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October 17, 2022 11:24 pm  #1


Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/244092/rich-shertenlieb-to-pay-personally-for-mike-lockharts-return-to-98-5-the-sports-hub/

This is quite the situation.

A top Boston morning show host of one of the most popular morning shows in the U.S. has negotiated with his radio station to allow for the return of the recently "let go" morning show producer, because the host is willing to pay for the producer's salary out of his own pocket, plus an "administration fee" the station is charging him as well as additional writing duties on the station website.

Attached is the article with full details and the clip from the morning show with the host, named Rich, explaining how it all unfolded, his idea to pay for the producer himself, and announcing the return of beloved, irreplaceable producer Mike Lockhart.

Hope this BYOP, Bring Your Own Producer, isn't a sign of things to come. But imagine being able to afford to do this. Guess they pay radio hosts better in the United States.

Last edited by betaylored (October 17, 2022 11:25 pm)

 

October 18, 2022 10:58 am  #2


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

I can see that happening here; radio producers are massively underpaid in the Ontario market, and many hardly keep their heads above water. This is not a new issue; it's been going on for years. 

The same applies to board ops, who are grossly underpaid, and with the disparity between the host's compensation and the producers, it may work that host subsidizes the producer.

Let's not even go down the road of pay disparity between men and women; that's another ball of xlr cables.

It's interesting that it's never been a topic here.
 

 

October 18, 2022 11:08 am  #3


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

Interesting story, but in the back of my mind I am wondering if it is legit.  However, Beasley Broadcasting in the US has been swinging the axe and continue to do so.  As often is the case, this story doesn't make much sense.  Why would Beasley treat their most successful money making station and morning show the same way as stations that don't perform or lose money?    

You have a very successful station with WBZ FM, supposedly the 5th highest in revenue in the US, likely pulling in $45-50 million per year and very profitable.  The day before producer Mike Lockhart was let go, the latest ratings came out and had the WBZ-FM Toucher and Rich morning show with a 24 share in the Boston market. This was the highest rating ever for any morning radio program in Boston. 

The two hosts of Toucher and Rich say that producer Mike is the backbone of the program and a big part of their success.  His reward is to be fired the day after the shows best ratings come out.    

In the scheme of things Beasley is a middle player in US radio with about 62 radio stations. In 2019 they did about $262 million in revenue.  So they obviously have quite a few stations that aren't really big revenue generators and either break even, lose money, or aren't that profitable.  The company has also been getting into sports betting and video games, so this is becoming a more important part of the revenue.

I am wondering if Rich Shertenlieb, the morning host that is now footing the bill for producer Mike Lockhart will be renegotiating his contract. Or at least will he be reimbursed somehow by the company?  Still something about this story doesn't pass the smell test. Shertenlieb is paying not only Lockhart's salary but also a 38% administration fee markup by the company and also now needs to write four stories per day for the stations website.   And this took four days to negotiate?   Smacks of a publicity stunt. 

 

Last edited by paterson1 (October 18, 2022 5:54 pm)

 

October 18, 2022 8:11 pm  #4


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

All of the controversy aside, I can see why the guy wanted his producer back. If he's as good as they say, they are irreplaceable. A truly great producer gets very little credit, but can make an on-air talent better and in the case of a very good personality, amazing. They can get great guests on the fly, update them on breaking stories, whisper one liners into their ear and generally make the show better. 

If that's this guy mentioned in the story, I can see why he'd be willing to pay to keep him. They don't come along every day. 

 

October 18, 2022 9:13 pm  #5


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

The hosts wanting the producer back would be a given.  Why would Beasley dump the guy in the first place, especially after the morning hosts went to bat for him. Best ratings the show ever had and highest morning radio ratings in Boston history.  Rich Shertenlieb is not only paying the producer's salary but an additional 38% to Beasley corporate for an administration fee?   Sounds like manufactured and orchestrated drama to me and a publicity stunt.  Even if it was all real and true, only makes the story worse. 

 

October 18, 2022 9:21 pm  #6


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

paterson1 wrote:

Rich Shertenlieb is not only paying the producer's salary but an additional 38% to Beasley corporate for an administration fee?   

Depends on range, but it can cost the company around that much above salary per employee.

 

October 18, 2022 9:23 pm  #7


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

paterson1 wrote:

The hosts wanting the producer back would be a given.  Why would Beasley dump the guy in the first place, especially after the morning hosts went to bat for him. Best ratings the show ever had and highest morning radio ratings in Boston history.   

Will they still have the same ratings without him? Probably.

When you're already paper-thin lean, cuts will hit people like that.

 

October 18, 2022 9:38 pm  #8


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

WBZ FM is the number five station for revenue in the US, so I doubt they are paper thin or poor.  The station doesn't seem to think much about the morning team either if one of the hosts needs to pay the producer out of his own pocket.  That's why the story seems contrived.  If Beasley can demand that the host pays the producer plus a premium, plus write five stories a day for the website, odd they didn't ask the hosts not to talk about the firing or the deal with management.  Publicity stunt for ratings and press. 

 

October 18, 2022 9:50 pm  #9


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

It's not a publicity stunt, and they obviously don't need one for ratings.

They're not "poor" but they have shareholders and have to meet revenue expectations. If not, they have to cut costs. This is where they're paper-thin. There's so little left to cut that this is where the cuts start to hit. If I were in charge of executing this grim task, it's what I would have done, too.

 

October 19, 2022 10:45 am  #10


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

RadioAaron wrote:

It's not a publicity stunt, and they obviously don't need one for ratings.

They're not "poor" but they have shareholders and have to meet revenue expectations. If not, they have to cut costs. This is where they're paper-thin. There's so little left to cut that this is where the cuts start to hit. If I were in charge of executing this grim task, it's what I would have done, too.

Well the two morning hosts who would know best whether the producer is worth keeping have spoken and the company has not backed them up.  A better solution and even greater savings would have been to fire the executive who was going to execute the grim task.  Would they still have the same ratings without the suit?  Probably.. 

 

October 19, 2022 12:41 pm  #11


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

I think I read sometime awhile ago that Howard Stern pays all his people out of the massive dollars he receives from Sirius. So there is apparently a precedent ?

 

October 19, 2022 6:48 pm  #12


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

It's not a publicity stunt, and they obviously don't need one for ratings.

They're not "poor" but they have shareholders and have to meet revenue expectations. If not, they have to cut costs. This is where they're paper-thin. There's so little left to cut that this is where the cuts start to hit. If I were in charge of executing this grim task, it's what I would have done, too.

Well the two morning hosts who would know best whether the producer is worth keeping have spoken and the company has not backed them up.  A better solution and even greater savings would have been to fire the executive who was going to execute the grim task.  Would they still have the same ratings without the suit?  Probably.. 

I agree with the sentiment.

 

October 19, 2022 6:51 pm  #13


Re: Top Morning Show Host Ends Up Paying Producer's Salary

mic'em wrote:

I think I read sometime awhile ago that Howard Stern pays all his people out of the massive dollars he receives from Sirius. So there is apparently a precedent ?

It's not uncommon with major market shows in the US that there's a "show budget," that includes salaries, and that budget is managed by the star. T&R requested that their producer's salary be moved into the show budget. We won't know how they made up the difference, but I'd bet the star took a salary cut.