Is Meredith Corporation Discriminating

[Daybreak 270]

This week Meredith Corporation have given the pink slips out at 2 different stations. KCTV in Kansas City and WGCL in Atlanta Georgia. What strikes me is that at both station, the people who were leaving were 1 African American anchor from Kansas City and 1 African American woman and a Hispanic man from WGCL in Atlanta. The question had been made in both situation that why not fire the co-anchors too because at KCTV they are keeping the co-anchor to do cut in segments. But what also got my attention was that the general manager said the show had been “performing fine” in the ratings, but he does want it to attract more young women and “add more 25-to-34-year-olds” to its audience. So why fire Kelly Jones?

 

In Atlanta, everyone knows that WGCL is a sinking ship that always re-branding. But why did they fired 2 people who were there 3 years and yet not fire both co-anchors because the other anchor been there a little longer and still there isn't any growth in the newscast either. This isn't the first time this happen. A few months back Guy Rawlings who was an anchor was fired less than a year with the station and he too was African American but the other anchor is still there and now this. I wonder what is going on with Meredith Corp. They need to be careful of how they handle personnel matter. Here are the links for both stories below.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/kelly-jones-out-at-kctv-better-kansas-city-goes-on-hiatus_b92985

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/atlantas-wgcl-cuts-newsroom-staff_b92948

[Daybreak 270]

Here is another linkhttp://www.accessatlanta.com/weblogs/radio-tv-talk/2013/jun/05/jaquitta-williams-leaving-cbs-atlanta/

[Daybreak 270]

And here is Kansas City article http://www.kansascity.com/2013/06/05/4275828/kelly-jones-out-at-kctv-5-better.html

[TheRob 920]

Better KC generally drew a 1.5-2.0 rating. I suspect the issue is more about Kelly Jones, the person, andnot the format of the show.

[MidwestTV 1174]

 

Better KC generally drew a 1.5-2.0 rating. I suspect the issue is more about Kelly Jones, the person, andnot the format of the show.

 

Yeah, I heard that Kelly Jones was absolutely horrid at the station, acting like a diva and all. Even from the very start when she was hired as their morning anchor people said that she sort of walked into the station and acted as if she owned the place or had been there for several years and thusly had some type of seniority right. There's even another rumor that I just heard today that when their new GM showed up at her office to introduce himself she said "Do you have an appointment?" The GM then told her who he was to which she supposedly replied "Nobody comes into my office without an appointment."

 

So while she might have come off as fine, fun and very personable on air, I've heard almost nothing but constant stories that she was this absolute horrid, diva-like pain in the ass off of the camera and to work with.

 

I think that it's a coincidence really that both women just happen to have an ethnic background, so I wouldn't call it discrimination by any means of all.

 

*fun little fact* though, the Better KC is actually KCTV5's old news set. When they "upgraded" it, they left it standing and took the set of the Kansas City Chief's Show, or whatever the hell it's called.

[PIXfan 34]

 

Yeah, I heard that Kelly Jones was absolutely horrid at the station, acting like a diva and all. Even from the very start when she was hired as their morning anchor people said that she sort of walked into the station and acted as if she owned the place or had been there for several years and thusly had some type of seniority right. There's even another rumor that I just heard today that when their new GM showed up at her office to introduce himself she said "Do you have an appointment?" The GM then told her who he was to which she supposedly replied "Nobody comes into my office without an appointment."

 

So while she might have come off as fine, fun and very personable on air, I've heard almost nothing but constant stories that she was this absolute horrid, diva-like pain in the ass off of the camera and to work with.

 

I think that it's a coincidence really that both women just happen to have an ethnic background, so I wouldn't call it discrimination by any means of all.

 

*fun little fact* though, the Better KC is actually KCTV5's old news set. When they "upgraded" it, they left it standing and took the set of the Kansas City Chief's Show, or whatever the hell it's called.

 

Yeah, I hear that. "Biting the hand that feeds you," no matter how new the hand may be, is a no-no in any business. I am surprised that the GM didn't fire Jones on the spot.

[Daybreak 270]

 

Yeah, I heard that Kelly Jones was absolutely horrid at the station, acting like a diva and all. Even from the very start when she was hired as their morning anchor people said that she sort of walked into the station and acted as if she owned the place or had been there for several years and thusly had some type of seniority right. There's even another rumor that I just heard today that when their new GM showed up at her office to introduce himself she said "Do you have an appointment?" The GM then told her who he was to which she supposedly replied "Nobody comes into my office without an appointment."

 

So while she might have come off as fine, fun and very personable on air, I've heard almost nothing but constant stories that she was this absolute horrid, diva-like pain in the ass off of the camera and to work with.

 

I think that it's a coincidence really that both women just happen to have an ethnic background, so I wouldn't call it discrimination by any means of all.

