Oregon Media Insiders

I feel bad for Stacey Lynn. She's been through a total of 3 format flips, survived them all and now she gets cut. Wonder what happens for MOViN 107.5 now? Still has no more morning show, now no afternoon show. The only people I hear on that station is Lisa Adams from the old school BEAT and sometimes I hear Reed from KPTV. But are they even still around? I guess MOViN might be MOOOOOVIN outa the Portland area soon. HA, what a joke.

Pardon me Rebecca for adding a time line to my comment. Having asked for forgiveness, I can say that in September of 1983, I met Ms. Webb for the first time at a resort on Mount Hood. Two days later we (she and I) were thrown together on the air at KOIN for a noon news program. In just two rating books, that program was number one in the ratings and stayed that way for a considerable amount of time. Most of the credit was due to Rebecca's incredible willingness to learn and her wonderfull skills as a journalist, writer and interviewer. In the years since, I have followed her carreer, watching her succeed wherever she went. The morning show won't be the same without her, but I trust that she is still young enough to find something new, something perhaps more interesting and better suited to her skills and personality. There is life after broadcasting and I can say first hand that it is far more challenging and worthwhile. Good Luck Rebecca.
Eric Schmidt
Reformed Broadcast Newsman

I glade to her some former news people are reading this. I alway wonddered what happend to Eric after kpdx news and not even seening him on opb. I liked him on obp during pledge break.

Well, now that Rebecca's gone I can take KINK off my favorite buttons on my car radio...in fact, I don't have to listen to FM at all anymore. Air America all the time! Making decisions on looking at numbers reminds me of the time Coppertone bought commercials on the top stations in the south and ended up on mostly black radio stations.

It's jive antics like this that have rendered terrestrial radio dead to me...
Take Lynn's advice, stick with iPods & intertubes. It's just not that difficult anymore to bypass the whole den of thieves.
As for Rebecca, go get that Vespa and ride like the wind !

SCJ

So who's doing the morning news now??

MOVIN is going out of business in a month or so, I heard.

Radio became pretty much obsolete when the iPod came on the scene. Radio is a tough sell for advertisers as well. Waiting for ratings is a dinosaur approach to selling when web advertisers can see instantly how many hits they've had. Waiting for your favorite song to play is pretty much the mindset of the older listener which advertisers aren't buying. The age of an audience listening for and identifying with local DJs and personalities pretty much disappeared a decade ago if not more. The exceptions are local talkers like Lars, Hartmann, and Emerson. New inventions replace old ones. Digital cameras replaced Polaroids, digital TV is replacing analogue, and the iPod replaced music formated radio.

How does a local market reclaim their FM station from their corporate overlords??

My ignorance in thinking that KINK was somehow immune from all these crazy consolidations and corporate decisions is astounding...

Deregulation sucks....

Where's the outrage? I thought Rebecca was sick or something...

she was way more than 'KINK morning drive news' - Good luck Les.

Commercial broadcasting doesn't deserve most of the former colleagues I see in these comments. The corporate bigwigs worry about the declining value of their stock even as they fire, layoff or demote the very people who provide the content people once tuned in to listen to.

Yes, technological change like the iPod has had some effect, but commercial broadcasting and newspapers are suffering much more from the same problem since they simply became "properties" and "corporate assets." Vastly overpaid corporate managers have become so chintzy and greedy that they have cut content to the point where there is nothing to watch or listen too anymore. So the audience just vaporizes.

Virtually all commercial radio stations in Oregon have smaller market shares than they did when they were locally owned and locally programmed.

Fortunately, I spend a good part of the year living on a boat in Washington's San Juan Islands where Pacific Lutheran University's KPLU and CBC 2 still broadcasts real radio! And yeah, I have an iPod ;-)

This is not only an infuriating decision that breaks faith with KINK's core audience, it jeopardizes both sponsor goodwill and morning drivetime ratings on a station that had been a revenue leader. It's a case of the goose getting slaughtered for its golden eggs...although in this case, it's the corporate level of management that is exhibiting gooselike qualities.

Local management has to protect the local property against decisions like this. I realize that radio is in a state of extreme shrinkage, and that CBS is no different or better than Clear Channel. But in each cluster, there are strong stations that support the weaker ones. When you cut an iconic presence in morning drivetime on a winning station, you cripple and endanger the whole cluster.

Radio's fat was cut out long ago. Recently, the knife had been laid to muscle and bone. And now they've moved in on the heart, mind, and soul.

to gut 970AM, which has virtually no listeners, instead of removing talent from KINK and KHITS which has listeners? They could have removed the on air folks from 970, run the syndicated stuff they have and still have just as many listeners then as now. Head count drops and no perceived change in the marketplace.

