It's About Time For The Truth

[The Voice of Reason]

I'm pretty tight with some upper echelon types at PBS. One of the things you have to realize about management at public radio and TV is that they're exceptional at rubbing elbows with the very influential and moneyed. And many of these said folks who associate with PBS desire a partnership that's trusting and worthy.

A lot of blue blood types are encouraged to hob-nob with the local PBS brass. Their kids used to watch Sesame Street and there grandkids now learn to Bert, Ernie and the Cookie monster. And I think the PBS folks are starting to realize that "Antiques Roadshow" is a little bit too dangerously catering to the nearly in the grave crowd. I'm watching and listening a bit more now.

A top PBS executive has to be an incredible fundraiser able to associate, and become friendly, with top leaders in the community. I still feel that they're overpaid. Then you could take a look at the GM or SM in your building and ask yourself whether they'd be able to represent themselves accordingly.

Many years ago I witnessed a PBS exec schmooze Robert Wegman at his annual Christmas party in his home in Brighton. That's what they do at PBS. How I ended up at Wegmans party is another story. I've never been invited back.

This topic should be in a separate category instead of in the posts about Wease and CMF, thus I created a new post for two reasons: One is to respond to you, alw and Mark Giardina; the second is to issue a challenge the local media.
Let's take the second first shall we?
Why can’t Channel 10‘s “I-Team” do an in-depth report on the exorbitant salaries paid to public broadcasting executives in Rochester? Let the donating public know where their pledge money really goes.
Channel 13 won’t do anything because they, along with the Democrat & Chronicle, are in bed with public broadcasting as part of that “Voice of the Voter” collaboration; while Channel 8 is staffed with a bunch of kids who have no history of what is going on in this community. If 10 actually reports on this story then I will end this particular discussion on this board.
To alw: As I wrote previously, this is not a personal attack against you. However I did some research and found out that you do indeed work for public broadcasting in Buffalo; the same station I believe that was exposed by a local newspaper a decade ago for having a huge bank account while pleading poverty on the air during pledge drives. The public outcry was so enormous that your station found itself having to deal with some bad PR for a long time. I’m not blaming you personally for what happened, but it proves my point about the differences the donating public is told versus the actual truth.
To Mark Giardina: I remember reading a long time ago a post you wrote about trying to return to your former job only to have the hiring process halted because your former employer was looking for a female. You raised the issue whether what happened to you was reverse discrimination or not; yet you defend these same people who treated you so unfairly. Why?
Finally to your post: The real fundraisers are those people on-air who actually perform a service to the community by either providing news & information or hosting a classical music show. The people sitting behind the desks in their offices are paid to hob-knob with the rich and famous. I also know a few of those individuals and let me tell you they are far from impressed with having these PBS executives always trying to pick their pockets. When I informed a few of them just how much money these executives were making, they were outraged.
As for not being invited to Robert Wegman’s Christmas parties anymore, considering the man has been dead for a few years, I wouldn’t take it personal.

 

[Philip_Airtime]

I would argue that what you're talking about, VOR, is not limited to public broadcasting but to the entire non-profit sector. Check the Buffalo Business First listing of non-profit salaries when it comes out and you'll find the CEOs of the symphony, art gallery, human service agencies and more making six figures. And all of these agencies send me yearly appeals for money. They all plead that their budgets are tight, and my donation is needed to help them deliver their particular service. So, to single out public broadcasting would seem to be unfair. Perhaps you believe the CEOs of other non-profit organizations in Rochester are also overpaid. If so, I respect your opinion. But I'm just pointing out that public broadcasters aren't alone among the non-profit world in earning hefty salaries. Some are deserving of what they're paid. Others are not. Again, I don't live in Rochester. So, I prefer not to get involved in your argument over the salaries WXXI executives earn. I'm just saying they're probably equal to what other top executives in the non-profit sector earn.

