1 of 1- Hathaway
- Weekend Warrior
Offline - Registered: July 5, 2014
- Posts: 260
George Michael.
Figured I should bring up the retirement of G.M on the local Quad Cities board before it slipped through the cracks.
- Jody Thornton
- Sticker Spotter
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- From: Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Registered: March 27, 2014
- Posts: 72
Re: George Michael.
Ooooh, you mean as in CHYM right? Sorry, I had a slow moment there.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- aflem
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- Registered: February 16, 2015
- Posts: 64
Re: George Michael.
Includes audio of his announcement.
George Michael's on air retirement
- Hathaway
- Weekend Warrior
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- Registered: July 5, 2014
- Posts: 260
Re: George Michael.
no no Jody, it's CHIME FM. Don't you read the BBM diaries LOL.
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Thread Starter- Jody Thornton
- Sticker Spotter
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- From: Richmond Hill, Ontario
- Registered: March 27, 2014
- Posts: 72
Re: George Michael.
Irvine wrote:
no no Jody, it's CHIME FM. Don't you read the BBM diaries LOL.
Oh right, how stupid of me...lol. I thought he should have also acknowledged Val Cole as his earlier sidekick, but oh well.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- Hathaway
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Re: George Michael.
I don't think it was neccesary. Val was his sidekick a long time ago (15 years or something). And the station back then was remarkably different sounding with a different audience.
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Thread Starter- Dan Joseph
- Straight Outta School
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- Posts: 30
Re: George Michael.
I agree, Mark. This is a remarkable career...The sound of the station changed over the years, but George survived the change. Most of it spent at #1 in the market.
But, it raises a good point. Will the shoe-filler (and those are big shoes) be able to assume the role as a co-host as productively?
The station will have to choose a successor very carefully.
Last edited by Dan Joseph (March 27, 2015 9:03 PM)
- Hathaway
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- Posts: 260
Re: George Michael.
Hard to say what will happen Dan. Some will argue that a good number of listeners won't even notice. Others will say he was pivotal because he was liked, local & a great broadcaster. I think it's the latter. The demo CHYM appeals to is older & more likely to bond with a radio personality.
I'd think it will be a real challenge to find a suitable replacement. And my guess is the next guy won't likely make 3 years let alone 30. Dave S might take a shot at it, but he's now a politician. I always thought Dave S was at his best on KIX back in the day.
Maybe they could hire you Dan?
Last edited by Irvine (March 28, 2015 1:29 PM)
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Thread Starter- Mike
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- Posts: 265
Re: George Michael.
I remember 1 morning while in my teens I got up to go to my summer job and my father was in the kitchen having a smoke before he went to work. He would have been in his 50's then and he was listening to Jay Nelson on CHUM. I was genuinely surprised and said something like, "You're listening to Jay Nelson?". He said, "He works hard at it". Did that mean Wally Crouter didn't work as hard? Not sure. We never discussed it. But it was Nelson who earned my father's loyalty, not the station. BTW, he didn't hate the music... he didn't necessarily like all of it, but I remember him singing along to Sweet Pea by (was it?) Tommy Roe. Of course songs by Dean Martin and Frank Sintra were big hits on Top 40 stations then.
All of this to say: they could have gone Hot Country and George Michael would have done just fine. Good for him.
- Hathaway
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- Posts: 260
Re: George Michael.
@Mike
Injecting a little of that old "SOWNY radio romance" into the thread Mike? I'm not taking away from anything that George Michael did. He's a top notch broadcaster. But his long tenure at CHYM is very much likely due to the fact the station has been on top of the market for decades (excluding the one book CFCA beat them). He was with a winner & that helped his longevity.
LOTS of very talented/excellent broadcasters have been turfed for reasons that mystify all but those in radio power. I mean this same company fired Erin Davis did they not?.
Further, the days of the "big name" in the broadcast seat are likely going to end too. The reason is simple. The station doesn't want it's own brand bested by one of it's staff. It puts said personality in control & if they're let go, the station must now face a backlash on social media (a good example was what happened with Martin Streek.
Yep, the days of the big radio star are coming to a finish. They don't want a George Michael, they want more of a Ryan Seacrest. A guy with a big name, but one that people don't get attached too. Then they can brag about it but secretly know "we're safe" because he's not really ours. That seems to be the prevailing mindset of "big radio".
And I know you don't like what I say, but look over the past 10 years I've frequented these boards. I've called a LOT of things right on the money. If I was that lucky in the 649 I'd be living in Bora Bora.
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Thread Starter- Mike
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- Posts: 265
Re: George Michael.
Oh SNAP! lol
(Although any "romance" in that place has long-since been dead and peed on)