Radio Active: What has Patty Wente done to create such a meltdown at KWMU?

Excellent article, and it's about time the university system took a serious look at Wente. There is one more thing that I would point out that should bring into question the claims of Wente's being responsible for turning KWMU into a "powerhouse." Much of KWMU's success is the result of the growth that National Public Radio has enjoyed everywhere. In other words, KWMU grew despite Wente; not because of her. This is not to diminish the news staff at KWMU; they are a fine group of reporters, but the majority of programming KWMU carries is national, not local.

So, I give this station $50 every year so she can sit in a spa? I guess I just gave them my last donation.

Indeed a great article, yet as a former employee I can say it merely scratches the surface. I hope UM System takes a very close look at what's going on at KWMU and responds accordingly, including reprimanding those at UM-St. Louis who allowed Wente free reign all these years. Don Driemeier claims he investigated allegations of Wente's use of staff for personal projects? Who did you speak with? Thanks for the laugh, Don.

Sadly, this kind of behavior is not uncommon at the upper levels of many public radio stations. I've worked for similar bosses and I only hope that more stations are forced to undergo this kind of investigation. It's misleading to listeners, a misuse of public funds, and utterly embarrassing for employees.

About time this stuff hit the light of day. I have heard about these goings on for years! I love NPR, but no more money to KWMU now. I guess I'll give it to KDHX.

I second the notion that KWMU has grown in spite of Patty Wente. KWMU has always has a great staff that manages to get the job done well; despite all the chaos she causes. To my knowledge, the staff's allegiance lies with the station and not Patty.

Count me among those former employees traumatized by my time spent in the clutches of That Awful Woman. This story barely hints at the insanity so many of us witnessed, and the bullying we endured. The Captain Queeg comparison was apt. Sounds like things remain very, very wrong there.

My suggestion is that you re-interview the former Interim Chancellor, whose claim that he knew nothing of what was going on there ring as hollow today as they did when he was That Awful Woman's supervisor. I suspect HE could shed light on Wente's ability to elude University scrutiny until now. He knows full well how many serious complaints were lodged against her the whole time he was there.

While you're at it, check into recent (re)hirings. Check into her contacts with the HR department. Re-interview the ever-loyal Mr. Samples. There's much more to uncover here.

I could go on, but it's giving me unpleasant flashbacks. Believe me, though, it's high time someone asked tough questions.

As an avid public radio listener and supporter I applaud the investigation into the allegations brought forth in this article. However, I hope those reading realize that they are just that...allegations. Until the University of Missouri finalizes their internal process I will wait to pass judgment on Wente or KWMU.

I also sincerely hope that those who have supported KWMU will continue to do so. While another reader commented that she has given her last donation to the station, I feel compelled to support the programming and staff even more. If what is said turns out to be true the station needs our support now more than ever. I'd hate to see great programming and a hard working staff penalized or suffer from one woman's mistakes or because of bad management practices. Who among us would like to be held accountable for what the higher ups in our companies do? I know I wouldn't.

I will not give another dime to the station until there is accountability at the top. This is not Enterprise Rent-A Car- She is NOT the CEO of a for-profit business that she owns. This is a public radio station. Her salary is paid for through public funding. You should care how your money is being spent. Where is your sense of ethical responsibility? It is clear that the only thing the University will respond to is dollars coming in to the station. So hit them where it hurts until they do something about her. I urge everyone to NOT give to the station until this is handled. This article only scratches the surface of the mismanaged funds at the station. The station isn't going to suffer nearly as much as they already have; once she is gone- open the flood gates for donations! Do I hear a legitimate fund-raising campaign in the works?

"The station has grown in spite of her."

Hear, hear.

Another former employee who witnessed it all first hand. Given St. Louis' talk radio enthusiasm, generous charitable side, and market size, KWMU underperforms when it comes to fundraising. It's sadder yet when it cheats and still underperforms, and Patty's fascist management style gets the credit there. Listenership and market share are easy when you're the only game in town. And, it's no secret that she's a trainwreck with the station's money. Just ask anyone who's been to one of the lavish friendraisers she throws. I'd call her the Ken Lay of public radio but she'd have ten jokes about screwing in the queue as soon as she heard the word "lay". She's so very NPR.

