NEPA negativity
If you ask Al Zobel, there's something about Wilkes-Barre and northeast Pennsylvania that breeds negativity. "After four years of it, I just couldn't do it anymore. It was pervasive throughout the community," the former WBRE/WYOU news director told the Wisconsin State Journal."I had an employee that was just always complaining and unhappy. I pulled him in and said, 'If it isn't working, if you're that unhappy, you should just go somewhere else. Life is too short.' And he looked at me and said, 'It would just be worse somewhere else.' And I said to myself, 'There you have it,'" said Zobel, who is now news director at WKOW in Madison.
Those of you who read this blog are no stranger to the negativity in this area. Many of the comments posted here (and even more that don't make it out of the moderation queue) complain about certain stations, and certain people. Why does this happen? I'm no psychiatrist, but let's face it, every profession has pissed-off people. Journalism seems to be full of it -- what, with the long hours, low pay, and idiotic management decisions.
I can't say much of the complaining isn't deserved, but at some point, you've got to ask yourself, "If I'm so miserable here, then why haven't I left?" I can think of a few people who either need to deal with their situations, or go find a job in public relations.
That said, show me a profession where nobody complains, and I'll eat my shoes (offer void everywhere).
posted by Howard Beale at 9:11 PM
43 Comments:
Excellent topic Howard, although I know this discussion will get hijacked by the Zobel-bashers in no time.
For once I agree with Zobel. There is just something breeding a lot of hate and negativity in this area and market. He did the right thing by telling that employee that they should look elsewhere if they were that unhappy. I know of a certain WBRE photographer who is just a miserable human being and hates everything and everyone in the building. For the life of me I cannot understand why he doesn't seek a better life somewhere else if he's that unhappy.
Teaching.
No valid complaints anyway. A new teacher needs to assemble a lesson plan and most of them use that (with an occasional tweak here and there) for their entire teaching careers.
Summers off, every holiday in the world, snow days, tenure, their union. And if we're being honest here? You don't even have to be all that smart to do it. I know a teacher who was freaking out because he'd lost the answer key to a test he was giving and "if I don't find that answer key I'm going to have to look up all this shit myself!"
Then they retire at age 52, 53.
I'm sure there are those who complain, but they're complainers. There are no valid complaints about being a teacher.
Your shoes are safe. No profession is really enjoyable anymore because of other variables. With more people unemployed, employers don't see the need for higher wages or better benefits. Why pay that when somebody else will fill the chair for less bucks? In some cases, the wage isn't even livable for no-frills living. Add to that the complete lack of job security, the absense of employer (and employee) loyalty, the allowed back-stabbing in many workplaces, favoritism and "employer pets", nepotism, unequal workloads, unequal pay, and rising costs for health insurance. It's not NEPA negativity, it's voicing NEPA reality, which I suspect is common in many other areas, too. The only way to beat it is to maintain a positive attitude, roll with the punches, and don't let anything or anyone get to you. Then they win. No way: I'M going to win by not letting it get me down. But I still see what goes on around me. This applies to every profession that exists, so learn to live with it.
He's right. I never met so many people so depressed about their lives, but not doing anything about it then the people of NEPA.
I just did something about it and got the hell out...and I couldn't be happier!
I give this blog, though, 3 posts till it degrades into a "Zobel made it miserable" bitch session...basically proving his point.
I know that this may not matter to the "news media" professional who stated that teachers have no comments. But, for your information, there are many, many school districts which do not even supply the teachers with basic supplies. I am talking paper, pencils, erasers, chalk, etc. There are also the students in your classes who are now on probation and parole, yes I said parole!!, and an administration that refuses to report violent incidents because it will alter your No Child Left Behind status. I know, you are thinking, go to another school, well it is the same everywhere, I know teachers in 9 states right now who have the same problems. So please, dont assume that it is so easy. Also, a REAL teaher is working in the summer, preparing for the next school year. People who work in the news arena are not the only ones who have it bad!
Don't blame your boss, don't blame your co-workers. Your life is a miserable mess because of choices YOU make. I live and work in NEPA and I love it. If you're so damn unhappy with your job, McDonalds is hiring. Quit your job and let someone who gives a damn do it.
Ask any viewer is this area why that don't NEPA, and they can't give you a straight answer. There is a cycle here that needs to be broken. Most people grow up listening to their parents talk about how the good ole days were and how everything sucks now, so as they grow up the adopt the same mentality. They in turn pass it on to their children and so on. It is a cycle that needs to stop. Once the cycle stops people will start to regain the positive outlook on NEPA that there once was in the good ole days.
