OMI is reporting the KPOJ morning personality Heidi Tauber is no longer with KPOJ. I’m absolutely dismayed by the decision to fire her. It makes absolutely no sense to fire such an integral part of the KPOJ family. And quite honestly, her co-host Carl Wolfson isn’t that great a broadcaster. I agree with him politically, but he can’t carry the show. He’s a bore.

What's up with Portland radio (and TV) lately? Layoffs, firings, long-standing morning shows getting blown up...sounds like the industry in general is really hurting, or are corporate owners just getting particularly tight-fisted?

That sucks!

I like Heidi, always have. She's got a distinctive radio voice, and was WAY underused, IMHO.

Heidi: Hope you land a good gig. The dial is not the same without you on it! (and talk is something I think people might enjoy from you)

Folks this is radio. You get fired for doing your job. Unfair? For sure. And to be honest it does hurt when it happens and you don't see it coming. Sometimes you do see it coming and you're kind of ready.

Having been fired a few times you get pissed, you think about going into Real Estate or Insurance but then your passion for the biz makes it just too hard to leave.

Heidi's got the talent to find another gig.

You don't suppose Heidi was let go to make room for Rebecca Webb?

I spoke with Heidi last night. She told me to tell everyone she is ok. I won't go into the details of what happened. Bottomline, this business can often be brutal. This is one of those times. Broadcasters know that the ax is always overhead and it can fall at any time for any reason, or no reason. Its happened to many of us! Heidi is a good friend and a great talent and I have no doubt that someone will be smart enough to offer her a chance to get back on the air.

I have been told that no one has been hired to replace Ms Tauber at this point, although there are those who are speculating that the move was made to make room for the return of a well-known female morning show news anchor who recently faced a situation similar to Heidi's.

When the brain trust at Clear Channel escorted Heidi from the building they immediately scrubbed all trace of her from the company, including killing her email. Heidi is setting up a gmail account and I will post it here soon so her friends can get in touch with her.

on a side note...there are reports that several KPOJ sponsors have pulled their accounts because Heidi was let go. Maybe Clear Channel will see the error of their ways if their wallet gets hit hard enough!

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You read all access lately? Most everything in corporate broadcast radio is 'off", except CC. CC is up primarily I suspect because they started their latest round of layoffs and budget cuts in the 4th quarter of 07'.

They got ahead of 'the game' a bit.

According to today's R&R, not even Clear Channel is doing well. Cliff Notes reversion of included article... First Quarter revenues off 29.6 million, but CC cut costs in "research and salaries" in the first quarter limiting the impact of the loss. Stock dropping this morning.
Skip to final sentence in news story for important "bullet point."



"Clear Channel Communications on Friday (May 9) reported a revenue decline of $29.6 million for its radio division during the first quarter of 2008 as compared to the same period of 2007. The company says that "declines in local and national revenues were partially offset by increases in traffic, on-line and syndicated radio revenues. Local and national revenues were down partially as a result of overall weakness in advertising as well as declines in automotive, retail and services advertising categories."

Operating expenses within the radio division also declined to $10.4 million primarily related to a decline of $11.5 million in programming expenses attributable, the company says, "to outside research and salaries partially offset by increases in syndicated radio and other infrastructure support expenses. A decline in advertising expenses and a decline in commission expenses associated with the revenue decline also contributed to the overall decline in expenses."

Overall, Clear Channel Communications reported revenues of $1.6 billion in Q1 '08, a 4% increase over the $1.5 billion reported for the first quarter of 2007. In addition, expenses increased 8% to $1.1 billion, and income before discontinued operations increased 70% to $161.4 million, as compared to $95.1 million for the same period in 2007.

“We continued to execute on our strategic plan during first quarter in the face of a challenging macro-economic climate,” commented Clear Channel CEO Mark Mays. “While our results were affected by the soft advertising market, we continued to out-deliver the majority of our media industry peers. Our Outdoor results benefited from the global diversification of our footprint, as well as our ongoing efforts to expand our digital presence. We are solidly on track in rolling out our digital installation plan, which continues to strengthen our long-term growth potential. Our radio operations out-performed the majority of our markets in the quarter and we continued to invest in our content and online assets in an effort to strengthen our value proposition to both our listeners and advertisers. We believe our concerted investment strategy will position our businesses for growth over the long-term.”

Because of Clear Channel's long-pending buyout, there will be no conference call for executives to discuss Q1 results.

