That’s what KXNO host Andy Fales (pictured) told Rolling Stone about his fired, then re-hired co-workers. Fales, and his Sports Talk show co-host Keith Murphy, were not part of the layoffs but decided to boycott their show for a day in support of six of their co-workers who were let go.
Fales told Rolling Stone he and Murphy had compiled a list of more than a dozen businesses who would stop advertising with the station. “At a small radio station, that means a lot. Everybody’s in full revolt; all these sponsors were gonna leave. That would be a crippling blow.”
The topic also took off on social media, which often happens when a host leaves a station or gets fired. In most cases, the social media outrage is ignored. Fales and Murphy have more than 110,000 followers on Twitter.
The station reversed its decision to fire the employees, hiring all six back. They will all be back to work tomorrow. St Louis Area Market President Joel McCrea told Radio Ink he recognized a mistake was made. “We’re glad to have them back and we’re moving on.”
Fales wasn’t buying iHeart’s press release that this was being done across the country to take advantage of technology and serve the listeners better. “It was one euphemism after another. You’re replacing something successful with something that is not gonna be successful and calling that progress.”
Two things happened here that you rarely see in radio. Six people were fired then hired back 48 hours later. And, an employee talking negatively, on the record, about the company that he still works for.
Power to the people!
If hosts are passionate about their sponsors and are truly engaged with their listeners, they drastically increase their value to the station.
BTW, an occasional FB or Twitter post and taking a few calls a day isn’t effective engagement.
What’s Bugging Andy, to a whole new level.