Zobel has no concrete points about anything. He doesn't see how people like him make this business as miserable as it is. Yes, people in Northeast Pennsylvania are generally depressed. It's been that way since the Hurricane Agnes floods in 1972. The area is still in a depression...and always will be. It's over 30 years later...and they are still recovering from the Hurricane (and I don't mean the Flooding from this past Summer either).
Big Al is one of the reasons why I left WBRE/WYOU. He's the main reason why. I was unhappy there. He knew it. He gave me no room for advancement...after being promised certain things. I had to practically beg to train to run a live truck. He said "You can train, as long as there is no overtime." He pretty much refused to allow the assignment manager to alter my schedule so I could properly train on the trucks. I had to go in on my own time so I could shadow a photographer on how to operate the live truck. The Union Hacks did nothing to help me either.
Zobel isn't a teacher. He isn't a leader. He brings people down. The guy sat in his office all day...except for the Morning and Afternoon news meetings with Stueber. (The WYOU people never had daily news meetings with Zobel and Andrews/Shimkus). Zobel never had any concrete plans for the two news operations...except for meeting the budget. He was simply a Perry Sook Penny Pinching Puppet. Zobel has the same attitude as Sook has..."If you don't like it, leave." (That exact quote was spewed out by Sook the Schnook during a Station Meeting a few years back...a meeting held in the WYOU studio.) That's a real good attitude to have towards the employees you are supposed to lead and help grow within the business. People like him make this business miserable...it's not the employees who complain and expose the truth about managers like him. I refuse to agree with anything Zobel says. I'm not being a Zobel-Basher...I'm just speaking my opinions...which are backed up with facts. I have worked for some terrible managers in my day, but nobody like Big Al.
Now, I'll just sit back and wait for Zobel's Right Hand Man in Wisconsin to chime in with more worthless venom. Sticking with spewing out crap on Medialine isn't enough for that guy. This is the same guy who supposedly hated Al while a producer at 28...now he's Big Al's buddy. Puh-leez.
There are disgruntled people at every station. Are the folks at 50 and in NEPA more disgruntled than most.. that's up for debate. But you're going to have people like that everywhere.. believe me.
Zobel bashing? I don't know, but I DO know he stretches the truth just a bit when he makes it sound as if leaving was HIS choice.
Anyone who's waiting to say "You complete me" to his boss(es) is a fool.
You get back what you put in, but your boss is NOT responsible for wiping your nose, probably CAN'T get you that 300% pay raise you think you deserve, and WON'T be trading in the Subaru news cars for Lexus SUVs.
Make your own happiness: if not where you are, then somewhere else. BE HAPPY!
Because, it's so easy to just up and change your life. It's not like it won't cost you money, moving away from all your family and friends, changing everything familiar to you, and adding even more stress to your allready stressed out life.
Yah, why don't people just up and change their lives? Can't seem to put my finger on why they don't...
Is that teacher comment a joke? Go walk through a school in Philadelphia and tell me they don't have reason to be unhappy...and their jobs are actually important.
10:04 No profession is really enjoyable anymore because of other variables. With more people unemployed, employers don't see the need for higher wages or better benefits. Why pay that when somebody else will fill the chair for less bucks?
Truer words never spoken. The rich get richer the poor get poorer.
10:37 I give this blog, though, 3 posts till it degrades into a "Zobel made it miserable" bitch session...basically proving his point.
I agree here, the comments will be up towards 50 by Monday by Zobel bashers. You just say the guys name here and all the bloggers here see red.
To anonymous 9:50 pm -- I take it you have a big problem/chip on your shoulder about teachers ? Have you talked with one recently ? It's not all a cakewalk, and while there are some idiots in the profession, show me one profession where there aren't any. Most of the teachers I know work hard, even through the summer, have to juggle their kids in the classroom as well as children at home, and all that doesn't end when the last bell rings. Oh, and did I mention that a number of them have to deal with (sometimes) unfair and irate parents and an administration that doesn't always back them up ?
Yea, cushy job indeed (insert sarcastic look).
CALL ME WHAT YOU WANT...
But that piece of sh-- Zobel was the biggest source of negativity in that place. He cut people up horribly (ask former WYOU staffers about a certain memo he wrote to them about how unprofessional they all looked, not acted, looked.) Ask WYOU and WBRE staffers about another memo he penned accusing staff of taking unauthorized sick days...the condescending tone of the memo was sickening.
He was the dumbest horses a-- moron of a manager that ever walked into 62 S. Franklin. He took ratings to a new low at both shops largely because of his idiotic approach to coverage (Luzerne and Lackawanna County only) was pathetic. Add to that the fact that he was too stupid to realize his arrogant attitude made him even more of an inept clown. THE STAFF LAUGHED AT YOU!!!!