 

[jefflaurence]

A close relative of mine attends a church who's CHORAL DORECTOR pulls in over 170K a year! The football coaches at a lot of major colleges make staggering amounts of money. Dr. Gene Scott was always asking for money and got enough to live like a sultan until he died. The point? Not really sure, but if I were given the chance to make that kind of jack for anyone..non-profit or otherwise I would take it. You wouldn't? The original issue was that certain broadcasters should realize that jobs are at a premium as it is, and high-salary jobs are drying up fast..don't expect the public to cry with you about the lack of a window, and an 8000.00 a week paycheck..boo-freakin-hoo

 

[SirRoxalot]

Truth?

Voice, the truth is that the guys who schmooze hundreds of thousands of dollars out of the rich and famous do a job that you can't. If you could, you'd be doing it. As it is, you can't even get in to see the rich and famous, let alone hob-nob with them.

If a sales person was bringing in several million a year, and getting an 8% commission, would you be saying that they're not worth what they earn?

I too find the numbers hard to stomach considering the lengths that some of the spokespeople go to during the incessant beg-a-thons, but they perform a function that keeps public broadcasting operating. If they cease to perform that function, they'll be gone.

You've done your best to bring the problem to light here. Unfortunately, you're preaching to a small, largely uninterested audience. Perhaps another forum would be more effective in helping you achieve your goal of bringing greater equity to the pay scale of public broadcasting. Here, it's mainly falling the ears of people who will never approach a 6-figure salary, and who work for guys in shiny suits who make the public broadcasting guys look like pocket change collectors.

 

[Mark Giardina]

To Mark Giardina: I remember reading a long time ago a post you wrote about trying to return to your former job only to have the hiring process halted because your former employer was looking for a female. You raised the issue whether what happened to you was reverse discrimination or not; yet you defend these same people who treated you so unfairly. Why?

Look, I'm not about to condone what happened to me as being fair. A lot of things in life are not fair, yet on the other hand instead of letting the past consume me, I've moved on.

I have to agree with Sir Roxalot that you are preaching to a small group of people who are really not interested in how much money the executives at WXXI makes. May I offer some friendly advice? Just let it go. There is nothing you can do shy of being appointed to the WXXI Board of Directors that will make any difference.

As for my defense of public radio, I am defending the people I worked with who put a lot of time and effort into that place to make it sound professional. These are my friends and I was happy to have the opportunity to work with many of them for 14 years, which is a life-time in radio these days.
I always have, and will continue to wish them the very best of luck.

 

[alw]

To alw: As I wrote previously, this is not a personal attack against you. However I did some research and found out that you do indeed work for public broadcasting in Buffalo; the same station I believe that was exposed by a local newspaper a decade ago for having a huge bank account while pleading poverty on the air during pledge drives. The public outcry was so enormous that your station found itself having to deal with some bad PR for a long time. I’m not blaming you personally for what happened, but it proves my point about the differences the donating public is told versus the actual truth.

Dear Voice of Reason:

You found me out!
I program a public radio station.
You’re a regular Jack Anderson.

I am, however, confused by your screed regarding the enormous outcry over our huge bank account. I think you have confused two separate occasions.

1) At one point my company sold off a 2nd TV signal that it had become clear was wasting company resources. The sale of the station (Ch. 23) netted considerable income that was placed in an endowment. The only part of the endowment that may be used for general purposes is from the interest generated from it. Most well run not-for-profits strive for an endowment that will help to ensure the corporation into the future. This is nothing to be ashamed of, and is lauded by the general business community. Also, it only caused a ripple in Artvoice; and only among a small cadre of folks that were pissed at us (WNED) for opting not to carry Democracy Now as they had demanded.

2) The only other thing that occurred happened when the new CEO looked at the books and decided that our AM News service had been subsidized for a number of years. He decided that the station should go away. Now that did cause a rather sizable flap. The listeners, the local foundations and The Buffalo News were so upset about this decision that they all joined in to convince the CEO that this must not happen. With their help, the station is now alive, well and thriving. The coverage of this situation in the News dealt with the value the station contributed to the community, and why it should be revitalized. Not exactly a mushroom cloud of negativity.

