Oregon Media Insiders

Any traffic folks who got laid off, drop me a line. I may have a job lead for you.

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

...just went completely blank. Coincidence?

I'll never forget when I was laidoff from KOIN in 1987 with about a dozen other good people.

The guy who laid me off, named Savage, ended up being fired for groping the gals on company time. Oops!

I laughed when HE was shown the door a few months later, but it still sucked.

Until Shirley got bagged, rightfully so, and suddenly, the sun came out again.

I've been laid off before. It's such a sad feeling. I definitely sympathize with those who've gotten the axe.

24 axed at KSNW:

"As part of our agreement with SJL they provided us a list of employees they'd like to retain," Emmis spokeswoman Kate Snedeker says. "Per the agreement they initiated that, and we agreed to administer that news to employees."

SJL President and CEO George Lilly deferred comment about the cuts to Emmis.

"I can't help you with that," he says. "You'd have to go through Emmis."

Snedeker says some of the positions that are being eliminated include on-air employees, though she declined to name them.

GM Shawn Oswald had already announced he was leaving as soon as the sale was complete.
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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator

My sympathies to the folks at KOIN. You guys have been through hell and back, and the torching continues. Don't really know the right thing to say without sounding trite, but hopefully this can be one of those blessings in disguise. For those left behind, hang in there.

The latest projected number of layoffs for KHON is 41. That's a little more than what the SJL guy told us last week! Some stations in this market only have 40 people on their news staff!

Sjl is coming in and ruining a station that has been number one for more than 20 years. Taking a big part of history and throwing it away.Regardless of what they say, they don't care about people, it's about making money.

It's ilegal what they are doing, firing the heart and soul of a station and leaving them bone dry just so they can make money and sell us in a couple of years. Dark alleys are a bad place for people like this. And there are a few dark alleys here in Hawaii.

I guess they also fired their webmaster too.

The KOIN site is deader than Lincoln as of 4pm PST.

look at it this way. Between the 3 month "bonus" and the severance package Emmis is paying for, some folks there are getting 5,6,7, maybe even close to 8 months of pay to not work there any more. And if someone laid-off finds a job sooner than later, it's just found money in their pocket I suppose. I know if I was there and survived the layoff, I couldn't afford to stay with the monthly increase in benefits (about a $5,000 annual paycut)...for some it's even higher I'm told. Plus, would you want to keep working for a company that apparently believes layoffs and automation will beat KGW? All hail automation.

I must say that KOIN was fun to work at back in the day of Mike, Shirley, Sonny, Chuck, Richard, MJ, Dale, Art, Harold, Ken, John, Ollie, Williams and Scott on the desk.

The scariest thing to me about this story is the fact that a new production technology reportedly allows one person to do the job of eight at KOIN.

Eight? Is that true?

If it is, it's a story in itself. At least for a trade.

I love coming to work and being greeted by two large thuggish bouncers dressed in suits, enforcing the security at KOIN as the axe is swinging. Nothing says SJL class more as one is being escorted out the door! Shame on you low-lifes at SJL, or whatever you are calling the business now.

I bet my friends that are left at KOIN are excited to hear more about the restructuring strategies, or lack there of a plan - good luck with that one Jim M.

So this life after TV thing? Is it true?

Christine Miles appears to be one on-air person laid off.

And they were so very classy about how they broke the news to her: they called her on the phone on vacation and told her she had no job to return to.

Interesting that Emmis is doing the layoffs BEFORE the sale.

Why isn't SJL handling the axe when clearly they're the budget slashers?

Plus we hear that there'll be more layoffs here. This is just the first round. Guess they'll have folks install the automation equipment that's going to eliminate their own jobs, then can them too.

You'll be missed around here Christine! You're a classy gal!
And to all the behind the scenes folks whose names most folks don't know, we're mourning you too.

I don't know her, but found this online:

PORTLAND, ORE., May 13, 2004 - American Red Cross Pacific Northwest Regional Blood Services will honor KOIN TV as "Media Partner of the Year" during the organization's Annual Board Meeting on June 22, at the Rose Garden Arena in the Rose Room.

-snip-

KOIN's Christine Miles and the rest of the news crew have also been a critical link to the community during times of great need or Red Alerts. In particular, during January's snow and ice storm when many area residents were stranded at home, KOIN TV helped update the community on the urgent need for blood donors around the clock.

After the initial shock of leaving KOIN (and broadcasting) just before Lee sold to Emmis in 2000, I figured out that Hunter S. Thompson was correct whe he said "The TV business is a shallow money trench; a long plastic hallway where pimps and thieves run free and good men die like dogs."

This may look like the darkest day of you life, but believe me, leaving KOIN is a good thing. My only regret is not leaving sooner.

What has this business come to? Glad I don't have too many years left. My thoughts are with everyone still at KOIN and those that got the boot. Good Luck. --Ex KOINER from the days of Ted, Craig, Dr John, Mike, Tauna, Don, Denny, Fee-Lloyd, Ray, Harold, The Fem-casters, Koz, Telecopter 6, Elliott, Wayne, Roger, Rex, and too many others to mention.

The O's story reads like a press release. It's not even accurate.

How about doing some REAL reporting guys? Follow the lead of the Honolulu paper.

Not accurate in which way?

Well, for one, the layoffs are effective immediately.
Makes me think the layoffs were a condition of the sale.

It has now been a cumulative 8 hours since the notice went up regarding technical difficulties. So SJL, since you guys said it was not the webmaster but a hacker... What are you doing to resolve the problem?

I run several different Internet providers and a hacker would take down a whole site, not just the ability to update it. Plus our asses would be grass if we waited this long to resolve something that would effect something essential to our customers.

