hanging on...well

Just two more networks to go......

In September 1999 I took my ISDN and and traveled to Orlando to do my all night show at the beautiful Peabody Hotel.

The National Association of Broadcasters was holding their yearly conclave across the street at the convention center.

I was well into my eighth year on the all night show...and my fourth network...Radio America.  A check of my station list shows about 60 affiliates despite the Art Bell intrusions the past few years.  Gold Bond and Ovaltine were still with me and Doug Stephan placed spots were giving me breathing room with the net.

I could listen to my show because I was still on the Clear Channel station WWNZ Orlando...but CC had dropped me in Tampa and West Palm Beach (poor Rush). 

There was a notice on the meeting board at the Peabody that a Clear Channel gabfest was scheduled so I intruded (uninvited) as they began and announced who I was and thanked everyone who had a hand in carrying my show on their particular stations.  Pete Bolger of WINZ Miami was there and said hello and I remember joking about Art Bell and one smart ass said, “your just jealous” and I guess I was.

Basically the room was a little tense with me there so I waved a goodbye and exited.  I would learn a few days later that the Orlando station had dropped me too.

This gets a bit complicated because my listenership (ratings) on these stations was strong...so strong that I beat their primary stations in Tampa and West Palm Beach and that didn’t sit well with the bosses.

I was taking rating points away from those main stations and that wasn’t good.  So they dumped me....not for Bell...he was already on those main stations and I was whipping his ass.  

They replaced me with a show on which spots were sold by Premier (CC’s own company) which was the only thing that really made sense out of what they were doing.

Like I said...complicated.

Bell was now syndicated by Premier which was an arm of the Clear Channel group which was in the process of buying up about half the radio stations in the country!  

Time was not on my side in all this going on.

stanmajor@aol.com