Massive layoffs at KTTV Fox 11 in Los Angeles
Kevin M.
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.
Many have been given a few months, but, come September, there will be
a skeleton crew at Fox 11. And since the helicopter staff is rumored
to be among those cut, it is doubtful they could even cover a car
chase anymore (or, hypothetically, circle above UCLA Medical Center
for hours and hours).
This is big, gang. The internet's encroachment on print media is old
news, but to see a station in the number two market in the nation
reduced to a smaller staff than the TV station I ran at my college...
this is a blow.
KCOP 13 tried to work with KTTV 11 to combine news staff a few years
ago, but ultimately KCOP dropped their newscast altogether. KCAL 9
borrows/steals from sister station KCBS 2 (as well as A LOT of CNN's
prepackaged news pieces). KNBC 4's senior anchor, Paul Moyer (the last
of the old guard), put in for retirement not too long ago. KTLA 5's
senior anchors have either passed away or retired, and, in the last
several years, they have relied heavily on newspapers and newspaper
reporters for their news. A few years ago there was a mass exodus over
at KABC 7... most flocking to KCBS. The whole city is in flux.
Not that it has been great, but TV journalism in Los Angeles is
rapidly going down the tubes.
http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2009/06/big_layoffs_at_kttv_fox_1.php
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Kevin M. (RPCV)