KEZI: The Exodus ContinuesSubmitted by LynnS on Thu, 07/12/2007 - 8:59pm.
KEZI continues to hemorrhage personnel. This time it's sports director Joe Giansante, who's part of the Oregon Sports Network too. My source says Joe was well-liked in the community, and helped build a good reputation with the University of Oregon. So far KEZI has lost a director, a weekend meteorologist, a reporter, and the 6 pm producer since May. And there are rumors that employee raises are being limited as well. Good times. ( topics: KEZI-TV )
I bet there incoming pool of potential employers is low probably due to the fact that people are doing there research and learning that KEZI is not a good place to work at. He may operate out of KEZI's building, but OSN cuts his checks. Does this mean OSN didn't renew his contract, or is the operation moving somewhere else? He left on his terms. It had nothing to do with anyone being unhappy with his performance. It is simply the latest indicator of how bad things are. No one, not even a guy who had his dream job, is is able to work happily in that environment. And you'll you see this is true in the next few months when a few other things play out. My understanding is that he will still host coaches shows and be the play by play, and the parting was friendly, more of a restructuring than anything else. Plus Joe was never a KEZI employee, rather Chambers Communications. Joe's out, including the OSN which is really his bread and butter. I guess showing games on a public access channel in Portland isn't paying the bills. The company's become a huge drag on the family fortune. True, you can shift money from one account to the other or sell off something profitable in order to support a failed holding; However the Chambers are watching the dollars disappear down a drain. I think at this point KEZI is simply an old friend that's hard to give up on. The family isn't an outwardly warm and cuddly bunch but I don't think they're mean either. The real problem is that no amount of layoffs or accounting tricks can make revenues meet expenses. It's a really crummy spot to be in. Everyone's losing in this...not just employees (and ex-employees.) A source told me OSN brings in a million dollars per year to KEZI. If that's gone, I don't see how that station can even operate. Seriously. Anyone out there want to buy three overpriced news stations? Anyone? A source told me OSN brings in a million dollars per year to KEZI.
Is that gross or net? You can bring in all the money you want, but if it's all going back out the door again, maybe it isn't worth persuing. Well they did go on the cheap as Comcast is somehow paying OSN more money to broadcast games on the public access channel than the WB (now MyTV) channel 32 did. I guess winning is everything. Now what for OSN? Is it staying with Chambers, moving in-house, or heading somewhere else? OSN's contract with Chambers is over after this season. Let's see, Comcast already landed the Blazers...The word is they're going to try and land the Beavers and the Ducks too, which seems realistic at this point. What exactly is going wrong with KEZI these days? Being that I am not from Oregon (or even more specifically, Eugene), I don't have a clue about why the station is going downhill, apparently so quickly...is it the GM? Behind the scenes? Sorry, I have no idea even what OSN is, but I am very curious about this situation... I ask this because I am considering applying to work there in the future, and now this has made me a bit uneasy... Good source says Giansante will still serve as the play-by-play man for the Oregon Sports Network. He simply didn't see eye to eye with Scott Chambers anymore, so he left the building. He's no longer a Chambers/KEZI employee, so it will be interesting to hear how putting on the coaches shows, etc goes in the fall. Oh, to be a fly on the wall in there some weekends... Above poster: Just go read the thread about the KEZI staff meeting on the OMI message board. Then you'll know quite a bit about why KEZI is going down in glorious flames. ..and wondering why so many people are unhappy at KEZI News. Was the last news director really that bad? Or is it something else? I'm asking because I'm considering working there as well... ..and wondering why so many people are unhappy at KEZI News. Was the last news director really that bad? Or is it something else? I'm asking because I'm considering working there as well...
The short answer? Don't. ..and wondering why so many people are unhappy at KEZI News. Was the last news director really that bad? Or is it something else? I'm asking because I'm considering working there as well...
The short answer? Don't. I have to second that. You do not want to work there... period. Even with the old ND gone, it's still just as bad. Has the arrival of Mark Hatfield not helped at all? Wasn't he brought in to stop KEZI's hemmoraging? What's he like to work for? And why hasn't he hired a new news director yet? I thought the new N.D. was supposed to be announced weeks ago. Has the arrival of Mark Hatfield not helped at all? Wasn't he brought in to stop KEZI's hemmoraging? What's he like to work for? And why hasn't he hired a new news director yet? I thought the new N.D. was supposed to be announced weeks ago.
Probably because no one wants to work for that station with the pay they are offering. I heard it's laughable. 3 ND candidates have turned down offers. Pay is a joke, as is the station at this point. Word is out. Anyone who does any kind of research knows that KEZI is the last place you'd want to work right now. Hatfield is not the solution. He's nothing more than an extension of Scott Chambers, which means the situation will continue for the time being. There was a hastily-assembled meeting this afternoon, very few people in attendance, in which they announced a new ND will start in a couple of weeks. They said his name but I wasn't paying attention. I think they said he comes from Illinois. In response to people interested in working here...since ND Sean was let go, here are the top reasons I can think of why you might not want to work here. 1.) Coworkers drop like flies. Work here too long and you'll be "retired" -- for reasons unknown, they dislike longevity. (It's either ageism, or that compounding Christmas bonus.) Conditions are pretty Spartan, so a lot of people quit without even having a backup. It's hard to get attached to anyone when they might be gone next week, and it's hard to get a clean show out when the production staff is constantly in training and the whole station is understaffed. Why SHOULD you work at KEZI? Because you have nowhere to go but up. That's pithy...what I mean is, if you're starting out and nobody else will hire you, KEZI will at least expose you to the very worst of everything, thus preparing you for anything. Many KEZItes have gone on to success in better markets. Many have gone on to promising careers as Starbucks baristas, too -- like I said, not for the weak. But succeeding here HAS to look good on a resumé. Don't work at KEZI. I'm a big believer in kharma and don't want to say anything bad about Mark Hatfield, but if I didn't believe in kharma, I would say he's no better than Scott Chambers. I would also say that he's unethical, unreasonable and a really big douche bag. Several people in the newsroom are much better leaders than he is. In fact, they are FABULOUS, and he treats them like crap. Thank goodness for kharma. Boo-yah. I'm a big believer in kharma like crap.
I'm a big believer in spellcheckers. They works like magick! Work here too long and you'll be "retired" -- for reasons unknown, they dislike longevity. (It's either ageism, or that compounding Christmas bonus.)
What's that bonus up to these days? Last I remember it was about $15 for each year served not including the Albertson's gift cards. I can't tell you how happy I was when John Stewart lead the charge to bring "douche bag" back! It's such a funny slam. Most people don't even know what it means, only knowing it's some sort of feminine health product. Don't go discouraging a good trend that has been picking up steam now. Especially since it was so accurately used. Without outright swearing, it's one of the best descriptios of Hatfield and Chambers one could employ. And the previous posts are correct. If you absolutely can't get a job anywhere else, and you're really that hard up to start, then KEZI is fine. Say if you're coming out of college. At that point, who cares right? But if you're already in the industry, then stay away. Where ever you are, no matter how crappy you might think it is, this place is worse. ...especially when properly applied. I just don't think we need to go talking about local colleagues that ferociously. Don't be Paul Moyer! Get creative, man! ;) ----- Post new comment |
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or get fired?? Its been my understanding that this was his dream job, so things must be worse than I thought for Joe to walk.