My Damn Channel’s Rob Barnett had to replace Howard Stern when he was president of CBS Radio. Journal Broadcast Group’s Steve Wexler is in the process of replacing an afternoon talent who has been at WTMJ Milwaukee for 41 years. WGN Chicago PD Kevin Metheny has been revamping the heritage News/Talk outlet under intense public scrutiny. Their stories were the focus of the “Lose A Legend, Not Your Audience” panel Thursday afternoon (30) at the NAB/RAB Radio Show.

Wexler told attendees that the process of replacing a heritage personality is really an extension of a PD or GM’s ongoing relationship with them. “If you start thinking about it” when it’s time to make a change, he said, “you’re too late.” Similarly, Barnett, who recently appeared on Stern’s XM show to recount the transition said, “Everybody likes to pooh-pooh five year game plans. It seems like a waste. But this was one of those situations that was like a rocket ship to the head of everybody.”

Barnett added that with Stern milking the speculation over whether he would re-sign at Sirius that their staff was probably undergoing a similar situation. He also asked for a show of hands from the room on Howard’s future; the majority expected him to leave satellite radio.

Metheny told attendees that he often feels accused of “peeing in the punchbowl of this great American treasure.” He says that finding some of the various written histories of the station has helped put the transition pains in perspective. “Not that long ago, our programming was done in studios twice this size with a full orchestra. I pass a photo on the way to my office of Tom Mix doing his cowboy radio show in full costume. You can also find previous custodians of WGN being criticized for playing all that ‘race music’ or ‘kid music.’”

Metheny added, “When Garry Meier came to WGN, I contemplated having personal security because the cards and letters weren’t happy. Garry and Steve Dahl had always goofed on WGN. [Now} I get cards and letters saying, “I can’t listen to anybody but Garry Meier anymore.”

Wexler, who was once veteran afternoon host Jonathan Green’s intern, encouraged stations to “communicate internally first … because if you don’t fill in the blanks for people, people will fill them in for themselves.” Similarly, Barnett, during a discussion of asking veteran talent to renegotiate their contracts down, told managers to “deliver the bad news immediately” before it had a chance to spread.

Managing the sales department becomes an issue as well, particularly when the easiest succession strategy for them to sell isn’t the best one for the product. “If you’ve got some credibility in the building and you can explain your strategy soundly, most sales departments will say okay,” says Wexler. And Metheny noted that ultimately “I’m betting my desk, not the sales director’s desk.”