Negativity? You bred it loud and clear Al, by your lack of leadership, the nasty way you treated staff and your blazingly obvious lack of any news judgement.
Someone once said. "Some staff respects a news director but don't like him. Some like a news director but don't respect him." In Al's case nobody liked or respected him.
Talk about negativity all you want Al, but when you are looking for who started it at WBRE/WYOU and who condoned and continued it...LOOK IN THE MIRROR!!!
With more people unemployed, employers don't see the need for higher wages or better benefits.
_______________________________
Last time I checked unemployment was at an all time low. why do employers pay low wages...because people will work for it. If everyone at WBRE quit tomorrow they could fill all the open slots in a week with new bees that will work for less than the people who have just left. That is the reason plain and simple.
Not that I normally agree with AL, but he is right here. I grew up in Wilkes-Barre, now live near Philly, and work at a station in Philly, and Al is right. I did not realize it when I was there, but he hit the nail on the head. Most people in NEPA are miserable. Why? Who knows.
We made it past three posts, right? Cool, let's get some truth into this discussion, which for Zobel was a foreign idea.
1) He was fired here. He didn't get fed up, have enough of it, need to go, blah, blah, blah - they cut him loose.
2) Under his guidance, WBRE lost 2/3 of its audience in roughly 3 years. That is undeniable, irrefutable, unimpeachable. Funny, he never bothered to mention that.
All I've stated here are two rock-solid facts. Oh, if you left the area and think you are genius for doing so, great, marvelous. If leaving made you so happy, why do bother with this blog?
"After four years of it, I just couldn't do it anymore."
He couldn't do it anymore because Nexstar told him they didn't him to do it anymore - he was shitcanned. Typical Zobel, lies on top of lies.
Al Zobel once sat across a desk from me and said, verbatim, "My job isn't to make people happy." My response, verbatim, was, "If making people isn't on your top three things to do, you've lost this entire news staff." I was right, he was wrong, he lost the entire staff. If he got 35% out of people, he did it by fear and intimidation. Probably one of the worst managers, news or otherwise, walking the land today.
There is truly nothing good to say about Al Zobel, except that he's Wisconsin's problem now. Maybe we could get this blog's URL to WKOW's staff, let them have a say.
Hey, I'd be thrilled to buy a classroom full of kids some pencils in exchange for St. Swithin's Day, Halloween, Spring Break, Christmas Break, two snowflakes, the first day of deer season, and the summer off.
As far as taking a walk through a Philadelphia school? There are other school districts. I can see complaining about having to work in a sewer. Get out of the sewer.
And in regard to "real teachers" preparing for the upcoming school year over the summer? Please. I know a dozen teachers. I'd be willing to bet that none of them could crack a 101 on an IQ test. Some will get a part-time housepainting job or something during the summer. Most of the others work...on their tans.
There is a small minority of caring, intelligent, capable people who teach. The rest of them are teachers because they at least had the smarts to realize in college that getting that certificate didn't take a lot of book time and they had an appreciation for the three best things about teaching, June, July, and August.
Zobel was only a conduit for the culture, not necessarily the source.
How about this one from ex-GM (and fellow shit-can-ee) Larry Herbster after an over-and-above-the-call-of-duty effort by the news staff: "We don't thank people for doing their jobs. They're supposed to."
And even Herbster was only parroting Perry Sook.
And what's up with him saying he took 3 stations to number 1? I hope he's not counting 50.
Chris T. said...
Because, it's so easy to just up and change your life. It's not like it won't cost you money, moving away from all your family and friends, changing everything familiar to you, and adding even more stress to your allready stressed out life.
Yah, why don't people just up and change their lives? Can't seem to put my finger on why they don't...
Assuming everything you say is true, how is it the rest of the world's problem that your life position or mind set doesn't allow you to move on? Stop making excuses - it's time to grow up.
If it sucks so bad you need to be a brave big boy and move on. You can always come back to visit your family and friends.
What a gutless response. Blame everyone and everything else.
It's YOUR job to make yourself happy, not the region's.
Zobel was the source for misery, negativity, and toxicity in that news room. That was bad enough, but he took his poison with him wherever he went. I can clearly recall him showing up at a station function at The Laurel Mall; the second the staff spotted him, the mood immediately went into the toilet. It was palpable, you could feel the heaviness in the hearts of people who he "touched." He's evil, plain, simple, direct, and true - Al Zobel is evil, there is darkness in the man's soul. To think otherwise is to not know him.
