RIP Atlanta's "Mayhem in The AM"

Sadly, you're probably right. This may actually help them because people will now know who they are.

 

They don't have violent spouses stalking them.

 

In the early 1980s, there was a morning show duo in Atlanta -- Ross and Wilson -- who played "Another One Bites the Dust" and dedicated it to the children of Atlanta, during the series of child murders. They were canned. A cursory Google search reveals that since then they've worked in radio in both New York and Philadelphia. Granted, that was the 80s and this is now, but it does not appear that the Mayhem crew just committed a career-killing move.

 

Some no. 2 sports station in a market will hire these guys hoping to generate buzz. People may tune in to see if they are as "bad" as they've heard. And once that "buzz" starts to wear off, they'll say something outrageous, create a controversy out of thin air and perhaps see a bump in the ratings.
There is no better way for a radio talker to get another job than to be described as "controversial." PDs see it as a sign that at least two people care.

 

Because people like me--solid journalistically, personable and caring--don't pull in listeners.

Simple as that.

 

During the late 1980s the Sacramento Kings had a player named Ricky Berry who killed himself during the off-season. One of the stations did a "spoof" of Skid Row's "18 and Life" which started off "Ricky was a forward, who had a handgun." and the song basically went on to imply that he offed himself because the team sucked.

About an hour after it ran, the station was completely off the air for several hours and then when it returned, they found out everyone associated with the song had been fired.

 

We are living in the age of snark, self-entitled assholes thinking the mere fact of being fucking assholes makes them smart or cool.

It is awesome when it blows up in the snarksters' faces.

 

Gleason responds:

https://www.facebook.com/teamgleason.org/posts/485570461518708

 

The MO of a lot of these clowns seems to be making the next stunt more outrageous than the last one, just to gain attention and move up on the radio food chain.

 

Says a lot for the management, eh?

 

Not defending these guys. Repeat I am not defending these guys! But I can see how this could happen.

There are now three sports talk stations in the market. So competition is up. Saints are "rivals" of the Falcons. How do you get your ratings up? Make fun of a beloved Saint. Yes, it is a beyond horrible decision, but I can see in the heat of the morning show moment that this choice (as bad as it was) is made.

I think we all know guys in radio and we know the shit the better guys have to go through to get ratings. It's not pretty -- especially when the mandate is to be "edgy" and "bring it." I know when it was just "The Fan" and "The Zone" they would monitor each other heavily to see what the other station was doing. Imagine the worst budget meeting you ever had and then expect it every day for five straight days.

Again, not defending the action, but I sadly see what could have happened.

 

Actually, these three guys don't really fit with the characterization of a lot of these posts. They've been in the same market, same station for the better part of 15-20 years, and their show was pretty level headed and business-like, more so than zany slapstick and radio gags.

This one bit them, but it wasn't part of their normal persona from my view.

I'll hang up and listen.