Anyone on 970AM (I'm guessing you're talking about Emerson's Show since it's the only local one and has listeners, not like the rest of the shows on the station) would probably have a salary less than those let go. The victims of the latest CBS bloodbath were very established and were likely making quite a bit of money so they were red flagged to go. It's the same in any other business.

OK I was wondering what happened at KINK to Rebecca. I and several others picked up on her absence with absolutely no mention of what happened. Now that I know....I'm extremely disappointed with KINK. As a long time listener, I've always enjoyed Rebecca as part of the morning team. It was great when she returned to KINK! Hearing what's happened...that she's gone...and that it feels like it was all kept quiet from the listeners (maybe I missed the announcement)..it's just not a good thing. Not at all. I have no idea how to convey this to Rebecca directly, but I can assure her that I and many other listeners I carpool and work with wish her all the best and were very saddened by this decision.

I want to thank you all for the support you're giving Rebecca! (Disclaimer: I am her daughter...) As a member of the ipod generation, I just want to put my two cents in regarding radio's obsolescence. I was weaned off of NPR when I moved to Canada, but most of the US ex-pats here podcast their favorite stations and NPR shows. I even streamed my mom's newscasts in Rwanda this summer when I got homesick! Canadians my age have an enormous amount of pride in CBC-Radio Canada. New media are taking their place in our culture, but radio is an extremely flexible medium and it has adapted just fine. The advent of podcasts etc. are helping radio enormously, because listeners now have access to programs that air all over the world, and can listen to them at any time. Stations like NPR and BBC World have probably seen listenership rise (Colbert-esque gut feeling analysis) because of ipods and the internet. No one is going to listen to or podcast bland robot-DJ music interrupted by 6 minutes of commercials and a weather report when we can get music so easily online. So, the radio that will survive the transition to the internet-dominated future is the radio that delivers actual information and stimulating discourse. My generation and people a few years younger than me are targeted by advertisers who think that we care mostly about superficial issues, but in fact we find that condescending. We are the most media-savvy and connected demographic, and I truly believe that a growing proportion of us care about real news, and we have no problem podcasting BBC or checking out our local student-run radio station to get it. Radio is versatile and personal, much more so than a newspaper, so it is well suited to make this transition. People will increasingly have access to more options, and they'll turn away from the junk, leaving advertisers with no choice but to change the format.

I wondered what had happened to Rebecca Webb, so went to the Kink website. Not unlike a third world country, she had been "disappeared" - no mention of her, no blog; it's as though she never existed. (Of course, the analogy of a third world country and major american corporations isn't far off - fatten up the .0001 per cent at the top, and scraps to the masses.)

As I recall, she would not do the corporate plugs that pass for advertising (Dave Scott and his phone, anyone). Too bad that separation of commerce and news is pretty much trashed. I've also noticed Kink playing more "commercial" music - and a lot less of old Bonnie Raitt, Bruce(s) Springsteen or Cochburn, etc. And, a lot more advertising.

So, after twenty plus years, I'll be changing my clock radio to wake up to something different.

Good Luck, Rebecca - I would guess you will land smartly on your feet, and contribute to Portland in a wonderful new way.

What if OPB were to snatch up Rebecca? Think Out Loud could use a retooling...

Before Sadler and I hung out in the basement Capitol pressroom, Rebecca had teamed up with Russell for news feeds to stations around the state. At the time, I was at KTMT Medford (circa1979). Every afternoon, I took radio news feeds from this wonderful, deep young strong voice along with Russell's commentary.
Ironically at the time, (when RW was at KXL I think) the cross town hippy station was KINK --filled with pot smoke and alternative energy.
Fast forward 28 years -- Eric Schmidt and I are working in Salem. Sadler hanging in the Sound. And Rebecca trying to serve the same role we once all sought. Alas, KINK is less for not having RW-- rather than the other way around. Shame on you Les -- you old hippy -- for trying to make this anything other than what it is -- another chapter closing on what was once a vibrant and competitive industry. Bush and his FCC goons destroyed broadcasting and what we are seeing is the final wretched dry heaves of what was.
GWP

by the way, Emerson rocks.

At first I thought the scripted cover story was worthy of Ron Ziegler...then it struck me that the bit about Rebecca thinking all your jokes were funny was really an embedded bullshit code. Like a hostage on a video, blinking out...dot dot dot..dash dash dash...dot dot dot. Brilliant! I hope.