Put up your template already like what Altoona has and get it going. And who brings in a GM from Altoona anyway? I've heard of working up, but from a market that barely makes a blip on the Nielsen radar to operating the 23rd highest rated market in the country??? That's like sending me to a farm where I immediately know how to operate milking equipment.

Who are the photographers laid off??

What a very sad day for all my friends at 6. I'm sure Ted Bryant is weilding his halo into a weapon.

And shame, shame, shame on all you Altoona people. You come to our 'Great Pacific Northwest', eat our Salmon, drink our home brews, snack on our Hazelnuts (Filberts to you east coasters), but haven't learned what is takes to be a true Oregonain; compassion and conscience. Here let me define it for you. Conscience; The awareness of a moral or ethical aspect to one's conduct together with the urge to prefer right over wrong.

First of all it is wrong to fire an Emmy award winning reporter, journalist and volunteer in the community...over the phone.

Second, it is wrong to sprinkle in tenured employees, with 20 years or more of dedicated service, in your layoffs. We all see the ruse in your age discrimation vendetta.

You certainly have the right to make money. And I'm sure within 24 months the California and Altoona people (I still don't know where this place is) will flip KOIN and pocket yet more money on the backs of those who truly made KOIN. (That's the ethical part)

So here is to the KOIN staffers who are leaving with their integrity and true Oregon values intact. Here is to the unions that will soon hold the Altoona people reponsible for decent health care and working conditions. And finally....here is to Ted Bryant, who I know is whispering your names in the ear of the almighty.

Bruce Collins, Che Lowenstein, Sean Estes and Eric Patterson

All good photogs that will be better off getting out now.

Good luck everybody....

You'll be missed!

Eric Patterson, Sean Estes, Bruce Collins, Che Lowenstein-- who, by the way, was also informed over the phone while on vacation.

That Honolulu paper has a write-up about the layoffs affecting the Wichita/Portland
stations and mentions this site.

Check it out here: KHON sister TV stations face layoffs

Photographers:
Che Lowenstein
Sean Estes
Bruce Collins
Eric Patterson (Wahhh? Best photogapher in the state! Way to go SJL!)

Editor:
Michael ?

Production:
Greg St. Martin
Craig Foltz
Gerri Lutes

Sales/Accounting:
Nichole ?
Emily ?
Michelle Hollan
Stephanie Wright

Graphic Department:
Ellen Wood
Allison ?

Reporter:
Christine Miles

News Department:
Aaron Beckman
John Bell
Rod Smith

Engineering:
Ralph Gould

I believe the webmaster really is on vacation and not fired, and is the only one that can fix the web problems.

The last KHON meeting (under Emmis control is 1/25). We will know then who is the 1st to go.

I believe Wenesdays meeting will be a mop up meeting. I think the cuts will come Monday or Tuesday.

Add Marcia Chaney (producer) and Mike Henry (promotions) to the list.
There's your 21 layoffs.
If you were on vacation this week, chances are you were laid off. It's easy to
kick someone to the curb if they aren't in the building yet.
If you had pissed off the evil twins (Teresa and Rick) sometime in the past,
chances are you were on the short list as well, though they lied through their
teeth and said they had no say in the matter of who was chosen. Liars!
Yeah, like Jim McWhatever had even the slightest clue who was an
employee at KOIN. What an absolutely disgusting hachet job by "the management".
Have fun at the helm of a sinking ship and try not to get wet you two....you make
me want to throw up.

bill cortez, chief photog was also let go.

I love how Teresa at KOIN walked around all day with a grin in her chin, she loves this business, and she LOVES screwing people in the ass. I love how she had to make sure everyone was aware that "she was not responsible" for these layoffs, yeah right Teresa! You are a foolish foolish uneducated winch and your day will come, the sun will shine that day.

KOIN is the biggest station in the biggest market that SJL has owned.
The financial backers, Blackstone, are into maximizing profits on their investments. The sales force will be boosted. The productivity of the news department will be boosted as well. Technology will replace people wherever possible. That makes the people who survive valuable, because by definition they are difficult to replace.
Max Headroom can't come out of a computer and do the anchor and reporting jobs...yet.
But, as talent contracts come up for renewal, you can bet that SJL will be hard negotiators, and try to balance the potential loss of ratings with the money they can save by forcing folks to take less money.
If one computer can do the job of eight people, SJL might just be able to squeeze every last dollar they can out of the place, or make it so lean and mean that it becomes an attractive property for another potential buyer down the road. Either way, they win.
The bottom line is that everyone who actually makes it through this carnage will be no more than a commodity. Careers, loyalty, family and the American way have no place here. The scary thing is, perhaps this is the new American way.

Actually... Bill Cortez was not let go.

"Stricly rumor... but worth checking... is report that couple of KATU photogs may retire within months."

That was started before Rausch got booted out. Nobody liked him or could stand him. Now that he is gone, the potential retirees may be rethinking.

Remember 3 years ago 50+ people were let go in the Meredith perging of Portland news - including Teresa's husbanc I believe. And most of those who had the "honor" of staying in tv got a nice fat pay cut. A note to those who were let go, almost all of the people let go by Meredith are now better off and happier.
Prediction time: KOIN (with staff reductions) will now out crime, out meth and out sex offend(er) Fox by May book - it's cheap and easy news you can do with little staff.

If you want to brave the rough waters at KATU, there may be a couple of photog positions coming available within the next month. Also, Lynn, you may be happy to know this blog is a source of stress for our acting news director, Roberta Altstadt. In a meeting on Thursday, she mentioned that we should not post on the media blogs because it will make KATU look bad.

Move to a later thread, please, this one's getting too long.

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Lynn Siprelle * Former Innie * OMI Coordinator