Storm Warnings: Channel 5 Lays Off Promo Staff, While KRLD Fires Brad Barton

• this really stinks. Brad is THE guy i trusted for weather. I hope he gets another station and soooon. i cant wait to hear him again. why didnt krld let go of ernie and jay?? they were about the only ones not worth the time and NOT family friendly to listen to.

• The simple truth is audiences have more options. Advertisers have more options. There's four times more DFW stations than in the early 70's, fragmenting audiences and revenues further. The primary way to distinguish a station is through local programming. Local programming is expensive, local news is the most expensive format. When the company (CBS) is spewing money every minute, the largest expense, the easiest to cut, is local programming. CBS is giving newscasters already on-staff additional chores, probably for the same money. This was ordained by FCC Docket 80-90 in the 80's, it gave a radio station license to damn near anybody who wanted one. The number of stations doubled. Clear Channel, CBS, etc., rushed in to achieve 'efficiencies' by clustering operations with one sales staff, one accountant, GM, etc. With sales gone to Hell, there's a demand for even more efficiencies, personnel being the largest left to whack. Listen carefully to the CBS (and every other) stations. Outside of mornings, maybe afternoons, there's 'voice-tracking', satellite delivery, very little local dj. The end result of all this is getting very close. Half or more of the stations will "go black." The stations left will be, compared to today, operated by Ma and Pa local owners, offering local programming, selling to local advertisers. Which is what the Communications Act of 1934 envisioned to begin with. That's the one thing IPODS, cds, internet radio can't compete with. A local dj talking about things happening locally. That's what radio once was. Radio definitely has changed. I was trying to think if anybody from my generation of Dallas jocks played the piano in church on Sunday. I can't recall any of us ever GOING to church on Sunday. I was co-Godfather of a newsman's kid, the other co- showed up for the ceremony more ripped than usual, I had to park him on the side of a pew to get through it. This change is something old dj's lament. The era of putting the name tag of a Channel 8 anchorman on a wino and taking him to the Neiman Marcus wine-tasting, the time the skunk got loose in KRLD's newsroom, Joe Halstead cooking chili every day at WBAP, inviting folks in to eat with him, the 1190 KLIF, where rock and roll radio was invented, the over-night dj who was running a fencing operation, Tom Joyner calling the GP PD, reporting the theft of his air guitar. That's what REAL Dallas radio was all about. RIP.

• Sounds like I'll be listening to more CD's on my car radio. I certainly don't need the current crop of "let me say something that will keep the board lit" talk radio hosts.

• KRLD does a lousy job covering the news. They just clip stories from the paper and voice the details. The weather converage was the only reason to keepthem on. No more.

• Brad is about the only party in this town I trust for weather forecasting. Seeing that the major TV stations, esp. Fox 4 and Ch. 8 like to take any kind of weather event and run a six hour AM/PM newscast to reflect the fact we have a 1/4 inch of sleet on a non-frozen highway...

• When it all comes down to it, KTCK is about the only local radio station that doubles as entertainment and informative. Where else can I get a tornado warning, e-news, and HSOs on the Rangers suckage all in one segment?

• Thanks to all the supporters who've been posting nice things about me. To be mentioned in the same breath as Troy and Harold is an honor I don't deserve. The Dallas Observer is a lot of things but never boring. Love the headline. Also, thanks to DO for ripping off a more current picture of me than the news. I was badgered and shamed into a facebook account but I'm not likely to post much right away. If I have anything else to say, I'll say it under my own page. Mitch Carr is replacing me and David Rancken is replacing Mark Watkins in the afternoon. I believe the station will be using CBS11 personnel for the time being. Don't worry about Mike Rogers. He'll be back Wednesday. Thanks again for every kindness. Brad

• I did some google searches and saw where Carla Marion has landed at 820 WBAP after being let go by KRLD. Anyone thinking that WBAP might want to snag B. Barton? ET P1

• I have trusted Brad Barton many years for weather information on my battery radio when the power was off, or not to get area-specific information. I remember when KRLD was mainly about news and weather. I've tried the National weather channel, but they are often not area specific enough for me.

• Anybody catch that shot of Karen Hughes (then Karen Parfitt) at :18 into the first promo up top? And that last promo with the bad restaurant guy--had the unmistakable genius of Lee Speickerman written all over it. R.I.P. the late, great Channel 5 promo department. Anyone else up for launching a few local FCC license challenges? With the new FCC, one never knows what might happen...

• This is terrible. Fact is that if the weather was really bad, I would tune into KRLD to hear Brad Barton. The man just exuded calm, practical information. If the power went out in our neighborhood, battery power and the radio would keep us informed. Alot of posters here are flippant, and on most things that is okay, but when someone dies because KRLD abandoned their public responsiblity to save a few bucks and that someone is one you care about........

• Since Harold Tafts' passing weather for Dallas sucked.Troy Duncan was the next best thing if you could stand looking at that bow tie, which reminded me of some doctor or a geek.I did'nt know Rebecca Miller got axed because I no longer live in metroplex,bummer. Let me guess they have that other gal that was blonde and younger and wore shorter skirts and was more appealing than Rebecca,which is the key word "more appealing".Media sucks anymore

• Is Richie Whitt preparing an exposé of Brad Barton? j/k

• constantly

• Stereotype much, Big Guy?

• Those scanners come in really handy when the guys in the blue helmets come to get your guns!

