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Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Sat Jul 22, 2023 3:25 pm
by thatonedude
If he wrecks 107one I’ll be pissed. Then again, he did program Dave FM in Atlanta so who knows…

FWIW, Chris (the current PD at 107one) does a brilliant job. Maybe Mr. Wheeler will recognize that and leave it alone.


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Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2023 9:16 am
by Colonel Flagg
MWmetalhead wrote: Sat Jul 22, 2023 8:39 am Incredibly, Mike Wheeler was just promoted (and now oversees Ann Arbor's programming in addition to WJR and WDVD), and some old lady who has been a producer at the station for many years, is now the day-to-day PD at 760.

The last good PD at 760 was Kevin Metheny (since deceased). He might be known as Pig Virus to old school Howard Stern listeners, but he did a decent job shaping 760's sound.

Hopefully Wheeler doesn't wreck 102.9 and 107.1 in Ann Arbor.
To be fair, the "old lady" (Ann Thomas) probably has more "major market" experience than the late Steve Stewart, who was WJR's PD for several years, prior to Kevin Metheny. The only other stations on Steve's resume' were WSPD Toledo, and the station in Marion, OH (his hometown)

Metheny (WNNNNBC!) did a good job. Some would say Al Mayers did a good job too, but as with Steve Stewart, Mayers was not very well liked.

As for Wheeler, other than lining up new infomercials, I am left to wonder, what exactly does he do everyday? These "new shows" are nothing more than the old shows reshuffled to different timeslots. Guy Gordon's AM show sounds clunky, and unstructured.

Maybe Wheeler and the Sloan Brothers can get some more paid shows on tiny WLBY. :lol All broadcasting from downtown Birmingham, of course.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Mon Jul 24, 2023 10:20 pm
by Steve B
I looked up Ann Thomas (who has been with WJR since 1982 according to her station bio) in old Free Press articles. In the Detroit Press Club Foundation's Michigan Excellence in Journalism competition (apparently discontinued forever after 2008) she won 1st place in radio reporting in 1986, "UAW-Chrysler Negotiations." 3rd place in 1987 in radio documentaries, "Spring Flooding." 1st place in 1993, radio documentaries, shared with 5 other staffers, "Shifting Gears."

She became a producer in Oct. 1999 with Paul W's show, replacing James Moskus who had held it for the previous 18 months.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 1:07 pm
by Colonel Flagg
Mark Hollis, filling in for Paul W.

This guy is so deadpan monotone...more proof that being heavily connected doesn't mean you deserve to have a radio show. :lol

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 2:17 pm
by edj
How many days does Paul W. get off per year? 100?

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Sun Jul 30, 2023 10:34 pm
by uncleb67
edj wrote: Sun Jun 25, 2023 1:20 pm Only good weekend show is Joe Gagnon.
Believe it or not, I kinda enjoy hearing this show on Apple Podcasts (can’t usually wake up for its normal 6-8am live broadcast on Sunday mornings), but for the last couple weeks, they haven’t posted the podcast, which they usually did by early afternoon Sundays.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 12:09 pm
by Colonel Flagg
Chris Alberta in for Paul W today.

He asked Dave Riger how Maui could burn. "Isn't Maui a jungle?!!!!"

:rollin :rollin :rollin

Now that's what I call being "In Focus"

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 1:13 pm
by sizzlechest
Hey, laugh all you want, but Chris Alberta subbing in is way better than what's normally on right now.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 1:17 pm
by edj
Colonel Flagg wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 12:09 pm Chris Alberta in for Paul W today.

He asked Dave Riger how Maui could burn. "Isn't Maui a jungle?!!!!"

:rollin :rollin :rollin

Now that's what I call being "In Focus"
Did he study under Roberta Jasina?

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:14 pm
by Realist
Sad thing is that I was in historic Lahaina, Maui a year ago. My wife showed me a before and after pictures from there, with the hotel we stayed at in the center, the waterfront docks near there and the business district there. It’s all been incinerated and is gone.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:28 pm
by Colonel Flagg
Realist wrote: Thu Aug 10, 2023 7:14 pm Sad thing is that I was in historic Lahaina, Maui a year ago. My wife showed me a before and after pictures from there, with the hotel we stayed at in the center, the waterfront docks near there and the business district there. It’s all been incinerated and is gone.
In all seriousness, I am not making fun of the tragic losses in Hawaii. Ken Brown has been there too. He was talking about it with Mitch and the crew earlier. It's awful.

Chris Alberta seems to be better solo than with a couple sidekicks.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 11:56 am
by Colonel Flagg
The nonstop yammering of Kevin Dietz was more than I could take this morning. The terrible screechy voice, and sounding so hyper, was off the charts. To my ears, it even seemed like Tom Jordan was getting tired of it. Better try the Decaf.

I know most people like to hate on Mitch Albom, but I truly believe his afternoon show is going to be carrying all of the other deadwood that's on WJR, very soon.

Re: Paul W. Smith moving to middays + other changes at WJR

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2023 12:29 pm
by radiofann
I can’t stand Deitz. A voice made for the Morse code/ telegraph era.
Albom surprised me by having victor david Hanson on yesterday. A good interview.