KERO (ABC 23) GENERAL MGR GIVEN WALKING PAPERS

[wolfdreamer]

Last Friday, Bakersfield's KERO-TV General Manager Steve McEvoy returned to the station for what he believed was a routine management meeting with the station's new owner Scripps, and was summarily terminated on the spot. He was sent packing complete with security escort and not even given any opportunity to say farewell to anyone. A brief mention of this event was posted in today's local newspaper:

"KERO SHAKEUP": (see second paragraph) http://www.bakersfield.com/news/col...d-a-blog-about-life-media-politics-and-people

Kind of unfortunate, but as KERO has been lagging in the ratings, combined with new ownership, it's clear that Scripps has different plans for this station...

 

[stewie]

Last Friday, Bakersfield's KERO-TV General Manager Steve McEvoy returned to the station for what he believed was a routine management meeting with the station's new owner Scripps, and was summarily terminated on the spot. He was sent packing complete with security escort and not even given any opportunity to say farewell to anyone. A brief mention of this event was posted in today's local newspaper:

"KERO SHAKEUP": (see second paragraph) http://www.bakersfield.com/news/col...d-a-blog-about-life-media-politics-and-people

Kind of unfortunate, but as KERO has been lagging in the ratings, combined with new ownership, it's clear that Scripps has different plans for this station...

I agree, management changes often lead to staffing changes but getting escorted out by security after 28 years at the station, that's rough.

 

[LKellerIII]

Last Friday, Bakersfield's KERO-TV General Manager Steve McEvoy returned to the station for what he believed was a routine management meeting with the station's new owner Scripps, and was summarily terminated on the spot. He was sent packing complete with security escort and not even given any opportunity to say farewell to anyone. A brief mention of this event was posted in today's local newspaper:

"KERO SHAKEUP": (see second paragraph) http://www.bakersfield.com/news/col...d-a-blog-about-life-media-politics-and-people

Kind of unfortunate, but as KERO has been lagging in the ratings, combined with new ownership, it's clear that Scripps has different plans for this station...

I agree, management changes often lead to staffing changes but getting escorted out by security after 28 years at the station, that's rough.

Firings in radio are equally as rough - I read these stories all the time. But it's also typical in many other industries. It sounds cruel, but there's a reason for it.

I work in a public sector agency where we have a lot of job security (certainly more than TV or radio), though we also suffer layoffs during economic downturns. If you're a good employee who is laid off, you usually have a couple of weeks before the actual layoff date, get a going away party of some kind, severance pay and continued benefits for awhile. Usually, you're told that you may get your job back when the economy improves - so the laid off employee has motivation to be well behaved.

But when somebody needs to be terminated suddenly for rules infractions or misconduct, an HR person or security guard stays with them at all times while they pack their belongings, then confiscates their combination photo ID and gate pass, and escorts them out of the building.

There's just too much at risk. It only takes a couple of minutes for a disgruntled person to delete vital computer folders and files, or email confidential files to his home email to use against the agency later.

 

[dhett]

Sudden dismissals are quite common in Information Technology, especially when the employee is contract, but it also happens to full-time employees. I've been involved in three such dismissals myself, twice as the person being dismissed, and once where I fired someone and walked her out.

Lkeller is completely accurate in describing why dismissals are done in such manner.