The first time I heard the John Tesh Radio Show, I was on vacation in Colorado. My wife and I were listening in the car. We got to our destination - and waited in the car. John was talking about bad investments that amateurs make - because they just seem to make sense. We wanted to wait and see how many we had made (fortunately - only one).
The next break, he talked about how to order a steak in a restaurant to make sure you get the best cut.
Later in the show, he talked about helping your kids through the loss of a family pet.
When I got home, I began listening more and more to the show on-line. I think John may be one of the most compelling people on the radio and we are thrilled to be adding him to the line-up at 'KTI. He will be on Sunday - Friday nights from 7 until midnight, with the Retro Pop Reunion moving to Saturday night at 8.
You probably have never heard the show and may have the initial reaction I did - John's a new age guy who plays jazz. He may be - but now on his show.
The John Tesh show is all about bettering yourself. John has a huge staff of researchers and writers and he only chooses to talk about the facts that he personally finds interesting.
As for music, we play our own music - so everything stays the same there.
The show is slugged as "music and intelligence for your life," and it starts tonight @ 7.
18 comments:
Here's a suggestion -- why not can the new morning team and air the Tesh show from 5-10AM?
Hey, you'd atleast save 3 salaries and health benefits that way.
I dunno, your trio is not just cutting it for me. I listened to Reitman & Mueller since I moved here in 2003 and was devestated to hear Gene was leaving. I surfed around for the first week they were gone, but then decided to give the "new" morning team a try (even though I felt like a traitor)... but after listening for a week -- I can't stand them anymore.
You can't tell the difference when Matthew... oh, excuse me, Mathew... and AJ speak. And Erin sounds so spoiled -- she just doesn't fit in to Milwaukee.
My best suggestion now would can the whole on-air staff and just take 'KTI to a "JACK-FM" format.
Did you ever (seriously) consider that? Atleast it would be something unique to this market and would get you better numbers.
Can WKTI get any worse. I have been a faithful listener since the 1980's. I was crushed when Reitman retired, then Amy. Then you finished it all off by Mueller and Gino. I have suffered thru almost 1 month of the new hosts complaining of moving, long distance romance etc. GROW UP we all have went thru these experiences without all the whining!!!
Now to top it off you are adding John Tesh!!!!!! The radio station that we have on at work has him on at 6:00p.m. And we all rush to turn him off. When I heard this a.m. that you are adding him to your program I Am Done with WKTI.
OFF in my car, my bedroom, rec room.
and computer at work.
After almost 30 years my only radio station ever.
signed very disappointed.
Bob, Bob, Bob... what are you doing with WKTI?
I can't believe the folks at Journal are letting you get away with all these poor decisions.
I admit that Tesh sometimes has some good advice on his show (I've heard it while flipping around some nights), but do we seriously need duling John Tesh shows in the Milwaukee market?
A radio station down in Racine -- 92.1FM -- which covers almost all of the same listening area that 'KTI does -- already carries the John Tesh show. In fact, you are choosing to air the Tesh show at the same exact time as 92.1FM.
WKTI choosing to carry Tesh is like putting up a Starbucks just 2 blocks from another Starbucks. (As in, totally pointless!) The only difference is that WKTI isn't as succesful as a Starbucks.
I just can't wait to the next Arbitron period when you see your number slipping from the poor decision that you have been making.
The reason why I think 'KTI is picking up Tesh is in order to save a salary. It's probably cheaper to pick up the Tesh syndicated show than to hire another local DJ to fill Cindy's evening shift.
So besides the clowns in the morning -- the only FULL-TIME DJs that you have now are Lips and Dan Kyle? THAT'S PATHETIC!! 'KTI won't even have a local DJ on now from 7:00pm-6:00am? That's almost half of the day.
But hey, trying to save money, I guess it's working. I am sure you're making your bottom line for 2007 now without having to pay Reitman, Mueller, or for a night jock now.
Maybe you can pocket the difference?
bob, just be honest.
it's cheaper to run tesh at night than it is to hire a full-time body, pay said person a pissy salary, add benefits, and the responsibility of managing a real human being. you may THINK this move makes more sense for your dwindling budget and ratings...but you should reconsider.
just because you're a hot ac, does not mean you have to give up at night.
i hope you only signed him for a year. milwaukee deserves better.
yikes.
Let us put it in terms that may be easier to comprehend.
