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WBZ-AM Employees must be worried

MRBIboredop said:
they must re-apply for their jobs.... this can't be good for them.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...-their-jobs/Q8ZIoWcVH5bEPSN1Yy1kvM/story.html
Click to expand...

I'm certainly no fan of iHeart, but, after filtering through all the noise on this and the other radio message board, I was just beginning, ever so slightly, to come to grips with what would/could/should happen to WBZ and to WRKO. But after seeing this, assuming it's not "fake news", my stomach is now in knots.

These debt-ridden ba$+ard$ don't even officially own the station yet, and, if many of us had our way, they never will! Way to go, iHeartLess!
 
nowradioguy said:
I'm certainly no fan of iHeart, but, after filtering through all the noise on this and the other radio message board, I was just beginning, ever so slightly, to come to grips with what would/could/should happen to WBZ and to WRKO. But after seeing this, assuming it's not "fake news", my stomach is now in knots.

These debt-ridden ba$+ard$ don't even officially own the station yet, and, if many of us had our way, they never will! Way to go, iHeartLess!
Click to expand...

For a company that is well know for layoffs during the holidays this is not shocking.

This appears to be a legal workaround that any staffing cuts wind up being CBS Radio's problem not iHeart's.

When they moved radio into the TV newsroom roughly 25 years ago most IBEW positions were phased out but there might be a couple of slots in engineering that are still union.
 
This is I Heart's way of not letting a union into their company

You can assume any Shop Stewards are going to be told their services are not required.
 
Don't mess up WBZ-AM, a station with an exceptional track record for decades and an important part of the Greater Boston community
 
MRBIboredop said:
they must re-apply for their jobs.... this can't be good for them.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...-their-jobs/Q8ZIoWcVH5bEPSN1Yy1kvM/story.html
Click to expand...

That happens in any industry - not just broadcasting. In 95 or 96 Shaw's Supermarket bought out several locations of Edward's Supermarket in Connecticut. All the Edward's employees had to reapply for their jobs if they wanted to work for Shaw's. The same in 2010 when ShopRite and Stop and Shop bought the remaining Shaw's locations in Connecticut. Also in 2010 BIG Y bought out the remaining A&P Supermarkets in Connecticut (and only converted 2 or 3 to BIG Y) they hired none of the A&P employees.
 
MRBIboredop said:
This is I Heart's way of not letting a union into their company

You can assume any Shop Stewards are going to be told their services are not required.
Click to expand...

Just FYI: iHeart has AFTRA union shops in NY, LA, Chicago, and most other big cities. Total Traffic is included to the AFTRA contract in those cities.

Unless Massachusetts has become a "right to work state," I expect they will keep the union. Not sure what the Boston contract stipulates in case of sale. Typically all contracts convey to the new owner.
 
The letter via a .pdf file sent to boston-radio-interest:

As you may know, iHeartMedia is acquiring certain assets of radio station WBZ-AM in
Boston from Entercom and CBS Radio. The transaction is expected to close in midNovember
following receipt of necessary government approvals.
In connection with the asset acquisition, iHeartMedia will interview and consider for
employment the on-air announcers and off-air production staff currently employed by
CBS at WBZ-AM and represented by SAG-AFTRA. Although iHeartMedia
management will be making a number of changes to integrate WBZ-AM into the iHeart
platform, it will have a number of positions to fill. Interested individuals who meet our
qualifications will be offered employment under iHeartMedia’s compensation and
benefits program. iHeartMedia will not be assuming the two collective bargaining
agreements between CBS Radio and SAG-AFTRA.
We fully expect and hope that those announcers and production staff offered employment
will choose to work for WBZ-AM as an iHeartMedia radio station. I will be in touch
with you as we move through this process to insure that the transition is as smooth as
possible, and as appropriate, begin negotiations for collective bargaining agreements.
In the meantime, if you have any questions please let me know.
Sincerely,
Stephen G. Taylor
 
So are none of the other CBS stations that were sold to iHeart union shops? Is WBZ-AM the only AFTRA station in the cluster? That seems strange. Are the other stations in a different location? It's possible the WBZ-AM employees are part of the TV agreement. That may be the issue.
 
What kind of talk line up is likely? Heavy syndication I would think. No live/local.
 
QED said:
What kind of talk line up is likely? Heavy syndication I would think. No live/local.
Click to expand...

Take a look at KFI in Los Angeles for a possible model. Although I really expect them to stay all-news in morning and afternoon drive, and keep the talk on WRKO.
 
inorm99 said:
How so? Who are your sources?
Click to expand...

People with a deep knowledge of the industry make predictions based on their experience. Those who don't have such a background just make guesses.
 
gr8oldies said:
Most of the syndication will likely go to WRKO. See not only KFI but WLW/WKRC.
Click to expand...

It's possible Limbaugh and Hannity will return to WRKO. It depends on how profitable the local hosts are. Using the KFI model, Limbaugh & Hannity aren't on that station, but the much weaker KEIB. It's all local talk on KFI, and it's one of the highest billing stations in LA. Same with WLW. No syndication, all local talk.

As far as syndication at WBZ, I'd expect them to add NBC News Radio to the top of the hour. iHeart syndicates NBC Radio News. Some heritage there, as WBZ was once an NBC affiliate.
 
DavidEduardo said:


People with a deep knowledge of the industry make predictions based on their experience. Those who don't have such a background just make guesses.
Click to expand...
I agree, David.
Most of the chatter that I'm seeing here are guesses. But how could someone with deep knowledge of the industry , come out with the statement, and I'm paraphrasing, a good
possible outcome would be a similar format to KFI?
 
TheBigA said:
As far as syndication at WBZ, I'd expect them to add NBC News Radio to the top of the hour. iHeart syndicates NBC Radio News. Some heritage there, as WBZ was once an NBC affiliate.
Click to expand...
You mean no more CBS Evening News (x2!)/60 Minutes simulcasts?!?
Iʼm absolutely DEVASTATED!!! :rolleyes:
 
inorm99 said:
But how could someone with deep knowledge of the industry , come out with the statement, and I'm paraphrasing, a good
possible outcome would be a similar format to KFI?
Click to expand...

The rest of my statement was "stay all-news in morning and afternoon drive." Taking a look at WBZ's ratings and financials, I see no reason to change much of anything. The fact is that CBS already made the big change by adding talk at night. Clearly iHeart has tough decisions to make with these two stations, and it will all come down to profits. In LA and Cincy, local talk was more profitable than syndication. It doesn't matter who we're talking about: Making money wins over saving money. If WBZ is making money, and from what I can see they are, then iHeart will mostly keep things the way they are.

Although, yes, they will replace the CBS traffic people with Total Traffic at earliest opportunity, and there will likely be some engineering and secretarial riffs. Plus, as I said earlier, they will replace ABC network news with NBC.
 
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