By the way, I'm framing the cover.

Thank goodness for alternative weekly newspapers like the Riverfront Times that exist in major cities all across the country. The mainstream media often passes on reporting information that the public has a right to know. These alternative papers are beholden to no one BUT the public and will expose the truth when they learn it. Thanks for this important story. Hopefully action will finally be taken by the University that knew and did nothing.

This surprises you? The entirety of that University is run on nepotism and cover-ups. Why should KWMU be any different? Don't look to the Chancellor though - he's a figurehead puppet for the two directly beneath him. There is where you will find the inappropriate hiring, the vendetta policies, and the long list of criminal behaviours.

The University of Missouri should not be spending a million dollars a year on a radio station unless they are using it to educate students. It's supposed to be non-profit and now it's to the point that anything less than the Ritz won't do. It's an ivory-tower mentality run amok. Many of the programs are great but there isn't anything on the air that couldn't be delivered by teams of well led students sitting in furniture of standard UMSL decor.

This is infuriating. My love for the programming does not excuse mismanagement and fraud and I will *not* participate in another fund drive as a donor or volunteer until there's accountability and transparency. This is especially frustrating as it appears the problem is systemic in UMSL.

My sincere hope is that this house will be cleaned and KWMU can move forward in an honest manner with it's listeners and benefactors.

As yet another former employee, I am enraged by the defense launched by Donald Dreimeir and Bob Samples. They both reference the university's so called "grievance" policy, yet during my exit interview with the HEAD of HR, I was told that while they could "protect" me from Wente's retalliation under the bounds of the University, they could not control what Wente would do or say within the public broadcasting system at large. I was told "this is beyond our control." I also had more than one of my colleagues advise against making any grievance because the running joke was that Wente would know about it before you would even be back in the building.

This article is a wonderful start and I have to agree just scratches the surface.It is interesting that only when this reporter really started investigating that the University took any action.

Wow! This is truly infuriating, especially for those of us dedicated listeners who have given thousands of dollars and hours and hours of our time to this station in the name of the betterment of our community.

Patty Wente's reputation certainly precedes her, and it's completely deserved. It's a terrible shame that this wonderful station has such awfulness in the upper echelon of management, and trust me, Wente is NOT the only person guilty here. Further, I have yet to work a shift on the phones at a fund drive where we volunteers did not field multiple complaints of her and her cronies on-air antics. Anyone who has volunteered there knows what I'm talking about.

The worst shame of it all is that Wente knows how to surround herself with an amazing staff (with exception to one or two of those highest-ranking individuals old and new) and if the place were to suffer because of their mis-management and reign of terror, the innocent and wonderful staff would surely suffer as well.

Talk of results is cheap when those she and her fellow monsters abuse are the ones who make the station a success. KWMU is an outstanding part of our community because the people who push the buttons and speak into the microphones, work the tables at festivals and fairs, pour their blood, sweat, and love for public radio into 90.7 MAKE THE DIFFERENCE, NOT because Wente and her band of cretins make it so.

The following represents one of the funniest things I've ever heard since I left that den of iniquity:

"To this day, Driemeier says he cannot comprehend why the writers of the damning letter thought he was untrustworthy."

I work in an extreme environment also. The united states post office at the location Baden 8390 N. Broadway. The person I work for trys to force people to do things they aren't supposed to do, and does this by bull dog tactics. Unfortunately this comment will never get notived cuz no one anyway truly cares. No one will investigate this. The postal inspectors, the upper management, no one. It's only a problem if the results are not correct. He wants to look good and if he can make his managers believe that he is doing good, well then they see no need to investigate anything the union says is wrong. I believe that is what happened at KWMU and with UMSL. Everything looks great on paper so management lets everything slid.

If you'd like to do something proactive, visit this blog:
helpimprovekwmu.

Guess the hyperlink didn't work! Here's the URL:
http://www.helpimprovekwmu.blogspot.com/

Typical NPR wusses, who never worked in REAL radio. Most of the psychos and borderline sociopaths who own/run commercial radio stations are worse than this.

Yawn......typical liberal, nanny state, communist bajahuma....NPR stuff fer sure.

