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February 11, 2011
“Your Career, Or Your Kids”
Although they’ve not
been away long enough
to warrant one of those
proverbial “Where Are
They Now?” features,
it has been awhile since
we’ve heard any news
about former Detroit
Talk duo Deminski &
JEFF DEMINSKI & BILL DOYLE
Doyle. Following a
decade of individual solo on-air work, Jeff Deminski and Bill Doyle
first hooked up as a team at New Jersey 101.5 (WKXW/Trenton) in
1994, where they spent the next five years hosting afternoon drive at
the pioneering FM talker before making a move to The Motor City.
There they spent just over eight years generating dominant numbers
in afternoons at then “Hot Talk” WKRK-FM, opting to not renew
their deal with the station when CBS Radio flipped it from Talk to
Sports in 2007. After sitting out a 12-month non-compete, Deminski &
Doyle resurfaced at crosstown Greater Media Classic Rocker WCSX
where they hosted mornings for a year before all parties concluded that
perhaps the duo’s show was not the best ‘fit” with the music-intensive
radio station. Following an amicable parting, before long the pair got
set for a move back to afternoons at a station in a major East Coast
market. That’s when fate stepped in by way of an unexpected divorce
for Jeff. Nevertheless, the duo continued moving forward on finalizing a
deal with their soon-to-be-new radio home when Deminski received this
ultimatum from his lawyer: “Make a choice, your career or your kids.”
I caught up with Jeff this week to talk about the impact of that day, and
to find out what’s next for the veteran Talk team.
Pick things up for us at the point where you left WCSX in early
2010.
That’s when the personal turmoil in my life first started. I don’t really
want to talk about the whole divorce, but the filing had to take place in
Michigan. Anyone who has been through that proceeding knows the term
‘change of domicile,’ meaning you can’t move more than 100 miles away
when there are kids involved, unless you don’t care about being with your
kids. The three things I loved most in my world was my job, my son and
my daughter -- for me that was my life. Long story short, things turned
into a pretty ugly custody fight and one day my lawyer sat across the table
and said, “Jeff there is no way you are going to get a change of domicile
unless you’ve first won primary custody. So you’ve got to decide right
now, it’s your career or your kids.”
Wow, talk about getting a ton of bricks dropped on you.
Between radio and stand-up comedy, I have been doing what I do pretty
much since I was a teenager. I always knew this is what I was meant to do.
But once I had kids, I knew being a dad was the other thing I was meant
to do, so this was truly ‘gut check’ time. My lawyer said I could take the
weekend to think about it, but I told him there was nothing to think about
-- there was no way I was ever going to leave my kids. I figured I chose
the career I had, but they didn’t choose to be my son and daughter. They
needed me, so it really didn’t matter what else I wanted at that point.
So the story has a pretty happy ending, right?
Yes, I was awarded custody of my children and the settlement we reached
allows me to look for work anywhere. With all of that behind me, I’m now
more passionate than ever about getting back on the radio. The toughest
part of making that decision was that I honestly didn’t know how it would
all end. I didn’t know if I’d get my kids and I didn’t know if I’d ever be
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(continued on page 3)
NTS MediaOnline Weekly
February 11, 2011
Page 2
GIG ALERT
NETWORK /SYNDICATION NOTES
Nashville-based GSF Media is seeking a Radio Events Director to
help develop and implement fundraising events for the company’s radio
clients. Travel is a must and a minimum five years broadcast experience
is required. Learn more details at www.gsfmedia.com, then e-mail your
cover letter, resume and references to jobs@gsfmedia.com … Got a gig
open? Looking for a new challenge? Just e-mail the details and contact
info to al@ntsmediaonline.com and we’ll post it here, free of charge, as
a service to industry professionals.
Dial Global syndicated talker Michael Smerconish picks up KTIL/
Tillamook, OR as the latest affiliate of his daily show. DG’s Stephanie
Miller gets added at WXTL-FM/Syracuse, while the network’s
Neal Boortz joins the lineup at KBKW/Aberdeen, WA … The Wall
Street Journal Radio Network is offering affiliates a 10-part series of
60-second tax Tips written by WSJ columnist Tom Herman, a regular
contributor on tax issues to The Wall Street Journal Sunday … FoxRock
Syndication Services public affairs program, Positive Parenting, is
added to the lineup at American Forces Radio Network. The 30-minute
weekly show is hosted by bestselling author and fathering expert, Armin
Brott … Randy Cohen, a four-time Emmy Award winning comedy
writer and longtime author of the New York Times Sunday Magazine
column, The Ethicist, partners with Media Syndication Services (MSS)
to create a new nationally syndicated show for public radio entitled, A
Question Of Ethics. A daily short-form companion feature for both public
and commercial radio is also planned as part of the new venture … The
weekly Motley Fool Money -- which was just added to the weekend
lineup at WGAC/Augusta -- gets a shout-out from USA Today’s “Watch,
Listen & Read” feature HERE
PERSON-TO-PERSON
KGO/San Francisco has partnered with The Bay Citizen -- a nonprofit,
nonpartisan member-supported news organization that provides in-depth
original reporting on Bay Area issues -- to enhance both newsrooms’ local
reporting and expand coverage of civic and community news on radio, in
print and online … Longtime media guru Lee Abrams joins broadcast
veteran and Shortform.com co-founder Denise Oliver for The Innovative
Imperative, a SobelMedia/Brite Innovator’s Series event. Billed as “a
discussion about how to create cultures that re-write the 80s playbook
and propel media companies into the 21st Century mindset,” the February
16th event will take place at The Samsung Experience at New York City’s
Time Warner Center. More details and online registration is available
HERE … Congrats to Eddie Fritts as the former President/CEO of the
National Association of Broadcasters gets a well-deserved nod from the
organization he headed for nearly a quarter of a century. Fritts will receive
the NAB Distinguished Service Award during the upcoming annual NAB
Show in Las Vegas in April.
