▁but ▁a ▁February ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁front - page ▁story ▁in ▁The ▁P lain ▁De aler ▁revealed ▁station ▁employees ▁had ▁stuff ed ▁the ▁annual ▁survey ' s ▁ball ot ▁box ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁poll ▁to ▁allow ▁for ▁the ▁possibility ▁of ▁a ▁t enth ▁straight ▁win ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁L on nie ▁Gr one k , ▁then ▁general ▁manager ▁of ▁the ▁station , ▁claimed ▁in ▁The ▁P lain ▁De aler ▁article ▁that ▁the ▁process ▁had ▁gone ▁on ▁" for ▁years ", ▁however ▁other ▁accounts ▁dispute ▁Gr one k ' s ▁claim . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁claimed ▁it ▁was ▁simply ▁" a ▁market ing ▁strategy " ▁and ▁" m uch ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁what ▁many ▁stations ▁did ." ▁ ▁Neg ative ▁reaction ▁was ▁swift ▁and ▁w ides p read ; ▁some ▁called ▁the ▁scheme ▁a ▁mere ▁" lack ▁of ▁jud g ement ," ▁while ▁a ▁rep orter ▁for ▁the ▁Ak ron ▁Be acon ▁Journal ▁compared ▁the ▁station ' s ▁response ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁dis cred ited ▁former ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁S pi ro ▁Ag new . ▁ ▁Ch anging ▁times ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁original ▁staff ▁members ▁had ▁depart ed : ▁John ▁G orm an ▁and ▁Den ny ▁Sand ers ▁left ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁to ▁launch ▁up start ▁station ▁W NC X , ▁and ▁Columbia ▁Records ▁h ired ▁Kid ▁Leo ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 8 . ▁ ▁Four ▁different ▁program ▁direct ors ,