ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 24, 1996 TAG: 9602260040
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: CODY LOWE STAFF WRITER
NOTE: Above
A FAMILIAR RISE-AND-SHINE VOICE has been moved to the afternoon and his syndicated replacement has its critics.
Fans of disc jockey Sam Giles, who has been a fixture at WROV-FM (96.3) since its inception in 1989, have been speaking up to complain about his being moved from the morning drive-time slot into a 2-6 p.m. shift.
Replacing Giles in the morning is the syndicated "John Boy and Billy Big Show," which originates at WRFX in Charlotte, N.C., and is broadcast on WROV from 6-10 a.m.
The new show, which began on WROV Thursday, includes the "classic, recognizable rock music" WROV-FM plays, said operations manager Kenny Shelton, but its focus is on the personalities of "John Boy and Billy" and commentator Robert D. Raiford.
The distinctly Southern voice of the show and its raucous humor have made it a hit in more than 20 markets across the South over the past three years, Shelton said.
The show does take some getting used to, however, he warned.
The program drew "a slew of reaction" in the first couple of days, "the majority of which was concern about the change," Shelton said. Most of the callers "were not real happy."
Management didn't expect Giles' fans "to be deliriously happy" with his move, Shelton said.
Cathy Ross, a WROV-FM listener for the past seven years, was among those who called the newspaper to complain about the new program.
"It was drivel; it was obnoxious; it insulted my intelligence," Ross said. "Nobody with any inkling of intelligence could enjoy that."
Moving Giles - who frequently is named best area radio personality in Roanoker magazine polls - also apparently has prompted some fans to begin a petition drive to have him moved back into the morning slot.
Tom Kincaid, a Giles fan, started the drive he dubbed ``Save the Morning Show.''. He said he expects to garner thousands of disgruntled radio listeners' signatures.
The petition is not an attack on the new show, Kincaid said, but an affirmation that local radio personalities, callers and commentary are what listeners want. Kincaid said he has listened to the new show and said ``it's just not Roanoke.''
``I've heard complaints about their [John Boy and Billy Big] racist comments,'' he said. ``We don't care for that.''
Kincaid's petition drive began Thursday and has drawn interest from Abingdon, Lynchburg and, of course, Roanoke.
Kincaid said other requests for petitions should be put in writing and sent to "Save the Morning Show", P.O. Box 19362, Roanoke, Va. 24019.
``Sam's is very creative and he's got a huge following,'' Kincaid said. ``We're afraid this will hurt WROV and we don't want to hurt WROV.''
Kincaid said a copy of the petition will be sent to all the businesses that advertise during the morning show.
Shelton said the change was motivated by a desire to try to dominate the morning radio hours with a program "that transcends the music format" of the station - entertainment with what he believes is the potential to draw listeners from across the dial.
The move was not based on any dissatisfaction with Giles, Shelton said. Benchmark Communications, which bought the station earlier this year, did not "necessarily think anything was broken, but we really believe this is the right thing to do" to strengthen the station's competitive position in the market.
WROV-FM's share of the audience in the Roanoke-Lynchburg radio market has slipped recently. The station was ranked fourth overall among the two dozen stations in the market in the fall 1995 AccuRatings, and seventh in the Arbitron ratings.
The station was ranked second by both rating services in the spring of 1995, which was an improvement over the previous fall.
In its first couple of days, the new "John Boy and Billy Big Show" included scatological humor and diatribes against political correctness by commentator Raiford.
Most of the complaints so far, Shelton said, have not been about any specific program content but a general reduction in the amount of music played in the morning and moving Giles.
"We know, from life, that whenever there is a change, some people are not going to like it," Shelton said. He is confident, however, that WROV-FM listeners will come to love the show as have people from around the South.
He predicted it would take up to three months for listeners to start to feel comfortable with the new program.
Staff writer Lisa K. Garcia contributed to this story.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: Sam Giles\Fans want him back. color.by CNB