Re: O+A land on 'NEW

[Mark Shneyder <mshbc@bu.edu>]

On Tue, 16 Jun 1998, SteveOrdinetz wrote:

> I wonder if this means other changes are in the wind at WNEW.  O&A must be
> the only 'NEW-FM air staffers who weren't even alive when Woodstock
> happened...the rest of the air staff must have been in their 30s even then.
>  Does this mean 'NEW-FM is finally making a real effort do ditch their
> "hippie station" image?
> 
Dunno. PD Garry Wall tells NYP's media writer Christine Burke that he's in
"in discussions" with current members of the WNEW's air satff and wouldnt
comment on the fate of any WNEW's DJs. So, go figure!

I think 'NEW management is blinking. In the winter book, 'AXQ kicked
them hard, particularly in the PM drive where Parenteay led Muni 2-1,
WNEW is Mel's baby. He was the GM at 102.7 in the 70s(his first radio 
management job). I think it's a matter of corporate ego/pride -- there's
no way Mel would just allow Chancellor's 'AXQ dominate over 'NEW, even if
it involves fighting over a tiny 2% of the entire classic rock audience in
the #1 market.

Garry Wall, who's got some major entertainment consulting(Sony, Time
Warner), radio consulting(West Coast stations) and record industry(Tommy
Boy records) experience and was personally recruitted by Mel to become
WNEW's OM/PD, is starting to make some moves....I guess becoming
"classic" thesesdays takes only weeks or months, instead of years or
decades. WNEW, a station which didnt play anything post-1982 until this
past April, is in the process of redefining itself. While in NYC
this last Sunday, I heard  Nirvana's "About a Girl", Living Color's "Cult
of Personality", Marcy Playground's "Sex and Candy", Matchbox 20's "Push"
on WNEW. I made sure my car radio was tuned to 102.7. And it was....:)

- -M

------------------------------