I worked at WAZY pre-Art and before he was AMP, originally University Broadcasting when he bought WAZY then WB. Personally saw the way he treated people with his 'business' decisions. Also watched WAZY go from a top, personality driven station, to a revolving door of on-air folks. He had overpaid for things (WAZY, WB, Purdue Sports) then tried to make it work by squeezing more for less. He put some people in positions that didn't necessarily have the experience to be making decisions for one station, let alone several. He represented a venture capital group when they bought the station, so it wasn't a move by an experienced broadcasting company or broadcaster, it was a businessman looking to take money from a profitable entity. I guess that's business, but not good radio.
His battles with Bary Donovan were classic. Bary left the station5 or 6 times before he finally left for good. He did the same thing with his engineer - The GAK-man, who hasn't done' too bad for himself since then. I literally laugh nearly everytime I drive by what used to be the remote location of the studios and see they are running 4 stations out of that building. It would have been worth it to see him buy the other two stations just to see if someone ended up in a tent out back.
For reference, I was left UBC, evenings, by my own choice and in good standing. We had many a humorus discussions at Art's expense, but his negative impact on several people who I was close too is the lasting impression that I have Art and his radio interests. I will add that a couple of long-time Lafayette radio/media folks that I have talked to in recent years have done nothing to make me change my opinions.
I'll add this - Art isn't the only business man/company in radio nor the only one to treat people like crap; heck, I personally was treated worse by others. The majority of my experience of exposure to these things for the longest time was with him though and I had seen WAZY at points pre-Art that I didn't see in the time of Art. I hope you get what you can out of it while you can and that you enjoy it. I always thought radio should be more enjoyable than punching a clock in the normal work-a-day world.
> Have all of you been fired by Artistic or just some of you?
>
> > I assume its something to do with number of stations.
> >
> > Shurz only had 3 (2 FM and one AM)
> >
> > Artistic had 4 (3 FM and one AM)
> >
> > but I didn't read the .pdf either....All of Lafayette
> should
> > rejoice to the FCC for not letting Art get those stations!
>
> >
>
