On October 14th, this ominous message was posted on the Other Side of Midnight web page:
"Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are unable to continue broadcasting over KCAA. We hope to return to the air Tuesday morning, 10/18/16 at our regularly scheduled time."
Well, he didn't return on Tuesday, and he didn't return on Wednesday or Thursday either. It soon became apparent that Hoagland's arrogance had caused his own downfall once again, as it did when he lost his best producer, Ross Campbell, and when he was kicked out of Dark Matter Digital Network a year ago, and took his show to KCAA San Bernardino.
"The latest news from KCAA's Fred Lund is that Richard is not willing to pay KCAA any more money until the deal with the new network is finalized. KCAA has provided them service at below their costs but can no longer afford to do so. Richard has been very displeased with KCAA's performance so far. Mr Lund personally negotiated the new deal with GCN Live network and stated to me he is "bewildered" by Richard's desire to part ways at this time. Mr Lund was very forthcoming with his explanation of this unfortunate situation. I hope Richard is as well, as we all really want this show to go on. Making the "connections" isn't very easy without RCH! Richard, I hope you won't see this post as someone overstepping his boundaries. I merely wanted to shed some light on the situation. Sincerely, Fred Koch, avid listener, one of your biggest fans... "(NOTE: He writes "Fred Lund" but he surely means Lundgren, CEO of KCAA. The "new network" refers to the transition from 106.5 FM to 102.3 FM, which is in build-out right now.)
KCAA's regular rate for a one-hour, once a week live show is $150, so we might speculate that Fred's been offering a deal of a grand for 2 x 5. Figure that has to be paid for by commercials and club memberships, and it's easy to see how the Hoagland lifestyle might be suffering somewhat, in fact the wolf may be at the door. But it's hard to see how he's going to do better elsewhere.
On the Bellgab forum, "Trostol" let us all in on a private exchange between him and Lundgren:
trostol what happened with RCH lolSo it's not hard to see through the spin to what really happened. Hoagland had a lot of help getting "Other Side of Midnight" on the air, and he just continued to bite the hand that fed him. Art Bell either gave him or lent him some expensive broadcast equipment, without which he could never have done the show on DMDN from his little office in New Mexico. Art got precious little acknowledgement for that. Ross Campbell acted as producer without compensation, and did a notably good job of guest booking. Hoagland then bawled Rossy out for putting him on hold while he made an urgent call to his mother, so Rossy quit. Hoagland complained that his DMDN listeners were falling asleep leaving their digital devices connected, thus costing him bandwidth fees uselessly. Now apparently Fred Lundgren has been discounting KCAA's services and has had enough.
Like · Reply · 2 hrs
Fred Lundgren payment issue
Unlike · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs
trostol well...i wish you luck in future projects RCH can be..a handful lol
Like · Reply · 2 hrs
Fred Lundgren trostol that is the understatement of the year.
Unlike · Reply · 1 · 2 mins
I fully admit that my own prediction, when the show made its debut in July 2015, was way, way off. I said he'd be gone by Thanksgiving. Looks like I may have been only a year too pessimistic.
Update 9 November:
This is pretty hilarious, although not to the victims. Yesterday this appeared on the OSOM web page:
Tues night/Wed morning 11/9/16 “Dr. Carl Johan Calleman“ What Are The Stakes Of The 2016 US Presidential Election 12:00 - 2:00 AM PST
In other words, Hoagland was saying "I'm BAAAA--AAAAAACK!!" However, he wasn't. In a superb demonstration of "Now-you-see-it-now-you-don't," that announcement was replaced within three hours with this one:
***ONE MORE DELAY - THE FIRST SHOW WILL BE TOMORROW NIGHT***
********************************************************************
TONIGHT WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER ON THIS PAGE, TWITTER IF YOU LIKE, AND HAVE A PARTY/DISCUSSION/GET TOGETHER ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THE ELECTION. SHARE WHAT YOU GOT BUT BE RESPECTFUL, OK? WE WILL BE **LIVE** TOMORROW NIGHT TO CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION AND YOU ARE ALL WELCOME TO CALL IN!
Reaction from the fans was swift and predictable:
Robert (on the web site comments): "RCH, you have been talking about this election for months, and how it’s the most important one in our lifetimes. Yet when you had a live show lined up to cover and discuss it (while it was happening!) you decided to wait until tomorrow?? That’s the last straw buddy….I find you phony, a liar, and a fraud. FoxNews Radio here I come. RCH, go _ _ _ _ yourself!"
