BARB - Big Apple Radio Blog

Clear Channel NYC Cuts/Consolidations: Week 2

So far today:

"Overnight jocks? We don't need no overnight jocks... We don't have to hire no stinkin' overnight jocks!"

Apparently, that was not necessarily the president of Clear Channel New York this morning, but I'm sure that's how everyone feels after this decision. I am aware Charlie Burger is out at WKTU. I am sure Lite overnighter Victor Sosa is going to remain with Lite, as he should, he's a bright young talent - I know, but if it isn't at the expense of Bernstein or Smaldone, then where? Let's hope those two big dominoes stay in place for awhile. Q104 overnights I'll get to in a moment, and truthfully, I have no clue who the overnight jocks are at Z and Power...

In other news: WKTU loses Lil Cee and Speedy...

But most of the damage was done at Q104.3. A few shocking transactions: A voice is as New York as they come, Marc Coppola exits - or according to All Access, "no longer in a full-time capacity". Which might explain the departure of weekender and WNEW alum Pat St. John. Also, morning show producer Eric Margolis, who withstood the morning show changing from "The Rock & Roll Morning Show with Bob Buchmann" to "Leslie Gold & Bob Buchmann" to "The Radio Chick Show" to currently "The Jim Kerr Morning Show", is also sent packing.

And while this next transaction may be a surprise to some, given the names and long careers of the jocks they've previously let go, I do have to give Clear Channel a little respect for doing so: The aforementioned Coppola's evening slot was given to... former overnighter Carol Miller. Like the now-departed Pat St. John, a WNEW alum. You've read my blog last week basically pleading to Clear Channel to spare her the ax during this time. And while I'm not certain that it persuaded them to make that decision, I'm sure my request didn't fall on deaf ears. I mean, I'm shocked that it came at the expense of "the Cope" - but then again, he isn't the first big name to get their walking papers from CC this month. At any rate, now Carol is back in the evening slot, just like years ago during the final years at WNEW-FM, "where rock lived". I can only hope that, in this not-so-rock town, CC can continue with this format for years to come - in other words, it won't be deja vu all over again. And I also applaud them with not easily outsourcing the evening slot altogether to Alice Cooper or another syndicated show.

Finally, All Access posted an interesting blurb a few moments ago: "Despite denials today by [PD] Jim Ryan, ALL ACCESS hears that a deal is thisclose to being announced that DELILAH will take over nights at WLTW." They also provide a link to a Daily News article in which he entertains the "possibility" of that taking place - but that he would program the music. But can he program the callers? Read the story from last week. My hunch is that her show will usher in the all-Christmas format over at Lite.

Humbug.