Fisher CommunicationsSubmitted by exradio on Sat, 09/06/2008 - 11:44am.
Thank god I don't work in TV anymore. I have heard through a friend that Fisher is contemplating the sale of everything except Portland & Seattle. Are there any lay-offs at those properties ? You would think they would sell the ones that are not making any $$$$$. I can't imagine that Eugene/Roseburg/Coos Bay are not making any money. Anyone have the rumors OR facts to confirm ?? ( topics: KATU-TV )
I hear things are tanking at KVAL. Rumor has it, it's going to be a meltdown in infrastructure that makes KEZI and KMTR look like Eden. Disgruntled anchors, and diva reporters are constantly smack talking and stewing about the "idiots" they have working in management. I also hear there is daily newsroom bickering, and fights between multiple persons who think they are the one in charge. In short, it's a newsroom out of control. And don't even get me started on what I have heard and seen, straight from the mouth of Tim Chuey. In short, another Eugene station is going into the cellar. R.I.P. TV news in Eugene. Time to subscribe to the Guard. KMTR is king and queen for Diva anchors. The worst. Since they have no reporters now, can't call them Divas. But anchors definately. Management just clueless still and pampers the anchors like children. When I worked with Matt and Renee in Spokane they were great to work with back then. Did moving to a smaller market make them divas? Strange?? Matt and Renee are the nicest anchors I've personally ever worked with. They are hard working and are anything but "divas" KMTR is so understaffed it's ridiculous but Matt, Renee and the rest of the anchors at KMTR march on without complaints. KVAL needs to trim some fat. They've been working with an overstaff for decades. What is it that you think makes the anchors at KMTR such major Divas? Are they demanding when it comes to stories? Sometimes, that’s how you stay competitive when you have half the staff of everyone else. Do they get bitchy when the “other guys” scoop a story? I should hope so, isn’t that part of the game? Do some make quite a bit more than others? Probably, but the last time I checked that’s good contract negotiating, not being a Diva. From what I’ve seen every anchor at the station reports. They may not all one-man-band, but shouldn’t you get to enjoy at least some of the perks of not being a newbie? Tim Chuey is the absolute worst person to learn about KVAL from. He has aliented himself from virtually every other newsroom employee. When he talks (and talks and talks and talks and talks) the rest of us run. Tim's opinions about KVAL simply cannot be based on anything but his own battles with managers over seemingly trivial things. For example, he refuses to do live shots. Yeah. It's true. I have worked in very bad newsroom environments and I can tell you that KVAL isn't among them. And, if a KVAL news anchor is a prima donna I'd like to know which one it is. If anything the anchors could use a little more of the edginess & drive you typically see in newsroom leaders. Worse may be coming---that's always possible. But right now I'd say three layoffs in a fairly large small market organization doesn't amount to much of a shake up. Newsroom bickering? People who don't like each other?! More than one person dishing out orders?! I don't know, sounds like any old newsroom to me. :) But, if you haven't already gotten the memo Eugene as a market is already in the pit of dispair. Look at TV Jobs just to get an idea. In four years, Eugene went from 1, 2+ years experience with KEZI and KVAL vying for the top spot, photographers who had an artistic touch, and a news product with much higher level to it to what it is now. In my opinion, it's a green market now. Everyone is just dipping their hands into TV news for the first time, and rumor has it, is not really enjoying it. I read Fisher is going to run Better (as in Meredith/KPTV Better) in one of their markets.... Also from meredith's website, fox 12 is looking a weather producer and weekend weather person/reporter. I work there and have pretty good relationships with folks in the know. Haven't heard a thing about layoffs, cutbacks, increased prices at candy machine, etc. If anything's afoot they're doing a great job of hiding it. Haven't even heard a rumor... well then, you must not work in either the news or production departments because at least 3 people have been layed off...one from production, one from promotions, and one from news. rumor has it there are positions being cut back to part time from full, and positions not even being filled once evacuated. In the host of bad decisions made by Fisher in the 1990s, the purchase of the smaller market Retlaw stations is the gift that keeps on giving (or taking). You can't sell all the Fisher properties because no one wants the old Retlaws; you can't sell just the Retlaws to one buyer for the same reason. All the big cash comes from Seattle and Portland. Someone musta noticed - but it's too late now. The Fisher station in Boise, KBCI, fired their master control operators last month and runs automated via Seattle except for local news. The staff is told more cuts are coming. The full time GM was repalced with one who covers several stations. That's terrible news about KBCI. Boise TV is already looking to loose jobs with KNIN folding into the Journal Broadcast Group. I hope my hometown KIDK is coming out okay. They are hiring for a news director. Mr. Miller finally is retiring... after LaVon. The journalism quality there really has gone downhill since I worked there. And the Fourth Person (or position) is the engineer who did computer programming and database management for operations, creative services, and traffic. He got a job at the University of Oregon, and and went to part-time. Now his position is gone as well. Side note: A popular local fishing website is reporting that Grant McOmie has been hired on by KGW. http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=214287 I work in the KVAL newsroom and it's a great place to be. This is my 4th news station and it has the best morale by far of those I've worked in. I'm an anchor/reporter/producer/editor/writer and everyone else also wears several hats. There's not much time for diva behavior, which is probably why I haven't noticed any. The layoffs are tough and that's why we all need to work hard to keep a good attitude and...our jobs. Denae There's no room for positivity in here, Denae. Move along. KVAL sucks! Blahhhh blllllahhhh blaaaaahhh! Respect? Please. Somebody has a crush. Try e-Harmony, Robert. Or at least go buy a sense of humor. signed, the punk Looking at Fisher's profile, they have dumped all their small market radio, EXCEPT a cluster in Arbitron market #315, Great Falls. IMHO, they are next to go. I heard KVAL laid off their long time Assignment Editor on Thursday. And so it begins. KVAL has a lot of problems but so does everyother station. It sounds like people are happier there than they have been in years by getting rid of a nasty news director-executive producer combo of temper tantrum throwing screamers. KVAL has always made a lot more money than the other Eugene stations so the quality was always better. Now it seems the reporters, producers and some photographers are straight out of school like the other stations instead of having a couple years under their belts. The quality had dropped in the last couple years. As far as diva attitude anchors I don't think that is true but you'll never hear anyone of them stand up to management because they know they are being paid well for doing very little work. Now the former 11pm female anchor was a little bit of a diva but more lazy than anything else. Not sure about the new anchors though. Post new comment |
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Rumor I heard is that KVAL in Eugene is feeling the heat. Not sure about it, but possible layoffs?