Hank FM Fires Entire Morning Show
Feb. 10, 2010 at 1:26 pm CDT in
News
More staff were let go Wednesday morning from 100.7 Hank FM. This time, the entire morning show was abolished due to budget cuts, we’re told.
Trevor “Moose” Stoyko and Julie Buckingham are the two most recent hosts to be out of work from the NewCap Radio-owned station.
Stoyko was originally brought on board in December 2008.
Insiders say it’s only a matter of time until NewCap shuts down the station completely.
UPDATE: General Manager Randy Skulsky did not return a request for comment. As usual, he provided the silent treatment.
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February 10th, 2010 at 3:51 pm
This is so sad. Having worked @ HANK from almost day one, I can honestly say WE WORKED OUR BUTTS OFF! Abbey White is one of the most beloved/repected Program Directors in Country Music, and it sucks when the ratings don’t match the effort. These are dark times for Country radio in Canada.
February 10th, 2010 at 3:59 pm
I dare say these are dark times for radio in general in Canada.
February 10th, 2010 at 5:20 pm
country radio will not be missed. Never heard of these clowns – did they even have an audience?
February 10th, 2010 at 5:54 pm
Hey “pull my finger” it’s never funny when someone loses their job. Have some respect for those people who work their butts off to put food on the table for their families.
February 10th, 2010 at 6:22 pm
Aww, I’m sorry to hear that too. I was with Newcap Winnipeg when Hank FM launched, and even before that, when it was Cafe 100. Troy’s right in his comment, past and present staff there have worked damn hard trying to make something happen.
I’ve worked with both Moose and Julie in another market, they’re good folks and I wish both of them all the best.
February 10th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
I listened to Cafe 100 and other than having a bad GM they were on the right track. Just lacked the right combination to put them over the top and packed the format in way too early when numbers didn’t pump.
Hank-FM….they kept this dog running way too long and the dogs died a slow death.
But, I was very impressed by the go get it attitude of the on-air and promotions staff. Didn’t know Skulsky but he had to be better than Kevin Kline…its hard to budge market share when you already have a decent country outlet and another station NCI-FM that plays roots country, etc.
Newcap will either ditch the format in a few weeks, playing out the string or they’ll sell both HANK and CKJS Ethnic to someone who can work a bit of magic.
And Magic would be going from a .9 share to around a 1.5 in the first year and getting to 2.5+ within 18 months. If you can get to 2.5, you can get to 5.0 and then the sky is the lmit.
Howie K’s magic format didn’t really work this time, did it?
February 11th, 2010 at 12:25 pm
It is unfortunate that HANK will more than likely be gone shortly. And it is more unfortunate that 104 will be the country station that rules the Winnipeg market. There have been rumblings for some time the HANK did not renew the HANK name as well they put off the CRTC submission earlier this year. I would say that the writing is on the wall hence the no response from Randy. This station will more than likely become an Alternative station if they can put together the right proposal to the CRTC. They already have the power, why not go Alt… we have crap for mainstream music here. POWER97? CITI? 107 is gone… CURVE? Format all over the ice! Say your goodbyes to HANK and country music greatness…I believe that they ran a better format than 104…I guess the tweener and Country Mom TV (CMT) gang didn’t get it!
Sad but True!
February 11th, 2010 at 4:12 pm
After my experience working with Cafe 100 I think it’s fair to say it doesn’t matter what format the station is – Newcap is an inept company. It’s unfortunate it has strung a lot of really great people along.
Morris in the Village Reply:
February 11th, 2010 at 11:35 pm
Well, its quite obvious that they’re not ‘radio’ people, more like salesmen who think they can take any format and make it work on the strength of hard closers working the community. Not a chance! I suspect they’ll abandon Winnipeg and leave with their tail between their legs. (Won’t leave if they can’t get a decent price for the 2 corydon stations)
Anonymous Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:52 am
An ‘inept company’?? Not quite, Newcap has over 90 stations canada wide and although the majority are in medium markets somewhere around 85% of them are successful. Not to mention the powerhouse HOT 89.9 they own in Ottawa, which is probably the best programmed top 40 station in the country.
