Ruth Crespo wrote: Well Skip Murphy didn’t last long. Now D.L. Hugley? You know they need to bring Michael Baisden Show back.Baisden’s Response: I hope the industry is learning a valuable lesson. What we did in the afternoons was revolutionary, and it took a lot of hard work every single day for 0 years to put on a show with that much energy, great content, interaction with the audience, and social activism. You can’t just flip a switch and make that happen overnight. Good luck to anyone trying to fill those shoes, I mean it sincerely, they have one helluva job ahead of them. Getting on the air in front of a national audience is one thing, staying on is another.EDITOR’S NOTE: “Ruth Crespo?” From my own industry pro assessment. Baisden certainly caught Cumulus off guard when he left and he must have left quite an impression on them, they are basically out of the Black radio business at this point after selling that segment to Reach Media. Baisden may also be jumping the gun a bit as he’s right about Murphy but Hughley has a much better chance. He’s hungry, he’s intelligent, experienced in radio and relatively young and he’s eager. Would I have cast the show the same way… well, I will stay quiet on that for a minute but I have confidence DL will work out fine.
Michael Baisden Responds to Skip Murphy and D.L. Hughley Replacing Him
I for one could never support anyone especially a Black man ,who has disrespected my sisters like him.
Sorry but I hope he goes down harder than the late great JoeFrazier when he fought George Foreman the first time.
This is the last time I’m going to allow anybody in radio to disrespect Skip Murphy.. Skip Murphy is one of the greatest morning talents to ever touch the microphone in black radio. Skip Murphy is without question more experienced and and better suited to do a radio show than Michael Baisden and DL Huguely. We have much respect for both of them because we all have had Michael Baisden and DL Huguely on our shows, as a matter of fact if the truth be told we all allowed Michael to come on Our shows, and we gave him the microphone because he is so talented and he always could light the phones because Michael knows how to engage an audience. But Skip Murphy and alot of other great radio personalities who are now on the sidelines we had higher ratings than any of these comedians. I wish Kevin would allow me to write an article on syndication and what has happened in the last 10 to 15 years to black radio because it’s a travesty that these great radio DJs never defend themselves when people constantly make these comments making it seem that syndicated personalities are the only ones that know how to talk to black people. This is the biggest fallacy that is perpetuated because there are only a few that talk to the masses now, but trust me there are other people just as talented that could do the same thing and an even better job engaging a black audience. Come on Michael Baisden you know that it was us who helped to make you the star that you are on the radio by us allowing you to have a platform on all of our morning shows don’t forget.
Kevin,
radio announcing is still a craft. You have to get in there and do the work and hone In the skills to entertain day in and day out.
Over the years I’ve heard people say it seems like such an easy job. But think about it, you have to be able to talk about a song, an issue or a spot everyday you are on the air. How can you say it differently Tuesday and make it still interesting if you gave the same information on Monday and Friday. By developing your skill-set in that forum you have to put the work in.
Also know that not everyone can do a morning show and others can’t do an afternoon show, some can do music and others can talk without music for hours. It’s not easy to discern who is going to make the cut but you first have to put the work in. You will be surprised of how many Senior executives are nervous about finding the next wave of talent because they aren’t a lot of new comers getting their early trail work in.
DL appears to be a smart enough individual who understands about getting his work in. He put up the effort at CNN then tried at WRKS he understands the past trails and having to put in another round will know that the load will be harder than before. Remember a guy name Howard Stern, he once had bad numbers and was canned from his gig in NYC, he got another gig worked harder and is now one of the highest paid in the business. Steve Harvey spent the time in Chicago to get this craft down, went to LA and took it a step further, then came to NY were he expanded nationally. No matter what talent you are you and your team has to put the daily work in to entertain people on the air on a daily basis.
In today’s radio, nice hosts finish last. If I was on the air or programming today, I would be in the news every week and be incredibly controversial. This is not, however what I plan to do, I’m just making a point. As we get older in the game and we want to keep working we better be able to leave yesterday behind and adjust to what’s happening today. We must reinvent ourselves and our brands.
Skip is indeed very talented and he’s a nice guy but that’s not the way today’s radio works. You have to be more than a friendly announcer, you have to be funny, engage an audience, as you say and you have to be VERY entertaining and you must be a master of the craft. This is often why comedians do so well in syndication because for them the first rule is engaging the audience. In addition they come to the radio corporations with leverage (familiarity) so they don’t have to follow the rules that we have to follow.
Skip had an unfair disadvantage, he’s been off the commercial airwaves for years and he was used to his team but in radio, a LOT can change in 2 or more years and a lot HAS changed since he was at KKDA (I realize he was doing an internet show too). I’m not sure if you know this but I was told by a very good source that Skip Murphy was offered an opportunity to come back to KKDA when the station felt Skip Cheatham’s show was not working. They got to the 11th hour of finalizing everything and I’m told Murphy backed out and stated his heart wasn’t in it. If this is the case I’m not sure that was a good move and it’s ironic that Cheatham, who a short time later parted ways with Service Broadcasting, is now the Program Director of Murphy’s successor’s show DL Hughley.
