Chuck McKinley obtains Room Temperature!

[chuckmckinley]

I like Room Temperature. Much better than "fired" "sh*tcanned" "downsized" or my favorite "victim of the economy".....Anyway, usually in these boards, someone gets "let go"(another all time fav) and you hear different sides; the unnamed sources...etc, etc. Well, who better to hear about this than me. My name is Chuck McKinley. Now, former Program Director of 1041 The Ranch.

I have been in radio for 32 years. 25 in East Texas. With stops(don't we all have them?)along way at Austin, Minnesota(2 times), Milwaukee(2 stations, the gold star on my resume....WBCS-FM! I was the first MD at WMIL in 1982) and Charleston, WVa, which was the absolute gig from hell. They hated me, I HATED them! But, East Texas for the most part has been terrific. A great place to live and grow.

OK, back to the,.......I don't want to use a cliche.....but I will...."Being Let Go". It wasn't difficult, at all. The worst part was packing my office. I like stuff in my office. Pictures, posters, stuff. Plus, I didn't want to leave. You go to the same place for 8 years. Habit forming. Worst Part/Part 2: I've had great people to work with. I mean, Don Jones and Mandee Montana are terrific, I will miss them. And Tom Perryman. I envy the man. I generally kept my nose clean, told dirty jokes only behind closed doors and only spilled coffee on the carpet once! In short, I thought I was good citizen. And vice versa.

Back to CSI part of this! You know, what happened!

I got(drum roll for the cliche) FIRED  at 8:30am.....didn't leave until 1pm. Of course, what were they going to do FIRE ME!(insert sitcom laughter please)......I was downsized out of a gig. I didn't go into reasons why. I mean, I could've asked some pointed questions, but decided not too. What's the use? I am not huge "torch the bridge guy" anyway. Matter of fact, everytime I've wanted to tell someone to do something incredibly sexy generally illegal in some states(alabama?), I've refrained.

My understanding is that the two country PD gigs with KYKX/KKUS are now combined. That didn't surprise, its happening in New York, I figured it was only a matter of time. Plus, we've gone thru staff cuts...twice, salary cuts...a year from now its gonna be an inflatable doll in front of a LAPTOP! Oh well. The only thing that makes me wistful, sad and you that when have programmed a station from an idea, a memo, that single thought to live, breathing sound....you know what I am talking about?  1041 The Ranch today is what existed on 5 page memo in January 2006. Thats has me really happy. Just my opinion, I leave with my head held high.

Because I am  just considering myself(cliche alert dammit!) A Victim Of The Economy!
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[Chuck]

Chuck,

I'm sorry to hear this news. I think you are one of the few innovative PD's in our area. I believe the ratings bear me out.  Under your watch, "The Ranch" has gone from obscurity to a well-loved radio station.  That is no small accomplishment.

I'm sure you will land on your feet, but these things are never easy.

Best wishes,

The "Other" Chuck.

[LABreeze]

Who could imagine a man that I knew was music director at KNUE while I was working for KISX for four months and later turns out to be a great PD at a classic country station with an incredible amount of potential? Chuck, you have always been an innovative programmer that set a wonderful standard all that time while at KKUS. I wanted to work where you are but I guess that due to budget restraints it wasn't meant to be. But all along I tried.

I'm sorry that the bigwigs at Access 1 "put you out to pasture." It was a great ride while it lasted. But look at the bright side. You'll bounce back somewhere where you are mostly needed and appreciated.

Good luck to you, Chuck in all your endeavors to come in radio.

[C414B]

And hold your head high, you absolutely should!

I'll be watching for word of your new gig.

Keep us posted.

[snoman]

Sorry to hear that Chuck.  A lot of ET pros out of work.  It's just unbelievable what this business has become.  I hope one day the localism will return to radio. 

[musicsweep]

I hate to hear this, Chuck. Hope you land on your feet real soon.

[johnqdoe]

I too started out down the hall from Chuck, Amy, and the KNUE folks at 3810 Brookside Dr. I went on to chase gis around the country but always got that "home" feeling whne I came back to E Tx. visiting family and heard Chuck McKinley on my radio. Thats what radio is supposed to be about. There's no more Larry & Lou, John Moore, or Amy Austin, but we still had Chuck and I enjoyed listening to him.  I really hope he lands on his feet...and I also hope it's places like Tyler/Longview that are at the forefront of the turnaround against corporate radio. These big guys will fail. I realllly hope some local businessmen can scoop up some of these stations and put some of these pros that know how to run radio stations back to work soon.

[BellaJane]

East Texas Radio is just not the same without Chuck McKinley ....

[JLGibbs]

Hey Chuck,
That's very unfortunate! Keep your chin up. Eat well, pasta on 5th and all that.

Jethro

[old_skuel]

Chuck,  Sorry to hear that.  You'll be much happier away from ETRG and I'm sure much less stressed on a day-to-day basis.  Just too bad we won't be able to hear you every day. 

My questions is...how does Dru still have a job?  Now he is also the PD kor KKUS?  He MUST have some pictures of upper management in compromising positions.