Before making arrogant comments like this, you should do some research. Newcap’s alternative station in Ottawa is also successful and a format they could easily mirror in Winnipeg. There is no chance that they’ll sell though as the multicultural UNRATED AM station is a gold mine, and the fact that Winnipeg is in Newcaps top 5 biggest markets.
L.L. Reply:
February 12th, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I suppose working for them wasn’t research enough.
Anonymous Reply:
February 13th, 2010 at 5:32 pm
If you don’t know the basics of the company you worked for, maybe it wasn’t enough.
Far from an inept company.
February 11th, 2010 at 4:44 pm
Sad but True – you summed it up pretty well. Hank ran its country format far better than 104 but just couldn’t get the torque necessary to take the ratings.
I am surprised they didn’t jump all over Karen Black when Karen got her walking papers from 104. Also that 104 didn’t suffer a slight ratings drop when Ron Able died and Troy Westwood took over.
Any thoughts?
February 12th, 2010 at 8:29 am
I’d like to see Laurie Langkastor do a segment on radio in Winnipeg with Marty Gold on his late afternoon talk show. Just sayin’
February 12th, 2010 at 10:00 am
Morris in the Village…
I think 104 is actually waiting for Abbey White. There hasn’t been a permanent replacement for Karen at 104 per say.
A common issue is that every “Major” figures they can program from Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver. Winnipeg is a very particular marketplace that requires a in depth knowledge of the community and market place. Example in point: Lochlan Cross was the MD/PD for years at POWER. Corporate hated Loch because they felt he was a maverick and finally forced him out. That was the end of POWER as we know it. Now they have a corporate “shirt” running the place and no one is listening. It is beyond me who listens to classic rock…and I’m from the era! This marketplace is so messed up stations are only surviving because their competition is so slim.
HANK will go to Alt. Newcap put in an application 2 years ago to the CRTC for the frequencies that were open at the time. Both Newcap and Asper didnt get the license.
Can you say “ROUND TWO”
HANK is done….say goodbye to a competitive marketplace…. unless you want to include NCI, but then again…that would be like saying KICK FM is actually a contender in the Top 40 and HOT AC format!
February 12th, 2010 at 5:52 pm
Sad But True,
You’re obviously a radio insider so you’ve got an edge on me. But yeah Hank Tanked…..despite solid efforts and Abbey White being a solid PD/MD….
Do you know why QX104 pushed Karen Black out the door? Must have been a personality conflict or maybe Karen wasn’t as good a music director/promotions person as she is an on-air personality…..
She’s OK on CJOB, not quite as syruppy as Laurie Langcaster, obviously a bit harder and meaner than LL but CJOB likes the hard/mean chicken hawk type of personalities. Heck, they’ve got lots of them in Adler, Currier, the godtalk guy, Wimpy Cloutier, etc.
I think the alternative format could work if its run independently and not from Atlanta or LA…..and they manage to poach the right performers from other Winnipeg statons. When you switch genres you have to let go the entire staff, from the receptionists to the sales staff, on-air, creative, traffic, production and management……they can plug Skulsky into a place where he doesn’t have to re-invent the wheel…
February 13th, 2010 at 12:54 pm
I would first like to say that it’s terrible when anyone loses their job. I wish Moose and Julie nothing but the best and pray that they land on their feet.
However, “dark times for Country radio in Canada”, ” stations are only surviving because their competition is so slim”, “Hank ran its country format far better than 104″…
Are you kidding me?
This was clearly a terrible radio station, regardless of whatever excuse you want to pin it on (managment, music, DJs, whatever). The fact that after 2 years, TWO years, they couldn’t climb in the ratings is a pretty clear indicator of that. The fact we’re even talking about this is a pretty clear indicator of that!
These aren’t “dark times”, because no one will even know this station is gone (when it happens)also there is plenty of radio stations to choose from, thus by default making this a competitive city and if Hank “ran it’s country format better than 104″, why are we even having this discussion? Not only does 104 have better ratings than Hank, it has better ratings than most stations in the city!