Hallelujah!
EMERGING TALK MEDIA
ESPN Radio has debuted ESPN Radio 3.0, the network’s newest
iPhone app. The new release adds searchable audio, integration of
‘my favorite teams’ and geo-location-based functionality. Users can
access streams from more than 20 ESPN Radio stations nationwide,
SportsCenter updates, and select play-by-play broadcasts, including the
college football Bowl Championship Series … The PBS News Hour
can now be heard on Sirius XM satellite radio’s P.O.T.U.S. channel,
weeknights at 6pm (ET). Meanwhile, the satcaster also launches
Digital Living, a new Monday night call-in show hosted by tech guru
Shelly Palmer from 6-8pm (ET) … GET BREAKING NEWS
alerts by following us on TWITTER, or “friend” us on FACEBOOK.
Find one-click links to both at www.NTSMediaOnline.com.
NJ 101.5 (WKXW/Trenton) Program Director Eric Johnson presents
Red Bank Catholic High School choir director Shawn Mack with a check
for $1,000 -- part of the choir’s grand prize for winning the Millennium
Radio FM talker’s recent Christmas Choir Contest. The chorale group
also received a brand new piano for their school.
©2011 NTS MediaOnline ™ — All rights reserved. To subscribe visit www.ntsmediaonline.com
STRAIGHT UP. NO TWIST.
(Year-To-Year, Men 25-54, AQH Share.)
+50%
800.61 1 .5663
www.dial-global.com
WGST Atlanta
+350%
WOR New York
Source: Arbitron, Metro, July 2009-July 2010; Exact times.
NTS MediaOnline Weekly
February 11, 2011
(continued from page 1)
able to get back on the radio after a year or so off. But now that I have my
five-year old son, Jack and my four year old daughter, Nina, I know it was
all worth it.
You have a partner, Bill Doyle, whose life and career have also
been impacted by your situation, right?
I love that guy and his wife and kids, too. The hardest conversation I think
I’ve ever had to have with anybody was the day I had to call Bill and
tell him I couldn’t move to the new job we’d lined up, I had to stay in
Detroit and fight for my kids. This is the guy who I’ve done great stuff
with on the radio and have had wonderful chemistry with for over 15
years. Honestly, Bill’s the longest relationship I’ve ever had in my life.
I told him I’d understand if he chose to move on without me, but he said
he understood what I was doing and supported my decision. He said he
would wait as long as he possibly could because his first priority was for
us to work together again.
‘‘
The three things I
loved most in my world
was my job, my son and
my daughter.
’’
Any regrets, anything you’d change about the decisions you’ve
made this past year?
No. I do wish I could’ve known more about the problems in my marriage
before I did, and that I could’ve given my partner more warning. But for
myself -- no I don’t regret anything. Even if things don’t turn out the way
we hope they will, as long as I can take care of my kids -- whatever I have
to do -- it’ll all have been worth it. My son brought home one of those arts
and crafts projects from school the other day, a poster that says, ‘My hero
is my daddy because he helps me and my sister and keeps us happy.’ If
there were a fire in my house today, the one material thing I would grab on
my way out would be that.
So, what’s next?
Well we’re hooked up with Gabe Hobbs who represents us. Gabe’s a
great guy and he knows everybody, so I’m really optimistic about finding
the right situation at the right company. We’re already talking to a few
folks, but nothing concrete to tell you about right now. But having the
legal ‘noose’ off my neck and knowing that we can relocate anywhere
sure is a huge relief. No matter what, I know I did the right thing. We’re
ready and charged up for a whole new challenge -- wherever that may be.
(You can reach Jeff Deminski at jeffdeminski@comcast.net)
CONTACT NTS MEDIAONLINE
Al Peterson
858.486.7559
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