Fall-Out Questions

I do know who has been let go at both WREG and WHNT but frankly, I’m not comfortable posting the names here. These are my friends and I wouldn’t want to do that without their permission.

Thus far, at least at these two NYT stations, no on-air people have been dismissed or fired. That may change once the new owner arrives in the buildings but I wouldn’t dare speculate.

I have heard that employees would be required to re-apply for their jobs, even contract folks. Word circulating through both of these newsrooms is that they will have to submit resumes and tapes if they want to stay. This is a rumor but one that has been going through the newsrooms the past few weeks.

I don’t know about the status of current contract on-air people but if the new owners pick up the contracts that are signed, there is no guarantee for anyone’s position or salary. The standard contract that everyone has been signing for the past 5 years or so states that even with the contract, your salary could be re-structured at the whim of management. It also states you can be re-assigned or laid-off at the discretion of management/owners.

I understand there are several if not many on-air people who signed off on the new contract when they expired in December, but those contracts were never approved by management. These folks have been working without a contract since the first of the year.

I imagine though the new owner will wait it out until the end of the month (sweeps) before making any on-air changes. That’s what the old owner did with me.

Keep all of these folks in your prayers.