As predicted in TheIndustry.biz …..Veteran rebels who insist on keeping things they way they were or going back to the music of the 70s must be acknowledged, credited for their industry contributions then eased out. This is not our grand daddy’s industry anymore and being loyal to vets who think like this will issue urban radio an early and complete media death certificate. They will all have to be faced with the reality that Tenure don’t mean Tits as Urban radio has to grow some balls and make massive changes NOW in order to appeal to the people that advertisers want…. the trendsetters… something I CONSTANTLY and CONSISTENTLY have stressed and predicted in TheIndustry.biz . Remember the story I wrote about The Vet that should retire? I will now tell you… I was talking about Donnie Simpson. Well, looks like CBS was thinking like I was thinking and the vet may be on his way out this time around. Â Kudos to programmer Robert Scorpio for stand ing up and not taking the blame for a failing concept where he had no control. There is no way Donnie and his family members should have had creative control over the music in 2010. Today’s listeners don’t want to hear a 20-year-old song like “Keep on Movin” by Soul II Soul and our tastes should not play a part in force feeding listeners what they have a PLETHORA of options to get online or elsewhere…without us. They can now get what THEY want. Robert Scorpio is a PD that will survive the massive changes about to strike urban radio.In addition to boosting its overall audience, WPGC has been intent on attracting younger listeners, whom advertisers pay a premium to reach. Station executives have insisted that Simpson update his musical playlist and repeat hit songs more frequently.Donnie Simpson may leave WPGCUnder his contract, Simpson and his producer, his son Donnie Jr. — who have creative control over the program — have resisted the suggestions. That stance occasionally led to conflict with the station’s former program director, Rob Scorpio.Scorpio was replaced last week by another programming executive, Michael Saunders. It was unclear whether Scorpio’s departure was related to disagreements with the Simpsons. (that’s funny “The Simpsons” like the cartoons. OF COURSE it was related) Simpson was also upset by the departure of one of his producers, Jeff Newman, in a cost-cutting move last year. That was followed in June by the resignation of sidekick Chris Paul after 16 years on the program. Paul subsequently joined Joyner’s program.via [Great story in the Washington Post, read more here]
