John Raese lies...Mountainet was a victim

[the jive talkin one]

25 years ago, John Raese played my company for a sucker, lied to our faces, and put us out of business. Today he's doing the same thing to West Virginia voters!

[Scott Reppert]

What's strange about this is this:

I got a "phone survey" call last night that took about three minutes. Most people would say that I answered every question BUT ONE with an answer that would be deemed as coming from a "Conservative Republican". The only answer that did not fit that category was "If the election were held right now, who would you vote for for Congress from West Virginia: press '1' for Joe Manchin, press '2' for John Raese'".

I pressed '1'.

I ain't votin' for no radio person. Except Conrad...

[genlock]

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin


Think about it.

[The Interpreter]

We already had years and years of A. James as Secretary of State. If the state can survive that, it certainly can survive Earl Ray...

[genlock]

A Legislator who was defending A James Manchin stated
That "stupidity was not a crime".
She was later ejected from the legislature for corruption herself.
A James was Treasurer for just a short time.

I think of Earl Ray in the same category as Tonkavitch and Tucker.
Two former senate presidents who went to jail over their crimes.
Crimes involving gambling and racing. What a coincidence.

[Lester]

25 years ago, John Raese played my company for a sucker, lied to our faces, and put us out of business.

A businessman lie to a competitor? GASP! Say it ain't SO!

Today he's doing the same thing to West Virginia voters!

How so?

[CoolBreeze]

And why is an insurance salesman posting on a broadcasters message board to begin with? Just to Spam the board and trash Raese?

[amayo]

Actually Joel has a valid point about Mountainet. I was a subscriber via WADC in 1983 ir therebouts and I believe I contributed a few stories. Mountainet was the only statewide network around then, and Metronews tore it apart. Don' t know all the details, but I know it wasn't pretty. Jive talkin one has every qualification to be on a broadcast board in WV.

[CoolBreeze]

OK. I don't recall "Mountainet".

[Lester]

Actually Joel has a valid point about Mountainet. I was a subscriber via WADC in 1983 ir therebouts and I believe I contributed a few stories.

Ditto. WELK was a subscriber as well.

Mountainet was the only statewide network around then, and Metronews tore it apart. Don' t know all the details, but I know it wasn't pretty.

Metronews showed up ready to rock and roll, and squashed the phone-line fed, mom & pop little man into oblivion. It happens. I loved my Amiga... DAMN YOU MACINTOSH!!!! YOU LIED!!!!

Jive talkin one has every qualification to be on a broadcast board in WV.

Every qualification? Ab-so-freakin-lootly!!! (This is actually a second account, he's been a member for years... I assume he forgot his old login information.)

Now, is he here for the right reasons? Because if this is the only reason he's here... well, there are plenty of other message boards for that.

[Lisa]

I worked with Joel many years ago at WKLC. I am sure with that experience, he would recognize a lier when he sees one.

[Scott Reppert]

Mountainet rocked. Bottom line.

However, "Phone Line Killed The Radio Star".

Just like the "Skoal Motorsports Report"...

[the jive talkin one]

Thanks, guys! I'm so glad that Mountainet is remembered and respected for what we did.

I always said that throughout my lifetime, I would look back and observe that Mountainet was my greatest accomplishment, and indeed I do.

True, you can't be shocked that a business owner would lie to a competitor...but I was one of the ones John Raese deceived, and now seeing that grin on the TV spots, i know there is no integrity behind his lyin' eyes.

I never worked for him, but many on the board have, and I was hoping to get their perspectives as well.

For those who don't know me, I'm a former jock and reporter, who became news director at WTCR from 1978 to 1982 (winning many awards of which i am still very proud), then went on to become Mountainet's first news director, then ops manager. My last radio gig was in sales at WKLC from 1986 to 1992 (hi Lisa! write me at JoelLThompson@aol.com !), as the guy who staffed the Huntington office.