I am a fan of KWMU, but my understanding is that the post-9/11 thirst for news and public affairs programming boosted listenership for virtually ALL public radio stations, not just KWMU.

In other words, this would have occurred regardless of Patty Wente's "leadership."

As a veteran of too many abusive work environments, I would think twice before donating my hard-earned money to such an organization. Given a choice between supporting KWMU vs. any other nonprofit with a better track record of treating employees well, I would choose the more humane organization every time.

Clearly Joe has no clue WHO is or has been employed by KMWU. Many of the staff members have worked for both commercial and non-profit broadcast organizations, so it would behoove you to gather more precise information before passing judgment.

There's an exorbitant amount of talent that has passed through the revolving door of St. Louis' NPR "pride & joy" simply because of the fundraising improprieties, lack of leadership (predominantly the unfocused, unprofessional & tyrannical General Manager, Station Manager-a rehire of the GM's old ‘yes ma’am’ regime and Programming departments) and true visionary direction for the future of public broadcasting for the listening audiences. The staff who remains, wanders somewhat aimlessly because of this absence. They don’t know if the leaders will "show up today" or "can we catch them between 9 & 12, then 2 & 3:30" because they're never available...yet EVERYTHING must have the stamp of approval from the top. Yes, it’s the poster child for micromanagement!

KWMU listeners should be highly impressed at the talents of the news department, ACTUAL producers of St. Louis on the Air/Cityscape & Jazz Unlimited and the air talent. These are the people who strive to create quality local programming, not the high-paid figureheads of KWMU who religiously take the credit for the show you love and rely on hearing daily/weekly.

I applaud those individuals who came forward, who were quoted and were brave enough to speak out for "what's right" for St. Louis and NPR listeners. There are many more of us who did speak out...yet nothing was done by the University of MO-St. Louis system. There are many more, who were threatened or intimidated into not speaking out, because they feared daily for their jobs. Others feared not being hirable in public broadcasting ever again because of Ms. Wente’s influence locally & nationally, so they maintained silence. And more still who genuinely knew it would not make a difference as they'd seen this nightmare before and were all too familiar with how the story ended… no “driveway moment” for them.

Is there more to this saga? YES...is it exclusive to broadcast media or NPR? NO. Will the truth be unveiled? Hopefully so and perhaps KWMU listeners, volunteers, donors and supporters of the station will get the station they so deserve! One guided by leadership who has a TRUE vision for the station, not just a floundering capital campaign fund with falsified revenue reporting and a panache for chardonnay & cabernet. A station that continues to be recognized nationally and one that flourishes on the talent working diligently on providing a quality product to it's audience. As a PUBLIC station, the PUBLIC should demand professional integrity and above board business practices...after all, "...it is your money that puts the programs on the air that you listen to every day..." your money also pays their salaries too!

Perhaps it's happened and I just haven't heard, but I'm wondering why I have yet to hear that Ms. Wente's been put on leave pending the results of this investigation? If I'm reading correctly there are matters bordering on the criminal involved here, and by allowing business as usual the University is making itself look more foolish every day.

What you are about to see below will come as a shock to you: Patty may actually survive this storm and remain at the top at KWMU.
This is a possibility but in the end, it's going to take the entire community and corporate world to send a clear message that she needs to go. Therefore, here are a few options based on my experiences in the corporate and non-profit sector.
1. UM President Forsee is flooded with numerous emails and phone calls. Members of the public not affiliated with the station but who are current donors will be heard the most.
2. She's placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. An interim is named and eventually all the interviews result in her being slowly pushed out the door. Now this option sounds odd, but think about it: She gets a severance package of 6-12 months (sorry to say to those who don't like her but that's the way it going to happen in a severance package deal with an individual who has been there for almost 20 yrs).

The only way a difference can be made is from people/companies who highly consider pulling time and bucks from the station and email the UM President and also let your Congress and Senators know. After all, public broadcasting does receive a slight percentage from the government. To all former employees, I feel for you but be happy where you are at. To all current employees, keep your head up. To everyone else reading this, you MUST email the UM President or your elected official for her to resign. Based on my experience in the general workforce, she won't just step down because of what is being written. She will hold on for dear life until someone else takes control of the matter. The odds of her staying at KWMU are still in play so take action today!

