way, in case of an emergency - FM stations would be available to provide detailed information on where to go, what to do, and why.


Insert laugh track here.


Excluding public radio, give me twenty FM stations in this great country of ours you could listen to for immediate emergency information. Okay, I’ll settle for ten. No, final game scores on sports-talk FMs don’t count as emergencies.


Actually, I’ll tell you what FMs do provide that coverage. Small, independent market FMs. I’ll give you one - WATD in Boston’s South Shore, which on many occasions has provided my family and friends who live in its signal range with pertinent and vital information related to regional news, weather, and traffic.


Does the station make money? Yes.


Did these radio CEOs understand that the FCC has no jurisdiction to force manufacturers to add FM to cell phones?


Do these radio CEOs really believe the FCC is not aware of how these chains ruined the radio industry post-deregulation?


Then we have Lew Dickey, the CEO of the Cumulus chain who also made the trek to the FCC.


The smartest man in any room was shrewd enough to kick ahead its inevitable insolvency for one more year with his Rube Goldberg accounting so he could continue screw his shareholders, investors, vendors and anyone else who’s reluctantly hitched up to his wagon.


Lew doesn’t know how to make money but credit him for knowing how to filch it. He is challenging Clear Channel CEO John Hogan and the aforementioned Farid Suleman for the title of career derailment king.


Instead of stepping aside when his company spiraled downward in revenue and ratings under his direction, Dickey’s slanted family and friends’ board anointed him to save it.


Dickey’s in serious need of a spine transfusion before he even considers a financial one for his company.


You’ve probably heard the joke. How do you identify an old radio chain? Look for the makeshift morgue.


I define radio to those who ask as a business where luck is running out for those who are presently controlling it - but it’s like passengers in an airplane where the pilot dies and there’s no way to land the plane without crashing.


The only good news is that by keeping Suleman, Dickey and the other usual suspects in place will speed-up the impending fire sales.


I saved the best Rube Goldberg for last. By now, you’ve heard of iBiquity’s latest scheme to jumpstart their D.O.A. HD Radio.


Here’s a seriously flawed technology that has zero consumer interest despite millions of dollars of donated radio time to promote it.


At iBiquity, there’s nothing more rewarding than to spend other people’s money on preposterous promotion, marketing, and gadgetry.


So what do you make of the HD Radio iPhone app?


Yes, the app is free - but there’s a catch. It’s iBiquity. There’s always a catch!


To receive HD Radio on your iPhone, you must go to a participating Radio Shack, er, the Shack store and plunk down $79.95 plus tax for a bulky add-on HD Radio tuner, which you have to attach to your iPhone.


Yes, you are now carrying around two devices. One, which is sleek and stylish, the other - pure Rube Goldberg.


There’s another catch. You cannot use the device through your iPod-docking car stereo system because the 30-pint port of an iPhone connects to only one device at a time.


It is said that iBiquity CEO Bob “Booble” Struble hasn’t even uttered the word “Zune” since his iPod Rube, er, app, was released.


Wonder if Freddie sold him the app? Together we con!


Rube Goldberg and radio. Life imitates art.

----

Carl Hirsch & Gil Rosenwald interviews from 1979


62 comments:

Unknown said...

Can we say Bob "Rubel" Struble?

Anonymous said...

Nice refreshing take on the news, John.

I'm astounded by radio's stupidity on this HD Radio app. I first thought, great idea! Push HD onto the Apple platform, word of mouth may help it take off and it could really generate some organic growth. Might even sell some radios. We've got a couple of local stations that have turned over programming on their side channels to young guys with real enthusiasm. Every so often these are the type of guys who can really take off when they're not saddled with the typical programming BS and they break out with a following. So I had real hope that the Iphone connection could be a great way to help them go viral. And, eventually, bring more people onto HD. Leave it to radio execs to fail to understand the basic premise of what they're trying to accomplish, yet push ahead anyway.

