WADL Fires GM Matt Uhl, Cancels Show

Adell Broadcasting-owned independent WADL Detroit (DMA 11) fired its general manager, Matt Uhl, last week for “violating corporate policy” and the station also canceled its Dr. Nandi Show.

Matt Uhl, a Kevin O’Brien hire, stayed on as general manager after O’Brien was fired from WADL a year ago. Uhl succeeded Steve Antoniotti, who was general manager of WADL for about a year.

WADL said one of the corporate violations was manipulation by a programmer. When the CFO of WADL informed Adell CEO Kevin Adell that the Dr. Nandi Show was 90 days past due in payment, approximately $12,000, Adell questioned why that figure was so low considering the program aired in primetime. He had Rich Mazzari, a retired FBI special agent who works for Adell, conduct an investigation of the Dr. Nandi Show.

The investigation, according to Adell, “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 24/7 seven doesn’t have 12 editors. Mr. Adell questions how a fulltime doctor at Beaumont Hospital can have 12 editors, 39 employees, and spend $4 million dollars to run a one-hour television program on WADL.”

Adell said that since his name and call letters were used in the application, that his station made no representation to the State of Michigan regarding film credits.

Mazzari’s findings will be turned over to the State of Michigan, Adell said.