Topic: See ya, Steve
started by: 1adam12
Posted by 1adam12 on Sep. 24 2003,12:15 pm
Like it or hate it, this trend really sucks:ALBERT LEA, Minn. -- The last live disc jockey on KCPI-FM has lost his job and will be replaced by a syndicated host working out of Lincoln, Neb.
``I'm not being fired. I'm being invited to leave. I don't know how to put it,'' said Steve Helleksen, who hosted the morning show and had worked at the station for 14 years.
Helleksen was replaced on the air earlier this month, without an explanation to listeners.
``There are so many stations out there opting to use satellite feeds. I call it robot radio,'' Helleksen said.
News and sports reports on the station remain local.
Helleksen blamed cost cutting by the station's owner, Three Eagles Communications Co. of Nebraska. Company president Gary Buchanan referred questions to the station manager.
KCPI station manager Bill Lubke, answered few questions about Helleksen's departure. He said it was a decision made by corporate headquarters and wouldn't disclose the reason behind it.
He said the decision had nothing to do with Helleksen's performance, which he said was excellent.
Three Eagles Communications bought KCPI and its sister station, KATE-AM, in 1997. KATE, an AM station, has several live hosts.
Posted by ALTiger on Sep. 26 2003,12:46 am
This sucks. Steve, you were not always great (hey - we're not all perfect all the time), but you were definitely fun to listen to. I hope you find yourself another live radio gig sometime soon.
Posted by minnow on Sep. 26 2003,12:57 am
25 years ago DJ's didn't make hardly diddly squat, but many got to keep the promotional Albums. LP's...remember those...vinyl... and many ended up with collections worth tens of thousands of dollars.Radio is a shadow of what it once was and robot radio is all it can afford. But, let's face it. Robo radio are pros... which are much better then the local yokels broadcasting live.
Posted by cpu_slave on Sep. 26 2003,9:46 am
Tom Petty wrote a song about this, The Last DJ if I remember correctly. Pretty much sums up what is happening in the industry. Take the time to look around and you will see this is pretty much happening nation wide. There was a story about a town in North Dakota that had tornados coming through, but since all the music and DJing came from out west, no one even knew about it. It could have been a real tragedy. Everyone remembers to tune to local radio in the event of an emergency, but I do not think that will be the case any longer.Sorry minnow, I would rather listen to the "local yokels broadcasting live" than some DJ 5 states away who has no idea what's going on locally.
Posted by rosebudinal on Sep. 29 2003,7:02 pm
Well, you could always tune in to Kroc and listen to Caleb Quinn, he's local and deejays live every weekend.
Posted by cpu_slave on Sep. 30 2003,1:08 pm
Sorry rose- but every time I hear top 40 I want to rush to the kitchen, heat up some knitting needles and plunge them into my ear canals, treating the wounds afterwards with q-tips that have been dipped into the pus-ridden anus of a syphilitic cat! 
and I'd love to see that no-talent moron eminem shoved down an escalator and anally violated with a cactus! (it might even improve his career!)I happen to catch some of the college radio and like what I hear, the DJ's are there just having fun and the music is nowhere near repetitive. It's too bad that these kids will leave college and have no opportunity to DJ for local radio, as it all has gone the way of national syndication. I never thought I would pay for radio but compared to the generic sounds on the local airwaves (including top 40), commercial free satellite radio is starting to look appealing.
Posted by 1adam12 on Sep. 30 2003,2:00 pm
I'm with you, CPU, although I just usually turn the dial 
. I don't know how "local" I would consider KROC. When I used to listen to them way back when, they never mentioned AL. I don't know if they've changed, but I can't stand to listen to them.Probably the closest we have to local FM radio is FM-100. They still have live DJ's during the day and evening, and their news includes Freeborn County.
Posted by jimhanson on Sep. 30 2003,2:42 pm
CPU--what a wordsmith! One of the funniest posts I've seen here!
Posted by rosebudinal on Sep. 30 2003,4:47 pm
Guess I'm alittle prejudice, the DJ is my son and yes, he is going to college for another career. But, to me he's great at the radio show and now the public can share in the humor that I have put up with for 22 years!!!
Posted by Mamma on Sep. 30 2003,5:00 pm
I'd rather listen to a live person on the radio then some taped crap. Did you ever try to get a local weather report on a stormy night? Kate radio does a good job on weather and storm reporting. I think Party line is nothing but a bunch of old ladies who don't know what a cookbook is. Good grief....don't they know how to look up a recipe? What a waste of air time. I thought party line was like the old days when you could listen in on the phone line...I think it started out to be a show for opinions and views, and now turned into an hour of recipes and commercials. 