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What A Crock!

T

The Voice of Reason

http://www.democratandchronicle.com...080322/Stimulus-funds-save-WXXI-jobs-programs


The article doesn't mention how much Silverstein makes ($300,000) a year nor the reported story that he received a $50,000 bonus if everyone who was offered early retirement in 2009 accepted that offer.

It is also noteworthy that the D&C printed this article at the start of WXXI's radio fundraising drive. Makes you wonder whose in bed with whom?
 
Wow. How do you know how much he makes? Is it public record?
 
Top salaries of all non-profits are public record. They must be filed with the IRS every year.
 
It is indeed a public record. Non-profits have to disclose how much their top officers and the top five non-officer employees are compensated in IRS Form 990 every year. You can find the most recent (2008) IRS-990's for WXXI at www.guidestar.org. You have to register, but it's free.
 
I'm shocked that the D&C published anything with regards to broadcasting. Especially something that wasn't blatantly unfavorable.
 
SirRoxalot said:
I'm shocked that the D&C published anything with regards to broadcasting. Especially something that wasn't blatantly unfavorable.
Click to expand...

The D&C and WXXI collaborate on numerous projects, plus some top newspaper executives (I believe) also serve on WXXI's Board of Directors; thus you never see any negative stories about public broadcasting in the local newspaper.

I wrote a Letter to the Editor once asking why the CEO of WXXI needs to make a six-figure salary and five top managers' salaries are worth around 1 million dollars? My letter was never printed. Hope that answers your question and raises a few more.
 
SirRoxalot said:
Wait, haven't we heard this rant -er had this discussion SEVERAL times before?

Perhaps I can refer you to this thread:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=66825.0"]1/2 Million in Salary and Benefits For Two WXXI Managers [/url]

Or this thread:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=121652.0"]Treat WXXI fairly in state budget[/url]

But, I suspect that the previous discussions won't dissuade you from pulsus a mortuus equus.
Click to expand...

If you are referring to my numerous posts on the exorbitant salaries paid to some non-profit executives, your damn right you are going to read more about what you call "rants." I call them providing information to a public that is being scammed into thinking their contributions are going to programming when instead you have a few individuals pulling down six-figure salaries for basically doing nothing. Yet these same people get on the radio and TV and cry the poverty blues.

Let non-profits get their money from donations and not from the government. I'm sick of bailing out every company that is in trouble, only to see these same companies hand out huge bonuses to the top brass.

$450,000 for one radio/TV operation that saved 10 jobs! Want to bet that in a few months WXXI will announce because of state budget cuts they are either laying off personnel or offering early retirement packages like they did last year?

It's a scam, and the sooner the public understands that, then we are one step closer to stopping the waste of taxpayer dollars.
 
You read it here first, folks. Being in broadcasting management - particularly in non-commercial broadcasting management - means that you basically do nothing. Apparently they spend the day sipping champagne and eating bon-bons, and the aforementioned "crock" is apparently full of warm fondue.
 
Being in broadcasting management - particularly in non-commercial broadcasting management - means that you basically do nothing. Apparently they spend the day sipping champagne and eating bon-bons, and the aforementioned "crock" is apparently full of warm fondue.
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ROTFLMAO!!! I only WISH that were my day!!!!!

(says the man staring at a long day of filling out his FSR and SAS survey for CPB....grooooan)
 
Go ahead and laugh now but the day is coming, especially in this economy, when people are going to say "enough" when it comes to subsidizing public broadcasting with taxpayer dollars while a few top managers are pulling down some serious money, plus getting free health care, retirement, and other perks.

What is so hypocritical about all of this is when these same managers get on radio and TV and regurgitate the same old lines about cutting programs, serving the public, local this and that if their fundraising goal isn't met.

Aaronread: Yes it must be tough to run a single-person public radio operation in Geneva. Tell me truthfully if the college wasn't there to support the station with student tuitions, would there even be a public radio station in Geneva? I highly doubt it. But at least you're working hard to keep that operation afloat while your counterpart in Rochester drives around town in his station-paid-for SUV. Gee I hope the pedal to his vehicle doesn't stick otherwise he might have to switch to driving a Cadillac. ::)
 
Wow, the top boss is grossly overpaid while those in the trenches scrape by?

That describes WXXI and nearly every other office in the U.S.
 
The Voice of Reason said:
Go ahead and laugh now but the day is coming, especially in this economy, when people are going to say "enough" when it comes to subsidizing public broadcasting...

...Aaronread... at least you're working hard to keep that operation afloat while your counterpart in Rochester drives around town in his station-paid-for SUV. Gee I hope the pedal to his vehicle doesn't stick otherwise he might have to switch to driving a Cadillac. ::)
Click to expand...

Dude drives a Toyota?
 
Voice, your point would have more credence if you'd allow that it takes some skill, intellect, and experience to run an organization with multiple TV and radio stations. Just being able to gain access to and rub elbows with the folks who pony up serious levels of support dollars isn't something that everyone is equipped to do.

The fact is that the bulk of the programming that draws ratings, attention, and contributions to the stations are from national syndicators. If cuts are made, they're more likely to come from local staff. Is it fair? Hell, no, but who ever said that life - and particularly life in broadcasting - was fair.