"Nobody" on Bellgab: "Tonight was his last big chance. No one is going to give a toss about this election 24 hours from now. Congratulations, Hoagland: you blew it, big style. I hope Fred Lundgren is laughing his head off right now; I know I am. :D"
Open your wallet and repeat after me: "Help yourself"
A different type of reaction was typified by Michele Norris on the web comments, 31 October:
"I have been double charged since I subscribed to club 19-5, for 3 months. On 2 separate credit cards, $5 each. The paypal account and a personal bank card. I have tried at least a half dozen times emailing theorganicmike@gmail and have not received a reply. Also tried to call his number listed on your website and it does not answer. I see other people are also having this issue by reading these comments. Please contact me at [redacted]. I don’t want to cancel the subscription but i do want a $15 refund for the overcharges or 3 free months. Please. Your customer service appears to be nonexistent."So the summary of this farce is as follows: Hoagland refuses to pay the going rate for access to KCAA's facilities and audience. Hoagland goes off the air for 24 days. Hoagland promises he's back now. Hoagland reneges. Hoagland doesn't respond when members ask for a refund.
Do you see why I use the adjective ARROGANT?
Update 10 November:
ROFL.
14 comments:
Oh I just love early Christmas presents! This man's arrogance was his own downfall. That man is his own worst enemy at times. Art had supported him for so many years you'd think he'd be more gracious to him, but no... Hoagland could never do that. Maybe C2C will take him back????
If C2C took him back, Tommy Danheiser would resign. That guy is the #1 Hoagland hater of all.
Today listener "Agnes" posted this:
"I am certainly not impressed with the way you are treating your LOYAL FOLLOWERS, RCH! Yesterday instead of a credit or return on the money you charged me and gave me zero in return, I found you charged my paypal account for another month …FOR WHAT ? You wil not even tell us."
So he's up to his old NO REFUNDS tricks.
That was followed by a rude reply from, I presume, a follower who believes RCH can do no wrong.
RCH must be thinking of his star power giving KCAA a bit more light and life. He is a "prime" spot there, isn't he, for that type of show? People like Richard never get discounts: he only supplies benefits and discounts to others! So it's him who feels betrayed and wounded by being asked to pay the rates. It's all about differing perspectives on how much he draws in for the network. My guess is that Hoagland's would be the more delusional, magical number of the two.
He preens himself unjustifiably. The web site has one of those "global visitors" gadgets, and it shows some 250,000 visits from 160 countries. Richard claims that people in 160 countries are listening at any given moment. In matters of tech, he doesn't have much clue (the classic being when Keith Rowland solved a tech problem for him and RCH told his audience "It all had to do with something called a USB port")
USB Port!?! - RCH said that? What a Dumb Ass!
°MeanGrean
Hehe, yeah, that was definitely genuine Trostol; my favorite Bellgabber. His house could be burning down and he'd still end his comment about it with "lol".
160 counties huh, KCAA must have one hell of a radio transmitter. It could fry a rabbit at 100 yards. Seriously, that is lame.
I agree with those who suggest Hoagie is overestimating his value to the station. It's him who is paying them after all. I'm sure if he were to leave, they could find someone else willing to pay for the privilege of being a "radio personality".
Chris, transmitter license is 10kW for daytime, 35W at night (because of skywave propagation).
Not sure if you were joking but the numbers game would be a bit more complex as KCAA streams their broadcasts online but as well to some satellite syndication which can be relayed by some unmeasured or unpublished amount of radio stations again around the globe. And I've no idea how serious numbers could be measured but by comparing some advertising or caller statistics, if they'd be available.
Or in other words, one is free to amplify numbers because there's no way to, with any 100% certainty, disproof any of it. In other words, the type of swamp RCH really feels home in so he can "follow the data" around and around.
I didn't know they stream on the internet, that would change the potential audience size. I agree that not having hard numbers is the kind of thing that Hoagie just loves. Why have real data when you can just make stuff up.
Of course that works both ways. If there is no hard data showing Hoagland is getting Art Bell like numbers, there is no reason for the station to assume he is.
Another bail on today's 26th October episode. " Unfortunately, an unexpected change in negotiations has precluded our plans." Sounds like a long way of saying "money troubles".
I did like this bit "We are moving to another station and it’s very exciting – a little bumpy – but growth can be like that." Growth indeed; there are single digit numbers of people on the facebook page.
Chris
Yes, this morning's show never happened. Then there's this from a loyal (?) listener who's not exactly gruntled by the turn of events:
"I have been charged 4-5 times a month since April. Why? I have written 2 emails to try and get an explanation. No one is responding.. Please refund my money for all the overcharges each month since April. I thought you were honest people and now am beginning to wonder. I only ordered one subscription a month."
Given Hoagie's history with such things, the loyal listener is better off just canceling his card and calling it a day. He's not going to get his money back, and waiting for any kind of response from Hoagland is an exercise in frustration. It's time for him to move on.
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