I realize that 99% of the people who read this, comment or care work in “the business”, but stop tryng to wave your company flag by trashing everyone else blindly.
They couldn’t program it, the ratings reflected that, therefore they couldn’t make money selling it. Hank was terrible. That’s bottom line.
February 13th, 2010 at 2:12 pm
I agree with Joey ! and what’s even worse is giving praise to a management team that clearly were not qualified to steer the ship.
February 13th, 2010 at 10:58 pm
One area where Hank was extremely weak (pathetic weak) was community relations and local news or sports. They had virtually no one other than a script-reader on news and no one on sports (thats a crime as they should have had a guy or gal share-costed between CKJS and Hank)…
Community relations was limited to showing up with the Hank Van at functions that their sales dept. managed to sell time at. At least QX had 85 year old Boyd Kozak reading news, doing weather and traffic. (probably by monitoring CJOB’s traffic reports)
btw, the old Cafe-FM had their own helicopter traffic reporter (leasing time on a local copter service during rush hour) so they were actually the first to use the copter to do traffic. In the very old days Captain John (Johnny Sauder of CKY-58) used to do traffic reports for Don Percy via a small one engine plane.
February 14th, 2010 at 6:14 pm
Radio has to re-invent it’s self in a big way or say bye bye ! why on earth would anyone listen to a station that 1/ has poor entertainment value 2 / does not provide informative information local or otherwise 3/ you will have to listen for a hour just to hear a song you don’t mind and lastly 4/ have to suffer through bad commercial breaks ‘ when you can simply plug in your ipod and hear your favorite tunes without the BS. Radio in general has to step up it’s game as far as entertaining people goes and to be honest who wants to win a call in CD giveaway when you could have bought the disc for what it cost you in gas to get there and pick it up ( not to mention the time spent doing it ) Winnipeg needs more on air people like Howard Manshine who have a PASSION for the music they play and the people they play it for. Face it radios golden days are over and that is the real shame here.
Joey Zasa Reply:
February 14th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
The same was said when tv was invented, yet radio continues to thrive. The same was said when cassettes were invented and the walkmans that played them. The doom and gloom continued with the advent of the compact disc.
February 14th, 2010 at 9:33 pm
Apples and Oranges ! i don’t think you got the drift Joey. Television remains informative and entertaining not only because there are more choices but because radio is audio and television is audio AND visual ‘ big difference. By the golden days of radio i did not mean a DJ smoking a joint on air playing a Steely Dan album but when a family gathered around it as a source of family entertainment ‘ i am not preaching doom or gloom in any sense it’s just that radio people are so sensitive to protecting their paychecks that they didn’t see their industry was overtaken by car salesmen . If it is a CD ‘ cassette ‘ 8 track or analog vs digital that does not matter either as it all conveys the same information but only on a different medium so choose your flavor. This is about radio entertaining people to remain viable ‘ after all like em or hate em there is a reason why OB is and has been the # 1 station for a long time . Remember that you can’t solve radios problems in a catch phrase even though thats the first thing they teach GM’s and PD’s. Lets look at a few shall we.
1/ He really gets it
2/ Ride the wave into S4
3/ The 12 plus numbers are down but we showed growth in other areas
4/ gorilla marketing ( there’s no promotion money )
5/ Everyone has to be a team player ( now i’ll be in Mexico for a month )
6/ It’s all about the music ( by the way what format are we ? )
7/ I lost my Blackberry !!!!!!!!!!!!! everyone go home !
8/ Mornings ‘ Marketing and Music (one of those have to work for us don’t they?)
9/ What do you mean you can’t go to the golf tournament because of a on air shift?
10/ I found my Blackberry ! now i’m going home ( but you stay )
February 15th, 2010 at 8:43 am
Liz knows the score.
I could continue the hardcore assault on current radio in Wpg. but here’s a few things good about Wpg. radio.
1. Marty Gold – 92.9 talkshow from 4 to 5:30 weekdays, a bit hardcore and Marty starts doing the semi-faux screaming a bit too often but still darn good.
