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Jen Nathan, who blogs at Public Radio Redux, didn’t bother to ask. Neither did Nick van der Kolk, from the awesome “Love and Radio” podcast. They knew. And we love them for that (and their other work). They brought to our attention a rather salacious news story - about public radio. Awesome. Unless you’re employed in public radio.
The St. Louis-based alternative newsweekly, The Riverfront Times, ran a story about 90.7 KWMU and its general manager, Patty Wente. It seems Wente might be behind some shady accounting practices at the public radio station, operated by the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Sources inside KWMU contend that an investigation into the station and its general manager, Patty Wente, is long overdue. During her nineteen-year tenure, employees claim the 51-year-old Wente has orchestrated misleading fundraising drives, assigned staff to personal work, and ruled with a “reign of terror” in which employees felt threatened to bring concerns to the university.
[…]
Station employees say Wente’s behavior outside the station — including a stalking allegation and a recent DUI arrest in Florida — serve to undermine KWMU’s credibility as a public and tax-supported broadcaster. Worse still, they maintain, is that the university has known for years about staff concerns regarding Wente, but refused to look into station affairs until now.
“How the hell does this woman still have a job?” asks a KWMU employee, who — like many current staffers — feared for his job if he spoke on record. “That’s something everyone would like to know.”
It sounds like a real mess, and I’m glad I don’t have to work there. Not that I haven’t worked under some shady management, but you know. The woman seems mildly unstable. Allegedly, Wente also “leaned over and asked guest Diane Rehm (host of the nationally broadcast The Diane Rehm Show), ‘So Diane, how’s your sex life?’
Maybe she’s just friendly. Lord knows, if I ever run into Steve Inskeep, I’m going give him a hard time (we graduated from rival high schools), and I’d probably try and put the moves on Sarah Vowell (no doubt making an ass of myself).
But still, Diane Rehm?! Asking Diane Rehm about her sex life is completely inappropriate - no one wants to know how often or from whom she is getting it.
More incriminating:
With her booming voice, high-pitched cackle and abrasive demeanor, Wente, say colleagues, is more Howard Stern than Edward R. Murrow. She is known to strut about the KWMU office in miniskirts, halter tops and what one staffer describes as a leather dominatrix outfit. Wente frequents tanning salons, drives a Chrysler Sebring convertible and loves a glass — or two — of red wine at her favorite off-campus retreat, Breakaway Café.
Actually, I take that back. That bit makes her sound kinda awesome Or like she’s just trying entirely too hard to be awesome. There seems to be a lot of that going around. Maybe someone just needs to start “PATTY WENTE IS MOM JEANS.”
Or fire her incompetent, lying ass, whichever is easier.
Image credit: “Patty Wente with Diane Rehm: ‘So Diane, how’s your sex life?’” by Carla Falasco, The Riverfront Times. (Used entirely without permission. If that’s not okay, we’ll take it down.
UPDATE: Thanks to commenter “ElleDorado,” we’ve found out that Patty Wente has been fired. Follow up story here.
UPDATE THE SECOND: Carla Falasco would like to clarify that she does not work for The Riverfront Times and that she is in no way responsible for the quote that makes up the caption. She also notes that she did not hear the alleged comment at any point during the event at which the picture was taken.
Also, we have removed the picture because, apparently, we (and the Riverfront Times) have unknowingly violated Village Voice Media’s terms of use for their pictures.
17 Comments
Whatever Patty’s sins - no one deserves the evisceration that was this article - I have never seen anything like it ever.
I’m assuming you mean the article I referenced, rather than the one I wrote–I hope.
As a former employee of the station, I can assure you everything in that article is true and is merely the tip of the iceberg. If the article sounds harsh, try working there. Management accountability is long overdue at the station. KWMU supporters should be outraged at how their donations are spent and demand a refund. This might ensure UM System finally cleans house at KWMU and the upper ranks at UM-St. Louis that allowed Wente to get away with so much for so long.
While the personal asides may be unnecessary (dominatrix outfit? Ewwww…), there appears to be overwhelming evidence of fiscal malfeasance on Wente’s part.
Beyond that the sheer number of people coming out of the woodwork to back up the allegations in the article seems to point to an underlying truth: there’s a problem at the station. The fact that this has apparently been going on for so long also points to poor stewardship on the part of the university.
As someone who religiously listens to this particular station (and has donated time and money), I hope the ongoing investigation is diligent and results in true change. Otherwise they can forget my (admittedly paltry) donations or support. I suspect I’m not the only KWMU listener that will think twice before opening the checkbook…
I work at the station and work really hard to provide a quality product and raise funds. Please don’t punish the entire staff by denying future membership dollars. Instead, focus your efforts on talking to University of Missouri officials about your unhappiness with Patty Wente. We all suffer enough because of one person. Just remember when you refer to KWMU that there are a lot of good, smart people there who work hard to provide you with the programming you love.