As for FM on cell phones, what radio execs need to know is that the FCC thinks they're idiots. That they've basically killed the golden goose with their greed and consolidation. The regulators are enjoying watching this industry collapse in on itself, and they have no intention of taking an action like this that will help it. In truth, it might not even be a bad idea to give more people access to emergency information. But the doors are closed in Washington to radio. You can't make a living peddling misinformed, anti-government trash talkers for 20 years and then expect to find a sympathetic ear in DC. Sorry.

One typo, John. You mean Lou Dickey of Cumulus not Citadel.

Anonymous said...

So this new HD iPhone app that's been all over the trade press actually requires an add on device from Radio Shack that costs $80, and the user has to tote a 2nd bulky device, and it won't work in a car with an iPod docking device? Geeshh! They must be really lining up around the block for that!

Anonymous said...

Here's Bob's video on that POS adaptor, in which he appears to be getting ready to jerk-off (no kidding) with the cord wrapped around his hand:

http://tinyurl.com/ydkxggz

Here's what one Twitter had to say:

"iBiquity wants me to pay $80 to listen to HD Radio on my iPhone... http://tr.im/ED0Y BwahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhaha! Eat me."

http://tinyurl.com/yl72fyt

I think that about sums it up for Struble. If one checks the rankings on Amazon's top-sellers in electronics, the Zune HDs are a complete flop.

I hope that Apple is smart enough to stay away from HD Radio and those HD Radio chipset and licensing fees to directly include HD Radio. I've heard that Struble is very persuasive, and is supposedly in on-going talks with Apple to directly include HD Radio in Apple products. Here's what Mark Ramsey had to say:

"How to get HD Radio on your iPhone"

"Which would YOU do? Well that depends on whether you're in the business of selling audiences or the business of selling HD Radio chips. This is not about what we want, it's about what consumers want. I don't know about you, but I vote that we do NOT treat our audience - and the thoughtful folks in our industry - like fools."

http://tinyurl.com/yhygp8g

As for including FM-tuners in cell phones, the FCC has already approved that text-based solution that cell phone companies are working on. The FCC doesn't even have the authority to make such a mandate (remember HD Radio forced into Satrad devices that failed) - it would take an Act of Congress, signed off by the President. In any case, it would probably be struck down in court.

Anonymous said...

Rube Goldberg was at least entertaining. The radio CEOs are just plain dumb.

I cannot believe that anyone would want Farid Suleman to stay on with Citadel. The man is a nut case. Clearly over his head.

Please, please, please. When do the fire sales begin?

Anonymous said...

I have read and seen some pretty stupid ideas from the HD Radio Alliance and Ibiquity in the past but this one tops everything.

Did they ever stop and think about this product?

Who would pay that kind of money to hear more crap from the same five or six radio chains that have ruined the FM band?

Anonymous said...

Guys...guys--look at the bigger picture, please.

Yes, HD sucks. You know it. I know it. What's more, the public knows it. Mention HD radio to them and they think they already have it. After all, their local station says "now broadcasting in HD"--why wouldn't they be getting it already? At least that's the perception.

Yes HD equipment is expensive, overheats, the product is not listened to, and it is syphoning off even more precious dollars that could be used to strengthen areas that the (alleged) larger audience actually listens to. All great points and thank you for typing them again into this commentary blog.

But seriously--focus on the bigger picture.

The destroyers of this industry--Suleman, Hogan, Dickey, et. al, are *as we speak* positioning themselves to not only push their companies into bankruptcy (entirely their fault), but continue to run these entities post bankruptcy. These people have destroyed business value, careers, and investor's wealth...and yet THEY are the one's who survive this mess??? Seriously???

If the FCC means anything (especially during a DEMOCRAT administration--you know, the party that supposedly stands up against "big business" interests), then all of our effort should be aimed toward convincing the FCC that these embodiements of "operators" need to go. Period. Out. Done. The fact that some consolidators are pushing for even MORE consolidation and lifting of ownership restrictions should scare the crap out of you much more than any "HD Radio" foibles.