So…….I hope I have unmuddied some of the water for you. I suspect that your mind is made up no matter what I present to you but at least I tried.

P.S. We will continue our "beg-a-thons" because that is how the government mandated that we operate.

 

[Kal]

Al,

A phrase (or two or three or four) well turned! BRAVO!

In my 10 years in public TV, I saw money well spent and a service much appreciated by it's viewers! The same goes for the radio service. ACTIVE listeners and viewers who have real input into the programs they hear and see and who are willing to make a contribution to quality programming. They vote with their memberships, financial contributions and volunteer support.

To: 'The Voice of Reason':

Really? What 'reason' can you possibly have for your campaign against public broadcasting? Does the concept of viewer/listener monetary and volunteer support offend in some way? Have you been forced to provide either or both? Perhaps it goes deeper than that?
Was there some position you applied for, that you didn't get because it went to a more qualified candidate?

Other responders have made the point with which I concur. Enough already.

'Me thinks ye doth protest too much!"

... and nobody cares.

Kal

(PS: If you'd like to avoid wasting all that research time and effort, I'd be happy to email you my resume, so you can find out just where and when I worked in public and commercial broadcasting!)

 

[SirRoxalot]

Kal, VOR has an axe to grind re: Rochester public broadcasting. In fact, a few of the honchos there are making serious jack, especially when all the salary and benefits are toted up. I'm sure that he'll be happy to quote dollars and cents. This was all detailed in previous posts a few months back.

This in no way invalidates the points made in response on this thread.

 

[jfc40ts]

I think Mr. Airtime hit the nail on the head. Singleing out public broadcasting in this regard is absurd considering that it is but one facet of the not for profit industry. From what the original poster has stated, the only way he can get his views out to the general public is through an alternative newspaper like Artvoice here in Bflo...

A few years ago, there was some uproar here over the chairman of the United Way who was making $400K/yr but it died down and I don't think anything had changed regarding the salaries of the not for profit elite. Wasn't there something recently in the Buffalo News about what these guys make? IIRC, the topic seems to surface once per year in the paper...

 

[Radknowski]

I've been watching this thread unfurl and trying to maintain perspective and objectivity with every post. Being that this is the place where we come to grind axes, post profound and ridiculous theories ("guilty as charged, your honor") and take people, management, formats and decisions to task, I can actually understand VOR's frustration with what he sees as an injustice being perpetrated viewers, listeners, subsribers and employees of Public Broadcasting in Rochester.

I also understand that those who work on the floor, in the newsrooms, programming and middle management of Public Broadcasting don't have much of a say in the dictates and mandates made by upper management and decision and policy makers in government. As such, they don't deserve to be on the receiving end of your barbs.

Like those in commercial broadcasting, the worker bees are often caught in a radio rip tide. They go to work each day, hoping to do their jobs to the best of their abilities and at the end of the day hope to have accomplished something. It's not easy these days.

VOR... you've made your points here. I can understand your fervor and your discontent. Did you ever think of puting up a website? Going "Michael Moore?" I'm not suggesting you stop posting here. It is afterall a public message board and a clearing house for ideas. Channel your wrath elsewhere and maybe you CAN change what you consider to be an unjust situation in Rochester.

Not trying to be a wise ass, maybe get therapy and consolation.

 

[cee]

VOR has an axe to grind re: Rochester public broadcasting.

I can tell you with great confidence that a lot of people in town have an axe to grind with WXXI(yes, myself included). Not just former employees, but folks(average folks, not rich folks) who've had encounters with them. I'm not comfortable using the internet for personal vendettas, so I'll just leave it at that. I will warn you all though, when talking to other higher ups at XXI, don't every refer to Silverstein as the GM - "he's the CEO" will quite likely be the reply. Sorry, GM, CEO, Emperor of Japan, whatever(I think that was my personal reply so many long years ago).