Sorry, Staff Member, I agree with you that there are a lot of good, smart, hardworking people at KWMU but UM-St. Louis admin. has overlooked Patty Wente’s wrongdoings for far too long. Why? Because “she” (actually it’s the NPR programming, the in-depth local news, and the hardworking staff) bring in the bucks for the university. It’s time for change at KWMU. It’s time for competent management. So yes, please talk to UM System and tell them you want Wente held responsible for her actions and let them know you mean it by withholding your membership renewal until they do. Imagine the possibilities for growth with someone competent at the helm.
“Elledorado,” so I guess that now that your job/livelihood doesn’t depend on it, it’s very convenient for you to finally protest the situation after having worked there for years and doing every thing Patty asked you to do. Now it’s okay for you to ask that members withhold donations, even though your friends and former colleagues are still working very hard at the station to make it a good one DESPITE Patty Wente. We still depend on the station for our (modest) incomes. There is much more to KWMU than Patty Wente. The university wouldn’t much notice if KWMU didn’t meet its fundraising goals. It’s the staff of the station who would be impacted most. I can see the possibilities for growth, but I don’t see them taking place if the station has to go into a lot of debt.
Sigh. As Staff Member and Elledorado demonstrate, leadership like this takes its toll. Having worked at an NPR-affiliate where the boss spent funds irresponsibly and went out of his way to belittle employees and pit them against each other, I know how hard it is to work in this kind of toxic environment. I saw grown adults act like children and decade-long friendships ruined. Even though all this media attention must feel terrible, an investigation could be the best thing that ever happened to this station. Maybe now that KWMU employees have a common enemy, they can work on coming together.
This situation has been in place, apparently for quite a while. Wente’s been there for almost twenty years?
I appreciate the excellent job the KWMU staff has done, but I’m angry.
While the status quo is in place, I will not donate. Period. I sincerely hope this doesn’t affect the staff. There’s time to investigate and rectify the situation before the next fund drive. But ‘Staff Member’ should understand one thing: this is out and it will affect fundraising. It shouldn’t have gotten to this point, but it has.
I think if fundraising wasn’t affected it would be a clear signal to UMSL that the status quo should remain. The amount of coverage and discussion about this alone should give them pause… but’s it’s the dollars that will be noticed.
Sorry but it is our money as members. It is also our money, little as it is, from the CPB.
Your boss and the University administration are responsible for being credible stewards of our money.
You can’t expect people not to protest with our wallets. That is the only way anything will get done.
Thanks, everyone for your attention to our little outpost on the Web. Keep the discussion going.
I am a former employee who can attest to the fraudulent fund drives- and that the University system was well aware of the fraud. Period.
What more evidence do you need to NOT give to the station until something is done about the management?
PLEASE tell your friends and family about this story.
There are several current staff members who make over $70K a year at the station- of course they don’t want to see the station hit with a lack of funding.
If I made that kind of money doing only what I was told to do by Patty and found a way to personally put up with all her abuse- I wouldn’t want the funding stopped either. (The salaries of the staff are public domain.)
With all due respect to ‘Staff Member,’ I think their views may be well-intentioned but misplaced.
Having worked at a couple of NPR affiliates, witholding donations is the way to change things. As previously mentioned, it is NPR programming (a formula that is hard to screw up) that people tune in for. The abdication of their responsibilities by Driemeier, George, et al. is inexcusable.
Wente must be replaced -and at this stage, preferably by someone outside the KWMU organization.
An example of why can be found at this site:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_n5_v24/ai_12247613
As a current employee I’m insensed that “Staff Member” doesn’t recognize it’s unacceptable to accept status quo. One of the first things I heard when I disagreed with Ms. Wente was “Oh…that’s just Patty, you get used to it!” I never got used to it! That lame mentality is enabeling her sorry & twisted ways!!!!
And furthermore, what makes you believe “current” employees have not gone to the upper eschelon of leadership at UMSL and reported her unscrupulous behavior?! We have, and were brushed under the carpet. So for you to suggest cowardise on the part of Elle Dorado…you’re out of line! Did YOU step up to the plate and go above Patty’s head after she humiliated you in public settings? Meetings, the hallway, station events, etc….? No, probably not! You tucked your tail between your legs because you’re content with complacency!!! But for you to be so naive to think current employees who also suffered financially with a paltry wage didn’t stick their neck out, sneaking over to Woods Hall and expressing concern with management…you’re sorely mistaken!!!
She was fired yesterday. There is justice in the world.
Several links to the story here:
http://helpimprovekwmu.blogspot.com/
@ElleDorado Thanks for the update! I’ve updated the story accordingly.
Also, there’s a follow-up story here.
I did not realize that the caption “So Diane, how’s your sex life?” would accompany my photo of Patty Wente and Diane Rehm shot this March at a KWMU event. I did not write or hear that. Based on the article in the RFT, it seems like that was a blurb from a 2002 fundraiser actually. While photo acknowledgement is great, I would prefer not to appear responsible for or connected to that caption here or at the RFT (for whom I do not work). Thank you.
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