KCBS Cuts Anchors Jeff Michael, Sharon Tay & Weatherman Garth Kemp

[CalItalian2 163]

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-05-27/kcbs-anchors-jeff-michael-garth-kemp-sharon-tay-layoffs

And Stu Mundel splits for Fox 11 KTTV.

[ED2 144]

Pat Harvey is anchoring solo on CBS 2 News at 11 (on the CBSN LA set). She anchored KCAL 9 News at 9 earlier in the evening. 

[CalItalian2 163]

KCBS is a mess. This will only make them even less of a factor in Los Angeles news. Their app, for one, is the worst there is. Everytime I get a push notification of a story, and this has been going on for years & I've posted it in this forum many times, it NEVER takes me to the story. Today I got a push notification for the new, improved CBS Los Angeles app and nothing changed.  Not even an update from the Play Store.

 

As for Jeff Michael, a solid journalist who knew Los Angeles inside and out and earned his position during the L.A. fires while at KCBS but is boring as hell. This is a show biz market and he doesn't fit being the top anchor. Sharon Tay, a good reporter but always comes across bitchy. And Garth Kemp was supposed to retire when he left KABC. He gets that wish now. 

[24994J 5420]

This all is already being discussed here. No need for a new thread for every station that makes some moves this week.

 

 

[bogusabc7breakingnews 51]

They kept Jeff Vaughn over Jeff Michael, WTH?!

[Amra 132]

Jeff Michael is suing KCBS for breach of contract. https://deadline.com/2020/08/jeff-michael-sues-cbs-breach-of-contract-health-discrimination-1203026501/

 

Quote

Michael was hired as a morning news anchor at $260,000 a year, with an increase to $275,000 in the third and final year of the contract.

According to the lawsuit, the contract said if Michael were to be reassigned from the morning to the evening newscasts, he could renegotiate. Michael was moved to evenings in October 2018, but no renegotiation followed.

When Michael approached general manager Steve Mauldin in January 2019 about the renegotiation, he allegedly was told to wait until after sweeps were completed. But Mauldin later announced he would be leaving the station and thus had no authority to renegotiate.

The stress of the situation saw Michael making an emergency visit to Huntington Hospital in April 2019 because of heart problems. He stayed there overnight for observation.

After that incident, new general manager Jay Howell refused a new agreement, according to the suit. It claimed Howell refused because of the Michael health problem.

 

The lawsuit can be read here: https://pmcdeadline2.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/20bbcv00523-wm.pdf

[MorningNews 1347]

I’m no lawyer but that seems like he’s got more than a fair case to sue for breach of agreement.

[Amra 132]

5 hours ago, MorningNews said:

I’m no lawyer but that seems like he’s got more than a fair case to sue for breach of agreement.

I read his contract and it seems he seems to have a very solid case. Hopefully he will be awarded the damages and compensation he needs. Kind of a dick move from Mauldin not to renegotiate his contract. It should've been done as soon as he was promoted to the PM Newscasts.