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LongtimeWEOLmanagersteppingdowni. Steve FogartyThe Chronlcfe-Telegram*When Gary Kneisley took over the reins of WEOL-AM 930 as the station's general manager in November 19B4, records were played on turntables and commercials were stored on reel-to-reel tape recorders*“And there were no PCs m the building,” Kneisley said.These days, Kneisley isn't certain of the number of PCs around the station. ■ There's one turntable “that we don't hardly ever use” and a lone reel-to-reel tape recorder, also little- ■ used.As it has in countless . industries, computerization has been the most significant and sweeping change in radio, a business that Kneisley will gradually pull away from over the next two years.Kneisley verified Wednesday that he had notified the station's staff of his plans to retire by the end of 2007.“Tliis isn’t going to happen till the end of the year, said Kneisley, who turns 65 in February I told the staff we would begin to recruit for a nesv general manager ibis year.”While he plans to remain involved in day-to-day operations through 2006, Kneisley will become less active ayear from now.In 2007 he plans to stay with the station, but in a reduced capacity.“In the second half of the year I wUl ramp down,” he said. ‘Til bo on-call in 2007.” Born and raised in Painesville, Kneisley worked as an announcer, program director, station manager and general manager of a radio station there for manyyears.A radio-TV major at Ohio University, he was named general manager of WEOL in November 1964, succeeding Paul Nakel, the station's long-time general manager — and well known Cleveland radio personality - who died in 1999 at age 79.Kneisley was elected to the station’s board of directors in 1986.Having seen radio stations move from the day of analog and inechanleal equipment to all-digital and electronic apparatus, Kneisley termed the shift as indicative of the changes that have swept across entertainment media in recent years.In the ’70s and ’80s Llicv experimented by automating with music on reel-to-reel tape and pre-recorded commercials,” Kneisley said.“Now we’ve moved into computers. It’s made everything easier, cheaper and much more streamlined. It’s a far more efficient way of getting things done.”During Kneisley *s tenure, the station has been among hundreds nf smaller, community oriented stations lhat have seen a shift away from large blocks of local programming in favor of nationally syndicated shows. A prime example was the recent programming change that saw the afternoon Mitch Albont show replaced by the three-hour program hosted by outspoken conservative Sean Hannity.Conservative talk shows have traditionally done better than liberal talk shows in attracting audiences,” Kneisley said.The Hannity program loins “The Glenn Beck Show” Tom 9 a.m. to nnon on the station’s weekday lineup.“There's a huge independent voter pool out there that seems to be diminishing the iboral side and increasing he conservative side,” ineisley said.Despite the greater presume of such programs,WEOL continues to maintain solid local programming, tccordlng to Kneisley, who ’ited periodic local news and nterview segments, as well ts the 6 to 9 a.m. weekday how hosted by Los Sekely.We still have a morning irogrum that is deeply nvolved with the eotmnunl-y, said Kneisley, who lives vith his wife, Sandra, In Carlisle Township.WEOL-AM 930 is owned md operated by the Lorain bounty Printing Publish* ng Co., parent company of he Chronlcle-Tclcgram.
Newspaper Details
The Chronicle Telegram
Elyria, Ohio, US
Thu, Jan 19, 2006
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Nathan O.
OH, USA 30 Nov 2020
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