Hey Parker...
I was surprised to see your name posted here. More importantly, I was surprised to see that you were up that late at night. In so far as RW, long time broadcasters have always known the axe could come at anytime. Russell wants to blame today's decisions on corporate greed. However, things really haven't changed. One used to get canned for low ratings, which equates to advertising revenue, which equates to "the bottom line". Owners are in it to make money and it's not as easy as it used to be. That's why after thirty years in the biz I find myself back in small market, making a decent living at a station that cares about its listeners. And I'm having fun which is why I got into this God awful industry in the first place.
Peace out.....D. Brodigan

I have watched with interest this thread and the KINK/Rebecca W. story. While I am sorry for anybody who loses their job and all the security etc.that comes with that, Rebecca's story with KINK is a lot different from the impression given above. It's a story of patronage, corporate b/s, radio b/s, diva-dom, intolerance and tolerance as I shall tell........

Back in the day when KINK already had Sheila as Morning co host/News Director, Rebecca came off the beach to then KINK GM Stan Mak asking for a job, after having left the station once before. Stan said fine I will bend the arm of KINK PD Dennis to see what I can do for you. The "obvious" thing was to break up the Sheila/Les show and rejoin Les with Rebecca. Of course that mean't the KINK payroll went up by an extra head (ie Rebecca's which wasn't cheap) and Sheila had to start a whole new show with Dave Scottin the afternoon.

Rebecca decided that she didnt't really want to do real news collation, tape editing, show prep or get in at 3 a.m. so she insisted that the time served, existing morning show producer (Peggy) come in at 3 am (instead of 6 am) to cut and paste Oregonian news articles, use KGW tape from the night before and scavenge any other tape so that Rebecca could come in at 5.20 a.m. and be ready for a 5.30 am round up of the news that "I've been working on". Peggy did that for two months before deciding to spend more time with her family.

The new KINK Morning show producer (Chris) put up with the 3 a.m routine because after Colin Cowherd moved from KFXX to find fame and fortune at ESPN, Chris needed the work. However it became clear to some at KINK that Rebecca was a bit of a diva and sometimes very difficult to work with. There were tantrums, shouting matches and disagreements and a couple of those instances gave KINK PD Dennis quite good cause to consider inviting Rebecca to give in her security pass.

Chris finally said enough of the 3 am routine and the stress of "working in the KINK news room with Rebecca" and managed to convince KINK management to consider hiring a number of interns and insomniacs to do the news cut and paste routine for Rebecca's "just in time" arrival in the "buzzing" KINK news room.

In the meantime longstanding,revered and expensive midday KINK host Inessa found difficulty getting her KINK contract renewed. Failing to agree on a contract, Inessa's KINK midday slot was allocated to part timer (and much, much cheaper) Steve. Inessa then found herself looking for work and rather remarkably was given the job replacing expensive,long time morning show producer Chris. You can imagine the $$$ savings on those swaps.

Added to all of this intrigue, was the firing of KINK Stan Mak back at the end of 2007. Once he was fired, Rebecca no longer had Mak as her "patron", KINK PD Dennis could easily off load a perennial pain, along with a high salary, and voila...pff goes Rebecca to "college". The KINK morning news is currently being read by the guy who used to get up at 2 am to cut and paste for Rebecca, at minimum wage, and there you have CBS radio 2008 !

Les is just crawling towards his "retirement" finish line and will basically do anything management wants him to do, hence that embarrassing "Rebecca goes to college" spin job he did the other morning on KINK. I suspect Les doesn't give a "s**t" one way or the other. As Rasheed once so eloquently said "who's cuttin the check ?"

So raise your glasses ..to KINK, CBS and $$$$$$ !

Karma can be a bitch. From everything I've ever heard about RW's "diva" stint on AM Northwest, nobody is shedding a tear at the duece for this royal pain in the ass.

As an ex-KINKster, one of the living, breathing connections with my past has been listening to Rebecca and Les in the morning. After college, I was lucky to hook-up with a radio station I grew up with and always felt excelled at what local broadcasting should be - a reflection of the immediate community. Sure KINK is about "the music" but it was even more about the people who appreciated the local musical talents. And, I'm still naive enough to believe that should a local group pool resources and pluck KINK from the corporate grips, it would be a success and even make money. Enough money that it could do what it's license mandates - something about serving the community...

As always, all the best Rebecca. Thanks for making our mornings. :)

Rebecca, you know how I feel about you. Sorry to hear about the situation at Kink. But remember, sleep is a good thing. I'll miss hearing you the 1 or 2 times a month I'm up that early to listen to morning radio. Just kidding, but seriously, I do love "normal" hours. Take care my friend. Grad school becomes you...

