Layoffs Hit KGO Mainstays Gregg Jarrett, Greg Edmonds

[BossRadioDJ]

According to the Chronicle's "Bottom Line" blog:

We're hearing that some on- and off-air talent at KGO Radio are being let go.

They are, we're told by an inside source: Anchor Gregg Jarrett, East Bay reporter Greg Edmonds, producer Harry Hall, internet producer David Rich; and Sue Ostrom, general manager Mickey Luckoff's secretary of 41 years.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/bottomline/detail?&entry_id=34549

 

[Stinkymess]

LAYOFFS? :-[ I would say being shown the door after the length of time these people have worked for the station is a little more serious than a layoff. Layoff implies your job will be there for you at some point down the road. This is, plain and simple, FIRED. It is what it is.

 

[Shoot From Hip]

"Layoff" simply suggests that the termination was not performance-related. "Fired" still has the stigma of there being reasons other than conditions beyond the control of the terminated employee...such as job performance or some kind of unacceptable conduct. Granted, long-term employees seeing their careers impacted and lives changed for things they had nothing to do with isn't something to be sugar-coated or glossed-over, but you don't want to unnecessarily tag those individuals with the inference they did something wrong.

 

[LKellerIII]

"Layoff" simply suggests that the termination was not performance-related. "Fired" still has the stigma of there being reasons other than conditions beyond the control of the terminated employee...such as job performance or some kind of unacceptable conduct. Granted, long-term employees seeing their careers impacted and lives changed for things they had nothing to do with isn't something to be sugar-coated or glossed-over, but you don't want to unnecessarily tag those individuals with the inference they did something wrong.

Right. At least where I work, "layoff" is what this action is called, "reduction in force" (RIF) would be the reason.

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO. I'm used to working in a business where seniority is considered, and people in positions tagged for elimination are given the choice to demote to a lower-level position held by somebody with less seniority, rather than lose their job entirely. Then the lower seniority person is laid off. Of course, radio (and media in general) is a messier world than the one I work in.

 

[DavidKaye]

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO.

Because people foolishly gave up their union representation! Unions exist for a reason: To prevent employers from exploiting them. Some years back, back when the economy looked strong, people thought they were invinceable. Broadcasters voted unions out. High tech people never did organize unions. And now what do you have? You have station board ops at various places working for $9.50 an hour. You have people doing major computer tech support making $15 an hour -- the kind of wages they paid office clerks 15-20 years ago!

 

[Shoot From Hip]

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO.

Because people foolishly gave up their union representation! Unions exist for a reason: To prevent employers from exploiting them. Some years back, back when the economy looked strong, people thought they were invinceable. Broadcasters voted unions out. High tech people never did organize unions. And now what do you have? You have station board ops at various places working for $9.50 an hour. You have people doing major computer tech support making $15 an hour -- the kind of wages they paid office clerks 15-20 years ago!

My sense is that it has more to do with hitting an arbitrary cost reduction number with the least amount of overall impact. How many board ops would you have to eliminate to cover the same savings as one of the people on this list? Or how many cub reporters would have to go to equal the savings of one senior person making many times over scale?

 

[DeadAudicy]

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO.

Because people foolishly gave up their union representation! Unions exist for a reason: To prevent employers from exploiting them. Some years back, back when the economy looked strong, people thought they were invinceable. Broadcasters voted unions out. High tech people never did organize unions. And now what do you have? You have station board ops at various places working for $9.50 an hour. You have people doing major computer tech support making $15 an hour -- the kind of wages they paid office clerks 15-20 years ago!

KGO is a union shop, and as such I'm pretty sure no on air employee can give up union representation.
Board ops are not represented by union, only on air voices.
Union has no power to get you a job, nor to keep you your job. However they can represent you legally if your job was taken from you contrarily to union policy.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

I have now heard a couple of times that June 12 is the expected Really Bad Day at KGO, when more cuts can be made without ... well, I'm not sure -- repercussions?

The way it was explained to me (but it obviously didn't sink in not too good or nothing) is that the agreement made between Citadel and ABC in regard to retaining X amount of employees expires that day, and Citadel can begin laying off/firing/excommunicating* people without, um, being bound by the agreement thing that they had.

I couldn't explain it worser if I tried.

_____

* -- As in "You were a communicator on KGO, and now you've been excommunicated."

 

[BossRadioDJ]

After reading my most previous post, I am reminded that I've heard that KGO might be adding an FM simulcast last October...

 

[flakunkel]

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO.

Because those who have been there the longest make the most money. This is all about cost-cutting.

 

[tripton99]

Really good people got cut at KGO this week. It would be very hard to find merit-less people to cut at that station. I have never seen so much quality in one place at one time than at KGO/KSFO in the 21st Century.
It's gonna happen everywhere in this market in the next few weeks and these past few years will someday be "the good old days."

 

[1069_KIFR]

So it looks like, if you have the name Greg or anything similar, it may be time to dust off and update the ole resume.

 

[RadioStarOne]

Why don't all these wonderfully talented people being fired all over the country throw in together and start a internet radio service? With all that talent it seems to be a slam dunk. Or better yet a new radio programming service. Coast to Coast AM could use the competition.

 

[BossRadioDJ]

Why don't all these wonderfully talented people being fired all over the country throw in together and start a internet radio service? With all that talent it seems to be a slam dunk. Or better yet a new radio programming service. Coast to Coast AM could use the competition.

