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Massive Layoffs @ KTTV/KCOP


noozeyeguy

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As many as 100 people today, across both bargaining units (NABET/IATSE). Mostly technical staff, field crew, and newsroom staff. No word yet on on-air talent being let go. Word is, the folks affected got 90 days' notice.

 

In the words of one insider... "Who's gone? It'd be easier to list who's left."

 

Coming on the heels of the start-up of the LA Local News Service... just a brutal one-two punch for the LA industry.

 

Wal-mart, here I come...

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This was posted to the mailing list to which I'm a member of.

 

I found the link that scratches the surface, but I've been

seeing word of this come crashing down among some of my Facebook

friends who still work in the industry. A station in a small market

like Little Rock/Pine Bluff now probably has a bigger news division

than KTTV.

 

Over 100 people just got the heave-ho, many of them after pulling

all-nighters to cover the death of Michael Jackson. They may even be

going back to one-man news teams, meaning on-air talent will be

responsible for his or her own camera, audio, editing, graphics, and

satellite link-up. Seriously, the station's entire graphics and chyron

departments have been eliminated, as well as a ton of editors, asst.

directors (read: segment producers), and even lowly production

assistants. Still trying to get hard numbers, but most if not all of

the sports division has been cut, which is fine during football

season, but LA has two basketball teams, two hockey teams, two

baseball teams, and a soccer team... and that's not even counting all

the college teams in the area.

At last count the number seems to have settled at 95. Approximately 25% of the NABET engineerining staff, a similar percentage of the NABET news staff (writers, producers, etc), three staff IATSE photographers (out of 22 staffers), and all freelancers. Everybody was given until September 10.

 

It's going to be interesting (to say the least) to see how exactly management plans to continue the news operations... just amongst field engineers, they laid off all but two of the live-truck operators; all the helicopter photogs; and all but one sat-truck operator.

 

Crazy.

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