All About Allen...

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 915]

37 minutes ago, Megatron81 said:

I thought that WFFT being in Fort Wayne news wouldn't be cut and isn't Fort Wayne bigger than Lafayette I don't get that move. 

I thought the same thing... 

[nathannah 2428]

WFFT is the ultimate example of a news operation only existing because of network mandates; if Nexstar doesn't acquire WANE and have to sell WFFT, WLNS would've long ago been centralcasting their news. It's not competitive with WANE or WPTA, the station is still run otherwise as if it's 1990 and Fox having sports is a pipe dream, and Allen has invested nothing into the news operation outside the time they did add newscasts; I'd argue they divested resources from the station as outside their news and Fox, it's pretty much Justice Central all day on a transmitter outside the Kelly and Mark slot because WPTA's Quincy dork age had them somehow cut the show and Nexstar wasn't going to cut the WANE advertorial show.

 

I'm shocked they didn't just go the 35 minute route with one newscast and continue to do 5pm/6pm shows. WLFI seems to be the odd one out only because they don't have any other affiliations outside The CW distracting them, and this just feels like a deck-shuffle move until the eventual Allen bankruptcy petition which asks Fox to waive their news-carriage requirements.

 

 

Edited December 3, 2024 by mrschimpf

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

Maybe Allen sees Lafayette as being a "cool" place to set up a hub, especially since Coastal runs the other stations in town that way.

 

I totally get WFFT being turned into a spoke.  Allen has done little to the station ever since it was spun off from Nexstar in favor of WANE.  It still even has the old Nexstar set and graphics package.

 

And lest we forget how Nexstar lost, then regained the Fox affiliation after they complained (of all companies) that Granite/Malara was too much for that market.

 

I don't see these as long-sustaining moves.  It's a way to stave off the inevitable bankruptcy or auction of Allen's assets.

[channel2 978]

1 hour ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Maybe Allen sees Lafayette as being a "cool" place to set up a hub, especially since Coastal runs the other stations in town that way.

 

Isn't West Lafayette also a place where they can scoop up lots of fresh-out-of-college kids to work at WLFI?

 

Heartland seems to have been run on the cheap even before Allen absorbed it...

[nathannah 2428]

It's the only reason before RTC they could really justify one television station in the market outside of Sarkes  Tarzian using it for experimental purposes.

Edited December 3, 2024 by mrschimpf

[TheRob 937]

It looks like the same thing happened in Wisconsin this week, with Madison providing select newscasts for La Crosse, Eau Claire and Wausau under the name "Wisconsin News Now."

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

17 hours ago, TheRob said:

It looks like the same thing happened in Wisconsin this week, with Madison providing select newscasts for La Crosse, Eau Claire and Wausau under the name "Wisconsin News Now."

Here's a Reddit thread on the Allen cuts:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadcasting/comments/1h6nia1/the_bloodbath_in_wisconsin/

 

[Howard Beale 57]

1 hour ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Here's a Reddit thread on the Allen cuts:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadcasting/comments/1h6nia1/the_bloodbath_in_wisconsin/

 

I'm quoting the post here in case it gets deleted.  Some people who've posted about TV news layoffs in that subreddit later deleted their posts.

 

Quote

The Wisconsin Allen Media stations were gutted this week, with even long-time anchors who gave decades of their lives to their communities, told they are no longer allowed in the station buildings.

 

Allen Media owns WKOW in Madison, WAOW in Wausau, WXOW in La Crosse, and WQOW in Eau Claire, all ABC stations. In April, staff cuts were made at all stations, including KO who lost about a quarter of their newsroom. Then this summer, Allen decided that all 4 stations only needed a single General Manager. 

 

Now, they are operating with local A blocks at AO/QO/XO, but the B block is out of Madison. Imagine you are watching the news as you always have, and when it comes back from commercial, you see different anchors at a different set. Meanwhile the local anchors just sit there and wait for the wrap. 

 

On top of this, weekend shows at AO/QO/XO have been eliminated, with KO's newscast airing on Saturday and Sunday evenings. 

 

The new format began on Monday. Tuesday morning, cuts began. Assignment editors, producers, DCMs, production, and even anchors getting the axe. Specifically at AO, XO, and QO, Allen let go of the legacy anchors who had decades of time logged behind the desk. People who were choosing not to retire because they loved what they do. People who should have been celebrated for a week leading up to their departure. Instead, the stations and their employees are not allowed to tell viewers why the anchors are suddenly gone. Those anchors who gave their lives to their stations had no idea Monday night was their last show ever. 

 

News Directors are now being told to produce multiple shows, do web, and assignments on top of all their other work. 

 

And Allen clearly is not investing in new technology or growing their audience: At one station, their web stream stopped working Tuesday. When alerted to this, someone who still has their job replied that the only person who knew how to fix it was let go. 

 

And who is there to complain to? The president, Princell, recently stepped down. Employees in Wisconsin don't even know who is running things right now, or what the future of this company will be.

 

[GoldenShine_10 96]

4 hours ago, Howard Beale said:

I'm quoting the post here in case it gets deleted.  Some people who've posted about TV news layoffs in that subreddit later deleted their posts.

 

 

 

Morgan Murphy (WISC and WKBT) is based in Wisconsin, correct? They could be the biggest poachers and might have the best opportunity here.

[GodfreyGR 652]

1 hour ago, GoldenShine_10 said:

Morgan Murphy (WISC and WKBT) is based in Wisconsin, correct?

