NBC25 and FOX 66 changes

[notebookandapen]

Sinclair layoffs and cutbacks at 25/66 are awful for employees and viewers. I think they're doing a good job. But I'm confused by the current situation over there. Who's in and who's out?

[KeenerGold]

I think the question is, who's left?

Dave Bondy
Stella Daskalakis
Mike Woolfolk
Courtney Bennett
Erik K.
That's about it.

[sinklair]

A few more behind the scenes, but yes, so many good people were let go.

Former anchor Bill Harris was helping out produce newscasts for the last couple of months and was let go. He and his daughter in law Hannah (who is married to Chris, a corporate engineer) were there volunteering and were let go. Absolutely classless. If I were Chris Harris, I’d start looking for another company that’s not going to treat his family like sh*t.

[sinklair]

Another ominous sign of changes to come. Dave Bondy tonight posted on the Mid-Michigan Now Facebook page that he would no longer be posting on it. He says people should follow him on his fan page. He says he is just focusing on his talent page moving forward.

I think it’s a sign of things to come… either he’s leaving or he too will soon be laid off/fired.

Dave is the Digital Content Manager for 25-66. His job is to literally grow the stations’ branded social media pages. GM Becky and News Director Karin can’t be OK with this…

[Deleted User 15555]

Sucks for the stations Facebook page. All the good patriots that will stop engaging with it in favor of Daves Truth Social newsletter.

[jmeltonwx]

If I were the suits at NBC and FOX, I'd be calling up the folks at WNEM and WJRT at this rate.

[Soundchaser]

A few more behind the scenes, but yes, so many good people were let go.

Former anchor Bill Harris was helping out produce newscasts for the last couple of months and was let go. He and his daughter in law Hannah (who is married to Chris, a corporate engineer) were there volunteering and were let go. Absolutely classless. If I were Chris Harris, I’d start looking for another company that’s not going to treat his family like sh*t.

Stink.
When you volunteer you are working without compensation.
These 2 were freelancing and knew the gig was temporary.
Nothing to see here.
But of course, Stink makes it seem like some sort of sinister corporate plot.
As far as the other person mentioned.
Again, nothing to see here.
He can write his own ticket to just about any tech job, anywhere.
He'll be fine.
Quit trying to make something out of nothing.

[Soundchaser]

GM Becky and News Director Karin can’t be OK with this…

Stink.
You really have no clue.

[organman95]

If I were the suits at NBC and FOX, I'd be calling up the folks at WNEM and WJRT at this rate.

And it is a possibility that might already be going on.

[Soundchaser]

If I were the suits at NBC and FOX, I'd be calling up the folks at WNEM and WJRT at this rate.

And it is a possibility that might already be going on.

Why? 25, 66 and 46 knock down a lot of money regardless
of news. The bottom line is profits, and 25, 66 & 46 deliver consistently.

[sinklair]

Soundchaser: douth protest way too much…

No one believes your corporate apologies. Let’s just leave it at that.

Managers at 25-66-46 are already jumping ship.

The initial outreach by the new Corporate Death Star appointed GM — WWMT’s Fred “Lurch” Corbus — went over like an anchor on the Titantic.

And let’s be clear… it’s not all about profits. FCC licenses require stations to work in the public interest. Laying off local broadcasters and reducing newscasts (including eliminating news in mornings and weekends) can be argued are contrary to their FCC mandate and in violation of the NBC affiliation agreement.

Putting on a poorly produced biased national newscast does not serve the local community. It is a sad state of affairs that Sinclair is going to do what even cheap *ss Barrington Briadcadting wouldn’t have done.

It’s time for the FCC to put its foot down and demand Sinclair either invest in its local TV stations… or give up it’s licenses (including its joke of sidecar license holders Chesapeake and Howard Stirk). Maybe that will finally get their attention.

It’s not even like 25-66 weren’t making money. They absolutely were. Just not enough by owner David “I like Prostitutes” Smith and CEO Chris “The Ripper”.

Sinclair has to be one of the absolutely worst run companies.

[sinklair]

And let’s not delude ourselves that a WWMT remotely run 25-66-46 will be better. It won’t.

WWMT has been without a news director since November. No one wants to work there. (The GM is the main reason they had so many people turn down the position.)

Karin will get the promotion out of desperation. But with her lack of success at WNEM and WEYI, even Corbus can’t be excited about the prospect of an underperforming News Director who now has to oversee multiple underperforming stations.

Big hair, even bigger ego Karin won’t last a year… if she agrees to the move.

[sinklair]

Soundchaser: “25, 66 and 46 knock down a lot of money regardless of news. The bottom line is profits, and 25, 66 & 46 deliver consistently.”

For somebody who “claims” to know stuff, he clearly is showing how much he clearly doesn’t understand.

While 25-66 is profitable, the station group is consistently in the lower 25 quadrant of all Sinclair stations when it comes to profitability. It’s been that way since Chad, the former GM/egomaniac, ran the station.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/b ... story.html

Cody, the Director of Declining Sales, along with his digital side piece, are frequently outmaneuvered by 12 and 5 in sales and sponsorships. The “Marketing Director” hasn’t had a new sponsorship or outreach idea in years to increase revenue. They are part of the problem, along with a long history of News Directors who couldn’t figure out how to win newscast ratings. Coupled with corporate micromanagers — they are the gang who pissed away every opportunity to grow the station.

[sinklair]

With the layoffs occurring at 25-66, here’s the “quality” of journalism you should now expect:

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/ ... s-sinclair

So — in the most PR deaf move ever — Sinclair announces it will support charitable donations of employees:

https://www.ftvlive.com/sqsp-test/2023/ ... nd-all-but

You’re laying off staff, cancelling who newscast dayparts, won’t give pay raises, but this is what you come up with. Really?

[Soundchaser]

Soundchaser: douth protest way too much…


And let’s be clear… it’s not all about profits. FCC licenses require stations to work in the public interest. Laying off local broadcasters and reducing newscasts (including eliminating news in mornings and weekends) can be argued are contrary to their FCC mandate and in violation of the NBC affiliation agreement.

Putting on a poorly produced biased national newscast does not serve the local community. It is a sad state of affairs that Sinclair is going to do what even cheap *ss Barrington Briadcadting wouldn’t have done.


I don't think there is a chance in hell 25 or 66 would lose their affiliation. I'm sure the lawyers have looked it over.

That's like saying 12 will lose their ABC affiliation because they slaughter every local break in prime time, or cover up ABC progamming with local spots.

Not going to happen.