Dan Winters leaving WHO

[StateThrowdown]

Not radio, but Maxwell (who took over the morning show on WHO after Van and Bonnie) has a new podcast where he and his co-host, Amy, talk about how they were fired. Very interesting. Maxwell's Iowa Coffeecast if anyone's interested.

Thanks for posting. That was a refreshingly candid description of what happened and the state of local radio.

The big company he was talking about that just laid off a boatload of long time on air employees was Alpha media. They just laid off almost all of their on air talent and replaced them with a satelite stream all over the midwest. I used to listen to one of those stations often and it's now awful. Sad to see, but I get it. Alpha media isn't non profit so they have to make their profits somewhere. Unfortunate, but that's the world we live in.

 

[CycloneRulzzz]

Thanks for posting. That was a refreshingly candid description of what happened and the state of local radio.

The big company he was talking about that just laid off a boatload of long time on air employees was Alpha media. They just laid off almost all of their on air talent and replaced them with a satelite stream all over the midwest. I used to listen to one of those stations often and it's now awful. Sad to see, but I get it. Alpha media isn't non profit so they have to make their profits somewhere. Unfortunate, but that's the world we live in.

I was wondering what he was referring to. Thanks for info.

 

[cyspy]

Thanks for posting. That was a refreshingly candid description of what happened and the state of local radio.

The big company he was talking about that just laid off a boatload of long time on air employees was Alpha media. They just laid off almost all of their on air talent and replaced them with a satelite stream all over the midwest. I used to listen to one of those stations often and it's now awful. Sad to see, but I get it. Alpha media isn't non profit so they have to make their profits somewhere. Unfortunate, but that's the world we live in.

Alpha Media laid off all on air personalities in Mason City,Newton,Grinnell and Fairfield. Some cuts also in Fort Dodge. The only station in Fort Dodge that was spared was KWMT 540. They are a Cyclone network affiliate and many farmers in western Iowa depend on them for farm info. No on air staff were cut at KWMT.

 

[StateThrowdown]

Alpha Media laid off all on air personalities in Mason City,Newton,Grinnell and Fairfield. Some cuts also in Fort Dodge. The only station in Fort Dodge that was spared was KWMT 540. They are a Cyclone network affiliate and many farmers in western Iowa depend on them for farm info. No on air staff were cut at KWMT.

Ah, that makes sense. I didnt realize KWMT was a Alpha Media station. That's a great station. They have hands down the best Ag information in Iowa (that I've heard anyway). I hope Alpha doesnt **** them up too.

 

[cyspy]

Ah, that makes sense. I didnt realize KWMT was a Alpha Media station. That's a great station. They have hands down the best Ag information in Iowa (that I've heard anyway). I hope Alpha doesnt **** them up too.

I should say farmers all over the state depend on KWMT. Their signal goes all over the state.

 

[garn91]

Not radio, but Maxwell (who took over the morning show on WHO after Van and Bonnie) has a new podcast where he and his co-host, Amy, talk about how they were fired. Very interesting. Maxwell's Iowa Coffeecast if anyone's interested.

HOLY COW this is unbelievable! I'm drawing a blank on the GM at the time when things went down at KXNO a few years ago. He's gone and the new GM and program director wanted Max & Amy to make stuff up just to be controversial.

 

[JP4CY]

HOLY COW this is unbelievable! I'm drawing a blank on the GM at the time when things went down at KXNO a few years ago. He's gone and the new GM and program director wanted Max & Amy to make stuff up just to be controversial.

Joel McCrea

 

[KLP630]

Joel McCrea

Lived 3 rooms down from him for 2 years in college. Didn't know he was still in radio. His nickname was mouse to everyone on the floor.

 

[garn91]

Karma? The program director at WHO/KXNO who kicked Max & Amy out is gone himself.

Peter Thiele Exits Role As iHeart Des Moines Director Of Spoken Word Programming

After just six months as Director of Spoken Word Programming overseeing iHeartMedia News/Talk 1040 WHO Des Moines and Sports 1460

radioinsight.com

 

[NoCreativity]

Is it getting more difficult to find talent in this TV market? I turned on Channel 13 the other night at 10 and I thought I might have been in some kind of time warp because it was Amanda Krenz, Jason Parkin, and Michael Admire.

I assume they have to compensate these people pretty well to pull them back into this profession after they've left for a number of years?

I remember Parkin and Krenz leaving maybe a decade ago and Admire left WHO back in 2018 I think.

 

[HOTDON]

Alpha Media laid off all on air personalities in Mason City,Newton,Grinnell and Fairfield. Some cuts also in Fort Dodge. The only station in Fort Dodge that was spared was KWMT 540. They are a Cyclone network affiliate and many farmers in western Iowa depend on them for farm info. No on air staff were cut at KWMT.

