Just read this morning that 92.9 The Bull in Saskatoon has done some shuffling of staff...what makes this noteworthy is that the General Manager's son, Patrick, with no formal education in radio, and in fact, thought to be a high school drop out, (no joke) is the music director and now drive guy for their country fm.....wow.....maybe they should change the name to Nepitism 92.9....or 92.9 The Nep!...another indicator that this market needs a radio enima!....ennima?......enimma?......maybe I'll go back to school myself!

By the way, when did 'Cocaine Cowgirl' by Matt Mays and El Torpedo become country???

This market is in a messed up league all by itself!

How is it any different from Zack Yerxa?

Regarding the supposed "nepotism"...why would anyone be shocked by that?  Call me cynical, but I've realized that this business is ALL about who you know!!

Regarding Matt Mays, I defy anyone to put a label on "what is country?"..........the borders are as fuzzy now as they've ever been at any point in country music history, and i have no problem putting an artist like Matt Mays in there, if it means less airtime for Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood!!

You can't be serious?!

Granted, there's crossover, but there's a difference between the boarders being 'fuzzy' and a downright inebriated blackout!

And as far as Rascal Flatts and Carrie Underwood, I guess 40 million country fans CAN be wrong.


There's also a difference between who you know and who your daddy is.

....and the world continue's to spin round' and round'!

Having spent two years there when it was HOT 93, I watched the GM's son being hired after being tossed from his second shot at grade 12. A producer was his first posting, which was followed by the firing of an actual producer. Until Elmer sells the three stations, or takes an active role in their operation, this will continue. If you go to their Saskatoon Web page (produced out of the station building) it features the GM's daughter's blog. Go figure.

The comment about Zack Yerxa seems somewhat unfair. While he may be young and involved with his father and brothers in applying for a new FM station in Edmonton, he wasn't working for family when he was at Corus or The Bounce. So where was the nepotism? Zack's family hasn't owned any Edmonton stations since his late grandfather sold CFCW and CKRA to Newcap almost 20 years ago. And few people would argue that Hal Yerxa was one of Alberta's most successful broadcast entrepreneurs dating back to the 1950s.

Quoted from El Gallo

Just read this morning that 92.9 The Bull in Saskatoon has done some shuffling of staff...what makes this noteworthy is that the General Manager's son, Patrick, with no formal education in radio, and in fact, thought to be a high school drop out, (no joke) is the music director and now drive guy for their country fm.....wow.....maybe they should change the name to Nepitism 92.9....or 92.9 The Nep!...another indicator that this market needs a radio enima!....ennima?......enimma?......maybe I'll go back to school myself!

By the way, when did 'Cocaine Cowgirl' by Matt Mays and El Torpedo become country???

This market is in a messed up league all by itself!

Yesh! Aren't you bitter!

Yeah, it does look that way doesn't it?

But not really, I just find myself naively wishing that someone who's paid their dues was allowed a fair shake at a positions like these, as opposed to these incestual appointments we see from time to time....I wouldn't mind if the guy was at least somewhat qualified, esecially after what scudmonkey had to add.....but then I also wish for world peace and lower prices for movie theatre popcorn.

just an observation....as i said before, and the world goes round' and round.

so what if he has no "formal"  training in radio. since when does a diploma write you a ticket to anything? maybe he deserves the position. i don't know pat and i only listened to a break this afternoon, but he seems to hold it ok.

from what i know about zack, he did work very hard and was rewarded despite not having any formal education... in radio. if he has a passion and is great at what he does, why not?

dues are dues. i've been thrown into that bin and i've seen from the hiring side of it too. most times, you're either the one they want, or the one they don't. it sucks, but right there's the first screen. basically, your fair shake  

btw, remember michael buble on country radio? matt mays is cc too. it helps.

Seems to me the only people that bitch about jocks not having "formal training" are ones who's dad owns a local broadcast school.  It must be really hard to explain why someone should have to pay BIG $$$$$ to attend a bad broadcast school and watch someone who has no training do better.  My guess is that it has more to do with attitude than having "formal training."  Scudmonkey, you would still might have the midday gig if you didn't suck and your attitude wasn't a cancer.  It's a talent based industry and anyone who argues that they should have ANY job based on time served and formal training should think about another line of work.  In my experience anyone who works hard strives to be better the next shift and adds a positive spin on the workplace will do just fine.  The ones that bitch about how hard things are and how it's someone else's job all the time usually are the ones that are looking for work and always bitch about how someone else got the job.

Here's the way I look at this...

I agree with all of you. If the dude got the gig because of his daddy...and for no other reason, then may he fall flat on his face. If he got the gig because of his daddy and does well...then good for him. We could all be so lucky. Why we gotta hate on someone else for a step up?

In reality...getting a job doesn't mean anything...keeping a job seems a little more important. With all the BS salesman in this business...some people can talk their way into almost anything.

I'm sitting here...just over a year in "the biz" one thing I know is my attitude and work ethic will get me farther than who's sack I was squirted out of!

Keeping it all in the family was ok for the Sopranos...why not these guys?

(Keep in mind...I've yet to tune into this dude yet...if he blows...I want his head)

There are MANY jobs taken away from big shot's kids. Why should radio be ANY different. C'mon..don't hate the player..hate the game.

FYI. ALL Saskatoon radio sucks anyway, will a newbie to the biz make it any better/worse? I think not.

Smashup55...not only do I appreciate your Booker T reference...but dude, you're totally right. It's the way of the world. Hell George Bush's daddy was President of the United States...and old dubbya scored 8 years in office!

All we can hope is that the sucky and un-qualified are exposed and removed...

Then again...see my above George W Bush comment.

Quoted from smashup55

There are MANY jobs taken away from big shot's kids. Why should radio be ANY different. C'mon..don't hate the player..hate the game.

FYI. ALL Saskatoon radio sucks anyway, will a newbie to the biz make it any better/worse? I think not.

Saskatoon radio sucks......You're a genious.  That is why kids with no training probably took your gig.  I bet it drives him nuts that people think he doesn't deserve to be in drive. He probably works his balls off to prove he is supposed to be there...Maybe you should check out his show?

"Scudmonkey, you would still might have the midday gig if you didn't suck and your attitude wasn't a cancer."


Yeah, you're probably right. Scudmonkey should've had a better attitude, so he could stay in that hell froze over Saskatoon, rather than get gig he has in beautiful Victoria doing middays at a station in "Canada's California" and not owned by Elmer.

He's probably still crying about it. Get real. I've known the Scudster for years, and if he had a bad attitude about the place, then it must be an inherantly bad place.
You're talking about a broadcaster who has done well in both Calgary, Edmonton, and now Victoria. I'm sure he could do well in butt-f*ck Saskatchewan if the station wasn't just "wrong."