|
I have fortunately met a lot of
interesting people in my travels. Here are a few of them.
John Kluge: One of the super wealthy people in the
world!! I had never met a person worth that much money. He
was listed way up there on the Fortune most wealthy as I
recall. But, I read him as just a good guy…like his money
was not a big deal. He was the owner of Metromedia Radio and
Television. At one time Metromedia was the cream of the
crop. But the RUMOR is that he sold both radio and
television divisions to enter the cell phone business long
before cell phones were popular. A very smart man!! I met
Mr. Kluge when he asked me to move our broadcast companies
national radio sales representation from Eastman to his
firm, Metro. He is a terrific sales person…very poised,
direct, and prepared. He got the order.
Carl Brazell: Carl bought the Metromedia Radio chain
from Mr. Kluge. Carl asked me to consult for him while
waiting for FCC transfer approval and the closing. I was
with Carl weekly for months. It was a very pleasant
experience. We traveled to Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas,
and all the other Metromedia markets observing the
programming and promotion. Carl and I became very good
friends as we are today. He is a very fun person with a
great deal of worldly experience. He has great Super Bowl
stories. He attended every year with his friend George
Duncan, and perhaps Bill Ward both employees of Metromedia
at one time. Carl has one of those deep voices…he would have
been a great announcer. But, big time ownership is better!!!
Chesley Maddox-Dorsey: She was a very important
advisor in my ownership career. She worked for a bank in
Cleveland as a media loan officer. She then formed her own
firm to direct guys like me to banks and investment bankers.
Chesley is an amazing person. I’ve decided to write a full
column about her in the near future. More then.
Bill Drake: In the early 90’s I asked Bill to co-form
a division in our consulting company to consult oldie
stations. We did. Bill was very pricey…he charged a lot of
money for his advice. I was the sales person of this
division, and Bill was the artist. Because of his high fee I
had a limited number of oldie stations who could afford to
buy his services. I was able to sell consulting agreements
to stations in Dallas, Sacramento, Miami-Ft Lauderdale,
Chicago and a few others. I accompanied Bill on his oldie
consulting trips. He was terrific. He really knew his
business….still does I am certain. He would check into a
hotel and listen to his client station for three or four
days before he offered improvement advice. Ratings improved.
It was about this time, 1995, that I sold our consulting
company to McVay Media. Bill and I lost contact at that
time. If anyone reading this knows where he is please let me
know. I would like to say hello to him.
Dwight Case: He was the president of the prestigious
RKO Radio chain. He called me at my consulting office in
Atlanta and asked “I just wondered if you would like to do
some consulting for some of our stations”. Did I!!!! He and
his wife “V” are terrific people. Dwight laughs a lot!! A
great personality!! He assigned me to some of his group and
I went to work. Dwight was held in great regard by those who
worked for him. A few years later he called me while I was
on vacation in Florida, to advise he had decided to leave
RKO…..that he had some other media things he wanted to do.
I, for one, really miss him in the day to day broadcast
business. He has futuristic ideas!! As far as I know he
still lives in the Los Angeles area.
With all of the above…I know -- because I WAS THERE!!!
e-mail Kent
kent@kentburkhart.com
|