Two other points - yes, CEO's/Big Cheeses at other non profits make big salaries too. Keep in many of them are groups that help fight poverty, social ills and disease. Who deserves it more? Other non profits don't get to beg in front of a mass tv audience whenever they feel like it and ask people to remember them in their will(but who would you give will money to - St. Judes Hospital or the "WXXI Buy a New SUV for Our CEO Foundation"?

Also, every regular on this board knows you can do great broadcasting in austere facilities. Mike Collins had no right to build that multi million dollar palace downtown. Neither did XXI have a right to use supporter bucks to build their new digs on State Street. The employees have a right to work in a decent, safe work environment, but c'mon - every knows there's tons of unused real estate in economically depressed upstate NY. These stations are just big money machines now....a far cry from their earlier humble roots. But I guess it's another case of human nature. You can legally go on the air anytime you want and beg for money and what GM/CEO/Free SUV Owner can resist? Money corrupts. I'm glad the Buffalo News exposed this scam...even the great Tom Toles ridiculed them in one of this editorial cartoons. Here in Rochester, WXXI TV, FM & AM weren't enough, so they take over WRUR - which if the U of R didn't want to run it, could have been taken over run by and run by some local community group. Now, as VOR has exposed to us, the XXI VP's husband does a 3 hour mid day music show every weekday opn WRUR(does he have any radio experience VOR? He sounds like he's new at this radio game).

VOR, I agree with Radnowski - you have a lot of good info to pass on to the rest of us...you should do a local Michael Moore thing. As I mentioned last time we got into an WXXI/Management thing here...posting the salaries and all here is interesting, but we're just radio geeks. If you want to expose WXXI, get this info posted where normal people will be reading. Trying to expose them on this web board is a futile effort, at best. Rochester Craigslist page is a good start....and Rochester Indy Media.

 

[alw]

"Mike Collins had no right to build that multi million dollar palace downtown"


Mike Collins had every right in the world to build the "multi-million dollar palace",
he accrued the the financing to do it over a period of 20 years....and told everyone he was doing it. It was no secret.


"every regular on this board knows you can do great broadcasting in austere facilities"

As much as I loved 23 North Street, we would have been thrilled with "austere".
Squaller is more to the point. 128 Barton Street was in a similar state of decrepitude.

By the way, I'm still using the very same desk that I sat behind for the 20 years that I actually had an office at the old place......and the office is smaller.

God forbid we should have a reasonably decent place to report to every morning.

Oh, we no longer use the old AMPEX reel-to-reels and Underwood typewriters we used to bang away on either.

Oh, and Mike Collins drove a Ford Taurus....and a pretty ratty one at that.

He had his much storied faults, but he wasn't satan.....and we really needed a new building.

My 2 cents, for what it's worth

 

[Mark Giardina]

Neither did XXI have a right to use supporter bucks to build their new digs on State Street. The employees have a right to work in a decent, safe work environment, but c'mon - every knows there's tons of unused real estate in economically depressed upstate NY.

I started to work at WXXI months before construction of the new five story building and believe me we needed the space because it was really crowded in the old one story structure on State Street.

As for the money to build the new building, I believe it came from a special capital campaign the station held and not from pledge drives. Therefore people who donated money knew they were doing so for a new facility for WXXI.

As for Silverstein’s car, I can tell you that my parking space was next to his and my Toyota Rav-4 was a lot cooler looking than his Toyota Highlander. ;D

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Al and all,

I actually agree with both sides. There are two ways to look at this. Everyone wants to work in a nice, neat clean, modern facility. Where the problem comes in (and I'm not saying that is the case here) is when management goes overboard on the aesthetics while begging for money and saying they will have to cut programming unless they get more contributions. To that many of us would be tempted to say cash in the $50,000 chandelier.

Please note, I don't think anyone would argue you should have a new desk after 20 years. That seems more than reasonable!

It's too bad someone didn't preserve 23 North Street as a Radio museum. WEBR had been there for a very long time. Barton Street has quite a history too. I knew that it was the home of WGR-TV but didn't know that it was the first home of WBUF-TV 17 (prior to Elmwood Av) until the Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers came up with an excellent article.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

VOR has an axe to grind re: Rochester public broadcasting.

