More On-Air Personnel Changes Forthcoming at WXXI?

[The Voice of Reason]

It was brought to my attention by a colleague that WXXI has been advertising for a (back-up) Morning Edition host who could also fill-in for Bob Smith's talk show. This job is listed as a full-time position; not part-time as one would expect.

Over the past year WXXI has managed to "thin out" its staff by offering early retirement packages to numerous employees.
Just recently the former radio news director took a PR job at a local university after being demoted to the position of Senior Producer.

So I am wondering if this new position the station is advertising for is a fishing expedition to replace the current local morning newscaster at the station, or perhaps even Dr. Smith ???

 

[audio4tv]

Rather than feed into the speculation, why not look at the actual job posting?
http://wxxi.org/about/jobs/MorningReporter_Pr1420CCA.html

 

[Mark Giardina]

It was brought to my attention by a colleague that WXXI has been advertising for a (back-up) Morning Edition host who could also fill-in for Bob Smith's talk show. This job is listed as a full-time position; not part-time as one would expect.
Over the past year WXXI has managed to "thin out" its staff by offering early retirement packages to numerous employees.
Just recently the former radio news director took a PR job at a local university after being demoted to the position of Senior Producer.
So I am wondering if this new position the station is advertising for is a fishing expedition to replace the current local morning newscaster at the station, or perhaps even Dr. Smith ???

I have an idea. Why don't YOU apply for the job. That way if you are hired then you can tell the Board of Directors how much to pay management, while urging that Congress defund public broadcasting.

Meanwhile if you do get the job you will see first-hand how hard the staff works to keep all of their stations operating by offering the best quality programming they can.

I know first hand how hard these people work and to besmirch the reputation of someone like Bob Smith and other employees I find to be repulsive.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

YOU[/b] apply for the job. That way if you are hired then you can tell the Board of Directors how much to pay management, while urging that Congress defund public broadcasting.
I know first hand how hard these people work and to besmirch the reputation of someone like Bob Smith and other employees I find to be repulsive.

Why apply for a job that I would most likely end up having to take huge pay cut? Also I am not considered an EOE applicant, therefore even if I was interested, I would never be hired, so why waste my time?

I didn't besmirch Mr. Smith or any other employee's reputations. Considering the recent history at WXXI when it comes to long-time employees who have either been offered early retirement, or their jobs eliminated (even though the same positions were later filled by different people) I just found it interesting that a fill-in position for Morning Edition and 1370 Connection would be listed as a full-time versus a part-time job.

 

[Mark Giardina]

Why apply for a job that I would most likely end up having to take huge pay cut? Also I am not considered an EOE applicant, therefore even if I was interested, I would never be hired, so why waste my time?

On the subject of money and wasting time, that's what you appear to live for when it comes to how much money people make at the station. We got your message about a thousand times. Please do us a favor and give it a rest.

 

[SRP]

On the subject of money and wasting time, that's what you appear to live for when it comes to how much money people make at the station. We got your message about a thousand times. Please do us a favor and give it a rest.

Your request is a reasonable one, Mark - but unfortunately "give it a rest" is a foreign concept on the Buffalo/Rochester board. Simply search using the words "Farid" or "Citadel" and you'll find the proof of my assertion.

 

[Element9]

On the subject of money and wasting time, that's what you appear to live for when it comes to how much money people make at the station. We got your message about a thousand times. Please do us a favor and give it a rest.

Your request is a reasonable one, Mark - but unfortunately "give it a rest" is a foreign concept on the Buffalo/Rochester board. Simply search using the words "Farid" or "Citadel" and you'll find the proof of my assertion.

Mildly amusing that a *** and *** apologist such as you again raised the subject and as a result increased the count.

 

[audio4tv]

Why apply for a job that I would most likely end up having to take huge pay cut? Also I am not considered an EOE applicant, therefore even if I was interested, I would never be hired, so why waste my time?

I just found it interesting that a fill-in position for Morning Edition and 1370 Connection would be listed as a full-time versus a part-time job.

One would wonder what it means to be an EOE applicant? I shudder to think at what is implied here.

And as for the position, it is a producer position, reporter, AND fill in host. The latter is as needed. The position is a full time producing reporter.

 

[SirRoxalot]

C'mon, A4TV - don't let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

 

[heydaybegone]

C'mon, A4TV - don't let facts get in the way of a good conspiracy theory.

no wait....

 

[The Voice of Reason]

One would wonder what it means to be an EOE applicant? I shudder to think at what is implied here.

EOE applicant means the station is looking to hire a minority or female. That means white males can apply but it is highly unlikely they will get the job.