The honchos at the top of the food chain don't set their own salaries. Now, you may say that they've packed the board, but if that's the case, the board allowed them to do it. You imply that Gannett is in bed with WXXI. To what purpose? What does Gannett gain?

You need to dial down the vitriol a notch or two if you want your arguements to be considered seriously.
 
Sir- I am part of a dying breed in this country. I don't believe that the government should be in the business of bailing out entities like public broadcasting or non-profits; especially when these same organizations can afford to spend millions of dollars on salaries for just a few people. This is not a profit-making organization remember!

As for your contention that it takes skill to operate a radio & TV operation, you will get no argument from me. But remember something. Antonio Perez might run Kodak, but its the employees who make the products. Now in the case of WXXI shouldn't some credit go to the people who actually are doing the work? Shouldn't they be rewarded with a nice raise, or bonus? Yet, I am informed from sources, that there are years employees don't get raises while the top brass not only get raises but some also get bonuses. As for a private car, anyone making $300,000 a year can afford their own vehicle, especially if they work for a non-profit organization.

Many people will agree with what I am saying but won't post on here for either fear of retribution from their employer, or because they might be competitors. But I am willing to bet that more people will agree with my position than you think. And I will continue to raise this issue because I believe it's important.

What started this post is the fact that $450,000 in federal stimulus money was given to WXXI and it saved ten jobs.
Yet in the same story Silverstein is quoted as saying he's not certain whether there might be layoffs this year because of a cutback in state aid. If you do the math that means 10 people will be making $45,000 a year. Ask anyone who has been working at WXXI for a period of years, and who is not in a managerial position if they are making $45,000 a year. Most of them aren't even close to 30k. So where is the rest of that stimulus money going?
 
The Voice of Reason said:
Sir- I am part of a dying breed in this country. I don't believe that the government should be in the business of bailing out entities like public broadcasting or non-profits;
Click to expand...

So instead, it's better to bail out banks and major corporations that give multi-million dollar bonuses to even fewer people? While millions of people are losing their homes and jobs? I don't get your logic.

I don't know the specifics of the WXXI budget, but typically the government money is for specific line items, not basic operations or salaries. Certainly, the federal money is limited to very specific things, and the state money seems restricted as well. That battle was fought 25 years ago. So the implication that state money is paying the salary of an executive is wrong. His money comes from his work raising funds from foundations and corporations. When a program which receives state funding is cut, then those employees are cut. That's a line item expense. Not a general operating expense.

The cost of an employee is not simply the salary, but the associated benefits that come with it. The employee may not make $45,000, but rather $30,000 plus benefits. Medical insurance rates are increasing by 20-30% a year. That's why Congress is trying to address it. There's also the office space and other costs associated with each employee

You may think of yourself as a "dying breed," but there are a whole lot of people in this country who spend too much time focusing on ranting against unknown enemies, and not enough time making things better. You focus on a handful of people because they make big salaries, without looking at the details of how it all works. Removing state funding isn't going to change the CEO's salary. It's just going to get a lot of little people fired, and remove the educational programming from the station for the kids. How is that good?
 
VOR - you know from past debates on this subject that I agree with you. In all fairness(or unfairness, in this case) we should examine the bigger picture: now as much as I dislike seeing the king/pauper employment model at public broadcast outlets, I know for a fact that other non profits are equally unjust. One well known local social service agency, one that is renowned for the excellent work it does, nonetheless has a similar operation. (I'd rather not mention the place or some of the stories I've heard). Many non-profits, like many for-profits, have that same abuse of power thing going on. Sadly it's a story as old as time itself -- the fortunate few often amass power and the average folks are mere peasants. Nothing under the sun is new.

As for WXXI, honestly the only thing to do is keep pointing these facts out, perhaps on other local websites and blogs where non-broadcasters will read about it (and probably be surprised).
 
May I add some comments to this topic?

As a former employee of WXXI I know first-hand that while the salary scale may not be equal to what some people in commercial broadcasting makes; the station did provide a generous vacation schedule, medical, and especially a great retirement plan.

Now as for Norm's salary. WHO CARES?

I never cared what the guy made, nor did I ever want his job.

I can tell everyone that despite any differences Norm and I personally may have had, I will give him credit for upgrading the station when it came to equipment. The radio news department finally had computers and digital recording. Before it was typewriters and reel-to-reel machines.

It appears that one certain person on here doesn't like paying taxes to fund public broadcasting. Well I don't like paying the salaries and benefits for Senators and Congressional Representatives either, but you think that policy is going to end tomorrow just because I want it too?

It has been 6 years ago next month that WXXI and I parted company. However I still wish my (remaining) friends the best of luck in their fundraising drive and in the future.
 
Aaronread: Yes it must be tough to run a single-person public radio operation in Geneva. Tell me truthfully if the college wasn't there to support the station with student tuitions, would there even be a public radio station in Geneva? I highly doubt it.
Click to expand...

It's no secret that HWS does "subsidize" our budget by a substantial amount. But I wouldn't assume that WEOS couldn't hack it if we'd been independent of a college from the beginning. No doubt things would be a LOT different, though... ::)
 
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