UTICA-ROME -- Less than 24 hours after he announced plans to reduce his involvement at Kiss-FM (WSKS/WSKU) to weekends and fill-ins, former nighttime jock "Intern Dave" Wheeler tells CNYRadio.com he has been fired from the station.
Wheeler issued the following statement to CNYRadio.com late this afternoon:
I was asked to come in the office where I was informed I was terminated. There [were] various developments, and conversations where I didn’t feel comfortable in my current position as night jock, webmaster, promotions assistant, and production assistant.
I would like to thank Roser Communications for the year and a half I was employed at the company. I thank them [for] keeping me on as a intern, and promoting me to full-time on-air member. It was a pleasure working with them all, but I’d be lying if today’s events didn’t come with a certain level of relief.
My passion for radio has not been harmed by current events and I’m eagerly seeking my next opportunity.
Wheeler says any interested programmers can reach him at Radiodjsrock@yahoo.com.
Wheeler's dismissal is the second among the Kiss-FM air staff this week. Ex-middayer Jesse Jordan was sidewalked on Tuesday after she claimed she refused a reassignment to the morning drive shift.
Already, one full-time vacancy has been filled: Sean "S-Dot" Morelle has been promoted to full-time status as the station's new afternoon drive personality, as PD Shaun Andrews slides down to the midday shift. That leaves the station continuing its search for a morning host, as well as a night host.
Wheeler was expected to host "Klub Kiss" on late Friday nights; as of 6pm tonight, the station's Kiss Krew page doesn't list anyone for that timeslot. Matty J is listed as the host of the Saturday night edition of Klub Kiss, followed by the all-night "Kiss-FM After Party."
Here's a classic lesson from Office Politics 101: "don't diss your employer in public." Not only will it make them mad, but you make yourself look bad. Never know what future employer might find this, or call Roser for a reference someday.
The last time a station in this area started canning staff, they were trying to make it look good so they could sell it. And it sold, eventually.
Sounds like a great place to be from.
To be from, as in, "Hi, I just moved here from Utica NY..."