leach 0 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Everytime I read about where some TV ( or even radio ) station is laying off people, sometimes I wonder if any of this is really necessary? Yes I can see that "bad ratings equals layoffs" thing but some of these stories about such layoffs, I wonder if its a case of "keeping up with the Jones Family". In other words, if station "A" is laying off people, then station "B" across town does the same too even if they don't really have to in the first place. I have seen this done in radio. Some of these layoffs I really question such as Denver's KCNC CBS 4. A few months back they had a mass layoff therebut YET KCNC had no problem paying a new anchor big bucks to come to Denver, days after those layoffs. Where were the savings? Now I know many of these big companies say they are in a "hiring freeze" and this "company wide cost cutting" thing, even that sometimes doesn't make sense to me either. Example..For years I heard that Buffalo's WKBW-TV is having money woes, pay cuts, layoffs and such YET just last year I saw an ad on Craigslist.com for WKBW-TV saying that "all positions are open". Even though I have no interest in WKBW, out of curiosty I responded to that ad and got a reply from WKBW ( I checked out the email address to make sure this wasn't a joke..hey it has happened before to my old radio station) and the email said they were indeed hiring..and this is from a station "in trouble"??? Same thing with CBS and Clear Channel, heck despite their "hiring freezes", I still hear ads on the air recently that say "..start your career with Clear Channel". Something doesn't seem right about that. EOE? Maybe...but this applies to ALL businesses not just broadcasting. Say if a factory is laying off people, they don't for the most part recruit for resumes and applications. Contracts...this "no compete" clause I hear about such as the link I read about WAVY's Les Smith. I don't know about Virginia, but I am pretty sure in a few other states this is illegal. Most radio/TV stations today can't even give references for their past and present employees, I can't see how this is enforced either. If I were an anchor who signed such a thing and decide to quit and take a job for another station across town and i am to start that same week, if employment in my state is "at will", what can my "old" station do to me? Sue? How is that possible? Any judge would bring up this "at will" rule, and the case would be thrown out. Besides what if I were fired or demoted at my station? I just don't see how these things would hold any weight. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/3935-the-business-side-of-televisionlayoffscontracts-and-so-forth/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que 73 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 When companies hire new employees, the don't always get the benefits or salary the previous employees received. These "new hires" could have drastic cuts in benefits and pay. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/3935-the-business-side-of-televisionlayoffscontracts-and-so-forth/#findComment-35924 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrfRptr 3 Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Layoffs aren't always to save money or cut costs but sometimes to free up money for other projects (i.e. digital/HD conversion, new satellite truck, etc). I agree, sometimes the business is monkey-see-monkey do, but don't forget, the media business is no different than the local factory or steel plant. Link to comment https://localnewstalk.net/topic/3935-the-business-side-of-televisionlayoffscontracts-and-so-forth/#findComment-35926 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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