It was good to find the new home for great people like DAB, SISO, AZ Joe, Harley Joel and so many of the others whose comments and personal messages I enjoyed at Backstage. Digital Radio Central is the new town square!
A close friend of mine was with Sirius from the beginning. A major New York City DJ for more than 40 years his voice graced WNBC, WCBS-FM and is still heard as the "invisible" announcer on ABC Sports and elsewhere. However, his heart will always be married to "riding the records."
My pal is a victim of Karmazin's Kalamity. With barely 48-hours notice, his life has been turned upside down. He is on-the-bricks. And there are not many jobs for radio announcers as America embraces the jukebox style of listening to music of all genres. Especially when you are age 61.
He and so many more quality radio giants who brought in the subscribers when XM and Sirius were fledgling companies have had their hearts broken. Ask anyone who has every experienced the horror of being fired just before the holidays. The Thanksgiving turkey will need a ton of cranberry sauce to mask the bitter taste in their households.
I know salient arguments can be made explaining why "downsizing" and "furloughs" (modern-day camouflage terms for being put out of work) are necessary in tough economic times. But that does not ease the pain when it is your head that was chopped by Mel's guillotine.
I read threads opining that Karmazin put one over. His ala carte promises were on-par with "the check is in the mail." I guess time will tell.
Tonight I am meeting my friend in the shadow of Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan to buy him a drink or two - or ten. If ever a guy needed to get "plastered," it is he.
You see, this afternoon he goes up to the Sirius studios for the last time to remove his belongings and surrender his ID card.
A close friend of mine was with Sirius from the beginning. A major New York City DJ for more than 40 years his voice graced WNBC, WCBS-FM and is still heard as the "invisible" announcer on ABC Sports and elsewhere. However, his heart will always be married to "riding the records."
My pal is a victim of Karmazin's Kalamity. With barely 48-hours notice, his life has been turned upside down. He is on-the-bricks. And there are not many jobs for radio announcers as America embraces the jukebox style of listening to music of all genres. Especially when you are age 61.
He and so many more quality radio giants who brought in the subscribers when XM and Sirius were fledgling companies have had their hearts broken. Ask anyone who has every experienced the horror of being fired just before the holidays. The Thanksgiving turkey will need a ton of cranberry sauce to mask the bitter taste in their households.
I know salient arguments can be made explaining why "downsizing" and "furloughs" (modern-day camouflage terms for being put out of work) are necessary in tough economic times. But that does not ease the pain when it is your head that was chopped by Mel's guillotine.
I read threads opining that Karmazin put one over. His ala carte promises were on-par with "the check is in the mail." I guess time will tell.
Tonight I am meeting my friend in the shadow of Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan to buy him a drink or two - or ten. If ever a guy needed to get "plastered," it is he.
You see, this afternoon he goes up to the Sirius studios for the last time to remove his belongings and surrender his ID card.