• No, I'm not a ham operator, I just keep a scanner radio or three around for this sort of thing. btw, any decent ham operator, and certainly all the storm spotters, have backup power for emergencies, up to and including large generators. There are all sorts of official procedures for hams providing emergency communications when an area is hit by an earthquake, tornado, etc. If the power is out, the police/EMS radio system goes down, etc., the odds are that the hams will still be operational. Ham radio is a very valuable by-product of the era before personal computers came along.

• Dear Toots Real men have UPS on their router/modems, and their desktop machines. Laptops, of course, would not need one

• Yeah, you can get on your Ham radio, you can get on your computer and go to that terrorist site that is Wunderground, or even the TV, but what do you do when the power goes out? I'd much rather KRLD get rid of Charlie Jones to cut costs. He's boring as hell.

• ROB is a Ham radio guy? This does not surprise The Big Guy. The Big Guy Grew up in Northern California. There is no weather there (No - this is not a play on the Oakland Joke), really...rain or no rain...that's it. Harold Taft taught The Big Guy everything The Big Guy knows about weather, where each and every little town in North Texas is, and more importantly, how to pronounce them correctly. Now The Big Guy is a wunderground.com fan. The Big Guy gives it two thumbs up. The Big Guy is a big fan of Mr. Barton, and hopes he lands at a place that will keep him on forever

• Good points ROB. Weather Underground is an excellent resource that I use frequently. If I lived on the Gulf Coast, tornado alley, or other weather sensitive area, it would make me nervous to entirely rely on a private enterprise. Call me a screaming liberal, but I still have some faith left that there are still some services important enough to our nation for the Federal government to handle. Our job as citizens is to make sure they are done properly, efficiently, and wisely. A never ending task certainly.

• If a tornado were headed my way, I'd be listening to the ham radio storm spotters on 146.88 and watching the radar on Weather Underground, with a TV on somewhere in the background -- maybe. As for local weather forecasts, it seems quaint to try to catch it on TV when it's available 24/7 on the net. And if you want hot babes with your weather, I hear that they're available on the net, too.

• mpound - I accept your view, and we can agree to disagree about priorities and risk. Although media outlets are for-profit ventures, it has always been accepted that they are licensed in the public interest. Special rules and responsibilities are incurred with that licensing. I have an issue with how relevant that is in our modern age of cable and satellite, but that is another subject. Frankly, as long as people are willing to properly fund the National Weather Service to be a top notch agency and disseminate the information to the public freely; I could care less who the media outlets hire. But there are MANY voices always wanting to cut or completely eliminate the NWS! Then where would we be?

• Yes Weather Enthusiast, I suppose if I had an "F5" or Noah's flood or whatever else life threating weather situation it is that winds your watch bearning down on my house, I would rather listen to the expert - if I wasn't running for my life. But for 99.99 percent of the time, that sort of weather ain't going to be happening. On most days the only disagreement between my bimbo and your preferred meteorological expert is whether the temperature is going to 93f or 95f today and whether the chance of rain next Tuesday is 30% or 40%. In short, it just doesn't matter who gives you the mundane typical day-to-day weather. They all have access to-and pass along- the same information. Psst..media outlets already know this, that's why they hire cute girls cheap to do the weather instead of expensive professional meteorologists. Just sayin'.

• OK well in 165 years Dallas has had only one major tornado - an F-3 in 1957. But if we are going to mention old weather guys we should also remember Warren Culbertson and Dale Milford (later a congressman). Harold and those guys were a lot more trustworthy than bimbo eye-candy who know how to pronounce "Mexia".

• Voice your opinion to KRLD; 214-525-7000

• Yes, any idiot can also pull up the National Weather Service website, read the forecast, watch the radars, etc. without any assistance. Let's see how valuable that 27 year old bimbo is to you when an F5 tornado is bearing down on your neighborhood, and a trained, experienced meteorologist is needed to interpret those "nice, pretty colors". Weather "forecasting" used to be part art, part science; but meteorology is now a highly technical, difficult field of science. Being 2 miles off on the track of an F5 tornado, or 20 miles off on that one inch of ice can mean the difference in life and death to your family. I'm. Just Sayin'. <rant over>

• But KXAS is a TV station. Agreed?

• <i>wouldn't you rather see a 27 year old bimbo</i> mpound, KRLD is a radio station.

• Back in Harold Taft's day and in the early career of Brad Barton, before doppler radar, and all other technological innovations, predicting and tracking weather was more of an art. It took talented meterologists to make it all work, and a good, accurate weatherman was a valuable commodity for a media outlet. Anybody can do a decent job at the weather these days, and besides wouldn't you rather see a 27 year old bimbo - like that one they have on channel 4 in the mornings- tell you about hail moving thru the town of Podunk in Palo Pinto county, than some old fart who learned the trade at Texas A & M?

• Well, there goes the only reason The Big Guy ever listened to KRLD.

• I think KXAS has done better in the morning since Miller was let go (not saying she was hurting the ratings - but her departure hasn't seemed to hurt them any). All forms of media are really hurting right now as revenues are way down. Unless the economy starts turning around soon, we'll see more layoffs of long time talent.

• Well, there goes the only reason I ever listened to KRLD.

• It's amazing how the media outlets in this town seem to consider meteorological talent to be nothing but a commodity. North Texans are obsessed with the weather. It brings eyeballs to your station without a doubt. They fire good talent like Miller and Barton on a budgetary whim, yet they send whole teams of reporters out when a summer shower drifts by, or God forbid there is one pellet of sleet within 100 miles of the area. Total. Morons.

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