March 13, 2009 - Friday
 | Category: Life Radio’s Dark Hour, Keith Bilbrey Relieved At WSM Radio 2009 MARCH 12 by dekerivers UPDATE Sign the petition to keep Keith Bilbrey On WSM RADIO http://www.petitiononline.com/weeeds22/petition.html Voice your displeasure to WSM over this matter. (mailto:Chris@wsmonline.com) General Manager (mailto:Joe@wsmonline.com) Oper. Manager (mailto:pete.fisher@opry.com) WSM”s longtime on-air personality Keith Bilbrey had been relieved of his job. On the air at at Nashville’s 650 AM for more than three decades, Bilbrey will soon cease serving as the midday DJ for WSM, the 50,000-watt country station that first began broadcasting in 1925 and is now heard online and across much of North America and even into some parts of Canada. He’s also was relieved of his role as announcer for the Grand Ole Opry. (Why remove him from the famed Opry show if they only want to rid him of his mid-day time slot…grrrr!) A native of Cookeville, Tenn., Bilbrey’s regular afternoon slot on WSM is weekdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reportedly, his Monday-Friday spot will be delegated to a cyber jockey, meaning voice tracking will be utilized. The cost-saving measure involves a DJ, somewhere, prerecording his or her on-air banter, then merging it with songs, commercials and so forth to create a product that sounds like a live DJ, but alas, it’s only an audio illusion. Absolute B.S.!! This is unconscionable! Should Keith Bilbrey Keep His WSM Job? The fact that Keith Bilbrey is an institution of country music knowledge, and is an award winning professional broadcaster seems lost on those at WSM who think they see a better way to make more of a profit. Ever-looking for the larger pot of money is a mighty short-sighted way to venture through life. Removing a voice that is recognizable to radio listeners, and Grand Ole Opry fans around the globe thanks to the internet, is one of the most soulless acts made by a business in many a year. It is a sad state of affairs when there is no value placed on institutional memory, and all corporate eyes are only looking for a bigger bottom line. I am under no illusion that my views concerning radio or newspapers (another huge love and now concern) are being passed by for ‘bigger and better’ ways of providing news and entertainment. But I will not move from my firm belief that we are losing far more than we are gaining by making these absurd moves, such as the removal of Keith Bilbrey. By the continual erosion of our foundations we are not getting better as a society, only weaker. Too few understand that concept in this greedy screwed up world, and we all pay the price. Gaylord Entertainment manages WSM..tell them how you feel.. You can also write or call Gaylord Entertainment..they manage WSM..Tell them how you feel about their decision to git rid of Keith Bilbrey. General Information Gaylord Entertainment® One Gaylord Drive Nashville, TN 37214 615-316-6000 www.gaylordentertainment.com You can also call the General Manager at WSM or email him : ou can call WSM Chris Kulick, General Manager (615)458-2443 or Email chris@wsmonline.com |
No comments:
Post a Comment