Mark Rogers leaving KOCO

[icecold]

I heard last week that Mark Rogers is leaving KOCO to become the marketing director at Lucky Star. Is this true? Anyone know why? Is pay at KOCO that bad? Is it just a requirement for a major anchor to leave KOCO every six months?

[SoonerQueen]

He is going to stay at WWLS.

[SoonerQueen]

NewsOK

[icecold]

Thanks, guess I missed that last week. But why did he keep the radio show. Its the worst. Has terrible callers that he just lets ramble on for far too long. Its exhausting.

[Bigrayok]

I would much rather listen to Mark Rodgers's show than some of the political drivel from Rusty on the Ref. I think Mark is a fun radio talk show host. I like Jim Traber and Al Eschbach but both can be real jerks sometimes. Someone asked Mark today about his job change and he said it gives him a chance to spend more time with his 5 year old son. Over the years, Mark has been one oof the hardest working people in sports journalism in Oklahoma. He has done television, radio, and published a high school football publication at the same time. I hope he does not upset some tribal leader that wants to replace him with a relative. Nepotism seems to be quite common in the Cheyenne-Arapaho tribe. Good luck Mark in your new job.

Bigray in Ok

[drum4no1]

I dont know about on air pay but as far as production and operations the pay is horrible. I interviewed At KOCO last year and about fell out of my chair when I heard what the position started at. Ive been doing this for 14 years and while broadcasting pay has been bad this was just an insult with the schedule and job duties expected. A friend of mine is a former worker there and the work environment is less than ideal and ill leave it at that..Makes LocaltvLLC look like good guys and thats hard to do.

[metro]

As stated in past threads on similar topics, pay for local TV personalities (in most markets including ours) is not that great, starting pay around $30K-$35K. Anchors if they are lucky make about $10K more. Heck, the Casino can probably pay him FAR more than that AND he gets to spend more time with his family. The radio show he can do remotely if he wants for extra income, it's a no brainer as long as he doesn't mind working for a casino, which obviously he doesn't.

[oneforone]

As stated in past threads on similar topics, pay for local TV personalities (in most markets including ours) is not that great, starting pay around $30K-$35K. Anchors if they are lucky make about $10K more. Heck, the Casino can probably pay him FAR more than that AND he gets to spend more time with his family. The radio show he can do remotely if he wants for extra income, it's a no brainer as long as he doesn't mind working for a casino, which obviously he doesn't.

45K? Maybe for the weekend anchors. I do not think the Ogle's, Linda Cavanaugh or Amy McCree would stay in Oklahoma City for a measly 50k a year. I am willing to bet the 6 and 10 anchors and some of the life long anchors are making at least 100k give or take. They probably also make a nice bonus anytime they land in the top ratings bracket.

I am willing to bet Marks departure is more of a time managment issue. If you could make the same money or more and work bankers hours would you do it? Hell Yes! No weekends, No Holidays, No special events unless you choose to be there.

[drum4no1]

That might be accurate for KOCO anchors. KOCO dosent seem too concerned about having long term employees just cheapest labor possible. Senior anchors make well into the six figures plus bonuses. And if ratings are good they can go back and negotiate higher salaries.

[metro]

haha, that's funny if you're thinking they're making that, $60K if they are lucky.

[drum4no1]

Hmm how do you know this?? I will promise you senior anchors at certain places make twice that...You dont own 500k houses on 65 k a year.

[FritterGirl]

haha, that's funny if you're thinking they're making that, $60K if they are lucky.

I know a DP at one of the stations (main 3, not Fox) that makes well over $60k. If that's what they're paying their lead camera person, then I'm sure their top level talent (think Ogle, Cavanaugh, McCree level anchors) is making much more than that.

It is definitely a field where you have to pay your dues for a long, long time.

Sad to see Mark go, but I wish him well. Haven't heard especially great things about working in the casino industry (a rotating door if you will), but he's a smart, go-getter, so I hope he'll be successful.

[rkjg24]

It's kind of sad to see Mark go...he's my favorite TV sportscaster. But, I can understand why.

On another note, there needs to be a management change at KOCO. The talent turnover is ridiculous.

[Bigrayok]

It is because they do not have an Ogle! LOL

Bigray in Ok

[BorisYeltsin]

hope he knows about the stability of jobs at Indian tribes

[drum4no1]

Anything is a step up from TV.....as far as stability

[drumsncode]

Over a year ago, the great King Tutt (Aaron Tuttle) was telling us about all the job loss and turmoil at KOCO. It was bad then, now we're down to only two of the personalities that we had back around 2007; that's Rick Mitchell and Jessica Schambach. In contrast, look at the stability of KWTV's people. Quite a difference. I mean, wow, Robin Marsh has been there so long she was reading the script from stone tablets before prompters were invented. (Just kidding Robin!)

Plus, there's some type of Facebook group I saw over a year ago, dedicated to ex-KOCO employees (you have to be accepted to join), so if the ex-employees need a dedicated site to blow off steam and tell war stories, it must be quite a crazy place.

[oneforone]

Over a year ago, the great King Tutt (Aaron Tuttle) was telling us about all the job loss and turmoil at KOCO. It was bad then, now we're down to only two of the personalities that we had back around 2007; that's Rick Mitchell and Jessica Schambach. In contrast, look at the stability of KWTV's people. Quite a difference. I mean, wow, Robin Marsh has been there so long she was reading the script from stone tablets before prompters were invented. (Just kidding Robin!)

Plus, there's some type of Facebook group I saw over a year ago, dedicated to ex-KOCO employees (you have to be accepted to join), so if the ex-employees need a dedicated site to blow off steam and tell war stories, it must be quite a crazy place.

I think the stone tablet remark belongs to Ed Murray. The only people that have been at KWTV longer them him is probably Gary and Gan Matthews.