...Because the start-up costs are immense, and there's lots of heavy lifting. If you don't have financial backing to begin with, and a huge amount of other resources (from equipment to industry contacts to a sales team to logistical support), it's tough to start from scratch.

Scott Shannon could do it with True Oldies (discussed elsewhere) because he had access on a nationwide basis to these resources.

Plus, the marketplace appears to be littered (and I don't mean that in a mean way) with programming from syndicators these days. There are thousands of stations, but it seems like there are hundreds upon hundreds of programs -- talk, music, features -- all trying to find an audience.

Unless you're one of the major players, it's not an easy task.

 

[weav]

One does wonder, though, why two long-time and respected employees were shown the door, rather than news staff with less time at KGO. I'm used to working in a business where seniority is considered, and people in positions tagged for elimination are given the choice to demote to a lower-level position held by somebody with less seniority, rather than lose their job entirely. Then the lower seniority person is laid off. Of course, radio (and media in general) is a messier world than the one I work in.

Two things I can think of bearing on that.

1. Most of the time the most senior people are pulling down the big bucks, and more savings are had giving THEM the boot. Also if they're nearing retirement age, a cold-blooded manglement can save on pensions that way

2. On the subject of retirement, sometimes manglement will offer an early-retirement deal to save in the long run. No data whether Citadel/KGO did it this way.

Also, in a similar vein, many if not most Citadel stations are cutting evening jocks left & right.

 

[Fornax]

1. Most of the time the most senior people are pulling down the big bucks, and more savings are had giving THEM the boot. Also if they're nearing retirement age, a cold-blooded manglement can save on pensions that way

Yes, the senior people make more money. But, there's no pension impact. Most are either covered by union pensions or, by nature of being long time staff, have already vested in a company pension program.

 

[RadioStarOne]

Thanks BossRadioDJ. But remember this "From Little Acorns Mighty Oaks Do Rise"! I know the quote isn't exactly right but what the heck! Tweedle Dee Who's He? We all don't know because he didn't try!

 

[davideduardo]

Also if they're nearing retirement age, a cold-blooded manglement can save on pensions that way

Unless part of a union contract, I don't know of any stations with a pension plan... radio was too small untill 1996 to generally do that sort of thing unless part of a bigger company, and few companies do anything now except a partial 401k match.

 

[MikeAmatori]

OK, Stop!

Just a few things you may want to know about KGO.

#1 The Talent is represented by AFTRA. The NEWS Producers By NABET. We also have 2 NABET engineers/operators. The Talk Producers are non union, and any new hire for the last 18 years or so
that run boards are non union.

#2 Sue Ostrom, who did work for 41 years, was offered an early retirement, and a buyout. It was her
choice. She started at KGO in 1967, She has a fully vested retirement from ABC. She was training her
replacement for the the last week.

#3 June 12th is when the Tax Implications drop away from the ABC/Citadel merger. It was part of the deal with Disney to get the deal done without masive capitol gains tax. It means that no assets
of the company could be sold by the New Owners till then. They can, and have been firing ABC employees since this thing came down in June of 07'. They just could not dispose of merger assets.
without screwing up the Tax Savings.

#4 Both Gregs were very good friends of mine. They were covered by the AFTRA Contracts severance provision, which is agreed to by the company and the Union. How Much, non of your business! Both Gregs had over 20 years of service in. They did not walkaway empty handed...But I'm sure they much rather would have had their jobs...

#5 Seniority, The company can chose among the Union Staff they want to keep. It was put in place and agreed to by the company, then Disney about 7 years ago. That is why the severance is very fair. The longer you've be there, the more it costs them. BUT they get to chose.

#6 Some folks like the talk hosts have Personal Service Contracts, Which give them more money,
more vacations etc. BUT the Boilerplate of those contracts (The work rules, fees etc) are based in the staff AFTRA agreement which covers most of the Staff. Burns, Ronn, Baxter, Rosie and most of the major players have PSC's.

#7 If you wanted to do syndicated programing on KGO, I would cost more than keeping it ALL LIVE.
because you would have to buyout exsisting contracts, Pay for the new programing with spot barter,
and lose spot avails you could only sell in live pgms. Not to mention the ratings drop which would more or less kill the place off. Domino Rippy you are just an idiot, or perhaps it was a childhood head injury.

#8 These are tough times for radio...Does anyone recall the entire staff of KFRC being dumped in early October? Mickey Luckoff is the best GM in Radio, I know because I work for him. He did not want to do this...he had to because he was ordered to. He answers to higher ups. We saw history
yesterday at KGO...the first layoff in the 37 years Mickey has been there. It was done with compassion and Class, the way Mickey and his staff do everything. Everyone got an individual meeting, a personel letter from Mickey, and although I don't know for sure, I'll bet an apology from
the managers who had to do it for this reason...
That sure as hell beats hearding everyone in to a conference and firing a staff on mass.

#9 Folks, you can guess all you want, you will probably guess wrong. This is over for now, but if it gets worse there will be more. As they say in the MOB...Nothing Personal, Just Business.

#10 I lost some work friends, It was sad. Not one of them did anything to deserve it. But it happened. Life goes on...Because it must.

 

[LKellerIII]

Excellent post, Production Boy. Also very informative. Thanks for checking in.