CORRUPTION IN JAMESTOWN, NY

[OHListener77]

I have a sad story from Jamestown, New York that's not only representative of the way the radio industry is headed these days, but also shows how corrupt corporations can be.

A friend of mine was laid off this past Monday from a cluster of five radio stations (WWSE/WJTN/WHUG/WKSN/WQFX) in Jamestown owned by Media One Group, based in Cleveland, Ohio. This friend of mine worked 55 hours a week at a salary of $17,000/year. He did everything (and I literally mean everything) from producing local talk shows to reporting on sports and anchoring the weekend news, working every single day (including Sundays) without complaint. So my friend gets laid off...but what happens? The next day, the ownership approves the hiring of two part-time board-ops.

Does something not add up here? My friend was laid off, but two new part-time people are hired. Downsizing, my ass! Also, he was paid $17,000 a year for working 55 hours a week. That's $5.94/hour, less than the federal AND state minimum wage! I was also told he was never allotted time for meal breaks, despite the fact that he's a Type I diabetic! He literally had to eat while he was working!

I know corporate radio owners are cheap, but the owners of Media One Group are just straight-up assholes for allowing him to work 55 hours/week for less than minimum wage, then just lay him off in an effort to save money. I feel as though they've broken the law in several areas here, and they need to be reported to the New York State Labor Board.

I also urge you to contact the president of Media One directly to let him know about this BS. His name is James T. Embrescia, and he lives at 147 Bell Street, Suite 200, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

[EDIT-[privacy concerns]

 

[cee]

No offense, but nobody should work 55 hour work weeks for 17,000/year. I know, it did the radio slave labor thing myself way back when. Believe me, it's quite often a road to nowhere. This is the biggest break your friend ever got. Hopefully, after some soul searching, he'll move on, perhaps further his education or career training and get in a new career that pays a livable wage. If your friend misses radio, perhaps he can do it part time for kicks and giggles.

As far as contacting the president of Media One: that's not got going to make any difference -- sadly, this type of thing goes on all over these days - and not just in broadcasting.

 

[warsaw35]

I feel bad for your friend, but a lot of this is his fault for letting it happen. Maybe he was scared to say anything fearing reprisal, but having been down that road before, the best thing like the last poster said is to move on. It is so sad in these days and times that this sort of thing happens. I know radio is a bad things these days, and it will get much worse, but it is only a reflection of the general state of the world, corporate or not.

 

[webcastboy]

As I get older, I learn more and more how little your job performance has to do with your employment status. Generally speaking, it takes an awful lot of poor job performance before you'll get actually fired. Conversely, if you're going to be laid off, your job performance is not going to be much of a factor in that decision; usually it's forces waaaay beyond your control. Yeah, for some jobs this isn't as true...sales jobs, which're tied to quotas, come to mind. But for a lot of jobs, not just radio jobs, it's the norm.

So if you work for a lousy employer, which covers at least 75-85% of radio these days, there is no point in busting your hump. It will not earn you any brownie points. It will not preserve your job. It certainly won't get you a promotion or a raise. All it will do is prove to your employer that you're a chump who'll work extra hard for no extra money.

I've had to remind myself of this fact many times over my career: "increased productivity" just means your boss suckered you into doing the work of the guy he just laid off. Your boss is not going to tell you to work less. Your boss is not looking out for your well-being. He's trying to squeeze every drop of work out of you because if you won't do it, he'll have to face his boss about why the work isn't getting done, and he'll get fired. It's not your problem that your boss can't get the work of 10 people squeezed out of only 3...and you shouldn't let him make it be your problem.

 

[OHListener77]

It's not just the fact that Jim Embrescia's cheap. From what I understand, he is also in effect telling this person whom he laid off that he can no longer be the producer of a particular brokered radio show broadcast on two of Media One's stations. The host of the show, his co-host, and his producer are in effect a business (specifically, an LLC). By telling the host that his producer can't work for him any longer, he is overstepping his authority by "controlling" another business and thus should be reported to the New York State Labor Board and/or the state's Attorney General.

 

[SirRoxalot]

You're friend let himself be taken advantage of, and was blown out in Jamestown. He's got two choices:

1. Go to the state labor department and file complaints. Be prepared to never work in radio in Jamestown again. He might get a few dollars out of it. More likely, lawyers will get involved, and he'll get little or nothing in return.

2. Move on, and get out of radio - at least in Jamestown.

You can only be taken advantage of if you LET yourself be taken advantage of. It's time to grow up, grow a pair, and do the big boy thing. Move out of Mom's basement and move on - either in radio or out. If you're in radio in Jamestown, you're either on the way up, or on the way out.

 

[dustintv]

As someone who has some close personal and family connections to the Jamestown area I'm shocked this has been happening there. I know radio can be a tough and terrible business for many but this sounds cruel. Especially at WJTN the town's only news source besides the Post-Journal. Quite sad for the small town.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

I've had to remind myself of this fact many times over my career: "increased productivity" just means your boss suckered you into doing the work of the guy he just laid off. Your boss is not going to tell you to work less. Your boss is not looking out for your well-being. He's trying to squeeze every drop of work out of you because if you won't do it, he'll have to face his boss about why the work isn't getting done, and he'll get fired. It's not your problem that your boss can't get the work of 10 people squeezed out of only 3...and you shouldn't let him make it be your problem.

This is also why years of experience in radio often does not count for much. I saw a friend of mine get passed over for a job in favor of a young girl with little experience. People who have been around for awhile know how the game is played. You can't BS these guys as easily as the inexperienced people coming up. Also, after you move out of Mom and Dad's house the paycheck becomes very important!

 

[Radiosucksduh]

Just had to respond! Been in radio since 1979. Started in small market in Florida and now in Top 5. My first radio job paid 125 dollars a week and it took me to 1994 to break the 20K a year barrier. All that time I had to work a second job. I was actually a Station Manager, did AM Drive and then a late mid day talk show. I had no production director, no promotions director, no program director and also did occasional sales. 18 hours a day were the norm. My base salary 18,200. This was in 1992. On the weekends I was a club dj to make ends meet. I never complained because can't change reality and I loved it. Yes, in a Top 5 market now and show is national, so life is grand but it's radio, so I could get blown out tomorrow. Lessons learn from almost 3 decades in the business. You will never get the raise you want unless you are willing to relocate. My biggest raise, (where my salary was tripled), only came when I was willing to relocate from the east coast to the west coast. My current job is the only gig I have ever held where I was able to negotiate increases in pay, in the contract. Moral of my story, complaining doesn't change reality. It's the decisions and sacrifices that you are willing to make that will make the difference in your level of success. Oh, and course that's not guaranteed either. Not trying to make this business seem hopeless to the newbie, just stating what I always knew this business was about. Thanks!