EMPLOYEES AT TOXIC WORKPLACE KRGV 5 NOT HAPPY CAMPERS

(Ed.'s Note: Is KRGV5 a toxic workplace? In a note preceding the text of "Whistleblower," there is a plea for action from management saying: "People fired for reporting sexual harassment. A General Manager who was caught using his station social media to “Like” porn tweets and covers up for his managers grossly inappropriate behavior, and many more disturbing issues at KRGV. This is one of several letters from employees to ownership over the course of several months with no action taken. We are pleading for someone to help us".)   

From a KRGV Whistleblower 

Subject: Potential legal problems in Weslaco
To: jake@wbrz.com 
CC: hr@wbrz.com

To: Mr. Manship,

I am writing to you as a concerned CURRENT employee of KRGV to bring attention to several serious issues within our station. I am submitting this anonymously due to a well-founded fear of retaliation.

Our current news director, Zoltan Csanyi-Salcedo, has a documented history of both verbal and physical abuse at previous stations. Unfortunately, this pattern has persisted at KRGV, with an additional troubling element – his wife has now taken to harassing employees via social media direct messages.

Alongside him, General Manager John Kittleman, HR Director Elizabeth Gaona, Assistant News Director Angie Martinez, and Executive Producers Ana Anguiano and Orlando Vargas have cultivated a toxic culture marked by harassment, bullying, and favoritism.

If you were to privately consult a random sample of employees, I am confident they would corroborate these claims. The exodus of talented staff over recent years, and the growing number of individuals who are openly planning to leave for competitors, should be a major red flag. In fact, several on-air staff have already started discussing these intentions within the newsroom.

Management has not only fostered this abusive environment but also displays blatant favoritism. For example, a recent policy prohibiting food or drink in the newsroom (with the exception of capped water) has been universally enforced – except when it is violated by young female staff members.

These individuals are seen taking food into extended one-on-one meetings with Zoltan, held behind closed doors after business hours. The optics of this situation are highly problematic, especially given the fact that Zoltan’s wife has already threatened young female employees, warning them to stay away from him, and John Kittleman has already warned him to stop doing it with other employees including the HR director as witnesses. 

In terms of programming, the situation is just as concerning. Our primary channel, 5.1, is being neglected in favor of 5.2 and the daytime show Take5. Resources, staffing, and even basic script oversight – crucial for legal and factual accuracy – are no longer priorities. 

Assistant news directors and executive producers are overwhelmed because Zoltan is often working remotely or out on vacation, leaving them to forward incomplete or erroneous scripts to producers, many of which are marked with “producers please rewrite” just moments before they are needed on-air. 

This week alone, three inaccurate stories were published on KRGV.com that multiple employees tried, unsuccessfully, to correct as the assistant news director ignored them. They are still online.

The marketing department, too, has shifted its entire focus away from news and onto Take5. Promotions, budget allocations, and time are devoted entirely to this show, leaving the news department with virtually no marketing support. 

Any remaining resources are being funneled into Noticias, a project that has failed at multiple previous stations under Zoltan’s leadership.

In addition, I believe it is crucial to examine the actions of John Kittleman and his role at KRGV. For example, for years staff have observed him and his family attending semi-pro soccer games from the company suite without ever receiving even basic tickets to these events. 

He is also seen driving his new company vehicle to work on the rare occasions he is physically present in the office. Meanwhile, we are frequently told that there are no funds available for essential equipment, such as iPads, or even basic supplies like printer paper and reporters’ notebooks. On-air employees are even asked to bring old, worn, KRGV-branded shirts back so they can give them to new on-air employees after years of use to save money. That is unsanitary and unacceptable.

Beyond financial concerns, Kittleman has either allowed or turned a blind eye to the culture of bullying, abuse, and harassment that has taken root at KRGV. Whether he actively supports it or simply chooses to ignore it because it does not directly affect him in his home office, his inaction has perpetuated the toxic environment that continues to harm employees.

These are only a few of the deeply troubling issues currently plaguing KRGV. I write this with genuine concern for the future of our station if legal action were to come from outside or even at this point from within. If this toxic culture and mismanagement continue, I fear that KRGV will lose not only its talent but also its reputation within the community.