Interesting to note that the position was filled just days after it was posted on line. One has to wonder if the station already had someone in mind for the job but just advertised its to cover their rear ends?

 

[Bob1370]

"Interesting to note that the position was filled just days after it was posted on line"

Au contraire...still posted, still open. Also, EOE simply means what it says--opportunities are equally open to all.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

EOE simply means what it says--opportunities are equally open to all.

Tell that to a number of middle-age white males, who while are more qualified for jobs, end up losing out to a minority or female so the company can meet its "quota."

 

[aaronread]

Tell that to a number of middle-age white males, who while are more qualified for jobs, end up losing out to a minority or female so the company can meet its "quota."

Oh yes, because there's a massive shortage of middle-aged white males working in radio at the moment. :

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Tell that to a number of middle-age white males, who while are more qualified for jobs, end up losing out to a minority or female so the company can meet its "quota."

Oh yes, because there's a massive shortage of middle-aged white males working in radio at the moment. :

Discrimination is discrimination...period! The only reason you still have a job is because WXXI swallowed up the Geneva radio station at Hobart & William Smith College into their growing empire.

By the way enjoying your third year without a raise while the big shots are getting theirs?

 

[aaronread]

This is as close as I'm going to get to an affirmative action discussion since I have no desire to "take it outside", but part of EOE is recognition that there is systemic discrimination across virtually all aspects of minority education and job training. So EOE is not discrimination at all, it's counter-discrimination to help re-balance the equation. If "discrimination is discrimination" across the board, then by definition every business should have approximately the same percentage of minorities working at it that are present in the local population...because you wouldn't have any discrimination based on race. Of course, that's nowhere near true, so obviously discrimination against minorities is still pretty rampant - hence the need for EOE rules.

The only reason you still have a job is because WXXI swallowed up the Geneva radio station at Hobart & William Smith College into their growing empire. By the way enjoying your third year without a raise while the big shots are getting theirs?

Wow. You are so amazing ignorant of what's actually going on with the LMA between HWS and WXXI, I'm not even going to bother trying to explain it to you.

BTW, all the non-union employees (which includes myself and my co-worker) at HWS just got a raise two weeks ago, retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year.

 

[The Voice of Reason]

Taxpayer-funded broadcasting won't be around much longer anyways, so it's a moot point to continue this conversation.
As for your raise, congratulations! But the same can't be said for your comrades at WXXI who haven't seen a pay increase in years. Maybe they can make extra money washing and waxing the CEO's new SUV.

 

[Bob1370]

"Taxpayer-funded broadcasting won't be around much longer anyways, so it's a moot point to continue this conversation."

Given that NPR and its member stations (including WXXI AM and FM) use essentially no tax money to fund daily operations to begin with, that's a moot point. People can foam and fuss about cutting public funding to operate the network and stations all they want, and just make fools of themselves because there is virtually none. Locally it comes from private membership dues, other private donations, and business underwriting; nationally it's a mix of station dues, underwriting income, and the income from the Joan and Ray Kroc estate endownment...your Big Macs and your kids' Happy Meals have provided NPR with infinitely more funding than Uncle Sam.

I'll have my All Things Considered with large fries, please...

 

[Ed Trefzger]

WXXI's most recent IRS form 990 at guidestar.org -- for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009 -- lists contributions from government grants as $3,848,386 out of a total contribution total of $9,729,804.

 

[aaronread]

WXXI's most recent IRS form 990 at guidestar.org -- for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009 -- lists contributions from government grants as $3,848,386 out of a total contribution total of $9,729,804.

Bob was talking about the RADIO side, which at most medium and major markets, the federal funding from CPB and other sources is usually a relatively small part of the overall budget. 5 to 10% is common. It's hurt to lose that money, but it probably wouldn't be even close to fatal.

For TV, on the other hand, it varies a lot more. For example, some pubTV stations are under state mandates to provide certain programming and thus receive state funding to do it...and that state funding is drying up mighty fast lately but the mandates are still staying in place. TV is also inherently more expensive to produce than radio so you tend to see more medium (and even some major) market stations where gov't funding makes up a bigger part of the budget. And even then it just varies. There's states where their pubTV stations get zero state funding...there's states where they get a TON of state funding. (shrugs)

To be clear, of course, WXXI operates multiple radio stations AND operates a TV station as well. Internally, AFAIK, each side (radio vs TV) has its own budget...but when you file with the IRS, things get aggregated.

FWIW, I'd be hesitant to read too much into any pubTV's guidestar reports for the years between, oh, let's say 2006 to 2009 (give or take) because a lot of stations were getting significant one-time funding for the DTV migration.