"Get up, get up, get outta here! Gone!"
The other crew was old and finished but this one doesn't have it either. Matthew is good. The other choices are not working.
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE get rid of Erin. She is annoying and repeats herself constantly. Geez Louise!! I like AJ and Mathew! I say, keep those boys and dump the chick! Don't let her get too comfortable in her apartment... I'm close to being done!
Hey, good comments... you know... the new team isn't doing it for me either!!
After Gene & Gino got shown the boot I was frustrated with WKTI because I had been listening to them for the last 4 years. I started to flip around the different morning shows in the Milwaukee market during the week after they left. I really didn't find anything I liked there either so I ended up coming back to WKTI that Tuesday after Memorial Day to give Mathew, Erin, and AJ a try.
What a mistake! They're awful (especially Erin) -- I listened for a week and gave up on WKTI again. Mathew and AJ are okay, but you can't tell them apart half the time they speak. Plus, it seems like they have giving out the password at 8AM. As one poster said (and I agree) it almost seems like they make fun of "Insiders". If it's such a pain to give out the password, then think of some other contest and scrap the password thing.
And Erin just whines too much. I mean going on...and on...and on about finding a new apartment, moving out of her old place, her long-distance romance with her boyfriend, wining about her ex, talking about her dog and other things I don't care about!!!
I'm sorry, but I've relocated 3 times in the last 10 years for better jobs -- and I didn't whine or complain about it because it was my decision. I mean if was such a pain for Erin to come here to Milwaukee, maybe she should have just stayed in St. Louis!???
A lot of people have to re-located for jobs and find new apartments and everything -- why is Erin and WKTI making such a big deal about it? It's something people do a lot these days... get over it, man!
We don't feel sorry for you.
Jeez!!
I flipped over to "Smooth 93" now when they started their morning show on Monday and would encourage everyone else to do the same. Ellen is OK -- not as good as Reitman and Mueller -- but a lot better than the new "Morning Zoo" at WKTI.
I agree with the comments. Erin complains too much and it's all about her. Suck it up buttercup. We've all had to move and deal with it. She is gruff and bitchy and it's not enjoyable. She doesn't get what my life is like and I am her intended audience. was that the best there was in the job pool? If it sucks so bad being here, go back home. A lot of us like Wisconsin. We are not just here for the check. It also seems as though you are the only one who blogs. They should take theirs down. Did you even listen to how similar AJ and Matthew sound? We shouldn't have to work so damn hard to figure out who said what. I've left you 'KTI. I am 33 and female and love the music but can't stomach one more minute of what you are calling a morning show. You are not fun anymore.
The demise of 'KTI mornings:
(orchistrated by Bob Walker)
1. Make the DJ's (back when it was still Reitman, Mueller, and Amy Taylor of course) stop talking as much even though everyone liked their 'regular' guests and what they had to say -- to play more music -- the same songs you could hear the other 21 hours of the day
2. Get rid of the 'Hollywood Hot Dish'
3. Reitman retires (I'm sure he might have stayed on longer if you guys treated him better - or maybe even just as a part-time contributor on-air? I mean he wasn't ready to get out of radio obviously because he went over to do his show on WUWM)
4. Don't replace Reitman (Was a 'new' morning show perhaps secretly in the works already in December 2006 and that's why he wasn't replaced?)
5. What happened around the holidays last year. Why did the new morning show of Gene, Amy, and Gino come on for like a week after Reitman retired --- and then go off the air for almost 3 weeks just to be replaced by pre-recorded music? I know it was the holidays and everything -- but who gets 3 weeks off?
6. Amy leaves (My guess here is that she got word of the impending doom of the morning show and took off --- OR she was 'encouraged' to leave right before the demise of the show to make 'KTI look better.
Bob probably saw the impending backlash from women if both Gino and Amy were going to be let go so maybe they made it look like she was "leaving to take care of her kids".
7. No replacement for Amy (the wheels of doom are getting closer)
8. The poor way the last show was handled back on May 16th. I mean I know the change-over was sudden, but jeez louise... why did you have to pull Gene and Gino off at 8am? Couldn't you atleast let them go to 9am or 10am and finish their shift? What's an extra hour in the grand scheme of things? It left a lot of people who listen on theit way into work between 8-9am wondering 'what the hell is going on here?'. It didn't sit very well that Lips came on to tell us at 8:05am what just happened to the morning team.
