Wells-Fargo & Wachovia...a case study in PR

We're watching the unfolding of a case study in action--this time, it is the very public merger of Wells-Fargo and Wachovia.

And while Triad Media Watch is not necessarily a public relations blog, our local media still has a responsibility to cover the business end of this merger, for it affects a great number of people in the Piedmont Triad, from employees to shareholders to customers.

Undoubtedly, you've been made aware of the recent stories involving WF's shuttered employee recognition event that was due to occur in Las Vegas. WF is a recipient of Washington welfare--err, bank bailout money. It is causing one major crap-storm on a new blog unveiled in early January to discuss the ongoing merger completion efforts by WF and Wachovia.

Damage control doesn't even describe the anger among many who are affected by this corporate marriage. Employees of WF ask what the fuss is all about. Other employees blame the business media for blowing it out of proportion. Some employees blame the company for taking the event to Las Vegas and not having it in San Francisco, WF's corporate location. Shareholders are up in arms. And customers like us (and I have a dollar or two [literally] in both banks) are left to wonder what the future holds for this merger.

It is the responsibility of our local media, particularly, what's left of our local business press, to report any and all happenings with respect to this merger, fairly and openly.

E.C. :)

Grammy ratings up

Despite the low ratings of some award shows as of late, and despite the god-awful homogenization of local terrestrial radio among mega-conglomerates like Clear Channel and Viacom, last night's Grammys had an increased audience, according to the AP.

Of course, they also used to at least have some sort of a scroll at the bottom to inform us as to who won among the other categories...we don't even get that anymore.

Who won for best folk artist???

E.C. :)

97.1 'QMG led fall ratings

97.1 WQMG-FM led the local fall Arbitron ratings that were released January 23 with a 7.6 share. That was followed by "Hip-Hop" 102 JAMZ (WJMH FM) with a 7.2 share and Clear-Channel-owned WMAG with a 6.4.

The rest of the local area ratings can be found here.

E.C. :)

Asleep at the wheel at CBS-2

Andy over at GreensboroSports.com alerts us to a board op-or two-possibly being asleep at the wheel over the weekend over at CBS-2 WFMY.

...Late night Saturday and WFMY TV2 is showing CSI:New York and that is one of my favorite non-sports programs. Stella and Mac make a good team. Well, this CSI is going head-to-head with Saturday Night Live and MAD TV and Stella is winning that war in an episode that I had not previously seen.

One of the guys on the CSI:New York team, well his brother Louie is involved with some guys that pulled a Jimmy Hoffa on some kid and just as Louie gets beat up for talking to his brother, who is now a cop with the CSI: New York team, well Louie gets beat within and inch of his life and the scene ends just as Louie is headed to the hospital.

They cut to a commercial and when they come back they(TV2’s board operators) show the same scene all over again. They run the same entire scene again and even though it’s not bad having to see Stella again, Louie gets his but kicked again and he’s headed off to the hospital again and they cut to the same commercials again at the end of the scene we had just watched all over again and when they return from commercial the second time they are running the credits for the show. IT’S OVER!!!!!

It’s 12:30 am on a show that began at 11:30 pm and we don’t have a clue of what happened and how that show ended and thanks to WFMY Channel 2 we probably never will. That stinks….Aren’t their people watching????? Are the board operators sleep walking?????

How did that show end? I have seen this happen before and every time I do, I think this can never happen again.

Did anyone else notice this debacle?????? Come on Channel 2, why can’t you get it right??????

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I hate to say it, but Andy makes a good point, I've been noticing a lot of "blips" and "jumps" and "misfired graphics" over at CBS-2 lately.

I know you folks over at Gannett are having issues, but WUSA-9 (the Gannett-owned CBS affiliate in Washington DC) runs a lot more smooth, and a lot more like an O&O (owned-and-operated) station.

Fix it.

E.C. :)

Smooth Jazz has unique niche on 101.1

I'm a big fan of smooth jazz. Always have been.

And while round-the-clock "smooth jazz" formats on terrestrial FM stations are being abandoned in increasing numbers in major media markets around the country, WZTK (FM Talk 101.1) continues to build its listeners with its "Smooth Jazz Weekends."

While the Curtis Media-owned station ranked #13 in the latest local Arbitron ratings with a 2.9 share, the weekend-only smooth jazz format appears to be more successful among advertisers than reruns of syndicated talk programming.

Okay, I'm a little biased, but the format is working, and no, I'm not getting reimbursed for this subtle plug.

E.C. :)

Ogi signs off...then signs back on

My friend Ogi Overman, editor of the Jamestown News, will shift his weekly column from the YES! Weekly to a new blog: http://ogiomnibus.blogspot.com/

Overman says in this week's YES! Weekly: “I just feel it’s time to be more of an online presence,” he said. “As much as I love print, it’s time to realize the inevitable. “My goal in the coming year is to expand the Sizzling Seventeen and try to break that elusive twenty barrier.”

Overman calls it is Sizzling Seventeen because he knows of 17 people who regularly read his words.

Add 18 to the list, Ogi.

E.C. :)

The Paper Caper

YES! Weekly brass are publicly questioning why many of its paper boxes on Greensboro's Elm Street and High Point Rd. were emptied right after they were restocked with this week's issue. They suspect it may have something to do with this week's cover story on Greensboro's downtown nightlife.

News & Record's John Robinson picks up the story in his blog, but gets a little curt in the process:

First, I didn't do it.

Second, if a item is free, is it a crime to take as many as you want? (The question is only half serious. I know that newspaper theft is fully a serious matter as is suppression of the ideas and information in the paper.)

You think ole' JR feels a little salty because the alternative press is doing the work that the N&R should be doing?

NAHHHH!

E.C. :)

Digital Delayed

News accounts of the digital TV switch has been delayed until this summer are slowly spreading. June 12 is the new date of the transition, via a vote by Congress yesterday.

Some say it gives more time to have coupons sent out, and more spots run locally to help prepare the masses for the transition. It is uncertain how many Triad-area homes would be affected.

E.C. :)

Time Warner Cable losing money, plans layoffs

You know it's bad when the cable company starts laying off.

The 500-pound gorilla in the area known as Time Warner Cable reportedly will lay off as many 1,250 employees nationwide, this after the media giant posted a $7.34 billion loss for 2008. It is unclear how many employees will be affected in the Triad. It is also uncertain how this will affect employees and operations at the Time-Warner-owned News 14 Carolina.

E.C. :)

W-S Journal parent losing money

MarketWatch is reporting Media General lost millions in the fourth quarter of 2008. The parent company of the Winston-Salem Journal and smaller dailies in Rockingham County said the Journal led the company's decline in its balance sheet. Fourth-quarter revenue at the company's newspapers, including the Tampa Tribune, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal and 21 other dailies, fell 17%, according to the article.

Classified ad revenues plunged 30%, help-wanted ad revenue plunged 60%, real estate by 50%, and automotive by 46%.

Ouch!

E.C. :)