Struble is a joke, but the men in charge (including Judy Ellis--we know she's got a pair) are a cancer...a major cancer that has choked the life out of thisindustry. They should not be allowed to get away with it.

Anonymous said...

I was in Boston with an engineering friend who had an HD radio. For shits and giggles we decided to listen to the local fare. There isn't enough space to list all the problems but there were many. From signals that didn't exist to grungy sounding audio to unusually late delays. It was amateur hour radio and the content was for the most part bad. Radio should be putting all of its efforts into developing its streaming audio and smart phone apps provided they have worthwhile programming. Radio is throwing away money at a time they cannot afford to by backing this deadweight called HD radio.

Anonymous said...

I cannot for the life of me understand how those radio CEOs thought they could get anywhere by meeting with the FCC. The FCC knows that these CEOs took down the radio industry with greed and manipulation. I also cannot understand why these radio CEOs who are supposed to know such things would be unaware that the FCC is not the body that could legislate FM radio as a standard feature on cell phones. We really have some awful dumb people running things these days.

Anonymous said...

Rube Goldberg would make a better CEO than any of the Washington DC trekkers to the FCC.

At least Rube's devices as bizarre as they were worked. Nothing these radio CEOs applied to their business have worked.

They cry the blues about the economy but I seem to remember that radio was having serious financial problems while other sectors were still healthy.

Oh my.

Anonymous said...

I listen to WATD every morning for local news and information. I am impressed that you are aware of them.

Anonymous said...

i havent read anything in your blog about the same people that wrecked radio are now invading the internet. i am talking about consultants like fred jacobs, mike mcvey & others who are now getting involved with on line ventures while still keeping firm in terrestrial radio. it is disturbing because they will bring to the new medium the same problems that caused terrestrial to lose audience. i view the internet as an opportunity for young people and innovators not the formula barons. i would hope you will address this issue in a future blog.

Anonymous said...

What do you mean by OLD radio industry. Is there a new one?

Anonymous said...

Judy Ellis is the dragon lady of Citadel. She likes to belittle staff and seizes every opportunity to do so. It must be lonely at the top.

Anonymous said...

How does iBiquity get manufacturers to come up with such bizarre unworkable products for HD Radio? Is there something we are all missing here? Even with "respected" guys like Fred Jacobs promoting it the product is not catching on. Most in radio quietly whisper what a joke it is. WHy then is so much time and money being wasted on such a bad product? I am not active in radio, I buy time on it - and no one can explain to me what this HD radio is other than it being a joke. Is this the radio version of a Bernie Madoff style Ponzi scheme?

Anonymous said...

Think about this.

1. Clear Channel
2. Cumulus
3. Citadel

The top three radio chains. All are in serious financial shape.

Anonymous said...

These are probably the last guys who could pull the wool over the FCC's eyes.

Aren't they the same cast of characters that insisted that radio would be in much better shape with deregulation and convinced the commission of that phony fact back in the early nineties?

Anonymous said...

"Why then is so much time and money being wasted on such a bad product? I am not active in radio, I buy time on it - and no one can explain to me what this HD radio is other than it being a joke. Is this the radio version of a Bernie Madoff style Ponzi scheme?"

Glad to help. Many have wondered where all of the money and support is coming from for the HD Radio scam. Good question, aside from the iBiquity investors listed here:

http://www.ibiquity.com/about_us/investor_information

HD Radio is a scheme to destroy the smaller, adjacent-channel community broadcasters off the dial, and replace their signals with the HD2/HD3 signals. Also, iBiquity and the HD broadcasters (criminals) want to charge for some of the HD2/HD3 channels (via RadioGuard), but this will require the replacement of all of the HD radios in the marketplace - the perpetual replacement of HD radios would be very profitable. Same thing happened after multicasting was deployed.