Speaking of the buyout, the company says it anticipated a closing by the end of Q1. However, on March 26 the company, joined by CC Media Holdings, Inc., a unit of Thomas H. Lee Partners, L.P. and Bain Capital Partners, LLC, sued the banks that had committed to financing the debt connected to the merger for tortuous interference. A trial date is currently set for June 2 and Clear Channel says it is "unable to estimate a closing date and is not certain that a closing will occur."

Followup -- with CCU's "absolutely no new hires" policy in place, its highly unlikely Heidi was let go to make room for Rebecca. Especially since Rebecca apparently comes with a very expensive price tag. Nobody, especially CCU, is buying high priced talent these days.

how about Super62 oldies and DJ's????

Mark Mays says, "We are solidly on track in rolling out our digital installation plan, which continues to strengthen our long-term growth potential." What does this mean? Is he talking about HD-Radio? Or is he referring to Web sites? Why is it that people in upper management and marketing feel a compulsion to misuse technical words, thus obfuscating the meaning of what they are trying to say?

Its' call "Execuspeak". And it is designed to make the appearance of knowing 'the big picture'. Something that the rest of you unenlightened smaller minds dont yet and might never understand.

And this is why 'I" get paid the big bucks !

Because if they actually just said it, then it would be really easy to call them on it!

I guess that I am of one of the lower castes that is not meant to understand the sacred words of "Execuspeak." The only thing I got out of Mays's "Execuspeak" is directed at 62kgw:

If your concept of radio engineering is changing out tubes on the Power Rock, proofing the antenna array, and keeping the AM Stereo Exciter free of dust bunnies, then you won't be working for Clear Channel! You're either part of the "digital installation plan" or you don't work at Clear Channel.

Sometimes it's good to offer opinions informally at break room, or out at lunch when the bigwigs are not in hearing range.You could also mention the double digit ratings the AMtube machine achieved!!Invite the local Digitalpromoting Manager/corporate spy out to the tower site to help give the transmitter a wax job(like it was a sports car.thenlet him/her dust off the tubes, and toss out the dead Mouses!!!

how about Super62 oldies and DJ's????

How about NEVER!!!!!

How about 62kgw's post at 4:09PM? Either someone else is using his account or he finally wrote something completely (almost)correct that was readable and understandable with punctuation and proper use of upper and lower case?

Trixter is correct. Not that it might not be a bad idea, but 62 has just got to come to the realization that it is never going to happen, as Trixter says, so get over it and get on with life. Same with KISN 91. It's a memory and will never be back. Same is true with all the old Top 40 formats from back then. It is history and those capable of doing it are too old and tired to do it again. Plus, the current expectation of radio won't let it happen again with the idea of more music, xxx in a row, yak yak morning shows, etc. It was a total package back then in it's heyday and it's time has come and gone.

62 may as well get out of the dream world and move into the real world because like it or not, that is where we are .... good/bad, right/wrong ... vt/live ..... it is where we are at now and with all the other options, there is no going back.

Heidi is a terrific broadcaster. I'll miss her on KPOJ - although to be honest, I too don't care for Carl Wolfson as a morning host and have been tuning in less and less since Hartmann became a part-timer on the Morning Show. Wolfson just lacks the dynamic presence of Hartmann. At least with Heidi I still had reason to listen. Having met her in person a few times, I know she's even more terrific in person than she sounds on the radio. REALLY SUCKS that she got fired.

Now I guess I'll be listening to NPR even more...

Andrew

So much for the "absolutely no new hires" policy:

From staatalent.com:

Clear Channel Lima has an opening in it’s news and sports department for a news anchor-reporter with some opportunity for play-by-play sports. Our award-winning news department is losing a solid member to a larger market. If you have a nose for news, can cram a lot of stories into a short amount of time with audio with great writing and a great delivery, edit and rewrite with precision, then we want to talk to you. This position requires a great work ethic, experience in radio news, NexGen and NewsGen, plus some play-by-play.

Send writing samples, resume, and air-check, no larger than 2mb to: Doug Jenkins, News Director Clear Channel Radio 667 West Market St. Lima, OH 45801 Email: douglasjenkins@clearchannel.com. No phone calls please. EOE

I have co-workers who are fun to sit around with and bitch about stuff. This kind of talk goes on behind the closed doors of engineering laboratories or in the breakroom, when outside the presence of senior managers. I'm not trying to be demeaning, but what one has to realize about this is that it is a cathartic exercise that goes nowhere. Why? Because these people don't have any more authority than you or I do to bring these changes about.

Say, for instance, that you got some airtime at KBOO or at an internet-only radio station, and you set about programming the "perfect" show. Somebody at one of the local radio conglomerates might hear your show and like what they hear. They might even contact you and give you kudos on your work. However, it is not reasonable to expect that they would turn around and program your ideas on one of their radio stations. Decisions don't get made that way in the corporate world.

