Scripps cutting 300 jobs, joining list of companies to have layoffs

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Scripps cutting 300 jobs, joining list of companies to have layoffs

E.W. Scripps Co. will eliminate 300 jobs in the next 12 months as part of a national restructuring aimed at reducing annual expenses by $40 million.

www.wcpo.com

This time it's hitting the local TV Stations owned by scripps. We seen specific instances where cuts were reported at KGTV San Diego.

MarketInk: Job Cuts at KGTV 10News Include Familiar Anchors, Reporters

Viewers of KGTV-TV ABC 10News won’t be seeing some of their familiar anchors and reporters following layoffs initiated by E.W. Scripps Company, the San Diego television station’s owner.

timesofsandiego.com

According to sources familiar with the situation who spoke to Times of San Diego on condition of anonymity, KGTV-TV anchors-reporters who are gone include:

Veteran newsroom staffer Rachel Bianco, who joined the 10News team in May 2009
Nigerian native Wale Aliyu, an anchor since October 2022, who was teamed with longtime evening anchor Kimberly Hunt
Team 10 senior investigator Jim Avila, a newsman since 1973, a former senior White House correspondent during President Barack Obama’s second term and national correspondent for ABC News, who joined KGTV in November 2023;
Sports anchor Steve Smith, who has covered sports for 25 years and was known for telling stories about teams and athletes who have overcome the odds;
Lindsey Peña, who joined KGTV in April of 2017, and covered the Native American and LGBTQ+ communities;
Chula Vista native Vanessa Paz, a morning meteorologist and traffic anchor, who joined 10News in January 2020;
Reporter Madison Weil, who joined in May 2022 and reported on the homeless, refugee, Ukrainian and Palestine communities;
Weekend morning anchor and reporter Aaron Dickens, a member of the LGBTQ+ communities, according to his station bio.

 

[Mediafrog+]

This is pretty much going on at all television broadcast companies. TEGNA is being particularly aggressive, with a restructuring that will result in a small station staff consisting of a skeleton crew of one man band journalists (MMJs) while virtually everything else is hubbed/centralized and driven by AI. Expect anchorless newscasts to become the norm.

Much of this is understandable as viewership falls and revenue dries up. A lot of local TV newsrooms are going to disappear, much like the shakeout of local newspapers that began decades ago.

 

[davideduardo]

Much of this is understandable as viewership falls and revenue dries up. A lot of local TV newsrooms are going to disappear, much like the shakeout of local newspapers that began decades ago.

Not only has viewership declined, but the number of cable subscribers continues to erode. Many TV stations, particularly in medium and smaller markets, get as much as over half of their revenue from "must carry" fees from the cable companies. As cable declines, that means that much of those stations' revenue will similarly decline.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

This is pretty much going on at all television broadcast companies. TEGNA is being particularly aggressive, with a restructuring that will result in a small station staff consisting of a skeleton crew of one man band journalists (MMJs) while virtually everything else is hubbed/centralized and driven by AI. Expect anchorless newscasts to become the norm.

Much of this is understandable as viewership falls and revenue dries up. A lot of local TV newsrooms are going to disappear, much like the shakeout of local newspapers that began decades ago.

True too!

 

[newsmark]

The first article (300 layoffs planned over 12 months) is from 2023 and has already happened. To be sure: Scripps has had some layoffs this year, but the specific report of 300 was from a couple of years ago.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Scripps Hit by Layoffs at Local Stations as Media Cuts Continue

E.W. Scripps has started laying off employees at a number of its local TV stations this week, adding to a growing list of media jobs cut

www.thewrap.com

Here is the current status of EW Scripps cutting staff.

The layoffs at Scripps come a month after Tegna announced it would be cutting jobs and, at the end of 2024, both Nexstar and Gray Television announced layoffs as well; Scripps’ layoffs also follow the company’s decision to cut more than 200 jobs and wind down its national news programming in September; the national news network ended its over-the-air broadcasts in Nov., but remains on major streaming and connected TV platforms.

More details about the layoffs could be shared next week, when Scripps reports its fourth quarter earnings on March 11

 

[formerradio]

I predict that in the within the next 8 to 12 quarters the word duopoly will drop from favor in TV markets. It will be replaced with the word triopoly or quadropoly.

 

[radiofan2023]

I predict that in the within the next 8 to 12 quarters the word duopoly will drop from favor in TV markets. It will be replaced with the word triopoly or quadropoly.

Which markets do you think this will happen in first?

 

[formerradio]

Which markets do you think this will happen in first?

I think it will be across all markets. I won't guess as to exactly which will the first. But at this moment the FCC is looking to delete as many rules as possible. I'd put a big jelly doughnut up to a $5 bill that broadcasting lobbyists are beating the drums and saying that this must be done to reduce costs.

 

[Megatron]

Why does the Scripps CEO still has a job since Adam is running Scripps into the ground. I see Scripps being sold and getting out of the TV business.

 

[Syfy]

Not only has viewership declined, but the number of cable subscribers continues to erode. Many TV stations, particularly in medium and smaller markets, get as much as over half of their revenue from "must carry" fees from the cable companies. As cable declines, that means that much of those stations' revenue will similarly decline.

What I dont understand is many of scripps biggest channels as far as reach such as ion and court tv are available as free internet channels so why would carriers have to pay to have them as one of their channels on their cale network if they are free already. As well as the local news channels owned by scripps.

 

[crainbebo]

So how does that work, Mediafrog? Do we just get a jumble of live and pre-recorded report packages ... no anchors saying "Good evening everyone, I'm XXX...and I'm YYY"? No weatherman, just an AI robot doing it for us? They will be very sorry during the next tornado outbreak where 100+ people are dead because of lack of warning.
Local news ratings, "powered by AI," would go down to nothing. No viewers. No money. It would drive any viewers that are left away...especially the 65+ demographic. My mother relies on the local TV news as shootings, robberies, bad accidents, wildfires, etc. happen and she needs to know. She barely knows how to access a website, let alone scroll a Facebook feed.

 

[newsmark]

What I dont understand is many of scripps biggest channels as far as reach such as ion and court tv are available as free internet channels so why would carriers have to pay to have them as one of their channels on their cale network if they are free already. As well as the local news channels owned by scripps.

You could say that about any over-the-air channel. They're available free if you watch over-the-air.

But I don't believe ION actually charges subscriber fees. I dunno about Court TV.