I've served as a public broadcasting manager for many years and I can't begin to tell you how painful it is to read something like this. It stains the majority of us who take our stewardship role seriously, who bend over backwards to fundraise ethically, and who work hard to achieve organizational transparency with our community and accountability up and down the org chart.

For a moment let's put aside the charges that Wente is an HR Manager's nightmare. If the deceptive "challenge" grant technique ALONE is borne out by independent investigation -- and UMSL *should* turn over all investigation to a credible disinterested 3rd party with expertise in nonprofit fundraising -- Wente should be Terminated for Cause and no one in public media (or anywhere in the nonprofit world) should re-employ her. There is simply no "second chance" after a nonprofit CEO has knowingly abuses public trust. If Wente claims she didn't know such a practice was deceptive, that's prima facie evidence that she's incompetent.

The bigger issue here is UMSL's culpability. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for institutional licensess to simply ignore inappropriate actions and behaviors at their public broadcasting stations, if only because the stations are typically such a small part of the larger institutional operation. If independent investigation verifies that Wente has engaged in inappropriate and bullying behavior -- and I believe there's sufficient cause to dig deep into such charges -- one hopes that the Curators will quickly realize they risk exposure to any one of a number of lawsuits by current and former employees who have found themselves at odds with Wente. Undoubtedly labor lawyers in the SL region are already smelling a big payday. This fact might cause the Curators to stonewall, a decision that will only prove more costly in the end.

The best solution? Respected and trusted individuals from the University, the community, and station staff should commence work to separate KWMU from the University. This could be done in a way that the University retains long-term promotional benefit while insuring that the station is governed by an independent Board that has fiduciary responsibility and is responsive to the community.

In reality, most institutions of higher learning lack the capacity or motivation to conscientiously oversee their broadcast licenses. The pervasive underperformance of University licensees compared to community licensees is indisputable--see http://www.srg.org/governance/Metrics2/04metricsreport.html

Until an investigation is completed, Wente should be placed on Administrative Leave. If the charges against her are proven she should be sacked. If the charges don't pan out she should be given another assignment in the University bureaucracy.

Further, if investigators discover that university administrators were negligent or committed malfeasance one hopes we'll see some combination of reassignments, demotions, early retirements or dismissals.

As to those left holding the bag -- the staff -- assuming support builds for splitting the institution from the station, employees who are, say, within, 12 years of retirement should be given the option of remaining in whatever University Defined Benefit program they're currently part of. Less senior employees would have to go into a 403b and should be generously cashed out of the University pension system. This approach would be fair to employees while giving a new entity optimum chance of succeeding without undue benefits costs.

To those who are considering withholding future contributions or demanding a refund of past donations, please keep in mind that despite a less-than-ideal work environment, there are 30+ individuals at KWMU who continue to roll the rock up the hill every day because they believe in KWMU's mission to enrich the mind and broaden the spirit. Don't punish them. If anything, they should be rewarded for sticking their necks out in an institutional environment that seems disposed to exact retribution on whistleblowers.

Instead, might I suggest that you trim your contribution by a percentage equal to the salary Wente draws from the annual expense budget? That seems fair.

Finally, demand that UMSL post all KWMU audits and accompanying auditors' notes from the last 10 years on the station's web site. Reporters--are you ready to file those Freedom of Information requests?

Reply to comment #25 by Bill:

You're entitled to your own opinion. But you're not entitled to your own facts.

In your note you imply some sort of "equivalency" where there is none. Commercial operators get their funding via a purely commercial exchange with advertisers and/or stockholders. Noncomm broadcasters like KWMU get the great bulk of their support from individual donors who make a values-based decision to give. In return they have every right to expect that their donation is used to support an organization that is ethical, that is run competently and that doesn't expose the taxpayers (via the Curators of the UM system, KWMU's licensee) to undue exposure to litigation by employees whose workplace rights were violated.

Also, I've split my 35-year broadcasting career evenly in commercial and public media. In each case I worked in all phases--production, sales & marketing, management, on-air. There's scarce comparison between the two sectors. 55-70 hour work weeks among "exempt" employees are common in the non-comm world. Rarely is that the case in the commercial sector.