I can tell you with great confidence that a lot of people in town have an axe to grind with WXXI(yes, myself included). Not just former employees, but folks(average folks, not rich folks) who've had encounters with them. I'm not comfortable using the internet for personal vendettas, so I'll just leave it at that. I will warn you all though, when talking to other higher ups at XXI, don't every refer to Silverstein as the GM - "he's the CEO" will quite likely be the reply. Sorry, GM, CEO, Emperor of Japan, whatever(I think that was my personal reply so many long years ago).

Two other points - yes, CEO's/Big Cheeses at other non profits make big salaries too. Keep in many of them are groups that help fight poverty, social ills and disease. Who deserves it more? Other non profits don't get to beg in front of a mass tv audience whenever they feel like it and ask people to remember them in their will(but who would you give will money to - St. Judes Hospital or the "WXXI Buy a New SUV for Our CEO Foundation"?

Also, every regular on this board knows you can do great broadcasting in austere facilities. Mike Collins had no right to build that multi million dollar palace downtown. Neither did XXI have a right to use supporter bucks to build their new digs on State Street. The employees have a right to work in a decent, safe work environment, but c'mon - every knows there's tons of unused real estate in economically depressed upstate NY. These stations are just big money machines now....a far cry from their earlier humble roots. But I guess it's another case of human nature. You can legally go on the air anytime you want and beg for money and what GM/CEO/Free SUV Owner can resist? Money corrupts. I'm glad the Buffalo News exposed this scam...even the great Tom Toles ridiculed them in one of this editorial cartoons. Here in Rochester, WXXI TV, FM & AM weren't enough, so they take over WRUR - which if the U of R didn't want to run it, could have been taken over run by and run by some local community group. Now, as VOR has exposed to us, the XXI VP's husband does a 3 hour mid day music show every weekday opn WRUR(does he have any radio experience VOR? He sounds like he's new at this radio game).

VOR, I agree with Radnowski - you have a lot of good info to pass on to the rest of us...you should do a local Michael Moore thing. As I mentioned last time we got into an WXXI/Management thing here...posting the salaries and all here is interesting, but we're just radio geeks. If you want to expose WXXI, get this info posted where normal people will be reading. Trying to expose them on this web board is a futile effort, at best. Rochester Craigslist page is a good start....and Rochester Indy Media.

Emperor of Japan, I love it I was thinking more along the lines of the Grand Poobar.
Considering that some people on here believe I should seek psychiatric counseling for just expressing my opinion on an issue I believe needs to be addressed, your letter was a breath of fresh air.
To answer your question about Scott Regan; yes he is married to XXI's Senior VP. As for his previous radio experience, all I heard from someone who works there is that he was a stay-at-home husband before landing the job on 88.5. Eventually I believe that WRUR will just simulcast all of WXXI-AM's programs as a way to compensate for their nighttime pattern which does not reach certain areas of Monroe County.
As for taking this any further, the hell with it. I'm tired of being a one-man band when it comes to educating people on how one organization can plead poverty yet afford to pay just five people close to $900 grand a year.
I'm finished discussing the subject and posting on here. It's not worth the ridicule I'm getting or the time I'm spending.
My goal was not to bash public broadcasting, but to enlighten others about what I consider to be an injustice when it comes to the mediocre salaries paid to most public broadcasters versus what a select few executives make. I'm all for the people in the trenches making more money because they deserve it.
Thanks for the comments, both positive and negative. Good luck to you all...and goodbye.

 

[cee]

I hate to see a friendly web board get ugly. Obviously we will never agree on this, but my final rebuttal here:

Mike Collins had every right in the world to build the "multi-million dollar palace",
he accrued the the financing to do it over a period of 20 years....and told everyone he was doing it. It was no secret.

You're right. Legally, he had a right. Morally, (imho) he was in the wrong.

"every regular on this board knows you can do great broadcasting in austere facilities"

As much as I loved 23 North Street, we would have been thrilled with "austere".
Squaller is more to the point. 128 Barton Street was in a similar state of decrepitude.

