Ed Sciaky Fired by WMMR
"Too Old to Play CLASSIC ROCK"
The following is reported by Gerry Wilkinson....At about 2:45 pm, I called Ed Sciaky at his home. It was Friday, January 9, 1998. Little did I know when I talked to Ed I would be telling you this story. I simply called to find out when Ed was going to get his new computer. He has it and hopes to be up on the Internet in a few days. I told Ed that everyone was asking, "Where's Ed Sciaky?" Well, he's at UNEMPLOYMENT CENTRAL. That's how he answered my call. But I thought he was joking about me being out of work. That wasn't the case at all. It was referring to himself. They canned him on Monday. Ed told me that WMMR Radio had decided to go with a more youthful lineup. It sounds like a case of age discrimination to me. But we'll have to find out from Ed exactly how they worded it. After all, we do have two lawyers in our WRTI Old Gang Group. Everywhere you look, people, articles and the papers are referring to Ed as PHILADELPHIA RADIO LEGEND. But WMMR thinks that it will attract a bigger share of the market by having younger DJ's. WMMR is owned by Greater Media, the same people who owned WFLN. They're the ones who thought they should dump the classical music format for a young, teenage rock format. They were making a profit, but they were looking for MORE MONEY. Maybe, the station thinks that they can hire someone cheaper or the program director had to make a move in order to protect his own job. But whatever it was, Ed is out and Philadelphia radio audience has lost a legend. Maybe they will place Ed on WMKG which is also playing Classic Rock but with a slightly older audience. WMGK (and WPEN) are also owned by greater Media. I called WMMR to ask why Ed Sciaky was let go and they said that they were not making any statements at the present time. There has been nothing about this is either the Philadelphia Inquirer or the Philadelphia Daily News. Those who wish to e-mail the Program Director of WMGK about adding Ed to their staff may do so by using the link below. Sciaky said that he would like to work there.
The WMMR web site has been down for hours on Friday afternoon. Maybe they are getting too many e-mails about Ed. Their site finally went back up sans Sciaky photos about 6:30 pm, 1/9/98.
The new ratings were officially released yesterday (1/9/98). However, I know when I was in management at WDAS, we would get the "advance" about a week ahead. That means WMMR had the "book" on Monday. As an educated guess by a former broadcast executive, I would say that the WMMR Program Director was making wholesale changes to cover himself. "It's not my fault," he can say. "I just have a bad staff." Why isn't anyone asking..."But who hired them and who gives them the music to play? The PD, that's who.
I talked to Ed Sciaky again at about 5 pm on Sunday, January 11, 1998. Ed said that it still will be a couple more days before he's up on the Internet. He told me that there was a big article in the Philadelphia Daily News on Tuesday, January 6, 1998 written by Jonathan Takiff. That article is NOT online. Sciaky said that he plans to be at the Broadcast Pioneers meeting on January 21, 1998 if they allow guests. A little more detail on what WMMR said to Ed.... "You (Ed) appeal to an older audience...we (WMMR) are looking to appeal to a younger audience." You aren't want we need or want.
From: micksap@bellatlantic.net (Mickey Saperstone) I understand that Ed Sciaky is no longer affliated with WMMR. I'm not a WMMR listener, but have follwed Ed's career in radio. I am a big classic rock fan and additcted to MGK. Any possibility that you can find room for Ed in your line up?? Thanks for your consideration! Mickey Saperstone
To: programdirector@wmgk.com
The following was an e-mail from Bill Koshelnyk to Gerry Wilkinson, sent on 1/24/98.......By the way, what's happening with Ed Sciaky? Was he assigned to the sister station? Has there been any protests of his firing to WMMR? I sent an e-mail myself. (Thanks, but so far...nothing has happened.) Best...
I have a special sympathy for those of you who find yourselves unemployed. I was sacked from Hillsdale College about three years ago. A very political situation.
Keep on keepin' on. Good luck to both you and Ed. Send him my regards, next time you're in touch with him. Ask him if he remembers the voice-over job he did for me years ago when I was at Dow Jones.
Bill
From Gerry Wilkinson....Here's a brief summary of the Philadelphia radio ratings. #2 WYSP (Rock) jumped a full share, moving from a 5.3 to 6.3, 12+… #3 WBEB (AC) climbed .2, moving from a 5.7 to 5.9… WUSL (Urban) climbed .1, moving from a 4.5 to 4.7… WIOQ (Hit Radio) took a major hit, dropping almost a full share, moving from a 4.1 to 3.2… WMMR (Rock) dropped .7, moving from a 3.9 to 3.2… WPLY (Alternative) also took a huge hit, dropping .7, moving from a 3.3 to 2.6… We have more detailed ones from Jerry DelColliano's Inside Radio.
This is the WRTI Old Gang Web Site!