Clear Channel Cuts Announced, 1850 People Out Of Work

[Scott Fybush]

Kevin Vahey wrote:
> There is a lot of outrage building in Chicago on how long time WNUA
> personality Rick O'Dell was shown the door, literally escorted out of
> building by a mail room clerk.
> 
> However chances of his being fired in Chicago papers tomorrow is slim
> and none because of another story.
> 

Try again: it's already in Phil Rosenthal's Tribune blog, and will 
surely make the print edition tomorrow:

http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/towerticker/2009/01/wnuafms-rick-odell-is-first-of-local-clear-channel-cuts.html

I don't read much into the "CC tried to bury this on Inauguration Day so 
it wouldn't make the headlines" conspiracy theories. I took a call from 
one of the local TV stations today looking to do a story about the cuts 
in Rochester, and another one of the stations ran a story as well. If 
this was really CC's PR strategy, it wasn't a very smart one, and 
they're usually a little smarter than that.

Sadly, 1850 layoffs nationwide is small change compared to, say, 30,000 
people out of work because Circuit City is closing. This was never going 
to be anything more than a business section mention (outside the small 
radio community) no matter when it was announced.

s