I never said in my previous post you shouldn't have decent working conditions and I'm sure you needed better, larger facilities than where you were. But as I did state, there's tons of unused real estate around these parts...for sale or for rent.

I started to work at WXXI months before construction of the new five story building and believe me we needed the space because it was really crowded in the old one story structure on State Street.

How many people worked in the radio division anyway? WHAM's old East Ave. studios were just great(plenty of room for their news dept and everyone else...so were WBEN's over on Elmwood Ave...equipment that worked and nobody bumping into each other. Channel 4 was there too...AM/FM/TV with News, On-Air, Production, Engineering, Sales, Traffic - all on one floor, right? I personally can't stand modern buildings...they are so generic/boring. I don't understand why people think new is better(just my opinion).

To answer your question about Scott Regan; yes he is married to XXI's Senior VP. As for his previous radio experience, all I heard from someone who works there is that he was a stay-at-home husband before landing the job on 88.5.

Hmmm, reminds me of an old Sandy Beach line that he once said in anger to KB GM Tom Cronk, but I shall not repeat it here. Ask Jimmy Adler

I'm finished discussing the subject and posting on here. It's not worth the ridicule I'm getting or the time I'm spending.

My goal was not to bash public broadcasting, but to enlighten others about what I consider to be an injustice when it comes to the mediocre salaries paid to most public broadcasters versus what a select few executives make. I'm all for the people in the trenches making more money because they deserve it.
Thanks for the comments, both positive and negative. Good luck to you all...and goodbye.

VOR - Hope you'll reconsider and stay with this board -- whether it's WXXI or other subjects, your comments are always very good. Public broadcasting seems to be a rather touchy subject on this board, so don't take criticism to heart. You really should consider some kind of Rochester Michael Moore style blog thing(actually every town could use such a thing). Check you messages here.

 

[alw]

Mr. Voice Of Reason:

I also think you should stick around.

If you are being, as you put it, ridiculed, it probably has less to do with your opinions, and more to do with your accusatory tone.


Mr. cee:

I would love to ask Jimmy Adler, I've heard that he has moved to Florida or some other warmer clime. Any info?



When the multi-million dollar palace was in the planning stages the possibility of rehabbing an old warehouse came up (we were thinking about somewhere near the Elm-Oak Arterial) it was learned that, in the end, retro-fitting an existing facility to our radio & TV needs would also be a multi-million dollar project.

I think that much of the criticisms about the Taj Mahal and all were largely over the top. The facility has been used very well, and we may even be outgrowing this building. it has been 15 years now and the company is producing much bigger and better programs.

I realize that, for the most part, my little missive will change no ones mind. It's just my 2 cents.......for what it's worth (in Canada).

 

[JohnGault]

CEE: Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

Do you have money and freely give it away to others, because you care so much? Or do you not have it, and think you're being cheated by others who are greedy? Should morality include not being better off than the average, and do you just count Rochester, or do you include poverty stricken humanity throughout the world? In which case you should give up your home. If you have ever been to Africa, you would know what I mean.

Did you grow up thinking thinking that whining and resenting others made you superior to them?

No need to answer, you already have.

 

[Kal]

Haven't we beaten this horse to death three times and tossed the carcass in the lake?
("It's different at the Lake!")

If I declare this topic and it's various threads DOA, 'Can't we all just get along?'

Kal

 

[cee]

CEE: Envy is one of the seven deadly sins.

Do you have money and freely give it away to others, because you care so much? Or do you not have it, and think you're being cheated by others who are greedy? Should morality include not being better off than the average, and do you just count Rochester, or do you include poverty stricken humanity throughout the world? In which case you should give up your home. If you have ever been to Africa, you would know what I mean.

Did you grow up thinking thinking that whining and resenting others made you superior to them?

No need to answer, you already have.

12 pack Wednesday Night?

Did you grow up thinking thinking that whining and resenting others made you superior to them?

Did you grow up wanting to be a freudian psychiatrist, only to flunk out of medical school?