Another GM From Hell
And Revenge
Just a quick note to say, "Keep up the great work!" You've got this crazy
business pegged.
My horror story involves my ongoing, four-plus year battle with my General Micromanager
just to keep my dignity. This is a guy who has 30 years in the business, has managed in
major markets, and has managed to run every broadcast property he's ever owned right into
the dirt. Yet, my absentee owners hired him to run our little group of two FM's and an AM.
This guy only knows how to operate two pieces of equipment in the entire building: the fax
machine and the flush handle on the toilet, yet if you ask him, he's forgotten more about
this business than you or I will ever know.
This is the guy who bitches us out at department head meetings 'cause we're only cash
flowing 30 percent, then sends the P & L to the owners with a note patting himself on
the back because we're cash flowing "an amazing 30 percent." (his own words)
One morning I'm in the restroom doing what most of us hope we can do once a day, and
before I know it, he's shouting at me through the door, wanting to know why the hell
(morning show host) was playing a particular song. I couldn't even hear the radio to know
what song he was playing, and this guy sure as hell couldn't even tell me. Then, I got
bitched out because it was obvious to him I didn't know what was going on on my own
station.
But, soon revenge will be mine. It seems our dear little GM went and traded out over
$17,000 in new furniture, including a big-screen TV for his son's family, and did it
without the owners' knowledge. He's thinking everything's cool, but then finds out that
the furniture store owner, who's just a little left of honest, forged his name on a credit
application and loan papers, and suddenly he's getting statements from a finance company,
wanting to know when he's going to start paying off the $17,000 he has borrowed from them.
Now, he's spooked. He can't press charges against the furniture store guy, because the
owners will find out what he did. Even worse, he's paying the finance company back out of
the station's bank account. All it's gonna take is an anonymous mailing of the cancelled
checks to the owner with a short note of explanation, and he'll have gotten a long ride on
a slow boat out of here. I think I'll also enclose copies of my jocks' time sheets, along
with copies of sternly worded memos denying overtime, and carbon copy those to the local
enforcement division of the Labor Department.
I could tell tons more, but I
don't want to hog space. Thanks for
letting me blow off steam.
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