More Layoffs at WKBW

[Mark Giardina]

http://www.buffalonews.com/entertainment/television/article276049.ece

Who ever is left, please turn out the lights.

 

[DTV-Chief]

I also saw that Granite's KOFY in San Francisco laid off 20% of its Technical workforce. Aren't there Granite stations in Syracuse, Binghamton, Fort Wayne, and elsewhere??

 

[therealjm12]

There' s no one left at WTVH in Syracuse. Just an empty building on James St., up for sale.

 

[taylorjsdad]

There' s no one left at WTVH in Syracuse. Just an empty building on James St., up for sale.

True, WSTM operates it under an LMA/Joint Services Agreement. Granite operates one of Barrington Broadcasters stations (Barrington owns WSTM) somewhere in Illinois where both companies own stations in the same market. I think it is Quincy.

 

[Sammi Brie]

There' s no one left at WTVH in Syracuse. Just an empty building on James St., up for sale.

True, WSTM operates it under an LMA/Joint Services Agreement. Granite operates one of Barrington Broadcasters stations (Barrington owns WSTM) somewhere in Illinois where both companies own stations in the same market. I think it is Quincy.

Peoria (WHOI-19 run by WEEK-25).

 

[Bob1370]

The two Granite stations, WKBW-TV in Buffalo and WTVH in Syracuse, have one very important thing in common. Each of them, under prior owners (Capital Cities for WKBW, Meredith for WHEN-TV) had built up strong news departments with a deep bench backing up a popular principal anchor. In Buffalo, Irv Weinstein was backed up by Don Postles and Susan Banks. In Syracuse, while Ron Curtis was dominating the Nielsens, Rod Wood, an experienced TV anchor, was across the hall running WHEN Radio's round-the-clock news operation and ready to fill in if and when needed. But in each case, the bench was allowed to empty and under Granite's watch, it was bare in both markets when Weinstein retired in 1998 and Curtis in 2000. Postles went to WIVB ch. 4 and to the top in Buffalo...Wood to WSYR-TV 9 and market leadership in Syracuse. Moral of the story...the top anchors will sustain you for a long time but eventually will retire, and you'd better have a deep bench if you want to stay strong beyond that moment.

Notice how WHAM-TV in Rochester has worked hard to maintain the strong talent lineup backing up market-leading anchor Don Alhart? That station has changed hands several times, but each management team has clearly "gotten it" in a way that Granite never has...

 

[taylorjsdad]

The two Granite stations, WKBW-TV in Buffalo and WTVH in Syracuse, have one very important thing in common. Each of them, under prior owners (Capital Cities for WKBW, Meredith for WHEN-TV) had built up strong news departments with a deep bench backing up a popular principal anchor. In Buffalo, Irv Weinstein was backed up by Don Postles and Susan Banks. In Syracuse, while Ron Curtis was dominating the Nielsens, Rod Wood, an experienced TV anchor, was across the hall running WHEN Radio's round-the-clock news operation and ready to fill in if and when needed. But in each case, the bench was allowed to empty and under Granite's watch, it was bare in both markets when Weinstein retired in 1998 and Curtis in 2000. Postles went to WIVB ch. 4 and to the top in Buffalo...Wood to WSYR-TV 9 and market leadership in Syracuse. Moral of the story...the top anchors will sustain you for a long time but eventually will retire, and you'd better have a deep bench if you want to stay strong beyond that moment.

Notice how WHAM-TV in Rochester has worked hard to maintain the strong talent lineup backing up market-leading anchor Don Alhart? That station has changed hands several times, but each management team has clearly "gotten it" in a way that Granite never has...

Rod Wood has been at Channel 9 in Syracuse since the late 70's.... long before Granite owned WTVH.

 

[Bob1370]

"Rod Wood has been at Channel 9 in Syracuse since the late 70's.... long before Granite owned WTVH."

All true as far as it goes--but until Meredith was out the door there was still a strong lineup of reporters and personalities ready to back up Ron Curtis, who didn't leave for another 20 years. That overall lineup gradually drifted either out of town (Al Roker, who might well have gone home to NYC anyway) or to Channel 9 (Nancy Duffy, news director Andy Brigham, and others). A more aggressive effort to develop and hold talent would have left the station a lot stronger and better able to compete.

 

[therealjm12]

I always thought Bob Kirk was the heir to Ron Curtis's chair. But he was let go. I don't know if that was done under Meredith or Granite. Bob knew the market, was popular and a seasoned pro.

 

[Bob1370]

"I always thought Bob Kirk was the heir to Ron Curtis's chair. But he was let go."

True later on, he was a strong part of the WTVH bench while Meredith still owned the place, but wound up in Rochester after the Granite takeover imploded the place.