Now, as much as I would like to hear somebody try to implement the programming philosophies of 1960s Top-40 radio contemporarily--even if just on an Internet radio station--I do realize that those old formats eventually lost out in the marketplace to the newer formats created by Lee Abrams and others. Thus, Jimbo may very well be right about those old programming ideas not being viable in today's media environment. Therefore, I'm not going to sit around bitching, "why can't they do a Top-40 station like in the old days..."

The best advice that I can give here is: bitching is not going to get you anywhere. But, if you create something, you might get satisfaction out of knowing that somebody else enjoyed what you toiled to bring about. What you make or do--whether it is a website with old airchecks and radio memorabilia, a museum of vintage radio stuff, a podcast, an Internet radio station, a pirate radio station, a show on KPSU, songs and poetry about vintage radio equipment,etc--is totally up to you. JUST DO IT.

Addendum: why don't you try to get into KPSU and start up an olde tyme rock & roll radio show? Then, you can play Elvis and Little Richard records to your heart's content, and the rock & roll will be on AM, the way that it was meant to be heard!!

"...squeezed down and blasted from a crappy AM radio"

Damn Right.

Oh, LYMUH, Ohio; I thought it was LEEMUH, Peru!

"you think about going into Real Estate"

Just a bit of info for those of you considering this line of work . . . I read recently that some 1200 people DID NOT renew their real estate license in 2008. I don't know if this was just the PDX area or the entire state and/or including Clark co., but if your name isn't Bob Laue, Peggy Hoag or Barbara Sue Seal, you're not going to make much of a wad in the real estate business.

"Now here comes another 40 minutes of Beat music on KBBT, Portland, 970, The Beat!"

Radio's profit equation: reduce staff + same work load or increased work load + increased sales = more profit + happy wall street + happy investors. It is an axiom.

Definition of an axiom: statements that are true in any possible universe, under any possible interpretation and with any assignment of values.

If you are part of the system, your position in the company is always in jeopardy; no exceptions. Serving the public is not part of the process.

Back to Heidi......Now you can really enjoy your honeymoon! Let's get together and compare CC exit papers!

"Radio's profit equation:... It is an axiom."

More like a failed hypothesis.

The first thing that came to my mind regarding the profit equation is that it is like a religious dogma....But before anybody criticizes me of being a whiner, let me just say how pointless and unproductive it would be to go on and on about, "the Pope and his guys over in the Vatican have it all wrong with that celibacy policy! They gotta get rid of that celibacy policy. Let those poor priests and nuns raise families like everybody else! Why can't they get rid of that celibacy policy? Why? Why? Why? Waaaaaaaaahhhhh!"

I just read a post from Rebecca Webb on OMI that she is in no way, shape or form replacing Heidi Tauber on KPOJ 620am.

I really feel it's important KPOJ hears from the listening audience about its decision to fire Heidi. She in no way deserved this -- and I'm finding their silence on the matter deafening.

Would you want your employer to tell everyone why you were fired?...Really??? People are fired for a variety of reasons. If she was fired with cause, then a public forum isn't the place to discuss it. If it had to do with ratings, money or a change in company direction - that's without cause and you usually find out what happened on a site like pdxradio.

If anyone would like to drop Heidi a note her new email is heiditauber@gmail.com

Thom Hartmann did something today you rarely see in radio. He acknowledged that Heidi Tauber no worked for KPOJ and how he missed her. Two thumbs for Thom Hartmann.

And if Heidi reads this, we miss you as well.

Phylicia Heaton is now Heidi Tauber's replacement. She is not an improvement over Tauber.

Heidi Tauber wasn't fired because of a staff reduction at KPOJ. So what is the real reason she was fired?

DD in radio you can get fired for doing your job. It's the nature of the beast and it doesn't always make sense.

The reason she was fired was explained in the Steve Duin Oregonian column a few weeks ago.

If it's the Felicia Heaton I'm thinking of that I met a few years ago, this is totally awesome for her.

Mr Duin left out some very important facts ....The REAL reason why.
Don't believe what you read in the Oregonian or any other main line pulp out there. That was the most one way slanted piece Duin has written.

So then, for those of us who so obviously aren't as smart, or connected as you are, why don't you explain what the hell you are talking about?

'That was the most one way slanted piece Duin has written.'

Given his consistent hard left bent, that's saying quite a bit.

