Update: In speaking with Licata he says there was never an issue between him and Carton off the air. He disputes the report by our source regarding SNY and Pine Belt Chevy. Look for him to set the record straight in the near future on “Sal Licata Radio.”

It’s 6 AM and I have not heard from Craig Carton or Mark Chernoff concerning “NYBD Audio Gate” from Friday. I didn’t expect to since it’s easier for a certain Operations Manager to hide under his desk. After all, he does have more titles (3) than competitors in the marketplace so that means he is very busy and important.

One of our WFAN moles, Tony Marino, reached out to me over the weekend. He said there was more information regarding the Licata firing that he would like the public to know about. It appears that many at the FAN cave see this as an opportunity to show the public the dysfunctional corporate hierarchy created by management at the station. Apparently it was just not just advertisers, but also Craig Carton who helped bring Licata down.

According to Marino, Carton decided he would help Sal out the door by complaining about Licata’s treatment of interns, misuse of WFAN tickets for unauthorized Twitter contests where no rules or safeguards were put in place, and Sal’s calling his little sporadic fill in show “The Sal Licata ” show. This played a part in the ultimate dismissal of Licata.

We all know by now that Sal tried to shake down the Connecticut School of Broadcasting to get them to buy time on the self proclaimed “Sal Licata Show.” Mariano added that a Pine Belt Chevrolet sales manager called to get Licata to ask Mike Francesa for some last minute tickets and he said the “answer was no and I don’t have to ask Mike. Look at the website I am listed as a personality on my own not just with Mike.” It appears the years of being a lap dog caught up to Licata (can you blame him?) and he was tired of being the errand boy after he started hosting on the overnights. This is what happens when you breed a culture of disrespect for employees. Management should be ashamed of this type of corporate culture. This is a business not a frat house.

When I asked Marino about the report that Francesa tried to save Licata’s job he told me “no” not as it was reported. He says Mike’s support was overblown.

What’s next for Licata? Marino says he has claimed that SNY will hire him for a behind the scenes job at first then an on air personality. Sal has claimed on Twitter to be launching is own website in the next couple of weeks.

I probably will never be given credit for the audio on the website. That’s ok since it validates the criticisms of radio leveled by Phil Mushnick in an interview with Bob Mantz just a couple of weeks ago.

Mike Silva is a freelance writer and radio host since March of 2007. This website is his own personal "digest" of New York Baseball He's also hosts NYBD Radio on Blog Talk Radio and 1240 AM WGBB. Check out his sports media commentary at www.sportsmediawatchdog.com. Check out his official website, www.mikesilvamedia.com

Mike Silva

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Tags: Bob Mantz, Bob's Blitz, Boomer & Carton, Craig Carton, Mark Chernoff, Mike Francesa, NY Post, Phil Mushnick, Sal Licata