WADL

Uhl was fired for violating corporate policy, including “manipulation by a programmer,” according to WADL. The controversy revolves around the syndicated show “Ask Dr. Nandi,” which airs weekly on WADL. According to WADL, The station’s CFO recently informed Keven Adell, the station’s owner, that the show was 90 days and $12,000 past due in payment. Questioning the low figure, Adell asked Rich Mazzari, a former FBI agent, to investigate the show’s finances, according to the station:

This investigation uncovered that Dr. Nandi received $1.2 million dollars in film credits based on $4 million dollars in film expenses; in which WADL only received a potential $26,000 for the year.  Dr. Nandi’s application showed over 12 editors for an hour show.  Mr. Adell’s network and TV station that runs twenty four seven doesn’t have 12 editors.  Mr. Adell questions how a full time doctor at Beaumont Hospital can have 12 editors, 39 employees, and spend $4 million dollars to run a one hour television program on WADL.

In the wake of the investigation, WADL has cancelled “Ask Dr. Nandi.”

Uhl was hired by Kevin O’Brien, who was hired as a consultant to “aggressively make changes” to the station. O’Brien was fired after two months after an investigation by Mazzari uncovered “violations of numerous corporate policies,” according to a WADL announcement. O’Brien maintains that press release was “defamatory” and says no formal reason was given for the termination of his contract.

The full press release from WADL is after the jump. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

“WADL is moving in a new direction, and the news programming will not be a part of its new format,” CEO Kevin Adell announced this week. “I want to personally thank everyone who helped us test the ‘News@9′ segment.”

In January, WADL launched a 9 p.m. newscast produced in partnership with Journal Register Newspapers and began building out a local news operation. But the station’s shot at local news quickly became mired in controversy and in-fighting. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Lukasiewicz, who once worked as a reporter at Detroit’s WXYZ and WDIV, currently hosts WADL’s “Motor City Movie Night,” which airs every Saturday.

A WADL spokesperson told TVSpy today that the station considered “a lot of people” for the job but Lukasiewicz was chosen because she has “a strong connection” to the market. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

In a recent post on his personal blog, Stevens provides a detailed account of his dealings with WADL, the station’s temporary president Kevin O’Brien, the station’s owner Kevin Adell, and the station’s GM Matt Uhl.

In a series of events recently publicized by station press releases, WADL fired O’Brien and then fired Stevens.

Stevens says he was so concerned about his safety on the day of his termination that he had his wife secretly videotape his meeting with station management, “just in case they decided to recreate the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa.” continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Today an attorney representing O’Brien circulated a press release defending him against the “defamatory” press release WADL sent out last week announcing his dismissal.

In firing O’Brien, WADL cited his use of company equipment to “obtain a deal with the San Jose Sharks” as the reason for his termination. O’Brien denies trying to land a deal with the NHL team, and contends that he was fired because he disagreed with Adell about how to discipline an employee for excessive use of a company vehicle. continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

NewsBlues recently obtained a copy of the letter WADL sent to O’Brien, outlining his dismissal.

Referring to O’Brien as the “temporary president of Adell Broadcasting” (WADL’s owner), the letter states that an internal investigation uncovered O’Brien “using company equipment in an effort to obtain a deal with the San Jose Sharks.” continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

A month after launching a 9 p.m. newscast, WADL fired recently hired news director Matt Stevens on his first day, today.

Stevens’s dismissal comes a week after WADL fired consultant Kevin O’Brien, the former president of Meredith’s broadcasting division, for violating “numerous corporate policies.”

WADL sent out a press release this morning, announcing Stevens’ firing, with the headline “WADL Detroit Disgorges Remnants of Kevin O’ Brien.” continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

WADL issued a press release this week announcing O’Brien’s termination, saying that he had violated “numerous corporate policies.”

“I am deeply saddened that in this day and age this type of behavior still exists,” WADL CEO Kevin Adell said in a statement, without going into specifics.  “I have zero tolerance for this, and I will personally disgorge any money paid to Mr. O’Brien as a consultant for the past two months.”

So what happened? continued…

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.

Most recently, Stevens was a senior correspondent at WOIO in Cleveland.

“This is an opportunity to return to my home state and to work with a fabulous group of people,” said Stevens, who grew up in Michigan and graduated from Western Michigan University. “I’m looking forward to serving our viewers.”

“This is the start of many great things to come,” WADL general manager Matt Uhl promised, announcing the addition of Stevens.

New Career Opportunities Daily: The best jobs in media.