Herb

I thought that the point was that nobody, including Heidi, will ever know the REAL reason why she was let go. It could have been office politics. It could be that Felicia gets paid less. It could be that somebody found Heidi unpleasant to work with. Who knows. For anybody who has ever been laid off or fired, did you ever get the complete picture of why you were let go--assuming that the reason was something other than the company going out of business?

Check it out on Sunday!

(No link yet.)

Here is the link to the Tauber story.

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf?/base/news/1211594 108309390.xml&coll=7

forgot to mention the drinkin problem

Alcohol consumption should not have been mentioned in Duin's column because, if it does exist, its a personal problem. We all have emotional difficulties in our lives. It is intrinsic to being human.

I thought companies sent employee's with drinking problems to rehab. Sounds more compassionate than giving her the ax, especially given KPOJ's progressive mantra.

There is no progressive agenda at KPOJ. Their programming is guided by the one and only desire to make money. And judging by the Miller-Kaplan's they are not doing a very good job.

Too bad that anonymous posters can disrespect people that they probably don't even know.

Their programming is guided by the one and only desire to make money.

Just like 99% of the radio stations on the planet.

I worked in the same building with Heidi when I was at Z100. Often times having to walk through the KEX newsroom to get to the Z100 production room.

I was at Z100 for 5 years and you hear all sorts of rumors or other office scuttle butt. Not once did I hear anything about Heidi that was negative.

I think Heidi is being very professional in how she is handling the situation. It's no fun being fired. Your ego and everything else about who you are professionally gets shaking.

I really hope she lands on her feet in a place where her skills and attitude are appreciated.

I do worry about Heidi's ability to land another gig on Portland radio given that her political biases are now well known, considering her active role on the Morning Show. Too bad there is only one "progressive talk" station in Portland. I do wish her all the best in whatever future job she finds.

If Heidi truly was let go because her news performance was not considered up to par (by her own admission), I'd find that sad; I can't believe KPOJ listeners really cared, plus she was pretty popular among listeners and people in the progressive community. One wonders if this would ever have been an issue if Heidi's employer wasn't a big corporate entity like Clear Channel. Personally, I hate the ABC news that Clear Channel runs on KPOJ. Listeners tend to care about different things than management, apparently.

Andrew

I love radio, but I couldn’t imagine working in an environment where your employment is so tenuous. I realize that in today’s world, nearly everyone is disposable. And too, even though KPOJ promotes a progressive agenda, it’s owned by a giant corporation devoid of heart (unless it’s tied to some promotional gimmick).

anon contributors cut both ways.

Who really gives a crap about somebody that just says something, without backing it up?

The comment carries as much weight as each of us thinks it does. Personally, I give ZERO weight to that kind of thing. So should Heidi.

If you are in the public eye, then you are there knowing people say stuff. Ratchet up your self-respect and confidence accordingly.

Are the financials mentioned available publically?

I liked Heidi, always have. I don't think the political stuff is going to be that big of a deal. We are seeing a shift that will go a long way toward marginalizing those negative associations (false and ignorant ones, BTW) that are out there.

Who we are, and our talents we bring, are different from the politics and religion and money we have. Plenty of people get this, meaning there will be opportunities.

Heidi's a great character, very talented, and I like her very much. I think we ran a pretty good show together in the late '80s on KINK. We had a ball, too--lots of fun with very infrequent disagreements or little tiffs. Naturally there were a few minor ones in a blue moon as we're both sensitive, fragile beings of beauty and creativity. But, all in all, it was a pleasure and an honor, a great experience for me. Thanks, Heidi.

Good luck and God speed, my friend and colleague. I certainly have been where you are and can sympathize/empathize. Why, hell, as a matter of fact, I am there right now, riding the hose-o-rama bus of doom and shame with ya. Well, that's the way it feels whether we are dismissed with cause or not. Remember, there doesn't have to be a "reason," and there often isn't.

It's radio.

It's Chinatown.

Well, let's keep it in perspective folks. The station is still run by Cheap Channel and as everyone knows the only ones with that company that are allowed to make a living wage are the executives.

"In Steve Duin's May 25 column on Heidi Tauber, the names of KPOJ's Tom Hartmann and Mike Dirkx and former KINK broadcaster Jeff Clarke were misspelled."

- A timely correction from The Oregonian, June 10, 2008

You mean they misspelled Thom Hartmann's name? (Did they misspell it in the correction too?)

Andrew

"You mean they misspelled Thom Hartmann's name? (Did they misspell it in the correction too?)"

Yes, in both cases. In Duin's column, the names were spelled: Thom Hartman, Mike Dirks and Jeff Clark. Sheesh.