Local Clear Channel shakeup: three TC radio veterans get the boot
It’s not just John Hines. That’s the word this evening from a source with ties to the local radio behemoth. Hines, who has been with Clear Channel and its predecessors in this market for 27 years, was fired in the midst of a transition from K102’s Morning Show to Clear Channel’s FM talk outlet, KTLK (100.3). Longtime Cities 97 jock (and Minnesota Music host) Jason Nagel got the sack as well. Also cut: Clear Channel’s local head of production, Dan Culhane, a longtime on-air personality and a 17-year veteran in the market.
Brian Lambert has a good item from earlier today regarding the Hines firing.
19 Responses to “Local Clear Channel shakeup: three TC radio veterans get the boot”
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Wow. Nagel’s awesome, and that really sucks. I also am a big John Hines fan; although he’ll have no problem finding another gig.
[…] can’t say that I’ve followed John Hines’ career closely in recent years - not being a country music fan (his last stint was at 102) - but every time I hear […]
I hope Hines gets back together with Berglund for a top-40 morning show. Give Dave Ryan a run for his money.
I wonder who’s going to do all the commercial work for advertisers now? Culhane worked on-air and as head of production and voice over talent for ALL the Clear Channel stations locally and a few in Iowa too. I wonder how long before advertisers get pissed? I wonder what this does for morale over there when they dump veterans and leave the rest of the folks there holding the bag and making excuses for (mis)management?
Speaking from experience, all three of the CC employees who were let go, are top notch professionals. Much too good for the low-rent operation that Clear Channel has become.
All of these men really cared about the quality of their jobs and they were loyal to a company that doesn’t know a thing about loyalty.
Cover your asses, Clear Channel employees, the holidays are just around the corner!
Just goes to show ya, CC management is nuts…….
Hines would have been a perfect way to start the day on KOOL 108 with Donovan on the way home. Opportunity lost - to save a few dollars.
I have followed John Hines from one radio station to the next for the last 30 years.
I would have never listened to the channels he went to if it were not for John being there. John adds a great personality presence to any channel he works for.
I hope John finds a new home soon!!
Many of us have followed John thruout his career.
I have pictures of him and Bergy sitting on top of the Metro dome back when they were with WLOL.
We went to the same school.
We enjoy traveling around on our motorcycles.
We have enjoyed his ability to make a group come alive.
Don’t worry - John is the kind of person that this will only make him grow.
I taped Brian Oake’s and Jason Nagel’s shows every Sunday night. Jason introduced me to many new local bands. Who will do that now? I will really miss him!!!
Wow shocking, I followed John Hines from K102, it wasn’t the same without him. I feel lost now on my early morning commute, can’t wait to find out where he lands, but I have to wait 6 months, not fair! I moved to talk radio for him, in the afternoon I want to puke when it’s still on my radio those afternoon guys are awful!
I started listing to KTLK during my morning commute for the sole reason that John Hines had moved to that station. Now that he’s gone [especially knowing that they fired him], I have no desire to listen to KTLK anymore.
JUST AS THEY GOT RID OF WLOL TWICE. THE LAST TIME TO CONVERT TO STUPID JAZZ. WHICH FALLED. i TURNED TO TALK RADIO JUST FOR JOHN HINES. HE WAS GREAT. E-MAIL THE STATION TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPEN TO HIM. I THOUGHT MAYBE JUST ON VACATION. BVUT NEVER GOT A REPLY. CC CAN JUST GO TO …. WILL NOT LISTEN TO THEM AGAIN.
See ya, John. I, for one, won’t miss John on KTLK. I found his morning show boring, mundane tripe, and anything but interesting. Nothing personal, but he just didn’t have what it takes to make a mentally stimulating and challenging radio dialogue and needs to stick with a format better suited to his talent. Thanks KTLK for making this overdue change.
Gee Paige,
I’d hate to see what you’d have to say about someone when it IS personal.
Mundane tripe? Boring? He didn’t have what it takes?
John is an incredibly talented announcer. You don’t have to like him, but personal attacks are pretty low.
Happy Thanksgiving Paige.
I will definately look forward to hearing John on a different station, hope it happens soon.
What were they thinking??? John Hines has been a staple in the TC radio market ever since I can remember. Their loss is someone elses fortune. John will most certainly come out on top.
I as others have followed John from station to station
I have droped KTLK and will wait for John to surface again
Just stumbled across this link. Obviously “paige” is not someone who worked with John. I learned more from him one about what great, professional morning shows should be about in the first day I was at WLOL, then in all the years before and since.
Paige with a capital “P”