Has anyone bothered to look at UMSL Chancellor Thomas"King or Chicken"George and the way he runs the University? He doesn't have the kahunas to fire anyone. Look at the debacle involving UMSL Baseball Coach Jim Brady. This cost the Missouri taxpayers over $3 million dollars. What happens? The culprits behind the mistreatment of Coach Brady, Vice Chancellor Reinhard Schuster and former AD Pat Dolan get new positions at UMSL along with pay raises to their already exuberant salaries. Who pays for this bullshit? You and me.
Former UMSL and KWMU supporter

I look forward to next week's edition, when her toadying minions will no doubt have issued any number of impassioned spin-errific testaments to her genius and her generosity of spirit. How much the staff loves her! Oh, sure, they'll say, she's quite the character...but golly, she's done so much for the People of St. Louis, and with never a thought for her self! And the accusations that have dogged her for almost two decades? Why, the work of jealous crackpots and grouches, of course! And the University? Why, it's shocked - SHOCKED! - to hear of any of this!!

When you read their posts, remember this: It'll all be a complete load of BS.

In response to "XX" post #35, I can tell you that both internally and externally, she's on her own to sink or swim. There continues to be a lot of buzz in the community (business and higher education) who have called all the claims "dirty yet true". She doesn't have a lot of friends and most of these folks who did back her years ago feel betrayed and are downright mad.

Responding to "The Inside Pitch", you're exactly right, she doesn't have a lot of friends, but she's got the dirt on someone there at UMSL, otherwise she would have been cut off at the knees a long time ago. What's sickening is the fact she parades around KWMU, the university and all around St. Louis like a little banty rooster rubbing everyone's nose in the fact that she's going to get away with it again! Ms. Wente may do stupid things (NOONE will argue that) but she's savvy enough to know just how far to push the envelope such that she can't be told to pack her bags and go.

If in fact her former friends, colleagues and foes are genuinely "fed up to her mini-skirt" with her harassment of staff, unethical business and illegal fundraising & underwriting 'trading' practices, I implore you to come forward, bring forth the documentation and be heard by the investigative team. It's being said if credible individuals with valid documentation DO NOT come forward and make the case against this sorry excuse of a leader for NPR St. Louis, then she'll continue to prance about and flaunt the fact "ya can't touch this"!

Please, speak up, do the right thing and be heard at a time when integrity matters.

As one of the hires mentioned in the article I find it offensive that my name was brought up in all of this. My father had nothing to do with this ladies problems. She was crazy long before this.

To post #38 (Niki) and also to post #37:
I really feel for you Niki because you had to read about your dad in the papers. And for your sake, I hope you can move on and talk with a professional counselor if you feel need to. Seeing stuff about a family member who has moved on to much more peaceful surrounding must have been terribly difficult for you and your family. If you feel ok with talking with this investigative team, please take the advice from post #37 but only if you have documentation.

I only wish I had worked there during this reign of terror (witnessed the Diane Rehm comment, ashamed my boss has a stalking charge, then later has a DUI charge for example) and had written documentation to prove this. I can only say what others in the community have said for the past 20 years-- she is loud, rude and has severe drinking problem. But my prediction is she will stay at KWMU as the General Manager and continue her ways.
Does anyone reading these posts know how do we get Elliot Davis "You Paid For It" involved or another station like Channel 5 or 4?

Niki, what is mentioned in the article is in no way a reflection on you or your family, rather an example of Patty’s manipulation and abuse of power. Having you at the station gave her an excuse to see your father and be involved in his life, even when he was trying to break away. God knows your family has suffered enough. Sorry this article brought it to the surface again and one great big AMEN to the last part of your comment.

Patty Wente holds herself to considerably lower standards than her staff. You can bet any one of them would be fired immediately if they used station funds for personal loans. She has college friends working for her. A cousin hosts the station’s website and has for years. She has given temporary positions to neighbors and friends. Have a friend in need? Maybe he can soundproof a studio at KWMU for a few bucks? (Cough.)

Now is the time to have your voice heard. Tell UM System President Gary Forsee enough is enough. It is time for management accountability at KWMU. gforsee(at)umsystem.edu.