Wow. I didn't realize Alpha Media was anywhere near that big. I thought it was just a Fort Dodge area, or even regional group. I was in radio 20+ years ago. We actually took our satellite simulcast station back to local programming. Digital storage and voice tracking made it possible to use personalities in multiple timeslots across sister stations. Only so long before AI makes that unnecessary too. Radio has been a tough business for a long time. Talent has to wear multiple hats to remain justifiable while the sales staff makes a living wage.

 

[CyCrazy]

Karma? The program director at WHO/KXNO who kicked Max & Amy out is gone himself.

Peter Thiele Exits Role As iHeart Des Moines Director Of Spoken Word Programming

After just six months as Director of Spoken Word Programming overseeing iHeartMedia News/Talk 1040 WHO Des Moines and Sports 1460

radioinsight.com

As long as they fill KxNO with local talent I dont care who runs it.

 

[alarson]

Karma? The program director at WHO/KXNO who kicked Max & Amy out is gone himself.

Peter Thiele Exits Role As iHeart Des Moines Director Of Spoken Word Programming

After just six months as Director of Spoken Word Programming overseeing iHeartMedia News/Talk 1040 WHO Des Moines and Sports 1460

radioinsight.com

Or was he just brought in to make unpopular changes and get out

 

[CYdTracked]

It appears that Elias Johnson is no longer with WHOTV. Haven't seen anything reported yet on why but his social media feeds confirm it. Sad to see him go, he did a great job both as anchor and reporter. Curious now how this shakes up the anchor situation at 13 now, is Andy Fales now going to be more in the mix than he usually is? Justin Surrency also has been in the mix here and there but seemed like Elias, Erin, and Janay have been the primary evening anchors lately.

"Much more to say in the days ahead. Stay tuned…
#onwardandupward"

 

[FDWxMan]

So weird this just keeps happening

 

[JP4CY]

It appears that Elias Johnson is no longer with WHOTV. Haven't seen anything reported yet on why but his social media feeds confirm it. Sad to see him go, he did a great job both as anchor and reporter. Curious now how this shakes up the anchor situation at 13 now, is Andy Fales now going to be more in the mix than he usually is? Justin Surrency also has been in the mix here and there but seemed like Elias, Erin, and Janay have been the primary evening anchors lately.

"Much more to say in the days ahead. Stay tuned…
#onwardandupward"

Scott Casber went quasi scorched earth on WHO on Johnson's FB page.

 

[JP4CY]

 

[CYdTracked]

Scott Casber went quasi scorched earth on WHO on Johnson's FB page.

Hoping Elias reveals what happened as what Scott posted assumes that WHO let him go not that he left for something else. I hope they didn't let him go, he was one of the most likable people they had and did such a great job not only with the stories he reported but when he was anchor as well.

It leaves them a little thin at anchor IMO. Lisa Carponelli is mostly part time for the weekends, Andy was more of a fill in than a regular I thought so maybe he takes on more now, Katie Kaplan kind of has the same role that Lisa does, Lindsey Burrell does more reporting than anchor, and Erin doesn't do that 10pm news much anymore. Justin and Calyn are the morning anchors so I guess Justin could be in for a move to evenings. Jannay is the anchor that probably logs the most newscasts in a given week these days it feels like as she's always on in the evenings between WHO and their 9pm Fox newscast. The 1 thing they don't seem to be short on is Meteorologists and Sports anchors. Hasn't been much turnover in both those over the years, maybe they have 1 leave here and there but for the most part the same main people have been there a long time.

 

[MJ29]

Hoping Elias reveals what happened as what Scott posted assumes that WHO let him go not that he left for something else. I hope they didn't let him go, he was one of the most likable people they had and did such a great job not only with the stories he reported but when he was anchor as well.

It leaves them a little thin at anchor IMO. Lisa Carponelli is mostly part time for the weekends, Andy was more of a fill in than a regular I thought so maybe he takes on more now, Katie Kaplan kind of has the same role that Lisa does, Lindsey Burrell does more reporting than anchor, and Erin doesn't do that 10pm news much anymore. Justin and Calyn are the morning anchors so I guess Justin could be in for a move to evenings. Jannay is the anchor that probably logs the most newscasts in a given week these days it feels like as she's always on in the evenings between WHO and their 9pm Fox newscast. The 1 thing they don't seem to be short on is Meteorologists and Sports anchors. Hasn't been much turnover in both those over the years, maybe they have 1 leave here and there but for the most part the same main people have been there a long time.

Elias posted an update on his facebook.

The TLDR is that he gave his 30-day notice last week that he was taking a new opportunity. He gave plenty of leave to allow for time to transition especially with RVTV coming up. Yesterday, he was called into the office and told he was done. They walked him up and said his belongings would be packed up and brought to him.

 

[wxman1]

Elias posted an update on his facebook.

The TLDR is that he gave his 30-day notice last week that he was taking a new opportunity. He gave plenty of leave to allow for time to transition especially with RVTV coming up. Yesterday, he was called into the office and told he was done. They walked him up and said his belongings would be packed up and brought to him.

Meh so fairly standard for giving notice that you are leaving.