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Tuesday, July 8, 2008
7/9: Whatever happened to… Chris Krok?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Former WSB-AM night-time talk-show host Chris Krok, who was being groomed at WSB-AM to be the next Boortz, was quietly dismissed last December just days after winning an Achievement in Radio Award at the March of Dimes fundraiser.
He’s been busy filling in for talk show hosts across the country and seeking new employment. And he’s finally answering a few questions for me via email. He shed no light on why he was dismissed. I suspect even he doesn’t know and he skipped over my questions asking him whether he was given any clue that WSB brass wasn’t happy with him. If he was bitter about his dismissal, he’s not conveying it in his email comments.
Krok, who worked at the station for nearly two years, has a Web site up dubbed www.chriskrok.com where he lists which stations he’s going to be working at in upcoming weeks.
He focused heavily on local issues and was often frenetic and passionate about causes. His biggest issue was illegal immigration, whch led to two big rallies, which drew hundreds of people. (That photo above is from the second one last year.)
Here are some of his answers to some of my questions:
What was your reaction when you were cut after two years on WSB-AM?
It’s radio. It happens. It’s not the first time, nor will it be the last!
Do you feel you improved and matured over your two years on the air?
Absolutely! The past two years were a fantastic growing period for me. [Program director] Pete Spriggs is the best boss I’ve had. He taught me a lot.
Obviously, the staff liked you cos you won that AIR award. How did people react when they found out a few days later you were gone? Any words of wisdom from Clark or Neal?
People were as surprised as I was. Clark and I went to IHOP! I brought the coupon, no kidding!!
What have you been doing since you left WSB-AM?
Full details, including a blog are on the new website: www.chriskrok.com. But for the most part, I’ve been filling in at great stations like WLS/Chicago, WMAL/D.C., KLIF/Dallas and in markets like Vegas, Portland, OR and Phoenix. I’ll be filling in for two network shows [including G. Gordon Liddy] later this month.
Tell me a bit about your Krok summer tour?
The Summer Tour concept came as we were creating the new website. It’s a neat way for listeners to see where I’m at and when I’m on..FUN! As to why I’m on all these stations…..As I Iook for my next opportunity, I get a chance to showcase myself. Some of these stations are checking me out for employment. Others love having a guy of my caliber on their station to fill in. So, it keeps my skills sharp while I pursue my next challenge in radio.
Any chance you think you can stay in Atlanta?
Who knows! We’d love to stay. If any news breaks, we’ll put it up on the site, I promise!
Have you listened to much Atlanta radio since you left WSB? Any shows you like? Dislike?
Not much listening, as I’m focused on national news and local news in the markets I’m busy filling in at.
What do you feel you contributed most to WSB while you were there? Highlights?
Getting out on the streets. Making causes and making them happen. Getting people passionate and stirred up. Doing it Krok-style, baby! Highlights? You can see them on the website, complete with pictures at www.chriskrok.com.
What did you like most about the WSB-AM gig?
A tie: my boss, Pete Spriggs and the resources!
What hot-button issue in Atlanta would you be honing in on now if you were still on the air?
As I mentioned, I’m focusing more on national stories and local stories in local markets outside of Atlanta that I’m filling in for.
And are you smoking more or less since you left the station? And are you jogging more or less?
I quit [smoking] last August, while still at WSB! I jog less, b/c my schedule is a bit hectic, filling in for different stations, different time zones and different shifts! You really want to see what I’ve been up to? Check out the blog on the website!! It has some interesting pics with me and the kids!
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7/8: TV viewing still going up, up, up
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Despite the Web, the iPod, textmessaging, et. al, people are watching more and more TV.
Nielsen estimates that the average American watched a whopping 127 hours of TV in May, up from 121 hours in May, 2007. That comes out to more than four hours a day.
Check out this New York Times story for more details.
I’m sure most people who “self report” TV watching would seldom admit that they watch that much TV. That’s an insane number if you think about it.
Online video viewing is up, too, though still relatively modest. The average person watched two hours and 19 minutes in May. That’s only 1/50th the amount of time vs. regular TV.
And surprisingly, mobile phone/iPod TV viewing is even greater: an average of 3 hours and 15 minutes a month.
Also, TV Guide provided some stats on the broadcast networks and the average age of various TV shows. CBS had the oldest median age (54), followed by ABC (50), NBC (49), Fox (44) and the CW (34).
The youngest TV show on NBC is “The Office” at 34 while oldest is “Dateline NBC” with 57.
The youngest TV show on ABC is “Supernanny” at 41 while oldest is “Dancing With the Stars (Results) at 55.
The youngest TV show on CBS is “How I Met Your Mother” at 45 while oldest is “60 Minutes” at 60. (That means half the viewers are over the age of 60!)
The youngest TV show on Fox is “American Dad” at 29, while oldest is “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” at 50.
The youngest TV show on the CW is “One Tree Hill” at 26 while oldest is “Smallville” at 38.
