Asa Aarons fired

[cbs2idiots 24]

According to TV Spy WNBC news director Dan Forman fired long time consumer reporter Asa Aarons on Friday. An email by Asa "just wanted you to know. I was let go from WNBC Friday. I was told with NBC 2.0 budget cuts there is no longer room for a full time consumer reporter. The parting was amicable".

 

http://tvspy.com/shoptalk.cfm?page=1#aarons

[nynewsjunkie 13]

They should trim the fat, not the meat.

[Colortini 76]

Let's see...where will he end up? FOX5 or CBS2? I'm gonna say CBS2 for some reason.

[jwertheim 1]

I agree, the path usually is WNBC to WCBS to WYNY.

[njlady 1]

His bio is gone from the WNBC website

[Harry Houdini 0]

Sometimes from Fox to CBS too.

[SuitSnob 19]

He should get one of those consumer reporters from a local news show to do a story on his firing.

[Vlad 334]

Very unfortunate. That is a shame. It was just the other day I was watching a great consumer report from him during New York Nightly News. Oh well, I guess we'll probably see him on WCBS or WNYW, or perhaps even another market.

[IceManNYR 240]

So they can't pay Asa but they have money for Cat Greenleaf and hee non news segments.

[NYNews 54]

It's real unfortunate. Greenleaf might cost less, and i guess they're playing the looks factor. I wonder who's going next? I guess the most stable station to work is now is WABC.

[Vlad 334]

It's real unfortunate. Greenleaf might cost less, and i guess they're playing the looks factor. I wonder who's going next? I guess the most stable station to work is now is WABC.

 

I thought the same as well, but they already have Tappy Philips though. But a second one couldn't hurt... Since Tappy is getting a bit old, no offense, lol.

[NYNews 54]

NY Daily News http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/2007/10/01/2007-10-01_asa_aarons_no_longer_airin_at_wnbc.html

 

"I had a ball at WNBC," [Asa] added. "It was a fantastic job for 14 years, going on 15 years - I wouldn't for a minute say, 'Damn them.'"

 

So from the article, we won't be seeing Asa on TV till next year (assuming he gets another TV gig, Asa said he'll also be taking the "Ask Asa" slogan with him), as the News reports that he still gets paid through May. Which i don't understand. Why do anchors/reporters get paid not to be on air? Why not let Asa just finish reporting till May?

 

Does the firing of Asa have any implications on the future of News 4 You? Asa played an integral part on that show. Does Roseanne Colletti replace Asa with the consumer reports?

 

I'm not liking NBC at the current moment. Their budget cuts has really ruined WNBC. From a solid 2nd to most likely by the end of November sweeps a solid 3rd. And another thing, does anyone know if any other NBC affiliates have had any success with the local "Nightly News" and "News 4 You" formats?

[TellyGenic 33]

Asa needs to call "Help Me Howard"

[Sam Horn 78]

Which i don't understand. Why do anchors/reporters get paid not to be on air? Why not let Asa just finish reporting till May?

 

Contracts usually have some sort of clause regarding dismissal. Aarons certainly isn't receiving full pay while being off air, saving NBC U money, but NBC U is still bound to honoring the remainder of the contract.

[NYNW 0]

Asa, A quality reporter. Who they really should have gotten ridden of is Lynda.

[cbs2idiots 24]

Asa, A quality reporter. Who they really should have gotten ridden of is Lynda.

 

and Perri.

[PunditWannabe 0]

^^

agree with that one. Asa was always good. Roseanne's consumer pieces (when she was doing them) always paled in comparison. Plus her pieces always looked like VNRs and b-roll to me.

[Colortini 76]

Asa, A quality reporter. Who they really should have gotten ridden of is Lynda.

 

and Perri.

 

agreed. if they want to really save money and keep the programming they have, why not put sue simmons on at 5:30? She has much more personality than Perri and I'm sure would help out the ratings, even if slightly for the 6pm newscast.

[NYNW 0]

I do agree that Perri isn't the best person for the job, but she does try hard. Last week, 3 out 5 days she had her own story, unlike Lynda, who gets time off, for company a paid trips to Puerto Rico to report on something pointless.

[cbs2idiots 24]

I am wondering how many NBC o&o stations still have their consumer reporters.

And health reporters, too.

 

NBC is going to kill itself with this kind of thing.

 

WNBC is digging themselves in such a hole it will take decades for them to recover. They should have learned from WCBS. My question is all these budget cuts how long can they sustain paying Sue Simmons millions of dollars for half hour show.