UTICA-ROME -- Jesse Jordan has been dropped from the lineup at Roser CHR Kiss-FM (WSKS/WSKU). The midday personality, who also doubled as Promotions Director, says she was let go because she refused to be moved to the morning drive timeslot.
Jordan issued a press release on her sudden departure late this morning. Here is the statement in its entirety:
Jesse Jordan, middayer and Promotions Director at CHR 979/1055 KISS FM (WSKS/WSKU) Roser Communications, Utica, left the building today after expressing concerns about the CHRs plan for fall ratings. Jordan was asked to take over the uncomfortable morning chair due to Roser's inability to find a suitable replacement for the long vacant position. To make the shift, Roser eliminated Jordan's position in middays, and moved Shaun Andrews, PD to her seat, brought on weekender S-Dot as afternoon driver and kept Intern Dave at night. Jordan joins the ranks of ousted morning personalities Gary Spears, who left in March, and Eric Thomas, who was on the struggling CHR for four weeks. In May of 2009, Roser Communications shocked the market with the false format flip stunt to introduce Thomas to their morning drive position. After Thomas was given his walking papers, the seat has yet to be permanently filled.
Jordan is already searching for her next opportunity and interested PDs can reach out to her at jessejordan06@gmail.com.
Added 7:50pm: This afternoon, Jordan elaborated further on the situation in an e-mail to CNYRadio.com. Despite problems off-air, she wishes the best to the station and her former co-workers:
The chain reaction that was set off by Gary Spears exit in March has caused much professional stress and discomfort for all of us in programming at Roser. I made it clear I very much so wanted to stay in my current position and I provided a letter outlining my apprehensions at this sudden demand, two of which were Gary Spears and Eric Thomas, but they opted to show me the door.
Regardless, I wish nothing but the best of luck to Roser Comm, Bug Country, Beautiful Music, and of course, KISS FM. I learned much from Shaun Andrews, got to nurture young, raw talent in Intern Dave, I had a hell of a summer, and I can hold my head up high that I did all I could to help Kiss grow and flourish during my tenure.
Night jock "Intern Dave" expressed mutual appreciation for Jordan, issuing the following statement to CNYRadio.com:
Jesse is my best friend, like family to me. I will miss her very much. The station will not be the same with out her every day. Sitting down at my desk this afternoon will not be the same knowing she isn't sitting at hers.
As of yet, we have not received any statements from station management. If and when we do, we'll add them to this article.
Former morning host Eric Thomas, who was fired after just a month on the job, stated on his blog that he spoke with Jordan this morning. He says:
I have heard from several different sources that management is having a lot of difficulty filling the morning show position, so they informed her yesterday that she could either take the morning show position or face termination. She had told me many times when I worked there why she didn't accept the position before (apparently they offered it to her before I was brought in) [...] She would have stayed on in her current capacity, but they informed her that position had effectively been eliminated.
We've heard just about the same thing from other sources who requested anonymity in the situation.
For those keeping score at home, Kenny the Promo Guy was not dismissed -- he remains on the schedule for weekends, where he was before he was asked to fill in on mornings following Thomas' dismissal. We're assuming he had to step down from mornings to concentrate on his full-time job at a local college -- apparently nobody expected the search for a permanent host would still be open by the time classes resumed for the fall. (Maybe they did, but we certainly didn't.)
And if you're thinking Jordan should have given mornings a try first -- she already had. She was assigned to fill in on the shift during the period between Spears' exit and Thomas' arrival.
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not knowing the entire situtation ... intern dave ... if i was you - i would keep your mouth quiet on any comments...
radio is extremely limited in utica and across the country. be appreciative of having a job. if management makes a decision; don't comment on it.
you're a young jock who has a lot to learn ... you talk to "all of you who are out there" ... radio is a personal medium. It's a one on one talk...not "everyone who listens"
Looks to me like a case of be fired now, or be fired later when we're not happy with your attempt to run a morning show either. I know things are tough in radio and a lot of people are looking for work, but it's still Utica New York and it's still a CHR format. You could have the reanimated corpse of Michael Jackson as the host and the market share/ratings are still only going to be so much. Until the management realizes that it is, what it is, and there's only going to be so much change in any direction no matter what, they're never going to be happy. And playing musical hosts every few weeks is only going to hurt.
I'm not sure I understand what the previous comment refers to exactly.
Radioguy, I concur. "Intern Dweeb" probably deserves the axe. Maybe I'll call and suggest it.
Lessons learned: You should have taken the job and if you didn't like it look for something else while your still employed! The unemployment pool is sooo deep people are getting out of the business due to lack of employment! Secondly, keep your comments to yourself. Sure it's fun to see your name in print, but for the right reasons. Everyone is listening and the line seperating comment and slander is paper thin. Slander can cost you your career. Finally, reputation: Earn a bad one and your name is mud, you're never more than 6 degrees from anyone who knows you! Check your ego and keep your cool and control your career!
this is to radioguy and justin...you have no idea what youre talking about when you slam "intern Dweeb"..he's worked his ass off for more than a year...mostly for free because he loves radio..he's worked hard...so back off with the slam..maybe some business should treat their employees like the people they are and not some numbers...yes he was happy he had a job and jobs are hard to find..but not when you have no respect....he will finish college and do good in this business and then someday you and everyone else will remember "intern dweeb" and jessie jordan
I'm sure we'll remember their "glorious tenure" at KISS. They will certainly go down in radio history. The next Ryan Seacrest and Laura Ingraham perhaps.
I know what they should do....LEASE the morning drive time slot, then play liners and music off a computer until the next morning. Isn't that whats going on on WUTQ & WADR, or isn't anyone listening?