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Ex-WROW Talk Host Steve Van Zandt Responds

He's right. And everything he relates was clearly evident in the on-air product. No promotion, no stability in programming. WROW didn't lose it's local identity due to competition, management squandered it and Vandenbergh was smart to take total advantage of it to go across town not only with the good talent but also his loyal audience. Despite that, WROW had listeners, had some decent programs from time to time - but how would anybody know? When was the last time anybody has seen a billboard or TV spot for WROW? (I know they had a Mike & Mad Dog spot running for a time, but that was it)

Total implosion of the station in recent years, solely caused by a lack of good management. Cant blame the air talent, they did their best. Hope they all land on their feet in a better working environment.
 
Van Zandt's six words say it all: "an absolutely despicable lack of class." Unfortunately, this is happening all too frequently throughout the business. As a former news-talk PD/OM who was fortunate years ago to have worked in better environment (1990-2000 WGR Newsradio 55), it's disappointing to see any news-talk station dismantled and talent dismissed, no matter what market. I wish the talent well.
 
BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

I can't believe that it took THIS LONG for a former Pamal employee to make such a very public statement!

Clearly Steve has no intentions of ever working radio again and thus we hear the truth of the matter inside the building. Not that this is the first time we've heard it but it is the first time in print.
 
Wow...hope you had fun in the radio biz, after that no one would hire you! Lesson folks, no matter how bitter the break up, just shut up! Stupid is as stupid does!
 
ROCKTHEMIC said:
Wow...hope you had fun in the radio biz, after that no one would hire you! Lesson folks, no matter how bitter the break up, just shut up!
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That might have been the norm ten, even five years ago, but these days, all bets are off. Besides, no balls, no babies. People in and outside the business applauded Howard Stern when he was blown out of WNBC and he talked about the stupidity inside 30 Rock. If a talk show host can "bring it" when he's on the air and gainfully employed, why not after he gets a bullet? Furthermore, the way the business is circling the drain these days, a lot of radio people who get blown out have no intention of remaining in the business. I don't know Van Zandt and have only heard him a few times, but his observations about the business, which more and more is being run by frauds and pretenders, ring true on a number of levels. There's no reason why these companies, their CEO's and managers should not be held to account.
 
I know from personal experience that Steve actually down-plays the sleeze that oozes from that greasy, creepy little Addams Family horror show ownership of 'RO. In my opinion Morel is the Josef Mengele of radio (and Mengele would probably sue me for defimation for that comparison if he was alive).

While I was dealing with honest people (Scotto and Kevin) the guy signing their paychecks was Jim. The wet, limp handshake that reluctantly accepted my greeting upon first meeting him was just my first clue. The unbroken chain of broken promises and "deals" that followed were expected at that point.

Give you a clue as to how Morel does business. Jim actually BRAGGED to me about how he had turned down the chance years ago to open the area's first Honda dealership because it was a "Jap" company. Then he blamed GM for his own decision to build a new service department for one of his dealerships that had bays too small for SUVs. According to him, he called them prior to construction and asked if cars would get any bigger. They said no, he built and not long after SUVs and trucks became GM staples.

That entire conversation took place in the context ofhis also BRAGGING that the granite being used in his new hotel (under construction at the time) was coming from China because "American workers are too well paid and that makes them greedy for more." That he claimed made importing granite from 9,000 miles away cheaper than hauling it over from .... oh, say, the Granite State (New Hampshire). With that said; he is nothing compared to his wife and daughter - and their two miserable little rat dogs - the four of them strike fear into the entire building.


And this is the guy who tried to force me to give up a half-million dollar California McMansion and quality lifestyle to uproot my family and move to Albany or else. I let guys like that choke on their own vomit. He is and good!
 
Mark it is good to see you are just as willing to speak the truth about Morrell and Co. For both you and Steve to do that shows that you are in fact both REAL talk show hosts - your ability to tell the truth will never be silenced by anyone!
 
That entire conversation took place in the context ofhis also BRAGGING that the granite being used in his new hotel (under construction at the time) was coming from China because "American workers are too well paid and that makes them greedy for more." That he claimed made importing granite from 9,000 miles away cheaper than hauling it over from .... oh, say, the Granite State (New Hampshire).
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I would agree that it is a shame whenever anyone in radio loses a job. Stations are depopulated enough as it is and talk radio definitely needs more local content. But why would any of the above be a problem for an employee, if one's profession is to broadcast an ideology that agrees more or less with just what he said? Talk about chickens coming home to roost, or getting hoisted on one's own petard... :eek:
 
It would seem that there are a lot of private sector business owners who are greedy and inconsiderate of their employees. Not just radio. They look at their help as an expense, not as an asset to aquiring prosperity. If you think MR. Morrell is this way, just remember he is far from the only one. Chain retail operators are the worst, Grocery and convienience stores, "Big box and department retailers, fast food, etc. Even some banks are nasty to their employees.
 
You are right excepting the fact that people generally seek out "locally owned and operated" to avoid that kind of corporate greed.
 
The difference between a large faceless corporation that abuses their employees from thousands of miles away and one where the owner of the company has is office in the same building at the abused employees is huge. Everyday "Mister" gets to see the pain and hardship he inflicts on his hapless employees, and he seems to revel in it. His attitude is often "You should be great full to be working here, without me, you would have nothing." He expects everyone around him to kiss his ass and tell him how great he is. Sad really. I agree, Steve laid off and was rather light in his remarks about ABC, the reality is much worse. I wish him well and hope he lands on his feet somewhere, perhaps not in radio.
 
ROCKTHEMIC said:
Wow...hope you had fun in the radio biz, after that no one would hire you! Lesson folks, no matter how bitter the break up, just shut up! Stupid is as stupid does!
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LOL! My largest (and most lucrative) radio client today is a major group that I have had to sue - successfully, twice, in two different markets, in order to enforce my contracts when Morell type management walked in the door and replaced professional broadcasters.
 
tower17 said:
You are right excepting the fact that people generally seek out "locally owned and operated" to avoid that kind of corporate greed.
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Locally owned and operated isn't necessarily better. And example outside of radio would be The Price Chopper Supermarket chained based in Schenectady. They treat their employees like crap and come up with the stupidest rules. My friend is a cart boy at their Southington, Connecticut location and he told me a new rule they came up with last summer "It must be 85 degrees or warmer for the cartboys to wear shorts." When he told me that I was like "Is Kim (his supervisor) gonna stand outside with a thermometer to make sure it isn't 83 or 84 when the cart boys are wear shorts?" Years back I was cart boy at rival supermarket corporate owned Shaw's (they're leaving CT all together now). Shaw's original rule was Shorts can only be worn between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Then changed it to any time it was 70 or warmer. I wasn't a regular cart boy when I worked at Walmart (I sometimes had to fill-in), but they didn't have any rules about shorts. It was "Use your own Judgement."
 
Its not about locally based, it is about multiple location type businesses. Multiple location businesses whether it is radio, retail or whatever tend to come up with these stupid policies. I worked in a fast food establishment many years ago that did not want us to take of our ties and hats when we were cleaning up after closing. They felt that it would not look good for people going by seeing us like that. All it did was make people think we were still open.
 
You are comparing wearing shorts with racism, employee abuse, and business practices that harm the entire community? Dude, catch a clue. My school daze paying gig was at Fernandes Super Markets (the Attleboro store) and we had uniform jackets in the winter, vests in the summer and full dress code year 'round.... and Joe Fernandes was a model employer.

What the Morells do is abusive and destructive to the entire business community - not to mention to real people. Please catch a clue.
 
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