My best guess is that HD Radio is all about slowly causing increased interference to analog signals, thus eventually trying to force HD Radio adoption. Of course, as is being done, HD Radio is being stalled by the lack of consumer interest, and lack of interest outside of the HD Radio Alliance owned stations (which are iNiquity investors, BTW). The FCC is a big part of this problem, and so is Congress. I suggest contacting the FTC for false consumer-marketing claims by iBiquity, and/or the DOJ as iBiquity may be in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Bob Struble seems to have everyone in his back pocket, and appears to be untouchable. Let's hope the marketplace and the recession bring Struble's bitch-ass down. Struble is trashing our airways, especially nighttime AM radio.

Anonymous said...

I listen to WATD all the time. Good station. Only local station left in Boston outside of WBZ which covers all of New England. Music is pretty good too. A mix of oldies and hot AC. I keep it on in the store.

Anonymous said...

A few weeks back Dan Mason said he was committing CBS Radio to an increase of HD Radio spots on all stations. What gives? I do not understand the infatuation with this failing technology. Is everyone on HD radio's payroll? The five CBS stations in my market are constantly running HD Radio promos. Yet you cannot find HD radios in retail outlets. The Radio Shack here did not even know what I was talking about when I brought up the iPhone attachment. They had not heard anything about it. Another scam?

Anonymous said...

Oh, you may want to contact the Federal Elections Commission for Struble's donations to Senator Dingell, during his investigation into the FCC's processes. Of course, Dingell never mentioned HD Radio/iBiquity, as Ford, Clear Channel, CEA, CBS, David Rehr, and Jeff Jury (COO iBiquity) were also donators to Dingell during this time.

Anonymous said...

"They had not heard anything about it. Another scam?"

I am also wondering who has a financial interest in HD Radio, outside those listed on iNiquity's Website, and iNiquity's filings with the SEC (you can do an "EDGAR" search on the SEC's Website for "iBiquity Digital"). Could the CEO's of CBS, Clear Channel, Citadel, Cumulus, etc. been given iBiquity stock? What about NPR executives, too? iBiquity is a private corporation, so many of its financial dealings can be hidden. Struble posted on Twitter that he recently went up to NYC to talk with financial firms about going IPO, which was always the grand scheme - found out from a hit on my blog that the firm was Price Waterhouse Coopers. My guess is that these scammers want to walk away with a nice IPO, then leave radio in ruins.

Anonymous said...

John, we need lenders and we need leaders to turn radio's fortunes around. How many are left? Will the radio industry be smart enough to recognize that the 'names' running radio for the past decade should be put out to pasture for good?????

Anonymous said...

I don't want to say where I work. It is a CBS Radio station. Yesterday, after reading your latest entry I jokingly made a comment about HD radio and the new device from the (Radio) Shack on my show. After my shift ended, I was called into a meeting and told under no condition was I to "ever, ever, ever" make a "derogatory comment" about HD radio again or I would be charged with insubordination. It was equated with insulting a "most important client." Understand that over the years I have taken on some strong topics & always received the support of my management. Even on one occasion when I trashed a car dealer advertiser for misleading information they supported me. What is it about HD radio that has everyone walking on egg shells? A friend and colleague who works at the NPR station said a similar edict was put forth at her station regarding HD radio and that in station breaks HD is always mentioned before streaming. What is going on?

Anonymous said...

Together we CON. You have got those fellows down perfectly. Fred Jacobs is the radio equiv of an ambulance chasing lawyer. Wherever the action is you will see Jacobs set on shop to cash in and separate suckers from their money. It also shows how dumb those running radio are. They keep him hanging on.

Anonymous said...

"I am also wondering who has a financial interest in HD Radio..."

"After my shift ended, I was called into a meeting and told under no condition was I to "ever, ever, ever" make a "derogatory comment" about HD radio again or I would be charged with insubordination."

There really is no mystery here. Ibiquity is owned in large part by the major radio chains, including CBS Radio. Electronics makers also own a big piece. I believe the NAB may have some money invested as well, though someone correct me if I'm wrong on that.

The whole business model that the broadcasters put together was to begin collecting licensing fees for every radio in use. Understand the appeal. HD licensing fees promised to be a cash machine purring away quietly collecting revenue from the whole world of radio listeners. HD radio is very simply a virtual private transmission network operating across the public airwaves. And it doesn't stop with the current fees, at least in the dreams of the execs. Once you've got the technology in place, the options are limitless. You can create more tiers of service and exclusives for higher fees.

