[Connecticut] Bloodshed at WDRC

[Scott Greczkowski]

Sad day today at WDRC as new owners Connoisseur took over America's First FM station from Buckley Broadcasting.

Their first item of business today when they got in the door was to fire all of the on air staff, including Program Director Grahame Winters who was with the station for 22 years, Friendly Floyd Wright who is a Connecticut radio institution, Morning Man Mike Stephens and 29 year veteran and host of Connecticuts Most Popular Saturday Night Show... All Request Saturday Night's Rockin' Ron Sedaille.

The only on air staff to survive the bloodbath was Kim Zachery who returned to WRDC last year.

I was in studio this past Saturday Night with Ron Sedaille for the All Request Saturday Night show and Ron mentioned that the axe could be swinging today... but no one expected it to wipe out Floyd or Grahame.

For me losing this station was like losing a good friend. I am glad I got to be part of DRC this past weekend.

 

[navychop]

So who's coming in? Format change?

 

[stanleyjohn]

Verrry very bad day indeed!! This finally will shut the door for me and wdrc.Where ever rocken ron goes I shall follow.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

http//www.bringbackthebigd.com

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

So now I get 99.1 for a mix of classic rock and modern "rock", 102.1 classic rock, 102.9 classic rock, and 106.9 classic rock, all pulling from the same, lame, tame playlist? At this point the only presets on my radio will be college stations and NPR.

 

[raoul5788]

Luckily where you are you can pick up WWUH at 91.3. You may not like all of what they play, but it's certainly different! You might hear jazz in the morning and rock in the afternoon.

 

[kittyhas1000legs]

The variety is why I like the college stations at the low end of the dial. 88.1, 89.3, 89.9 (Weaver High School in Hartford), 91.3, 91.7, and 107.7 (oddball) have a pretty good mix so I usually find something to listen to.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Saturday Night I am having a big party to Celebrate the Memory of what WAS WRDC.

It will be at the Tunxis Grill, 2095 Berlin Turnpike in Newington, CT. And the fun starts at 7PM.

I dont want to give away any surprises but I have over 12 WDRC personalities from the past who will be in attendance.

Come on by, its open to all SatelliteGuys members.

 

[Don in CT]

So now I get 99.1 for a mix of classic rock and modern "rock", 102.1 classic rock, 102.9 classic rock, and 106.9 classic rock, all pulling from the same, lame, tame playlist? At this point the only presets on my radio will be college stations and NPR.

You can take WCCC off of that list. Is WPLR still a classic rock station, they seem to be throwing in more "newer" stuff.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

Chaz And AJ Add 102.9 DRC/Hartford

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

On Friday they fired Kim Zachery. They replaced her this week with Chaz and AJ. So now we have 99.1 WPLR and 102.9 With the same shows and DJ's.

The following message was posted to the Bring Back the Big D group yesterday by Kims Husband, and what he posts makes me sick...



Dan Williams
18 hrs · Somersville, CT · Edited
Do you need yet another reason to dislike Connoisseur Radio? Here's my story, and it really has nothing to do with how Connoisseur runs their radio stations, but rather speaks to the very fiber of their being.

Some of you may know that Kim Zachary is my wife. You may also know that Kim and I did a very successful morning show in Spfld. for 17 years.

What you might not know is I have cancer. Not the stage 4, I'm on deaths door cancer, but serious enough cancer. In January, I underwent a major operation that successfully removed my cancer. However, my cancer likes to come back. So every three months I need to visit my doc for an exam.
During my last exam it was determined I needed a "procedure". The "procedure" is scheduled at Brigham and Women's hospital for later this month.

Thank God for health insurance, or so you would think. You see, Connoisseur terminated Kim on August 29th, knowing very well that our health coverage would end August 31st. Kim's boss, Keith Dakin, the guy that fired her, knew I had cancer because he just recently gave Kim time off to bring me for testing. Had they waited until September 1st to terminate her, we would have kept coverage for the entire month. Instead, we are scrambling for coverage hoping not to postpone surgery.

What kind of people run Connoisseur Radio? Now we know, don't we.

 

[Tampa8]

I didn't see this thread till just now.

I grew up listening to WDRC AM - "The Big D" and later FM along with WABC. Many of the Country's biggest DJ's at some point were on CT and NY airwaves. When you were at a Ct beach there were only two stations you heard on people's radios, those two. I like AM radio so much that I long ago I learned about grounding radios correctly (Important for AM reception) and correct antenna lengths to get the best reception. That carried over to talk radio also.
With all the changes in radio, aside from talk radio the advent of Satellite radio is the only saving grace for me.

 

[bigjohnok]

I dont know about radio but in other industries I have worked in when an outfit that is bought out and this happens, its due to the new owners wanting to bring in their "yes" people and at far cheaper wages.

 

[Tampa8]

On Friday they fired Kim Zachery. They replaced her this week with Chaz and AJ. So now we have 99.1 WPLR and 102.9 With the same shows and DJ's.

The following message was posted to the Bring Back the Big D group yesterday by Kims Husband, and what he posts makes me sick...

I remember them from WHYN FM. Beyond sickening.

 

[Don in CT]

I know this won't go over well here but I was hanging out with a few 20 somethings this weekend and they were lisitening to drc. I don't think they would have listened before the switch. I don't know what the new demos are but it seems they are pulling younger. Granted everyone liked what WDRC was with the oldies but I think this is the new normal. Oldies are dead. Much like CCC died with Active Rock, DRC died with oldies.