Who is the weekend news anchor on 13-WHAM TV?

[newscool]

The reason I asked is because for the last couple of weekends, I would turn, and there is a young black dude on Saturdays, and on Sundays, Rachel Barnhart does it. Is this the format 13 is using? If so, you would think the #1 rated newcast in Rochester would have more stability than that. Also, while I am on the topic of that station, there seems to be a bit of turnover there. I haven't watched their newscast in a while, so I turned and I see new faces. Are they turning into channel 8?

 

[Mark Giardina]

The reason I asked is because for the last couple of weekends, I would turn, and there is a young black dude on Saturdays, and on Sundays, Rachel Barnhart does it. Is this the format 13 is using? If so, you would think the #1 rated newcast in Rochester would have more stability than that. Also, while I am on the topic of that station, there seems to be a bit of turnover there. I haven't watched their newscast in a while, so I turned and I see new faces. Are they turning into channel 8?

I can't help you when it comes to why 13 is playing musical chairs with their weekend anchors. Perhaps those two people you mentioned work certain days where one might work a Saturday and another a Sunday.

13 is going through what most stations across the country experience; people moving on to either larger markets, or getting out of the business entirely. It's just that for a very long time there hasn't been that type of that personnel movement at 13, which might explain why it appears they are going through changes.

10 has also hired a number of new people in the past few years as well.

 

[BobRoss]

The uncertainty about the future of 13's ownership could also be a factor. Many unanswered questions about what's happening with the Clear Channel TV sale, and what Providence, or Newport, or whoever they are, will do if and when they finally take over. Or if they back out, CC could also make drastic cuts in the hopes of attracting a new buyer.

When you're not sure about the future of your current employer, it becomes more tempting to start looking around for exit strategies, and get out while the going's good... even for folks who originally thought they might like to settle down and stay for awhile.

What would you do? Stay in a city you like and keep your fingers crossed that things work out? Or take the "sure thing" deal by moving to a bigger market where your job future is more certain?

 

[Mark Giardina]

The uncertainty about the future of 13's ownership could also be a factor. Many unanswered questions about what's happening with the Clear Channel TV sale, and what Providence, or Newport, or whoever they are, will do if and when they finally take over. Or if they back out, CC could also make drastic cuts in the hopes of attracting a new buyer.

When you're not sure about the future of your current employer, it becomes more tempting to start looking around for exit strategies, and get out while the going's good... even for folks who originally thought they might like to settle down and stay for awhile.

What would you do? Stay in a city you like and keep your fingers crossed that things work out? Or take the "sure thing" deal by moving to a bigger market where your job future is more certain?

I think you hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. If I were in a situation where I was younger, unattached, and uncertain if my current job would be around in a few years, I would certainly entertain the option of finding another position in a more secure environment.

Yet let us remember that job security is an oxymoron in broadcasting. I've known people who have left the Rochester market only to regret their decision later.

One would hate to see 13 lose some of their veteran staff, but nothing is certain. Even if 13 continues to generate the ratings and revenue it currently does, that doesn't mean a new owner might not come in and bring along bean counters in order to improve the bottom-line.

 

[BobRoss]

One would hate to see 13 lose some of their veteran staff, but nothing is certain. Even if 13 continues to generate the ratings and revenue it currently does, that doesn't mean a new owner might not come in and bring along bean counters in order to improve the bottom-line.

Exactly. Nine times out of ten, a new owner will be smart enough to realize, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. And that's especially wise when you're running an operation where some stations (like WHAM and WSYR) do extremely well, and their profit is helping to subsidize meager performance at lackluster properties (like WWTI and WIVT).

But every now and then, you get an owner that's too obsessed with the numbers. They see a big salary like a Don Alhart or a Rod Wood, and they assume cutting those jobs equals pure profit in the amount of those salaries. That may be true in the immediate short term. But what the corporate accountants (who probably know nothing about broadcasting) can't predict on their spreadsheets, is how an anchor's unceremonious departure eventually leads to upset viewers who stop watching... and lower ratings mean lower revenue, which usually leads to more and more job cuts.

Time will tell what kind of owner Providence Equity Partners will be, if they do follow through.

 

[Mark Giardina]

But every now and then, you get an owner that's too obsessed with the numbers. They see a big salary like a Don Alhart or a Rod Wood, and they assume cutting those jobs equals pure profit in the amount of those salaries. That may be true in the immediate short term. But what the corporate accountants (who probably know nothing about broadcasting) can't predict on their spreadsheets, is how an anchor's unceremonious departure eventually leads to upset viewers who stop watching... and lower ratings mean lower revenue, which usually leads to more and more job cuts.

Time will tell what kind of owner Providence Equity Partners will be, if they do follow through.

I can tell you this for a fact. If new owners come in and get rid of Alhart before he wants to leave, 13 will lose audience faster than water flushing down a toilet. Plus the Brother Wease situation would pale in comparison to the bad publicity 13 would get from the viewing public and media coverage.

 

[rochachawatch]

The reason I asked is because for the last couple of weekends, I would turn, and there is a young black dude on Saturdays, and on Sundays, Rachel Barnhart does it. Is this the format 13 is using? If so, you would think the #1 rated newcast in Rochester would have more stability than that. Also, while I am on the topic of that station, there seems to be a bit of turnover there. I haven't watched their newscast in a while, so I turned and I see new faces. Are they turning into channel 8?

The situations at 13 and 8 are very different. 8 has/is experiencing turnover among its top-tier talent (ex Barnhart, McKinley, Levine, etc). 13 is experiencing turnover among its second-tier talent (ex Trisha Cruz, Kristen Miranda & Kyle Clark).

Here's another way of thinking about it. Does Ch 8 miss Barnhart, McKinley and Levine? You better believe they do. Does Ch 13 miss Cruz, Miranda and Clark? Not a chance. Management probably didn't try to keep them on-board when they headed for the door.

Apples and oranges.

 

[newscool]

The reason I asked is because for the last couple of weekends, I would turn, and there is a young black dude on Saturdays, and on Sundays, Rachel Barnhart does it. Is this the format 13 is using? If so, you would think the #1 rated newcast in Rochester would have more stability than that. Also, while I am on the topic of that station, there seems to be a bit of turnover there. I haven't watched their newscast in a while, so I turned and I see new faces. Are they turning into channel 8?

The situations at 13 and 8 are very different. 8 has/is experiencing turnover among its top-tier talent (ex Barnhart, McKinley, Levine, etc). 13 is experiencing turnover among its second-tier talent (ex Trisha Cruz, Kristen Miranda & Kyle Clark).

Here's another way of thinking about it. Does Ch 8 miss Barnhart, McKinley and Levine? You better believe they do. Does Ch 13 miss Cruz, Miranda and Clark? Not a chance. Management probably didn't try to keep them on-board when they headed for the door.

Apples and oranges.

Yeah, you make a lot of sense. That's like saying a top notch pro-football team let their bench guys go sign elsewhere and can still win the superbowl. As long as 13 is still #1, and the key heads are in place, I don't think they have anything to worry about.