NewsNet shut down

[AndyD]

Seeing online that NewsNet in Cadillac is shut down. Anyone have any more information? How many people did they actually employ?

[kager]

Seeing online that NewsNet in Cadillac is shut down. Anyone have any more information? How many people did they actually employ?

Haven't seen that yet. Website is still up, though seemingly under reduced functionality in some areas.

The Team page is here (for a rough headcount - 'til it's not?): https://michigan.newsnetmedia.com/meet-the-team

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NewsNet

[T’Variuness King]

NewsNet ceased operations at 10:00am today. This affected everyone in Cadillac and Farmington Hills.

[MWmetalhead]

Whoa!! I didn't see that coming. They just hired a bunch of people. That sucks.

Their flagship station, WHNE-CD channel 3 in Detroit, is now showing ShopHQ on 3.1 (previously NewsNet). 3.2 is showing a tourism infomercial for the state of Wisconsin (previously Sports News Highlights).

Edit:
Are you sure about it shutting down??? I'm watching a live feed on their website as we speak. The air talent is sitting in the same studio as usual, and the time bug on the screen is correct. Headlines appear current, too.

https://www.newsnetmedia.com/

[mtburb]

Of all the things that were happening in 2024, I did not expect this to be one of them. Hoping everyone affected is able to find new jobs.

[T’Variuness King]

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/media-mar ... r-bhargava

[km1125]

Funny. I was flipping channels earlier and saw the shopping thing on 3.1. Thought something was screwed up in their PSIP tables and was going to ask on here if anyone else was seeing that problem.

I guess everyone was!

[moldyoldie]

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/media-mar ... r-bhargava

Is it possible to cut & paste the article? It's behind a paywall.

[kager]

Terrible to have the rug pulled out from under you like that. The Crains article (paywall removed) stated 80 total lost their jobs... Sounds like the owner bought the network for all the wrong reasons...

Maybe Brewvine & Ten will welcome one or more of them (back)? They always seem to have openings...

[SBaxley]

One of the Stations that used NEWSnet & SportsNewsHeadlines was WBUP [ABC10/CW5] for their weather and sports segments, now with NN & SNH ceasing ops, Will they :
A) have Potilla add weather and sports to her duties
B) go the way of their sister station [WBKB] and join UpNorth Live
C) go into a contract with Gray's WLUC for the weather and sports inserts

[MWmetalhead]

I never knew Bhargava bought or constructed so many class A / low power stations across the country simply to give his news and sports headline networks OTA carriage.

Nearly 150 stations?!?! That's just nuts.

[moldyoldie]

I never knew Bhargava bought or constructed so many class A / low power stations across the country simply to give his news and sports headline networks OTA carriage.

Nearly 150 stations?!?! That's just nuts.

Sounds like a classic case of "Go big or go home". I'm wondering if young Mr. Wotila's remaining 5-10% stake is worth a plug nickel at this point. (Sorry, he's not so young anymore, but I still picture him as that young kid behind an anchor desk )

[MWmetalhead]

150 stations, many in large cities, yet their FB page had fewer than 5,000 likes.

I have a feeling their audience was very small and very old.

[SBaxley]

Could the original owner of NN/SNH buy it back, move it back to Cadiiac and somehow revive it as "MI26" , or is that just a pipe dream ?

[ftballfan]

One of the Stations that used NEWSnet & SportsNewsHeadlines was WBUP [ABC10/CW5] for their weather and sports segments, now with NN & SNH ceasing ops, Will they :
A) have Potilla add weather and sports to her duties
B) go the way of their sister station [WBKB] and join UpNorth Live
C) go into a contract with Gray's WLUC for the weather and sports inserts

Morgan Murphy is in the process of acquiring Channel 3 in Escanaba/Marquette and I'll wonder if they'll use some of the news resources that station currently uses