Worse yet, he is stupid. His news judgement is dreadful. All anyone need do is LOOK AT THE NUMBERS. Why is it so few here ever want to introduce some reality into any situation regarding this guy by LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS. They tell the story, they're not speculation or conjecture, they tell the story of his stupidity.
His definition of negativity is likely pretty much this; if any employee had the audacity to question or challenge(even cordially)his f***ing moronic decisions, they were being negative. If you weren't in lock-step with his idiotic thinking, you were negative. If you didn't think every clearly flawed strategy of his wonderful, you were negative.
What, do some people here think that hundreds(literally)are wrong in their assessment of Zobel? Do the one or two who defend him think he was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time?
He took 3 stations to #1? What 3 stations? More lies. He could easily be the most hated man in this business coast-to-coast. Really, let's get some WKOW people in on this.
The sooner people realize that their employer is not 100% responsible for thier professional happiness, the better.
And what's wrong with "if you don't like it, leave" ? Sounds like a good way to flush out the miserables out of a workplace. Let 'em go if their miserable.
I find it interesting the people Zobel fired, tried to discard or nudged out went on to much bigger and better things while Zobel is toiling away in Mayberry.
I agree that Al has an extremely dark side that I think surfaced on occasion in a whole host of backwards attitudes towards women and minorities. Offensive is one thing but some of his statements were actionable. He's lucky WBRE didn't can him years before.
I was glad to get out from under his supervision the day I left. My satisfaction was he didn't fire me unlike what he had done to some of my colleagues.
Reading that column from Wisconsin: I can see Al arriving in his small market newsroom everyday and announcing: I'm the king of the world! The man's ego is way out of control.
Al is certainly correct about the negativity in NEPA. It exists. Working under him made the experience a ton worse. I can't think of anything I learned from him except to watch your back.
I hope he wakes up someday and sees what a human wrecking ball he's been at some of his previous stations.
"How about this one from ex-GM (and fellow shit-can-ee) Larry Herbster after an over-and-above-the-call-of-duty effort by the news staff: "We don't thank people for doing their jobs. They're supposed to."
10:10 PM
I've heard Herbster's quote as being, "We don't thank people for doing their jobs. We pay them, and that's enough."
Either way, you get a sense of the Nexstar mentality.
Zobel came here from a market whose zip code was E-I-E-I-O, so the expectations weren't great. He got the job because at least two other candidates turned it down flat. Surely, he was shocked when the offer came to make such a big jump in market size. If you cut right to the chase, here's what happened; Zobel comes here without a thought in his brain as to what to do, because he never expected to get the job. So, what does he do? He starts making all sorts of bold(and incomprehensible) moves, which he figures will get corporate's attention, and make it look like he's doing something big. He was doing something big, he was destroying a newsroom. That, in essence and without all the ugly, nasty sidebars, is the pathetic story of Al Zobel.
As to Herbster - Sook idolizes the man, so that alone should tell you all you need to know about his character and integrity, of which he has none.
Zobel might not have made any friends when he was here, but he did nail the NEPA mentality down to the letter. The negative attitudes in this area have been a problem for years and do need to stop.
School teachers not complain ? Give me a break. School teachers complain the most out of any profession. Disagree ? Then what's with all the strikes ?!
Al Zobel did for WBRE/WYOU what Les Nessman did for WKRP. They are both worth a good laugh.
Teachers and Al Zobel...I can understand no lovin' for Zobel.
I know I'm a little close to the subject, two relatives who are teachers, but it ain't the walk in the park some believe it to be.
Teaching is more than a profession. For the best it's a calling. It takes a special person to be a teacher, and God knows they aren't all cut from the same cloth.
Got any kids? Imagine thirty of them, in one room. I love my kids, but that ain't my idea of fun. And they won't all be learning at the same level. So, now game plan is thrown off because you want to spend time making sure everyone understands, but you can't afford to lose the ones that already get it.
Summers off is pretty great, huh? But when you bring your work home with you, (tests to grade, lesson planner) you need that time to catch up on all the things you had to let slide during the school year.
Great pay, awesome benefits and stikes. Where do you sign up, right? Again, not with my two examples. They're parochial school teachers which (usually) means no union, traditionally low pay, and run of the mill benefits. Teacher strikes? Puh-lease.
Teaching is a noble profession, (maybe) littered with ignoble occupants. We shouldn't paint all teachers with the same broad brush. If it were that easy, we'd all do it and home-school our kids.
Here are two more "Idiot Zobel" classics. First one I witnessed, second one was told to me.
Zobel calls all staff at WYOU/WBRE together for big meeting in 2000 to announce his grand plan for news coverage in market. WBRE to focus on Luzerne County, WYOU to cover only Lackawanna County. Staff questions Zobel on wisdom behind plan. His response: "It will increase ratings. I truly believe in two years WBRE will be Number 1 in this market....Uhh, WYOU will be fighting for Number 2."