 

*fun little fact* though, the Better KC is actually KCTV5's old news set. When they "upgraded" it, they left it standing and took the set of the Kansas City Chief's Show, or whatever the hell it's called.

 

Well thanks because I rarely know the KCTV market but I just found it odd that both station fired people today.

[Nelson R. 561]

Can't help but wonder how long CBS can put up with the shenanigans at WGCL. You'd think WATL would have jumped at the chance to go with CBS in 1994 considering they were going to start news before they knew they were losing Fox. Guess CBS' lack of the NFL at the time was a factor in why 36 turned CBS down.

 

It would make sense for CBS to move over to WUPA since they do already own that station or at least a part of it.

[jero23 105]

 

Can't help but wonder how long CBS can put up with the shenanigans at WGCL. You'd think WATL would have jumped at the chance to go with CBS in 1994 considering they were going to start news before they knew they were losing Fox. Guess CBS' lack of the NFL at the time was a factor in why 36 turned CBS down.

 

It would make sense for CBS to move over to WUPA since they do already own that station or at least a part of it.

 

Oh no, I live here in Atlanta. CBS is the sole owner of WUPA. It sits in a small building right off I-85 in northern DeKalb County with a signage visible from the freeway. CBS/Viacom should have just bought out then-WGNX (WGCL) when Tribune was considering swapping it with Meredith for a handful of other properties. A WGNX/WUPA duopoly would have been a great fit for this market. That would put an end to idiocy that has bestowed upon that station since 2000.

[mike91 66]

I wonder if Turner wants to keep WPCH. It is their only OTA station and it isn't what it used to be when it was WTBS. If they sell, maybe CBS can pick it up and ditch the LMA with Meredith and start their own CBS affiliate if they want an o&o/are upset with WGCL enough.

[skbl17 188]

Actually, WGCL mocks the definition of "idiocy". Idiocy is such a nice way to put WGCL that it's almost a compliment.

 

What kind of top-10 market station has no sports department, yet still carries Falcons preseason games, no noon newscast, a joke of a news operation, frequent anchor lineup changes and frequent rebrandings? It's no wonder WGCL is, and has always been, dead last among all of Atlanta's English-language stations! What makes this even worse is that CBS News, despite most of their programs' ratings, are held in very high regard; it doesn't take a lot to see the extremely obvious disconnect in standards between CBS' national newscasts and WGCL's local newscasts.

 

Now, I know I'm hard on WGCL, but they have not given me anything to be happy about. Did you know that a week or so ago, WGCL interrupted the Tony Awards, making them the only CBS affiliate in the country to do so? It wasn't for "breaking news" either, it was just to start their joke of an 11pm newscast. No apology*, no acknowledgement, nothing.

 

In my opinion, WGCL is one of the worst run CBS affiliates in the country. If CBS was serious about the Atlanta market, they would completely buy WGCL or even WPCH (as mike91 said,) as either would give them an O&O in Atlanta. Combine that with WUPA and you have a duopoly that would actually be worth every penny spent.

 

* Actually, there was an "apology" at around noon the next day.

[Nelson R. 561]

They also reaired the part they didn't show on the 5 and 6:00 news. But still inexcusable. CBS needs to do something. I feel bad for you folks down there.

[channel2 886]

If Meredith were to sell their stations off, CBS would have a chance at picking up WGCL, combining it with WUPA, and turning them around.

 

But no, CBS is not moving to WUPA, because WGCL's the best they can get. You all know about the joke that is WWJ, WUPA would be in the same boat!

[skbl17 188]

 

If Meredith were to sell their stations off, CBS would have a chance at picking up WGCL, combining it with WUPA, and turning them around.

 

But no, CBS is not moving to WUPA, because WGCL's the best they can get. You all know about the joke that is WWJ, WUPA would be in the same boat!

 

Maybe CBS could pull the same thing that Nexstar pulled with WPTY (WATN). Oh how glorious that would be... :drool:

[jero23 105]

If CBS wanted to they could invest into a news product in their CBS-owned station(s). CBS's problem is they don't want to do that because aside from the original stock of O&O stations that hasn't been done in decades by the corporation. Interestingly enough, CBS sole reason for begging then WGNX to become the Atlanta CBS affiliate was because of its "46 News" product that had been around (at the time) at least 10 years old. Tribune was doing a decent job with then WGNX as a CBS affiliate although it wasn't superb. Nevertheless, it was WAY BETTER than the bulls**t that Meredith has done with the station since its ownership over the past 13 years. CBS should have intervened back in the mid 00s when cash was plentiful and just bought out WGCL outright from Meredith. Meredith doesn't know what to do with WGCL although it is their flagship station (I know right...).