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Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
His real name is John Piccillo, but he's been known on air in Buffalo for decades simply as "J.P.", with his latest gig on oldies formatted WECK.
But he's not on the station anymore, after a bizarre disagreement involving social media and a Facebook post. He'd already been on a leave of abscence to look after his ailing mother.
In the end, this all comes down to a battle of wills, with an industry veteran and an owner who - get this - used to be his intern!
The Buffalo News has the entire bizarre story that could only happen in radio.
'Beatles' host JP leaves WECK after disagreement with station owner Buddy Shula
- Easily Amused
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
Interesting. After a year, all is forgiven? I was under the impression that the parting was acrimonious.
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
Here's the Buffalo News' take on this story.
J.P.'s Beatles show coming back to WECK
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Thread Starter- darcyh
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
After a recent thread about Buffalo radio, I gave WECK a listen for a three hours during the afternoon of July 4 from about 1 - 4:00 pm. The songs were oldies top 40 from the fifties through seventies. Music selection was fine, especially without the forced Canadian stuff, commercial load reasonable and all were paid commercials not public service ads. They played a couple of Canadian songs (Sundown by Gordon Light was one).
I was disappointed the announcer who would come one every five or six songs was voice tracked. No time / temperature or reference to anything current. Well it is the 4th of July so like Canadian stations, holidays probably mean no one's there - the station is on autopilot. Tuning in on July 8 during the same time period the station was again voice tracked. Nothing wrong or right about any of this, but there was nothing that stood out about WECK. I'd just as soon listen to Freddy Vett live each weekday afternoon on CJBQ despite the tiresome forced Canadian content, or CFOS would be an acceptable alternative too.
It appears WECK is successful with its format for older adults. This seems to be lost on the operators in Southern Ontario; there is plethora of under performing stations producing meager ratings chasing the same demographics with the same boring content. The younger folks with disposable income that are coveted by these stations stream their content. My daughter as an example does not listen to AM or FM despite having several stations to choose.
I will give WECK full credit for creating a maket / niche for itself. Properly managed a station like it would probably be able to make a modest profit in Sourhern Ontario. It is too bad no one has tried.
Last edited by darcyh (Yesterday 9:10 pm)
- Jody Thornton
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
darcyh wrote:
It appears WECK is successful with its format for older adults. This seems to be lost on the operators in Southern Ontario; there is plethora of under performing stations producing meager ratings chasing the same demographics with the same boring content. The younger folks with disposable income that are coveted by these stations stream their content. My daughter as an example does not listen to AM or FM despite having several stations to choose.
I will give WECK full credit for creating a maket / niche for itself. Properly managed a station like it would probably be able to make a modest profit in Sourhern Ontario. It is too bad no one has tried.
How are we judging WECK's success? What's it based on? He is not at all open about his ratings. Since it appears that it automated, it also appears the payroll is kept to a minimum. I don't how high/low the salaries are for the core talent. There seems to be a staff of eight announcers. Are some of them just contracted part-time to VT a shit-load of hours?
I say all of this, citing that advertisers have made it PRETTY CLEAR that they are not at all interested in reaching older boomers and seniors, even if they actively listen to terrestrial radio. So to them, why even other with radio? If they want a Geritol audience, there's television, but I think most of who the advertisers would rather reach is on social media, streaming, etc ... I know he must have a lot of local businesses advertising, because he has spot breaks pretty full to the rafters. But does he have much in the way of national buys? Maybe he expects to make money on the Patriot, and that will pay for WECK. I dunno.
Anyway, if all we're going by is what Buddy Shula says, well I think he more that effed away any credibility he had by coming on here and spouting off at the moderator and a couple other posters. By the way, that same moderator has been very supportive of Buddy's efforts on WECK. I wonder if Buddy is just spending his own money to keep WECK alive, like a certain WABC owner is doing in the Big Apple.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- paterson1
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
I know some on here love to put this station down and don't seem to like the owner. However, as an AM radio station Zoomer puts much more effort and thought into programming than WECK or any other AM station around Southern Ontario. Yes they lose money apparently but look at all of the on air professional talent they have, the huge variety and number of shows they produce locally every week, and many promotions and financial advice for seniors. They even sponsor many travel excursions for listeners.
A very underrated and overlooked AM station that is one of a kind, and puts all others on the AM dial to shame.
Last edited by paterson1 (Yesterday 11:28 pm)
- Jody Thornton
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
I know some on here love to put this station down and don't seem to like the owner. However, as an AM radio station Zoomer puts much more effort and thought into programming than WECK or any other AM station around Southern Ontario. Yes they lose money apparently but look at all of the on air professional talent they have, the huge variety and number of shows they produce locally every week, and many promotions and financial advice for seniors. They even sponsor many travel excursions for listeners.
A very underrated and overlooked AM station that is one of a kind, and puts all others on the AM dial to shame.
I'd actually agree with you. I like to poke fun at its zero ratings (usually when I want to discredit one of your points ... lol), but there's a wealth of programming on the station. Some of the talk content is better than what the talk stations proper offer. As for music, I wish CKOC would take a pointer from Zoomer and set up their processing in the same way. Music sounds really good (as much as it can on AM). But then why does Moses put all of that money and resource into a ratings loser? I know broadcasting is "supposed" to provide a public service, but the way I see it ... it's business.
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- Shorty Wave
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Re: Fight Over Facebook Prompts Buffalo Radio Vet To Quit WECK
I know some on here love to put this station down and don't seem to like the owner. However, as an AM radio station Zoomer puts much more effort and thought into programming than WECK or any other AM station around Southern Ontario. Yes they lose money apparently but look at all of the on air professional talent they have, the huge variety and number of shows they produce locally every week, and many promotions and financial advice for seniors. They even sponsor many travel excursions for listeners.
A very underrated and overlooked AM station that is one of a kind, and puts all others on the AM dial to shame.
I'd actually agree with you. I like to poke fun at its zero ratings (usually when I want to discredit one of your points ... lol), but there's a wealth of programming on the station. Some of the talk content is better than what the talk stations proper offer. As for music, I wish CKOC would take a pointer from Zoomer and set up their processing in the same way. Music sounds really good (as much as it can on AM). But then why does Moses put all of that money and resource into a ratings loser? I know broadcasting is "supposed" to provide a public service, but the way I see it ... it's business.
I couldn’t agree with you more Jody Thornton and paterson1. AM740 does indeed put much more effort into their programming, their weekend programming is the best in the GTA IMO for example, where every other AM station is basically in re-rolls. Their news is top notch, comprehensive and not rushed, music programming great, even with CanCon, and their on-air talent is very pleasant! I also find their commercial breaks don’t go on for five minutes like other AM stations.
I discovered AM740 by chance back in 2008 and have been listening to them since. Sure, they probably are losing money but I think Znaimer has a genuine love for broadcasting and this is not unlike a hobby for him in a way, much like his TV museum, which is worth checking out!
A footnote on their music programming, I have noticed a shift of late where artists like The Violent Femmes and The Flaming Lips for example are being played on Liz West’s afternoon shift, even some Talking Heads, so they’re paying attention to their demographic shift, like me. Great station!