Hot 107.9 Morning Show let go?

Hope this is ok to post Sandra…taken from Access Atlanta:

I just heard that Hot 107.9 today got rid of the morning show, the A Team, consisting of Rashan Ali, Griff, Beyonce, Akini and Emperor Searcy. (From two sources, I hear Rashan will do mid-days and Searcy will go back to late afternoons, but I’m not sure what happens to Beyonce and Akini. Griff’s publicist confirmed that he is out.)

UPDATE: The Web site was updated in the evening to show Beyonce still having a shift on the weekends. That bodes well for her. And Mizz Shyneka and Durrty Boyz seem fine for now. But no sign of E4Real. Temporarily, it appears Rashan and Searcy will do the mornings without Griff for now.

Here’s Griff’s official statement: “The last 3 years and 6 months at Radio One have been a life changing experience. I thank my spiritual Father for the friends that I’ve met and worked with because I’ve learned so much and have grown as a person here in Atlanta. I’m excited about my future, I have a strong team of people helping to take me to new heights, and I will continue to make people laugh all over Atlanta at events and comedy clubs, while serving the community through my foundation, Positive Vibes. When I got home today, I read a book that said: ‘On this day the will of God is done in my life.’ That was all the closure I needed.”

Hot is replacing them with a syndicated show led by Rickey Smiley, the comic who was just in town at the Civic Center on Saturday. Ironically, I interviewed him a few days back and joked with him about entering the Atlanta market. At the time, he said he felt he had enough of a following to take on Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner here. He didn’t betray any sense he knew this was coming but maybe he did.

Smiley is in 20 markets including Dallas and Miami with a big push earlier this year. And if you like prank calls on the Morning Mess, just wait til Smiley comes in. He loves them!

Maria More, the mid-day host for six months, said she was let go but couldn’t comment further. The person who answered the phone at Hot 107.9 said he couldn’t talk about it either. I left a message with the Hot boss Bruce Demps, who was in a meeting. I also haven’t reached Steve Hegwood, the operations manager. I left voicemail messages with Rashan, Griff, Akini and Searcy but no answers back.

The station, ratings wise, seems to be doing fine, finishing regularly top 3 among 18 to 34 year olds. But revenues in radio (as well as other media) have been dropping sharply this year and perhaps Radio One, the station owners, is looking to cut budget. It doesn’t hurt that Radio One’s syndication arm just happens to own the Rickey Smiley show. That fact alone actually has fueled rumors over the past year that the A Team would be replaced but given the A team’s performance and its local bent, nobody quite believed Radio One would pull the trigger.

Hot doesn’t beat V-103 but has been a solid No. 2 or 3 among younger listeners. It managed to survive the loss of Ryan Cameron in late 2004 although the A Team, while solid, has never achieved his best ratings.

Ultimately, syndication is almost always cheaper than a local show. And Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner have proved that the African-American audience is willing to take a national show. (The rock crowd has been tougher. Witness the local demise of Bob & Tom, the Greaseman and the like.)