No, the headline of today’s entry is not a Peyton Manning play. It’s the way that WXPN/Philadelphia handled the transition from veteran David Dye to new afternoon host Jim McGuinn. This email is transparent, simple, and introduces the audience to a new personality, while providing a nice bit of closure for an old friend.
Too often in radio, we "disappear" people. Jocks simply go away with no explanation, leaving listeners to wonder what happened. And the puzzling part is that once you simply give the audience the basic reasoning, they tend to be satisfied, and they move on. But when trusted radio companions just evaporate after years of reliable radio, it sends a message to listeners that the station has something to hide or has done something sleazy.
This is Public Radio at its best, and it’s something that many commercial stations would do well to emulate.
Dear Fred,
I have an announcement that may seem sudden, but has actually been a few years in the making.
About two years ago, I crawled into XPN GM Roger LaMay’s office and said that something’s gotta give in order for me to devote more time to the national World Café show. There just weren’t enough hours in a day to devote to both a full on-air shift and a national program as I’ve been doing for the past 15 years. I don’t say that to sound the martyr; far from it. I’ve stayed live on-air as long as I could because I love being a DJ. But there are just too many times when I can’t devote as much time as I’d like in order to get the very best out of an interview for the World Café. It is really that simple.
We’ve come to what I believe is a great solution – four days a week following the World Café with me, I’ll turn the mic over to Jim McGuinn to host the live drive time shift from 4-7PM for you. Every Friday, I’ll stay put for the live show and, of course, the Funk.
You may only know Jim McGuinn as the voice of alternative rock in Philadelphia, but his knowledge, and more importantly, love of all genres of music is astounding. He will play “XPN Music,” as much as that can be defined, during your drive home. For Y-Rock On XPN, he will continue to direct programming but the air shift will be hosted by Josh T. Landow and Joey O.
You can read more about the change in the line-up here or watch a brief interview with me on our Radio Video Log.
I’m psyched to have a few extra hours at the end of the day to devote to the World Cafe, I think my family is looking forward to seeing more of me and we are all excited to hear what Jim McGuinn is going to bring to the mix in the afternoon. Oh, and I’m sure you’ll hear me on the air at various times because Dan Reed has already asked me to fill in!
All the best,
David Dye
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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Hey, David…way back in the dark ages of l979, as
you developed under Alex DeMers on WIOQ in Philly…
you were a talented, very palatable on-air presence.
You still are (in fact, MUCH better…more refined).
I have neither seen you nor communicated with you
since then, when I competed with you on the then
Jeff Pollack-helmed WMMR. But the huge and loyal
fan base you’ve cultivated is, indeed, impressive.
Your name comes up quite often among those enamored
of your specific genre or “sound”…even way down
here in non-cosmopolitan Richmond, Virginia! I just
wanted to say “congratulations” on the terrific job
you do and the fine reputation you’ve developed.
Keep up the good work.