Although I'm a Twitterholic, Facebook doesn't quite do it for me. But I guess I have to wade into that soup, since that's where one local personality apparently leaked his layoff.
Jack Rice
Assuming Facebook's "Jack Rice" is AM830's Jack Rice (the info matches up nicely), then the Good Neighbor will need a new noon-3 p.m. weekday host. I'm awaiting replies from Rice and WCCO management for comment, though media types in a position to know confirm the separation.
Rice posted the news Jan. 1 in an exchange with another Facebooker:
For now, I have been laid off. It just isn't public yet. I think they are trying to figure out how to handle it. Don't really know why as they have no problem firing people. I will let you know. I may be at the station for a couple of weeks — I may not. I guess it is up to them. Don't quite know where I will land but trying my best to figure it out.
Rice has been looking to leave for a correspondent's job, but not on this schedule. After the friend notes, "Ugh. That sucks. I mean I know you were moving on anyway, but I'm sorry to hear they're shoving you out," the host responds:
Yeah. Kinda does. Sort of like breaking up with a girl. You always [want] to be the one to do it on your terms. Oh well. The stakes are a little higher ere but . . . Anyway, hope I will be there Monday. I was there today and supposed to be there tomorrow but who know . . .
Then, on Jan. 6, he noted:
Fired me 2 days before Xmas. I'm here a couple of weeks. Not sure why they allowed me to stay. Kind of confused.
If Rice is gone, he joins a growing crew of exiles at the cost-slashing station, including overnight guy Al Malmberg and reporters John Wanamaker, Cory Kampschroer, Dan Terhaar and Roshini Rajkumar.
Malmberg was replaced Jan. 5 with Jon Grayson of St. Louis' KMOX-AM which, like 'CCO, is a CBS-owned station. In November, the local station's top personalities were asked to take a 10 percent pay cut, and at least one, Don Shelby, accepted.
But given the recent firing of another noon-to-3 guy, I know what some of you are thinking: Mischke. I'd be very surprised if that happened.
More as I leverage social networking ...
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Comments (4)
I was sorry to see John Wannamaker laid off, and Al Malmberg as well. Jack Rice, however, is a non-talent and good riddance.
I liked jack rice. But wcco had too many commercials it made the show unlistenabe. A better mix would have been 50 minutes showtime 10 minutes commercials. Jack was talented and will be missed.
Well they fired the wrong two guys (Jack and AL)
Personally I wonder if it's getting to be more
of a Anti-Conserative BIAS on the part of
Big-Media, Well WCCO is no longer the station
I'll be listening to... As far as I am concerned,
WCCO can PowerDown to a 5000 Watt Peanutwhistle.
-Randy
I am very glad to see Malmborg gone. He had stopped working on the show for about 5 years.
Same callers, same tired opinions. He would never listen to liberal voices without an attitude of him knowing better.
Then, all the talk about his new hobby of flying!
Really, a waste of 4 hours!
Yes, I miss the local news and weather that was part of the show, but hisI know everything" attitude was getting as old as the station.
Chris