2. Ace Burpee. Best in the current business. Period.
3. Hussler and Lawless – decent evening time sports talkshow. Only problem is that they’re a bit scared of taking local calls. The Mike Kelly episode discouraged the taking of calls at CJOB.
4. UMFM101.5, CKUW, Kick-FM, three entries into the university college market. Lots of microphones not turned on, unprofessional speakers, poor hosts but the ideas are great.
5. NCI-FM – aspects of this station are superb
6. Humble Howard on Citi-fm…..a constant for nearly 32 years on Wpg. radio (and the guy isn’t even 60 yet)
7. Heavy Hal Anderson – seamless replacement for Larry Updike. Good sense of humour. Great self-promoter.
Feel free to add your own POSITIVES….
Joey Zasa Reply:
February 15th, 2010 at 11:13 am
Positive. That’s a great way to turn this conversation around. Too often, too many people look at the negatives and use that as a brush to paint the entire picture.
Here’s my 2 cents:
1) Jim Jones, Power 97. Great delivery and a wit that most don’t get. One of the most underrated in the city.
2) Steve Adams, Hot103. Not over the top and in your face. If you listen, really listen you’ll see that he is prepared, informed, airs callers and is quite clever.
3) Frank Andrews, 92 Citi. Overshadowed by Howard Manshine, but knows his music just as well and his delivery isn’t as polarizing to some.
February 15th, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Ok ! positives
1. Ford Gardner a great PD that made citi fm what it is ‘ shafted by Rogers
2. Don Percy ‘ ya just gotta love the arrogant old bugger ‘ plus he’s a hoot to work with
3. Peter Warren ‘ thats what radio is about !
4. i agree about Ace Burpee
The thing these people all have in common is a true passion for radio and they don’t feel the need to think up dumb ways to shove the same Carrie Underwood down you throat every 30 minutes. They just let the quality of their broadcasting skills speak for it’s self.
Morris in the Village Reply:
February 15th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Liz,
I thought Peter Warren was retired. CJOB shafted him about 10 years ago when they brought the fascist Charles Adler in to replace Warren. Peahead (Warren) was only 68 or 69 at the time and Adler was 46 or 57 so I guess they thought they were getting younger. However, Adler had a penchant to stay away from local politics, local issues, etc. and wanted to “GO AMERICAN” so then canned him as morning host and utilize him as a mid-afternoon programming filler on their network stations and let Adler run wild with his American fascist runs. Warren used to run weekends as a Corus talk show host but somehow burned that bridge and no longer is a radio host. Replaced by a huge friggin’ fascist named Roy Greene who’s hard on for Al Gore kills whatever steam he’s trying to build. Even worse than Adler.
Funny story about Ace Burpee. His career was almost killed in its early stages as he started out as a copy-writer and spot weather/traffic guy with CJOB. Thankfully, he saw what he’d look like in 20 years (Brian Barkley) and bolted CJOB around 10 or 12 years ago and its the best decision he’s ever made. Don Percy at 73 or 75 (Whatever he is) is an old smoothee who could make ads for Toyota, Bernie Madoff and Sewer Rats Chinese Food Buffet seem like gifts from god…..only guys who can hawk merchandise like Old Don are Old Donn Kirton at CJOB, Heavy Hal at OB. Ace is also a trusted name in radio remotes but doesn’t seem to be doing as many as he used to (probably over-booked)
February 26th, 2010 at 5:21 pm
Has Moose or the morning gal found work at other Winnipeg radio, yet?
I’m sure the next player at CJOB that probably fears for her job is Courtney James, who’s fairly weak as a news-reader and barely passable as a lunch hour host.
She’s lucky the only thing CJOB has to replace her is the eternally boring Lorne Edwards or the little-girl voiced Tamara King…..James is a star compared to those two drones.
May 4th, 2010 at 7:55 am
As a country listener since 1990…I think HANK IS a better programmed country station. It has a better mix that 104 even THINKS about. Picking up some of the older artists/songs and not just the top 40 or so songs.
Since HANK turned on they are my country station of choice BUT I must admit I have not liked many, if not any of their radio personalities…with the exception of maybe one or two, I just can’t seem to relate to them. This would be the only thing 104 has on them.