It actually could have worked. But unfortunately the radio guys were too stingy and greedy to roll it out in a way that would have put them in the catbird seat. Imagine if for five years they gave away HD radios. Imagine they gave Apple the hash free for its app, along with putting it over the internet. Imagine HD everywhere, and then they begin rolling out the higher tiers of service that cost more, the upgrades and bells and whistles. That wet dream might have actually come true.

But there are two ways to sell. Give the customer something so great that they'll come back for more on their own, or con the customer into buying shit and never see them again. Radio pursued the second path with HD. More than first time sales of HD units, I'd be especially curious to know how many people paid for their second HD unit. My guess? Nobody. Selling more first time buyers will just kill the whole scheme off even faster as people learn they're paying for junk and decide never to return.

Anonymous said...

I'm on the edge of the radio business and not privy to a lot of what is being discussed here. This makes perfect sense. The radio industry has been easy prey for scoundrels & even before deregulation. Whoever made the decision to invest radio groups' dollars in HD radio should be investigated and fired. Are there any honest people servicing radio anymore?

Anonymous said...

"I'm on the edge of the radio business and not privy to a lot of what is being discussed here. This makes perfect sense. The radio industry has been easy prey for scoundrels & even before deregulation. Whoever made the decision to invest radio groups' dollars in HD radio should be investigated and fired. Are there any honest people servicing radio anymore?"

"Robert Struble Channels Lee DeForest"

"iBiquity's President and CEO, Robert Struble, has taken to tweeting. In early September, he revealed he'd taken the train to Wall Street to float the notion of taking iBiquity public: 'Good NYC trip. Wall St way more upbeat than recently. IPO pipeline better, but most think [stock market] rally was too fast'... Here's where the history lesson comes in. In the early 20th century, Lee DeForest, inventor of the 'audion' tube spent a portion of his early career engaged with unscrupulous businessmen in the practice of 'pumping and dumping' stock in radio companies featuring his invention. Partly because DeForest wasn't exactly sure how his invention worked, and partly because the regulatory paradigm of broadcasting hadn't been firmly established yet, many of his ventures failed, and DeForest spent much of his life engaged in patent lawsuits (although he was acquitted of stock fraud, his business partners weren't). One might say the same about Bob Struble and iBiquity. Although HD Radio is 'workable,' it doesn't work well, and even broadcasters don't fully understand how to implement the technology. Given the wobbly future of the HD Radio protocol, it is not far-fetched to see a historical parallel between Struble and DeForest."

http://www.diymedia.net/archive/1009.htm#101709

That's the jist of it - a trip to Wall Street to talk with Price Waterhouse Coopers. Of course, the IPO market is almost non-existent, but watch... The investors will be caught holding the bag, while Struble and the rest of the scammers go on their merry-way, leaving radio in ruins. Bob "Doctor John Brinkley" Struble should be prosecuted for fraud, along with the rest of the maggots.

Anonymous said...

BTW - Struble hasn't done any Twittering since October 29th. I'm wondering if iBiquity's lawyers suggested that he stop?

Unknown said...

"BTW - Struble hasn't done any Twittering since October 29th. I'm wondering if iBiquity's lawyers suggested that he stop?"



No - Undoubtedly the $80.00 HD device attached to his iPhone is doing what all HD devices do - causing interference!

Anonymous said...

@Jerry: NPR's new FM-HD power calculator is out, and now, according to Mike Starling NPR, most stations can go a full 10x power increase. Mike Starling is either a wimp and a blimp, holds iBiquity stock, or NPR threatened to fire him if he didn't cave to iBiquity.

Anonymous said...