There are not many urban jocks who have the freedom to be themselves, that’s today radio. If they can’t accept that they should leave. I stated before that I would never test a major syndicated show like Murphy’s with new hosts in that many markets and with a drastic change of format from the previous Michael Baisden show. I don’t think that was a good idea and obviously Reach Media has learned from it. As far as an article on what syndication has done to urban radio, progressive thinkers in today’s industry could care less about that and I have to admit, that’s not our target. For stories like that sites like the Urban Buzz are best suited. I program this site like a radio station in 2013. Those stories always get the least readers. People are ready to move ahead and think ahead. Syndication is here to stay, at least for now and either we embrace it or leave the industry. I get that.
Who the hell does Baisden think he is? He needs a reality check. African American radio personalities have been doing what he claims to be revolutionary for years. Do your research Michael. You’re not the first, the last and you’re certainly not the best.
Quit smelling yourself and quit disrespecting Personalities that have had more success and better ratings than you have ever had.
PS. Kevin, you know better. Quit it!
Skip Murphy was a morning jock who would fill in for Tom Joyner, I Liked him, but all he did was played music.
As it turns out neither were able to hold or gather the audience that Mike did. Those dudes are alright but they don’t have the personality thus can’t reach the same audience…
The Michael Baisden show was absolutely without a doubt the best show on radio period. Evening public radio has sucked since the show stopped.
Please bring Bsisden back
I Did like The Michael Baisden Show if you looked he was on more urban radio stations than Skip Murphy and DL Hughley Combined.
We may not like Baisden’s comments, but the TRUTH hurts. Some of those guys were good Back in Their Day, but today is a new day.
While Baisden’s comments are arrogant… some are also real, and the only thing that truly matters is what the listening audience wants.
-Rick Party
Having listended to Baisden, Murphy and Hughley, I liked Baisden in the beginning, but he became a bit more political than necessary; his music was tired. Murphy was easy to listen to nice voice, friendly. Hughley is the right fit for this time slot he has humor along with his opinions, his music is on point.
Radio always changes.
Dl hughley selection of music sucks. Bj Murphy apparently u r a hater. Skip Murphy does not even have a chance comparing him to MB. MB is the man and had the best radio talk show on the planet. Bring MB back please. Not only did he have the best topics his music was on point. Thank you.
Ralph
Michael Baisden was extremely difficult to work with. He worked really hard for 25 minutes that’s how long he spent doing his show. People said he was more of a diva than Tyra Banks not a good comparison for a man. He also made a huge mistake taking his contract negotiations public asking the audience to call the stations on his behalf. His ego got really big and that is what happens when it’s bigger than your brain. You get fired.
The problem I had with Baisden was that he and his audience’s comments were to sexual. I don’t need that anytime of day from the radio, but 3-7 pm is a terrible time for that.
Skip Murphy was great but D L Hughley sucks. He’s dry humor boring voice I’d rather listen to NPR than his sorry ass show
In my humble opinion, the afternoon needs music. If you want to engage an audience there’s plenty of ways to go about it. Get a talk show and be the host.
Radio with none stop music playing while I drive is the best way to cope with traffic. We are already so distracted with the things happening around us. If one wants to know the time, car radio, cell phone or a wrist watch are all available. Any and everything else one wants to be apart of there are plenty offerings to pick from. I for one and I believe others like me, would just rather hear songs that we love. Please don’t mistake me and replay the same 5 songs every hour. The world of music have such a vast array and genre of music one afternoon can’t finish the list. Heck, one 1Terra Bite Hard Drive could play songs 24/7 from it for at least one year straight.
Here’s my humble thoughts, I echo the sentiments of BJ Murphy. We as announcers worked hard to obtain our status and in most cases yielded sacrifices to our disadvantage from time to time to stay competitive in the gam., The trend of hiring comedians to replace top notch talent is an embarrassment to the broadcast industry no respect to the pros. The trend should have been comedians be hired as sidekicks to work with established pros. If the sidekick out shines the host so be it! We as a unit let corporate dictate how we execute our product and brand. What’s ironic, the brand was very successful and thriving before they got their hand on it. Down playing Skip serves no benefit to anyone.
I TRIED LISTENING TO DL HUGHLEY FOR AWHILE BUT THERE IS TOO MUCH TOILET HUMOR AND WHEN HE MADE A JOKE ABOUT A YOUNG RAPPER WHO DIED TRYING TO HELP SOMEONE ,I TUNED OUT !!!
bullshit. Basiden all the way fuckers
Well to be honest I’m glad Michael Baisden is back on air. I listened to DL when Michael went off air, but when I found out he was back I haven’t listened to DL since and I have nothing against DL I just like Baisden better.
In a nutshell, Michael is the future. HIM AND BUG NOSE GEORGE( L.O.L. ) The industry wants to once again Look down on an intelligent afro American who can just about guess his worth. NOW kudos to MICHAEL for standing his grounds and believing in himself. I DONT get him in Richmond, but you can’t stop me when I get to WASHINGTON D.C. NOW Virginia is still a huge racist backwards state and listening to GEORGE humor and MICHAEL’S is ok to be black but don’t be a slave convos have rescued my thought process at times from going the other way. SO THANKS GUYS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND MAYBE DONALD TRUMPS FAMILY OVER HERE IN VIRGINIA WILL LET YOU BACK IN THE WAY GEORGIA DID RAY CHARLES.