Citizens' Voice from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania • 4

Charges of nepotism don't bother city's parks chief yZ) TubeTalk Jerry McGroarty says he expected negative fallout from appointment By DEBBY HIGGINS Crriiens' Voice Staff Writer WYOU exploring sale Along with snow blowers and four-wheel drive vehicles, another hot commodity on the market this year is a TV station. That's why Diversified Communications, owners of WYOU, have hired a Connecticut-based firm to explore its options. It doesn't necessarily mean that WYOU is up for sale, nor does it mean that the station won't be sold some time this year. "We just want to explore our strategic options," said WYOU general manager Bill Christian, who is also senior vice president of broadcasting for Diversified Communications. "We're looking at the market to see what might make sense and what the best direction could be for this station, including a possible sale." Around the country, TV stations are being gobbled up by larger companies.

As a matter of fact, Christian said WYOU has received many unsolicited offers for purchase this past year. "The market is extremely hot right now for big market TV stations," he said. The ScrantonWilkes-Barre TV market is considered to be the 48th largest TV market in the country. This exploratory process with Kepper, Tupper Co. can take at least six months or up to two years and can result in a sale or in Diversified deciding to hold onto the Scranton-based TV station.

Christian stressed that this Special to Citizens' VoiceDave Scherbenco Jerry McGroarty ready for work If his name was anything other than McGroarty, he said he probably wouldn't have had any negative feedback following his appointment as director of Wilkes-Barre City's Department of Buildings, Parks and Recreation. But, since he happens to be the mayor's brother, he said he's prepared to justify his appointment by the way he performs his duties and not rest on the fact he's related to the top man in city hall. Gerard McGroarty, 41, was appointed, effective Jan. 1, to the post that pays $45,000 a year. He said he has not replaced anyone by accepting the position nor did he take the job because he didn't have another one.

McGroarty said he knew if he said yes to the post, the fallout from the public would hit hard. "I'm the mayor's brother, but I work for the city. My job is to answer to the city council and this residents of this city. I took this job and gained my brother's enemies. That's a tough position to be in," McGroarty explained.

Echoes of nepotism do not seem to bother McGroarty much. What he says concerns him most is getting on with the job that entails managing approximately 30 full-time employees, 13 playgrounds, 41 parks, 41 city-owned buildings and 437 acres of recreational area. "I'm looking forward to Mayor McGroarty establishing the recreation board because I would like to work with people who have input where kids are concerned. My background has been working with decision was not based on any dissatisfaction that the company may have with WYOU; it was just a matter of the right timing. In the meantime, he said the company is not scaling back financially from its commitment to WYOU.

"We just made a $100,000 investment for a new Around the country, TV stations are being gobbled up by larger companies. she is a homemaker and mother first because our family comes first. Through the years, I've turned down some very good-paying jobs because the travel they would have involved would take me out of town too often. I didn't want to do that," McGroarty said. He said there are those who are under the impression he was offered a job by his brother because he didn't have one.

"That's not (See McGROARTY, page 38) youth and I'm going to continue doing that," the new director continued. The father of three children; Chris, 13; Jerry, 9, and Kelly, 7, McGroarty and his wife, Catherine, are kept busy with their family and the myriad of activities in which they're involved. "My boys are involved with soccer, track, basketball, baseball and swimming and my daughter is involved with tap and jazz. My wife is employed part-time, but "I'm the mayor's brother, but I work for the city. My job is to answer to the city council and this residents of this city.

I took this job and gained my brother's enemies. That's a tough position to be in. Jerry McGroarty Parks department An Independent Newspaper Published Daily And Sunday By Citizens' Voice Inc. Volume Eighteen Issue 102 Thursday January 18, 1996 3 ClTIZENS'VuICE (ISSN 1070-8626) (USPS 450-590) 75 N. Washington Wilkes-Borre, PA.

18711 1 traffic system," he said. "We are not changing our operation at all during this time." What the station is doing, he said, is being "super open to employees" telling them about a possible sale rather than springing surprise news of a sale to them after it happens. Diversified, based in Maine, purchased then-WDAU in June 1986 from Southeastern Capital for $22.5 million and later changed the station's call letters to WYOU. Staffing news: WBRE hired a new reporter Lauren Perkins, from the NBC affiliate in Erie, to assume the position of Williams-port Bureau Chief. She replaces Brett Wildoner, who left to work in Kentucky.

Kathy Bozinski, the former WBRE anchor in the 1980s, who returned on a part-time basis as a reporter, usually works on Saturdays. Bozinski is also an instructor in the communications department at Luzerne County Community College. She will occasionally fill in at WBRE, as needed, when her school schedule permits. As to that inquiry I always get regarding the status of Kevin Lynn, here's the answer from WBRE news director Micah Johnson: "Kevin is 'out there if we need Lynn runs his own advertising business and isn't interested in working at WBRE on a full-time basis. Lynn won an Associated Press award for a feature story on the Bloomsburg Fair last year.

WBRE is expected to hire an executive producer shortly. Two snow staffing adages You can go home again. That proved true for WNEP news director Frank Andrews on Jan. 8's Blizzard of '96 at noon even if home was filling in on the anchor desk. Prior to becoming news director, Andrews was the co-anchor at noon along with Chrys McCabe.

You'd better stay home. Keith "Timing is everything" Martin was returning home from a weekend trip when he got stranded at the airport in Pittsburgh. Calling it a "lucky break," WBRE news director Micah Johnson said the station phoned the NBC affiliate there to enable Keith to hook up live for reports. You may remember last year when Martin was returning home from his Vietnam series, he was sent enroute to cover the Oklahoma City bombing. "Keith, always seems to be in the right place at the right time," mused his boss.

Morale of the story: If you don't want anything bad to happen, keep Keith locked up at WBRE. EBERHARD FABER, Chairman of the Board EDWARD A. NICHOLS President PAUL L. GOUAS, Secretary FRANK M. CUNIUS, Treasurer All ServicesHome Delivery 821-2010 Mon.

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