Monday, 29 August 2016

Analysing the Freeze, Cool FM situation

On Air Personality Freeze’s current dilemma is a lesson for everyone. But as we ponder, the questions continue to pour in on whether or not his sack was really justified given the reasons cited by the management at Cool FM.To be fair, it is sad seeing Freeze get sacked at a company he’s devoted so much to in the last one and half decade of his life.There are several reasons his time at Cool FM ended like this and according to grapevine sources one of the reasons is that the head honcho at Cool FM, Amin Moussalli, is reportedly unpredictable in nature, which means no staff is indispensable. We don’t know how true this is anyway.READ ALSO: Music star expresses gratitude to fans in special wayAgain, sources say the controversial radio host is exactly what he is – which is controversial!Freeze shares a now-deleted photo of himself with Basketmouth’s wife on Instagram in a bid to spite him.In the wake of his issues with Basketmouth all 2016 long, he was not just feuding on social media, he was also falling out with his employer(s), insiderssay.Pop Culture fans/ critics, do you think Freeze should have been fired for the Basketmouth issue (or anything else)?— El Jefe (@ChibuzoHI)August 29, 2016@ChibuzoHIThe two rumored reasons are definitely enough to fire him. On the Basketmouth issue, Freeze was always associated with Coolfm…— The 4th god (@FAMEMAKER_)August 29, 2016@ChibuzoHIImagine doing a Google search on coolfm and instead seeingthe strides the station makes, the popular results is a beef…— The 4th god (@FAMEMAKER_)August 29, 2016@ChibuzoHIA beef that doesn’t even concern the station itself. So if they let him go cos of that, it’s totally fine.— The 4th god (@FAMEMAKER_)August 29, 2016AIM Group which owns Cool FM, Wazobia and Nigeria is into other aspects including construction, engineering and real estate. We also learnt the group is a family business of sorts, which means anyone can get kicked out by a member of the family upon defaulting without due consultations.READ ALSO: Wizkid scores yet another global success?Freeze in the NAIJ.com article on 15 OAPs who shape pop culture and entertainment in NigeriaREAD ALSO: 15 OAPs shaping pop culture and showbiz in NigeriaWhile this is no particular business of ours here, it has to be said that Freeze reportedly failed to attend a crucial meeting Moussalli called for issues regarding the growth of the organization.It was supposed to be an ideal forum to address issues such as the drop in presenters’ performances, presenters’ fees and several other issues, but our social media savvy OAP was ‘absent without leave’.The social media tantrums must have also contributed heavily to the decision, even though Freeze is denying so vehemently that his sack letter stemmed from nothing of such. Whatever it is, we have learnt several lessonsfrom his story.I really don’t give a rat’s ass for Freeze on radio. If he’s costing the station money/listeners, he gotta gohttps://t.co/4ICBMt8ZJi— The Jidé Taiwo (@thejidetaiwo)August 29, 2016@ChibuzoHIFreeze had to go cuz he was painting a bad image for his employers. I wish him well in this tough economy. — Nomso Obiajuru (@Nonnydrezzy)August 29, 2016I’ve heard him talk on air about people in nasty ways. Dude has a very leaky mouth & certainly gossipshttps://t.co/04eWt86cf0— call me papii (@ILOBAA)August 29, 2016@Nonnydrezzy@ChibuzoHIIn as much as I agree with you, I’m not sure tough economy can affect someone like@Freeze_Coolfm— Otunbacoded (@otunbaunited)August 29, 2016You see, you cannot afford to be the person talked about every time controversy is the subject of discussion. It is even more disturbing when you work for and under an organization, which is why Peter and Paul Okoye, Davido and Wiz Kid can mess around on social media and get away with but a Freeze probably mightn’t.In simpler terms, Freeze didn’t have to be involved in many of the nonsense he was immersed in on social media. He had too much to say in a clime so sensitive like Nigeria and believe it or not, way before the Basketmouth issue cropped up many persons must have felt offended by his comments.READ ALSO: Movie star shares sexy photos in celebration of birthdayHe attacked too many influential figures in society, people whose financial reach and overall clout could get him silenced for life. This is Nigeria, a country where everything goes but you can’t just waltz into social media and ride on the back of your media attention to censure people. It doesn’t matter if you are right or wrong, keep your opinions to yourself sometimes.Freeze and Dbanj right in the Cool FM studio.So yes, Freeze failed in this respects. He will be sorely missed, I can tell you that for a fact.He left the station with a wealth of experience and his 25 years with them is definitely an asset hardly anyone can dispute.@ChibuzoHIIf after so many years, they let him go, then there is something we don’t know.— Omo Jesu (@tosinadeda)August 29, 2016@ChibuzoHIbasket should put his mouth in a fridge and freeze lol#loverules— Ameyaw Debrah (@ameyaw112)August 29, 2016Freeze can almost effortlessly get another gig at a leading radio station in Nigeria and given the turnover level in the industry, it won’t be any surprise seeing him grab something else soon.But you know why exits of this sort might hurt his former employers? Freeze is actually very good. He could be a chatterbox here and there, a scatterbrain on social media and possessing a bit of an overbearing attitude.READ ALSO: Music legend celebrates birthday in style doing this (Photos)But at the end of the day you don’t just let go one of your best hands like that.If anything, he could have been penalized sufficiently, even if the intention is to let him go, whilst the company uses that window to groom someone else for his role.Letting him go all of a sudden in this precarious period Cool FM is in doesn’t help them get better. It doesn’t give them any edge when Freeze takes major trade secrets to rival brands who will eventually hire him. And above all, it doesn’t return Cool FM to the glory days when they had heavyweights such as Olisa Adibua, Dan Foster, Lekan aka Lakeside Gbemi Olagbegi and Ebele Yaw, to name a few.But hey, it is what it is. Freeze is gone but the big question is – was Cool FM sacking him the best available option?

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