You know what's worse than HD Radio? Constantly reading about what garbage it is. Ok, we get it. It IS garbage. It is NOT going to catch on. So why the hell are we even discussing it?
And isn't it time for more wide-ranging commentary here? It seems like every other blog is bashing the same people over and over again and to what end? Ok, we get it, the "C" companies have ruined radio. Consultants have ruined radio. Anyone trying to make money has ruined radio. Radio has ruined radio. But some of the bashing here is absolutely ridiculous. I personally know some of the people who are constantly bashed and it's thoroughout unfair. I will not name names but suffice it to say "have any of you actually WORKED with some or any of the people trashed here?" And I just don't get the bashing of people who are A) trying to make things better and B) trying to make a living out of making things better. You guys are like Cleveland Browns fans. Are the players TRYING? Are the coaches TRYING? One would have to assume so wouldn't one? But yes, they suck, there's no debate. But complaining about HD Radio at this point (IT WILL NOT WORK -- WE GET IT!!!!) is actually quite pointless. This blog continues to be filled with vile attacks some of which are hilariously unfounded (some of which ARE well founded, to be fair). But bashing Dickey, et al, ISN'T GOING TO CHANGE ANYTHING. Personally I want to hear (I think) what Gorman LIKES about radio. Who he likes in radio. Who is trying to do good radio. Where good radio comes from in the 21st century. What ideas HE has (outside of "throw out the bums" as though any of us could anyway). But just sitting around bashing the same 5-6 people over and over again is tedious and ultimately pointless. I've worked with some of the consultants that must've done something horrifying to Gorman at some point and I find each and every one of them stand up citizens dedicated to helping stations. And, I have to ask, why is it always McVay and Jacobs? Because they are the most successful? Why not Pollack? Why not Zapoleon? Why not Demers? Are they doing great stuff and, if so, tell me about! I'll tell you why -- at some point in time Jacobs and McVay MUST have made Gormans' life miserable by doing what they were supposed to be doing. Beating him.

Anonymous said...

"You know what's worse than HD Radio? Constantly reading about what garbage it is. Ok, we get it. It IS garbage. It is NOT going to catch on. So why the hell are we even discussing it?"

Because, we must continue to fight the good fight, until HD Radio is dead and buried, and we won't stop.

Anonymous said...

"You guys are like Cleveland Browns fans."




And terrestrial radio's like the Cleveland Browns.

Anonymous said...

"You know what's worse than HD Radio? Constantly reading about what garbage it is. Ok, we get it. It IS garbage. It is NOT going to catch on. So why the hell are we even discussing it?"

The way you type with capital letters for emphasis, and the general signature of your post, you sure remind me of Mike Walker from Radio-Info HD Radio Board. Hit-and-run posts, with poor attempts at reverse-psychology.

Anonymous said...

Here's a positive idea: Radio stations should just focus on beefing up their online presence and skip HD Radio altogether. It won't be too long before Wifi will be in cars and that will save the wasted HD radio money and provide an investment in the future at the same time.

Anonymous said...

gloom & doom

Anonymous said...

do you have anything positive to offer?

hard to believe you actually had anything to contribute to this business.

Anonymous said...

EEK!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...


"hard to believe you actually had anything to contribute to this business."




I think the man's resume speaks for itself; How's yours look? And Gorman contributed when it could still be called a business!

Anonymous said...

"hard to believe you actually had anything to contribute to this business."

Typical IBLOCK/IBUZZ personal attack.

Anonymous said...

"""hard to believe you actually had anything to contribute to this business.""

I think the poster was commenting on the fact (as others have in the past) that Gorman seems to be more of a whiner than a solution seeker.

Anonymous said...