Correct statement. Gray has NBC in all those markets except Wausau where they have CBS (Although we know they are pulling the same stuff as Allen)

NBC in Wausau is actually in Rhinelander and owned by Rockfleet... Not sure if they're in a position to pick anyone up in that market.

 

Edit- When the Chief Met is also the News Director, Rockfleet probably isn't in a position to be picking up any new talent. 

Edited December 5, 2024 by GodfreyGR
I did some quick research.

[tyrannical bastard 3948]

Paxton Media Group (WPSD) is openly courting ex-Allen employees.

 

https://mediajobcenter.com/job/attention-journalists-laid-allen-media-509943769?utm_source=www.jobiqo.com&utm_medium=jobwidget&utm_campaign=launch

 

You know it's bad when a rival company is ready and waiting to scoop up laid off employees.

[GoldenShine_10 96]

3 hours ago, tyrannical bastard said:

Paxton Media Group (WPSD) is openly courting ex-Allen employees.

 

https://mediajobcenter.com/job/attention-journalists-laid-allen-media-509943769?utm_source=www.jobiqo.com&utm_medium=jobwidget&utm_campaign=launch

 

You know it's bad when a rival company is ready and waiting to scoop up laid off employees.

 

They have one of the best cases to do it, since they are one of only a small number of truly locally-owned independents left in the nation. 

[TheRolyPoly 2410]

On 12/6/2024 at 9:35 AM, tyrannical bastard said:

Paxton Media Group (WPSD) is openly courting ex-Allen employees.

 

https://mediajobcenter.com/job/attention-journalists-laid-allen-media-509943769?utm_source=www.jobiqo.com&utm_medium=jobwidget&utm_campaign=launch

 

You know it's bad when a rival company is ready and waiting to scoop up laid off employees.

 

That's wonderful. I don't know why Gray (KFVS) has done the same thing, but maybe it's because they went through layoffs as well.

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 915]

Per FTVLive, WREX in Rockford, IL and possibly KIMT will be hubbed out of KWWL in Waterloo, IA.  This will be a big blow for the Rockford market.. Isn't WREX the powerhouse there??

 

[GoldenShine_10 96]

1 hour ago, MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie said:

Per FTVLive, WREX in Rockford, IL and possibly KIMT will be hubbed out of KWWL in Waterloo, IA.  This will be a big blow for the Rockford market.. Isn't WREX the powerhouse there??

 

 

I believe it was historically, although I think WIFR is the market leader now.

[TheRolyPoly 2410]

Allen should've never gotten into the local media business in the first place IMO.

[MichiganNewsGraphicsJunkie 915]

2 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

Allen should've never gotten into the local media business in the first place IMO.

He should've stayed producing those shows that you see at 2am on various channels

[ColtFromGulfcoast 708]

On 12/7/2024 at 5:41 PM, TheRolyPoly said:

 

That's wonderful. I don't know why Gray (KFVS) has done the same thing, but maybe it's because they went through layoffs as well.

Isn't Standard trying to expand KBSI's news operation locally in the Cape?

[TheRolyPoly 2410]

7 hours ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

Isn't Standard trying to expand KBSI's news operation locally in the Cape?

 

Not when it's news is produced by KLKN Lincoln.

[ColtFromGulfcoast 708]

10 hours ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Not when it's news is produced by KLKN Lincoln.

I thought Holly Brantley was based in Cape Girardeau? She's the anchor of the show. I guess they didn't move it to Cape Girardeau.

[TheRolyPoly 2410]

1 hour ago, ColtFromGulfcoast said:

I thought Holly Brantley was based in Cape Girardeau? She's the anchor of the show. I guess they didn't move it to Cape Girardeau.

 

Maybe she is local but everything else is from Lincoln. Houston Hall, one of "KBSI's" Meteorologists, actually does weekends at KLKN Lincoln. Rusty Dawkins is the Chief for KBSI's news but is mainly the Chief at KLKN Lincoln.

 

They probably have her and all their reporters at KBSI but the rest has to be from KLKN.

[ColtFromGulfcoast 708]

1 hour ago, TheRolyPoly said:

 

Maybe she is local but everything else is from Lincoln. Houston Hall, one of "KBSI's" Meteorologists, actually does weekends at KLKN Lincoln. Rusty Dawkins is the Chief for KBSI's news but is mainly the Chief at KLKN Lincoln.

 

They probably have her and all their reporters at KBSI but the rest has to be from KLKN.

Maybe they could take the opportunity to move everything to Missouri.  

[newsn8te 200]

Similar to Wisconsin, KEZI and KDRV now have combined newscasts under the brand of Oregon News Now. 
 

 

[C Block 1566]

1 hour ago, newsn8te said:

Similar to Wisconsin, KEZI and KDRV now have combined newscasts under the brand of Oregon News Now. 
 

 

 

I see some chatter online that this is only for certain newscasts (11am and 4pm, plus maybe mornings?) and that KEZI and KDRV still have separate newscasts at 5 and 6pm.

 

Just please don't tell me what's-his-name is also the news director of the combined operation.

Edited December 24, 2024 by C Block

[norcalTVfan 14]

17 hours ago, C Block said:

 

I see some chatter online that this is only for certain newscasts (11am and 4pm, plus maybe mornings?) and that KEZI and KDRV still have separate newscasts at 5 and 6pm.

 

Just please don't tell me what's-his-name is also the news director of the combined operation.

I just watched via NewsOn and it appears just 11a and 4p are shared. The Medford station still has morning (5a/6a) and evening newscasts (5p/6p/11p). So it’s not as bad as it could be yet.