A bombshell hit Cleveland morning radio today, as the two longest-running hosts on the CBS Radio AC WDOK/102.1 “New 102” morning team are leaving the station.
In fact, this morning was the last day for Trapper Jack after 17 years on the station’s morning show, and “Infoman” Jim McIntyre exits this week after 18 years.
Co-host Jen Toohey, who moved over from sister hot AC WQAL/104.1 “Q104″‘s morning show to join WDOK, remains… and in fact, WDOK has performed what we call around here a “Soviet-style purge” on its website…Toohey’s picture and the name “New 102 Mornings” are the only signs of the morning show on the WDOK website at this time.
Trapper Jack’s farewell speech was posted on the “New 102” website for a while, but the story linking to the audio was then scrubbed. (A reader provided the direct MP3 download link to the Trapper Jack audio, but since we’re linking it here, that’ll probably be gone by the time you read this.)
UPDATE 5:25 PM 12/19/12: The MP3 file has indeed gone away on the CBS Radio WordPress site. As of this writing, the direct WDOK podcast link still has the audio. Some Internet searching also found the audio here, though we don’t know the source – download at your own risk.
Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5’s website has a complete story on the exit, with some quotes from the farewell speech, and an audio link, written by NewsNet5.com’s Tina Kaufmann…herself a former radio type with Akron’s Rubber City Radio Group.
Rubber City country powerhouse WQMX/94.9 is the current radio programming home of former WDOK programmer Sue Wilson, who Trapper Jack thanked for hiring him after his exit from then-WLTF/106.5 “Lite Rock 106 1/2” (today’s Clear Channel adult hits WHLK/106.5 “The Lake”).
Trapper Jack told his audience that the pair was told November 15th that their contracts wouldn’t be renewed, but the company would not say why. He said “person or persons” would be brought in with Jen Toohey, and wished both the show and the station success in a very classy farewell.
We’ll have a complete transcript of the Trapper Jack farewell speech later today, in an update to this item…and yes, this is the level we alluded to, when we talked about the kind of thing which would take us out of our Holiday Hiatus…
I am soooooooo NOT happy! I have listened to Trapper Jack everymorning since day one when he first went on the air 25 years ago. He has been an integral part of my morning routine. No one else ever compared. I was furious when they sent him packing on WLTF and I no longer listened to that station. I went down the dial to WDOK and was thrilled when Trapper Jack landed there. It was like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes again. I loved the instant chemistry with Jim McIntyre, I just love him too! Then last year when WDOK ‘”restructured” their format and took the morning show off for a couple of weeks…I felt like I had the rug yanked out from under me. I was once again furious!!! And now…..I feel a lot of morning grumpiness is in store for me without Trapper Jack there in the morning as part of my morning routine and frivolity. I’m hoping to hear that he lands another gig in the Cleveland radio market and I will follow him there.
Rare that anybody is being given the chance to say goodbye in this business..and that the information, which dated back over a month, was kept quiet..and that Jack was allowed to delve into some of the details..fascinating..
Sad to realize that this is happening right before Christmas…but Trapper could sit on Voice 123 and make a nice voicerover living…
“Personality”. Something we have see needless vast departures of over the last few years. So sad yet so commonplace. Its not like these personalities have not been washed up nobodies with nothing to offer the public. Todays Radio practices suck endlessly
You need to quit taking these “Holiday Hiatus'”. Seems every time you do, someone loses their radio job!
What a shabby way to treat two great radio talents- always upbeat, always courteous to callers, family-friendly, uniquely creative. This is what happens when out-of-town corporations with no local community or audience respect are allowed to own this many stations.
The people that should be fired is the a****** management distorting this station.
WDOK wasn’t doing good back in 2011, so earlier this year they fired Nancy Alden and moved away from the soft ac format. By doing so, they chased away lots of long time listeners and gained very few new listeners. They probably looked at their ratings recently and to their surprise, they were ranked in the same position as last year. And of course, they figured that more change was needed, like a new morning show personality. BAD MOVE!!! And playing the same 30 songs for a month is no one’s definition of better music. Soft Rock 102.1 had a better variety of music, and it wasn’t a bunch of noise or wannabe artists.