I believe that if this poster were to take the time and read through these blogs of Gorman's he or she would see that he offers solutions and predicted well in advance what the radio industry would end up like if it continued on its course of sweeping its problems under the rug.
Gorman and the many people that worked with him and for him arguably contributed more to the radio industry than the characters inhabiting the same posts today. He built stations where the staff stayed consistent. His stations billed a lot of money not because he overspotted but had the ratings to command a huge rate and the ability to walk from a bad deal.
I worked in the Cleveland market not for Gorman but indirectly with a couple of clients and in every case his stations delivered to both their audience and their clients. They were personality-driven stations and had adventurous playlists. Even his sports talk WHK told it like it was and did not play the political play it safe game the sports stations in Cleveland do today. I would love to see how he would be promoting the Browns and Indians on his stations. So tell me what is wrong about that? Gorman cares about the radio industry and wants to see improvement.
If you don't like his caustic tongue or his satirical writing my advice would be not to read it. DelColiano is another good one though he tends to write the same blog every day. Stick with Inside Radio and RBR and Radio Ink which marches along with the radio industry as it is today if you don't want to read about the true state of radio.

Anonymous said...

**I think the man's resume speaks for itself***

but it ends in "unemployed (and bitter!)

**How's yours look?**

Pretty good!

Anonymous said...

Unemployed? He has his own company, idiot. He has had it for many years. He consulted two stations I was at. One 15 years ago and the other 2 or 3 years ago.

He also has a talent coaching business and an anchor woman he worked with that many said would never get out of her market is now working for a major news group syndicator.

Maybe because he speaks his mind because he is not on the Hd radio payroll?

Re: Jacobs/McVey. I read through this and could not find any references to McVey. I did find plenty on Jacobs and it is no different than what many have said about him in the past. He has also taken a couple of rightfully so shots at Lee Abrams. There are plenty of consultants he likes and has respect for so why should he mention them in the same sentence with Jacobs.

You sound like the bitter one. You may have a job with one of the "C" companies. So you are miserable because you have to execute plans you know will fail and when it is all said and done you will take the hit for them.

When your station goes full repeater radio and does not need your services anymore maybe you will see things in a different viewpoint.

Anonymous said...

You know..............most of these "idiots" were people or companies that probably hired many of you at some point in time. Ah, so maybe THAT explains the state of radio!

Anonymous said...

Personally I'd like to hear Gorman name three consultants he likes and respects and three owners he likes and respects.

Anonymous said...

"Personally I'd like to hear Gorman name three consultants he likes and respects and three owners he likes and respects."




Consultants? Are there still 3 of 'em left? As for 3 good owners, ya gotta be kiddin' me!!!

Anonymous said...

his buzzard book blog mentioned carl hirsch who ran malrite, legacy and omniamerica. in the eighties when carl ran malrite it was the most respected radio chain in the u.s. i worked briefly for omniamerica in the mid nineties & it was the best managed company i ever worked for. gorman oversaw programming and our pd told me his 'interference' amounted to 'keep on doing whatever it is you are doing'. he didn't even ask for a 'report from the pd. his only advice was 'call me if you need me.' when chancellor took us over the station went to hell & imposed format changes galore. people who had never been in the market were 'experts' of it. i left. none of those stations have had decent ratings in years. i read a few yrs back that gorman had praise for john sebastian and jeff pollack as two rock consultants that got it. i would not be surprised if there are only a few owners that gorman likes today given the state of the industry & can you blame him.

Anonymous said...

"Unemployed? He has his own company, idiot. He has had it for many years."

On other words...unemployed.

Anonymous said...

[i]Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Personally I'd like to hear Gorman name three consultants he likes and respects and three owners he likes and respects."

Consultants? Are there still 3 of 'em left? As for 3 good owners, ya gotta be kiddin' me!!![/i]

This is the kind of crap that Gorman ferments. Gloom and doom. No solutions...no learning from others, etc.

ANd the responses on this blog? It just fuels gloom and doom responses like the one above.

Anonymous said...

Hey! Wait till 2012! You ain't seen NUTHIN' yet! Nostradamus & the Mayans BOTH predicted the demise of HD radio!!!

Anonymous said...

"Hey! Wait till 2012! You ain't seen NUTHIN' yet! Nostradamus & the Mayans BOTH predicted the demise of HD radio!!!"

HD Radio has been around that long, and has only sold a few hundred thousand, with a 50% return rate? LMFAO!

Anonymous said...

"And the responses on this blog? It just fuels gloom and doom responses like the one above."

Hey, I reset that statement - LOL!

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