HA, No number one for 'BRE ever!!! WYOU is fighting for its life now..not ratings.
Second one at CMN Telethon in 2001. On-air staff gathered for pep-talk. Apparently Zobel and Nexstar bigs are not happy with the way on-air folks are beggin' for money...pledges were slow. Geisinger staffer walks into meeting and announces "Triplets were just born in the Neo-natal Intensive Care unit!" Zobel's response? "Well, can we get a camera up there to get pictures of them?" (Sure idiot, the babies were just born 6 weeks early and probably look great for a photo shoot) MORON!!!!!
Okay, my respect for teachers is best communicated by saying that there is no way in hell I would want to deal with high school kids. On that level, you can cram teaching, no thanks. That being what it is, I have great respect for teachers. I teach occasionally myself, but my classes are all big people, all grown up, all adults, and more importantly, THEY WANT TO BE THERE.
How-the-hell-ever; 54K(average)per, great benefits, including incredible pensions, and June-July-August free and off and NO WORK, ain't a bad deal. Working 9 months a year, getting paid for 12, ain't bad. Working for a district for 25 years or so, then retiring with a pension damned near what your annual salary was, ain't bad.
We've had supers(and still do)in this area who retire in their early to mid 50s with pensions at or beyond 100K. Teaching is tough, no argument from me, but we should all be so lucky as to have deals like teachers have. And I thank you...
Looks like Mr. "Positive" Zobel better reach deep for his "positive" qualities..and show them...FAST!!!
A new GM has arrived at WKOW. Advice: just shake your head, Al, and above all: DON'T SPEAK OR OFFER IDEAS!!
Among Zobel's brilliant plans was what he called his Assault on The Market Book. He spent about two years getting the ducks lined up for the book that would change the world. That book was May 2001 - until that time, the WORST book in the history of WBRE. For those who watch WBRE's evaporating numbers, many books far worse than "the worst" have followed.
Al always operated under one simple theory: "When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you."
8:10pm,
Sounds a lot like half the people blogging on this website !
Gotta admit, by the time I left the market 8 years ago, seemed like everyone was miserable being there, including myself. Though looking back I remember the time with an odd fondness, though more for the people I knew in Williamsport than the station for which I worked. Still, every time I here that Simon and Garfunkel song "My Little Town..."
Most of the native wildlife is gone...
Now there's a point on which you couldn't be more wrong. Tell folks in places like South Scranton who have bear in the backyards, or people in Wilkes-Barre who see deer in their backyards, or the people who live along the river in Plymouth who see Peregrine falcons daily.
The deer and bear do not belong in backyards, development has driven them there, but they're certainly not gone.
As to the dirty streets; W-B's present administration should be ashamed of itself, the city is filthy, including all of downtown. And drive along any interstate that slices through a metro area, you'll see what you see here. Do I like all the billboards, big-box stores, etc.? No, I really don't. But in this day and age, all those things are signs of progress, whether we like it or not.
Let's get specific here; most newcomers to 50 tend to initially judge all of NE PA by downtown W-B, which is a huge and very sad mistake. In time, most of them see the bigger picture, and more than a few come to like this area very much.
Only 38 posts? Could it be we are all Zobel-ed out?
1:35PM:
Hey stupid, this thread was not about Zobel. It was about negativity in NEPA. Unfortunately the topic was hijacked by people with an axe to grind.
"Hey stupid, this thread was not about Zobel. It was about negativity in NEPA. Unfortunately the topic was hijacked by people with an axe to grind."
9:33 PM
Your Honor, I OBJECT!
The topic of this thread is negativity in NEPA, and the prosecution's original, principal (and star) witness has been Mr. Zobel. Evidence that reflects upon his credibility (or lack thereof) is central to the defense's contention that much of the negativity expressed here comes from former Zobel employees (hereinafter referred to as "suckers") who learned negativity in Mr. Zobel's graduate-level course in treating people like bovine excrement.
The defense would like to enter, as Exhibit A., an interview in a Madison, Wisconsin newspaper in which Mr. Zobel repeatedly blames his failings as a manager on his underlings.
You want the truth? YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH. And you certainly won't get it from Al Zobel.
The defense rests.
You can't really fault people for not having the vision to look beyond the possibility of moving away at some point. That said, at times there does seem to be some sort of odd desire for many people around here to grow up live and die in the same county.
Wayne G said it best. These are small towns populated by small town people. And for doing so, a toast to you sir, as I lift up my glass of Courvoisier.
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