9. And then the people that were picked for the show --- what the hell? I hope I don't run into them at the 'KTI booth at Summerfest... actually I do... because I'm looking forward to telling them what I really think.
Hey Y'all,
I am sure that Bob Walker is interested in your comments. However, choosing to remain anonymous is rather rude. It is like the neighborhood kids that leave the flaming bag of dog poop on the doorstep, ring the bell, and then run away. It really doesn't open the way for a dialog. I know if I have a question or comment, I would rather e-mail him and get a response than just rant on his blog comments.
hey jen s.
shut up.
love,
anonymous.
bob, bring back a live night jock. there IS still talent out there to be hired....remember kidd at night? go there.
I bet Jen S. works for Journal Broadcasting... hahaha. Shut up!
Why can't Bob respond to the anonymous postings on here?
He didn't ask our opinions about changing the morning show around -- so why should be share our names?
We don't owe him or KTI anything.
Questions I'd like to see him respond to and get the honest answer to:
1. Did Amy Taylor know anything about the demise of the morning show when she left?
2. I know he said that Gene didn't want a big goodbye -- ok, but why did you have to cut the last morning show off at 8am? They could have atleast gone through 9am afterall so the 8-9am listeners could hear their last show and know what was going on (instead of having Lips come on and explain it)
3. Why are you going with syndicated programming at night?
(especially when a radio station in the same market is broadcasting the same Tesh show at the same time!)
4. Was it a move to save money?
Among many other questions.
I have been out of town with no internet access - I know: how is that possible in 2007? (I'll tell you how - the hotel I was staying-at in Minneapolis had an outrageous daily wi-fi charge!!).
Trying to respond to as many of the questions as possible:
Yes, it is common knowledge that anonymous posts are usually by the same few people. But honestly - I don't care. We're in the entertainment business. So entertain away!
Nobody ever considered going JACK at WKTI. We have been a pop music station for our entire life (after switching from WTMJ-FM in '74). As a pop music station, you have to stay current. That is what we do.
The TESH discussion has been going on for well over a year. Cindy Huber was unsure about her career goals and aspirations so I had to have something else in mind if she ever decided to follow another path. She made that decision over the spring. Tesh was still looking for a Milwaukee clearance -so it was time.
Tesh is on many other radio stations across the country including one in Racine. Our coverage areas are not all that similar. Check any of the engineering sites or www.radio-locator.com.
The Tesh show costs the exact same as an evening host. We have a producer who takes care of the Tesh show all 6 nights of the week.
BTW: The legitimate feedback (signed with real names and sent to my e-mail) is all positive on Tesh. I've even had a few people wondering about sponsoring the show.
As for the previous post:
Amy told us a few weeks before she announced that she wanted to make this personal change. Again - it's her business whether or not she says anything. I haven't heard whether or not she and Jason are back from San Diego (they went there for the month of May and she shot me an e-mail saying they may stay longer).
Gene had to leave early on his final day at KTI for a personal reason. It's really none of your (or my) business what that was. He has earned some privacy and he'll get it from me.
I think that is all of the legit questions - again if you want a real answer to any question, e-mail be at bwalker@wkti.com.
I semt you an email with a question and you never responded. I also posted as anonymous because the last thing I need is another email account from google. So all the comments I posted here good or bad they were not legitimate in your eyes. I have listen to your new morning team since they started, But the way you insulted people who leave Anonyous postings I will no longer listen to your station at all!!
The show is bad and the people sound too much alike. The other show was stale but this one is not good. I am not Anonymous-I am a person who has had it with your new morning show and my name is Kendra Jeffers. I work at Milwaukee Tool and we have changed stations.
I like the new show. I love their topics and hearing about their kids. I wish they would play more music, but at least they play more than the last show.
Bob Walker
Your comment "The TESH discussion has been going on for well over a year. Cindy Huber was unsure about her career goals and aspirations so I had to have something else in mind if she ever decided to follow another path. She made that decision over the spring. Tesh was still looking for a Milwaukee clearance -so it was time.
You appear to have your facts wrong, looks like Cindy went to FM 106 then afternoons on B933....Perhaps you should say why the real reason she left? You took away most of her salary and benfits and her show was voice tracked.....
I hope she kicks your ass
Get a Real morning show that is not playing sound effects from the 80's I have yet to find any humor in listening to them
Former insider
Great work.
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