So do yourself a favor WDOK, GET RID OF NEW 102, RE-HIRE NANCY, TRAPPER AND JIM AND REVERT BACK TO THE PREVIOUS FORMAT!!! LISTEN TO YOUR LISTENERS ALREADY!!! YOU ARE LOSING MORE LISTENERS THEN YOU ARE GAINING, BUT YOU ARE PROBABLY TOO STUPID TO FIGURE THAT OUT!!! STOP TRYING TO BE LIKE THE OTHER POP/HOT AC STATIONS, NOT EVERYONE LIKES THOSE FORMATS!!!
Tomorrow, WDOK is coming off of all my radio presets. I will continue to listen to my out-of-market station, which will not be mentioned so that WDOK/CBS Radio doesn’t somehow try to destroy it. Hopefully they are not as stupid as you are!!!
I SO TOTALLY AGREE WITH CONTOUR07…. BRING BACK SOFT ROCK 102.1..I WILL NOT LISTEN TO THE NEW 102.1..YOU WILL LOOSE MORE LISTENERS YHAN YOU WILL GAIN.. WHY CAN’T YOU PEOPLE SEE THAT? GOODBY THE NEW 102.1 UNTILL YOU BRING BACK TRAPPER JACK & JIM MCINTYRE !!!!
Trapper Jack’s farewell is one of the classiest exits I have ever heard. He was also right that many radio stations don’t give a person the chance to say anything when the contract ends. I hope he and Jim McIntyre land on their feet soon.
Trapper, Jim … You guys make me laugh so hard….it was ‘dangerous’ to be driving and listening to both of you on may way to work!
What a great start on my days to work, I will certainly missed your silly laughs and all the knowledge from “info man” including his Sunday show.
That “how can we make WDOK better for you” page is back on their website…
http://new102.cbslocal.com/be-the-boss/
Just like last year, they probably won’t read anyone’s message and will just assume what we want to hear. And they probably have their e-mail set up so that any message that has the words “Trapper Jack” or “Jim McIntyre” in it will automatically get deleted upon arrival.
Serious, serious error in judgement you big wigs in your offices who know absolutely nothing about keeping a radio station number one for so many years. I am done with your radio station and will be pleased to watch your ratings plummet as you become a clone of every other station out there. Trapper and Jim were THE BEST out there.
Too bad WDOK believes no one under 25 listens to their station betwwn 5 an7 in the morning. Jen drives me crazy. Without Trapper and McIntyre I’m gone They were the only reason left to listen to the station . WDOK execs and J.C. Penny’s execs must
have graduated from same class
I agree with all the above. I have listened to WDOK since 1995 when I first heard Robin and Trapper on the air. I was hooked. Jim added so much and the banter between the three of them was fun, entertaining, got the day started right. Was sad when Robin was let go, but warmed up to Terry in time. Again, the rug was pulled out from under us when Terry left, but at least it seems it was her choice. Have been trying to warm up to Jen. Certainly nothing against her…she just seems young in comparison to the likes of Robin and Terry. But I was trying real hard and after almost a year, it seemed to be working. Now that Trapper and Jim are gone, not sure Jen will get full support from me. Sorry, Trapper. I know you didn’t want anyone to ‘bruise’ Jen and I don’t want to, but without you and Jim there, not sure it’s going to work. Have started surfing the dial looking for something that will work for me…..nothing yet, but not giving up. I will give Jen and the new show a chance, but not making any promises to stick with it. Jen, I wish you all the best and hope they give you a co-host(s) that will help make the show a success. But the WDOK powers that be are a bunch of senseless dumb arses that need to go back to where they came from and leave Cleveland’s WDOK alone. The new 102 is boring, boring, boring. The music sucks and repeats, repeats, repeats. We want Trapper and Jim. So hope they get a job somewhere together and that Jen fills us in as to where that might be…..if not in cleveland area, at least we could listen to them on the internet.