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Yep ... TV stations are having hard times, too

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by 2muchcoffeeman, Apr 2, 2008.

  1. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    Three CBS O&Os are cutting news and technical staff.

    A dozen people are being cut at KCBS alone. Reporters Jennifer Sabih and Jennifer Davis were laid off Monday and anchors Ann Martin and Harold Greene will leave when their contracts expire in May.

    Fourteen trimmed in San Francisco (KPIX); the Chronicle says the partial list includes Rick Quan, and reporters Manny Ramos, Bill Schechner, Tony Russomano and John Lobertini.

    WBBM, Chicago: 18 cuts, including Diann Burns (so they save $2M a year), Mark Malone and health correspondent Mary Ann Childers.
     
  2. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Ann Martin and Harold Greene have been SoCal fixtures, first at Channel 7 then at KCBS, for years and years.
     
  3. TheSportsPredictor

    TheSportsPredictor Well-Known Member

    A friend who works for one of the Cleveland TV stations told me that the Cleveland market had $225 million in ad sales for it's four TV stations two years ago. Maybe last year. Anyway, there was $100 million in Internet ad sales last year that cut into that, of which his station received about zero.

    Their general manager's answer -- BLOGS!!!

    Mark Cuban would not be proud. I told him to ask the GM why a TV station that makes its money off showing viewers moving pictures thinks it's going to make a bunch of money off the Internet by putting a bunch of words on there.
     
  4. bob

    bob Member

    Bob Lobel, sports anchor for 30 years at WBZ in Boston, has also been axed, along with long-time entertainment and news reporters. Lobel sucks, but it's notable.
     
  5. spup1122

    spup1122 Guest

    Part of the reason tv is seeing cuts (and I know because I work in it) is because the corporations didn't prepare for DTV transitions costing so much. It's going to cost my little station in the middle of bumfuck nearly $2 million. My group prepared and still had to make a few cuts (my station only had to cut three people total. Most of which were people already gone, we just didn't rehire).
     
  6. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Considering its a big election year, and the duration of the Dem primary, TV stations will be making a mint this year.
     
  7. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    Depends. That only works if your state is in play. I live in Arizona - no one is buying political advertising this year because they assume McCain will win in a landslide. We're in for a really bad year.
     
  8. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    So nobody else is running for anything? No state measures?
     
  9. slappy4428

    slappy4428 Active Member

    CCO dumped one of its longtime/highly paid anchors a couple of weeks ago... didnt fire him, just laid him off for financial reasons.
     
  10. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    Maybe TV news ops should add video, blogs, and the Internet.
     
  11. PCLoadLetter

    PCLoadLetter Well-Known Member

    Not enough to make any significant impact, no.
     
  12. Armchair_QB

    Armchair_QB Well-Known Member

    Which anchor?
     
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