...is the carping about Rebecca coming in at 5:30. When I was her producer--and I held that job longer than anyone else, for three years--I came in around 3 am and got things jump-started, and she came in some time between 5:15 and 5:30. And once she was in, she wrote and worked the phones and so on just as hard as I did.

That's how it was 15+ years ago. This wasn't something new she just started doing because she thought she could get away with it, that's how it always was. I wasn't resentful, because she had promotional responsibilities and so on later in the day that more than made up for those two hours in the morning.

And for cryin' out loud, I was the producer! That's what producers do! They're always in before the anchors, in TV and in radio (those few shows that have producers now). But then, back when I was there, we were an actual news department, with reporters and stuff. Not any more.

-----
Lynn Siprelle * Fairy Blogmother

Hey, Rebecca!

I don't know if you will remember me, but I was the first college intern (from Lewis & Clark) for "Live at Noon" in 1981. Unforgettable was the first day on the air, March 30th: Pres. Reagan had been shot and we were pre-empted the entire hour... Highlights of my internship were meeting guests like Edith Head and Robert Hays and most of all my favourite activity was going out on shoots with you. ("Hi, Eric!"...Schmidt...I'm married to an Eric)!

Combined with another internship with KGW Radio News (still the Craig Walker days), I realized that I did NOT want to pursue radio/TV as a profession. I didn't want to be fired at the whim of management/owner changes nor did I want to move from city to city working my way up.

I'm now a happy owner of my own business. I know I've "made it" since my dad (in his 80's) has quit asking me when I'm going to get a "real" job!

It sounds like you've landed soundly on your feet and will continue to do well. I'd love to say "hi" to your more directly (email, phone, etc).

Best of Everything!
Alison (Gilham) Laffoon
www.kittyhooch.com

Rebecca is hot! If she's high maintenance and a little b----y, well tough. She's been spanked before, (what was the deal?- at KOIN?- it was in WW (Willamette Week)- salary demands? I've kinda forgotten, anyway she can take it. I remember her way back at KOIN on a lunch hour Dr. Lyndon? Smith was talking about girls growing up and developing he made some comment about breasts and Rebecca just busted out laughing! Ever since then I've remembered her - she's fiesty to say the least! She was kinda dull at kink anyway and Les looks like he's ready for the retirement home, and there are sooo many comercials interrupting the music- who cares anymore? I bet all the boys who are friends of her kids are dying to catch a glimpse her in a hot tub! Get back on the air where you belong!

What's going to happen to Les now that he is on trial?

Does anyone know if Stacy Lynn is at another Portland radio station? I was a big fan of hers when she was at Mix 107.5 (when it was 80's music). After it switched formats, I put up with the crappy new, annoying one at 3 and 5 pm just to hear her read "the dirt". She always made me laugh. I guess the good news is I can now remove 107.5 from my radio quick dial! But I'd love to find Stacy Lynn on a new station here in town.
Anyone?

I am so very disappointed to loose my favorite DJ person, Dave 'McKay'. Simply said, he is just the best and
I wish him well.

Also: Very delighted to hear from Eric Schmidt. Never quite
knew where greener pastures led him, but he sounds well and
I really hope he is.

There is now another station that I will not be listening to.
I doubt they care.

Carolyn

I've been very disappointed with KINK ever since they axed Jeff Clarke from the 2p-6p shift. Now Les Sarnoff is on the 2p-6p after they moved Dave Scott to the morning program. I wonder if that had anything to do with Mr. Sarnoff's Ambien situation. Anyway, I wish the very best to Rebecca Webb and I am sure that she will succeed in whatever she may do.

Having worked at the private school where Rebecca Webb's son attended, I had numerous opportunities to witness the "other" Rebecca Webb. Suffice it to say, she was anything but the saint that some posters above paint her to be. I witnessed rude, self-important and arrogant behavior that affected not only the employees of the private school but also fellow parents who were around. And this wasn't just one or two "bad days" - this was a regular occurrence.

Also, let's not cry too much for her unannounced departure... she had a pretty lengthy unexplained absence not long after coming back to KINK a few years back, going MIA for weeks. I guess this could be seen as a little karma.

Same for Les's 2p-6p demotaion after his two DUI arrests since '04.

Not that it matters all that much anyway... if FM hosts were the reasons people listened to certain stations, everyone would tune into AM. KINK's all about the music, whoever is spinning a CD, or a story about absentee personalities.

Rebecca may be high maintenance, but she has been nothing but pleasant and a very classy lady. I've been listening to KINK since I was 12 -- in fact, KINK and I were born the same month of December, 1968. Before KINK was bought out by corporate America, it was "True to the Music". Now, the music is way over played and the originality is gone. Kudos to you, Fairy Blogmother.