Mike, I respect your decision to move this thread off the broadcasting section...but I would appreciate you considering moving it back, given Raese's presence in the WV broadcast community. Thanks!/b]

[Scott Reppert]

...I respect your decision to move this thread off the broadcasting section...but I would appreciate you considering moving it back, given Raese's presence in the WV broadcast community. Thanks!/b]

Combined with the fact that the topic would NEVER be considered "Show Prep"!

I still cherish being able to hear the line "this has been the 'Mountainet Coal Report'" on the old aircheck tape that I have...

[the jive talkin one]

I still cherish being able to hear the line "this has been the 'Mountainet Coal Report'" on the old aircheck tape that I have...

Scott, Jim Watkins (our "Coal Editor") is one of the few Mountainet alumni that I've communicated with recently. I'm sure he'd love to hear that! If you've transferred the tape to digital (or plan to), i can get you his e-mail!

You were certainly one of our favorite "go to" stringers! By the way, whatever happened to A. James Manchin's nephew, the one who was going to run for House of Delegates?

[Scott Reppert]

Scott, Jim Watkins (our "Coal Editor") is one of the few Mountainet alumni that I've communicated with recently. I'm sure he'd love to hear that! If you've transferred the tape to digital (or plan to), i can get you his e-mail!

Just point him here: LAST NIGHT OF WFGM BEING "STEREO 98"

In case you've never heard it, may I preface what is on that file:

The scenario: five employees worked at both WTCS (Fairmont/Fantasia Broadcasting) and WFGM (Tschudy Broadcasting) simultaneously (me, Denny Burnworth, John Conrad, Tim Tarleton and Bud Wilson). That, by itself, should be enough of a story right there! Anyway, Bonnie Ashton of WFGM came walking into the studio and asked me and Conrad if we realized "WTCS had higher ratings than WFGM?" To which we looked at each other, then looked back at her and answered: "Sure do!" (the "T" had a 5.4 or 5.6 at that time, FGM had a 1.7). She just walked back out of the room and said nothing else. The next thing we knew, Keith Carroll was hired. The next thing we knew, Bob Hank was hanging around. The next thing we knew, Keith was apologizing for having to fire us because he knew we were all great radio guys! All except Burnworth, that is, who to this day has never been told he was fired! Anyway, we were told to "work through Thursday night/Friday morning" and that would be it. The day shift would take it through Friday evening, at which time "Stereo 98" would sign off and "The Great 98" would sign on on Saturday morning. The soundfile containing the first morning of "The Great 98" with Pete Hunter can be heard here: FIRST MORNING OF "THE GREAT 98". Anyways again, the big mistake was telling us on Monday we were fired and also telling us to work through until Friday morning! That gave us like three days to hatch nefarious plans that involved about three cases of beer, a poinsettia, two pounds of cat food and a small flamethrower. Conrad worked Thursday evening 7-mid and Burnworth began his midnight shift with me, Tarleton, Conrad, and Keith Carroll all hanging out realizing that "this was it". About 3am we said, "screw it", and what you hear on the first file in this post occured. The only two "rock" songs we had a copy of in our possessions were the two that you hear on the aircheck ("Eve Of Destruction" from Barry McGuire and "Hot Nights In Georgia" from Jason And The Scorchers). In case you ever have to answer the trivia question, "What was the last song played on 'Stereo 98'?" the answer is "Hot Nights In Georgia" by Jason And The Scorchers!!! We told people listening...as if there were any at that point...that "YOU CAN JOIN US AT 6AM ON WTCS, AM 1490" and hit a cart that I had made with those two songs followed by me reading Scripture. RIGHT AT THE VERY END OF THE SCRIPTURE IS WHERE THE "MOUNTAINET COAL REPORT" flashes by momentarily. It was either on the cassette that the songs came from or on a badly erased cart.

There is the story. And for some reason, as I type this, it all seems to fit together. All of it. From that day in 1984 through this very post on this very board. It all seems to fit together.

I thank God there are some good people in this world...

[the jive talkin one]

What a great story, Scott! And sadly, mass-firing scenarios like that are all too typical. At least you had the chance to have some fun with it!