As CBS Cuts a Hundred Mill from its Budget, KPIX Staffers More Nervous Than Ever; Possible Targets include Bastida; Martin and Hackney Too; 415 Media Thursday Open

   AT ALL CBS PROPERTIES THERE ARE NERVOUS PEOPLE.

WHY?

Try this on for size.

Rumors have been rampant that not only will CBS cut over $100 Million but that the bulk of the cuts will hit its O an O stations, including its Bay Area outlet, KPIX.

Which is got PIX staffers flooding the region with resumes and well-known anchors and reporters in the twilight of their career looking at being forced out or offered buyouts that has become the norm in an industry where the bottom line, like others, is at the forefront.

I talked to a PIX staffer who was blunt:
"We're feeling it here, totally and it's been this way for the past few weeks; it's not a matter of if, it's a matter of who and when."

And who might be on the list?

*It's a longshot but not out of the question: Ken Bastida. Bastida is making close to $500K and although the face of the station, his Q rating has eroded; his performance is teetering and his newscast are no longer watchable. Bastida could be told to go and "retire" with a nice buyout, we'll see, but his leaving isn't such a longshot anymore.

*Allen Martin: another fairly high-paid anchor (but nowhere near Bastida) who doesn't move the meter nor make any waves while on the air. Martin gets about $300K annually and isn't considered anything even remotely valuable. A younger, cheaper, guy (or woman) from Fresno would be far more prudent if CBS had its way.

*Brian Hackney: Hackney has never been a favorite of mine but he still has fans. At nearly $300K a year the Bay Area TV News veteran is nearing middle age and might be too expensive for Black Rock accountants and again, like Bastida, I wouldn't be shocked if he was sent packing.

*We'll be monitoring as always.

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415 Media Exclusive: Nextstar Lowers The Boom On Two Veteran KRON Employees; Debra Chamber; Director of Finance For Almost 30 Years Gets Boot Plus Mailroom Clerk Who is Special Needs Individual

Today represents one of a future of depressing times at KRON-- its new bogeyman owner, Nexstar, showing its corporate kill with the dismissal of two, very different long-term employees whose last day is today, 415 Media has learned exclusively.

The first to get the heave-ho is the very high ranking and highly-compensated Debra Chambers.  Chambers is not a household name but she has been the one controlling the money for years at KRON as the Director of Finance and Administration.  She's been with the station for 27 years.  She was the one who crunched the numbers to see what a program needed to succeed and where to cut if needed. She was the power player.  She was also the HR lead and led union negotiations.  

The second is a sad reflection of the owners.  Scott Thorson is the mailroom clerk.  He's been with the station for over 20 years delivering the mail and getting supplies. The thing about Scott is that he is a special needs individual.  It has been said by Scott's parents that working at KRON changed him dramatically. Others stated it really altered his life. In a good way.  Having a daily job gave him a purpose and motivation. Says a friend: "Scott was the epitome of dependable-- always showing up right on time and wearing his KRON jacket proudly."

No more. 

On the face of it, these two employee casualties will not directly affect the daily goings-on at the perennial albatross KRON, but the ousters represent the course of future action by Nextstar which has already sent shivers up the spine of those folks mistakenly believing "all is OK." Nope.

These are not the last personnel moves --only the beginning.

*415 Media Exclusive

CBS Radio Planning Major Cuts; KCBS Local Station; Rumors Swirl That Radio Might Be Sold

 CBS Radio --according to my local eye ear is planning major layoffs and SF is on the list of the latest slash and dash.

Hello, KCBS.

How many people isn't known but the cuts will be across the board and include all stations in the division.

Even senior reporters, editors, anchors and producers will not be immune to pink slips.

Which will only further fuel the rumors that CBS is once again thinking about selling its radio stations to pay for its mounting debt in other departments.

Oh, Les Moonves doesn't really care for radio but he does like steak and lobster.

We'll be watching.



*Developing...



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Cumulus KGO December 2015

Ugly man, just ugly but not really unexpected. Newsroom in a state of flux.

Anyone really not seen this coming?

Checkmate.

BREAKING: KGO Radio Shuts Down Its South Bay Bureau; Veteran Reporters Jeannie Lynch And Jennifer Hodges Shown The Door

In Yet Another blow against its "All-News" hybrid, KGO Radio has shut down its South Bay/Silicon Valley Bureau in San Jose. In addition, KGO laid off veteran reporters Jeannie Lynch (pictured) and Jennifer Hodges. Lynch has been at KGO for  13 18 years and Hodges has reported in the bureau for  13 18years.


This information was told to me by a KGO source.


My other KGO sources told me earlier today that more layoffs are expected and that the newsroom was in "complete mental disarray" all day Friday.


We'll be monitoring the situation the rest of the day and keep you all informed of any further news.


*Rich Lieberman 415 Media Exclusive


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Breaking: Kevin 'The Rat' Radich OUT At KGO Radio; Veteran PM Drive Sports Anchor Gets Pink-Slipped

 KGO Radio and its corporate owner, Cumulus, fired Kevin The Rat, (Radich), longtime sports PM anchor/reporter Thursday.


He started at KGO in 2007 (he also had a long stint at KNBR)


Cumulus is in the business of trimming and leaning out selected tenured air talent at both KGO and KNBR so this won't be the last transaction.


KGO used its CNN generic feed and in-house PM-drive anchors for Thursday's sports reports. No word on a permanent replacement but my best guess is, for the time being and probably for the foreseeable future, don't expect some name sports anchor. Not in the budget.


By the way, Radich was escorted out of the KGO building by Cumulus personnel.


Classy.


*RL 415 Media


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Breaking: KGO Radio/Cumulus Layoffs; OUT: Peter Finch and Lisa Campbell; Source: "7-10 PM News All But a Goner Any Day'

 OUT:

Peter Finch and Lisa Campbell --both evening news anchors/reporters.

A KGO source told me that the idea that both are gone is a "strong indication" that the 7-10 PM "Evening News" is all but gone and that, as I've reported, a talk-show will replace that time.

Don't be surprised if it's a syndicated show, out of Cumulus, which would further make "live and local" a joke that it's become.

BELOW:

The official e-mail that was sent out by big suit, Jim Mahanay--

Good afternoon,

This note is to inform you that Lisa Campbell and Peter Finch are no longer with the station.

We thank them for their service and wish them well in their future endeavors.

Jim

Jim Mahanay

Corporate Programming Sports
Cumulus Media, Inc.
3280 Peachtree Rd NW
Suite 2300
Atlanta, Ga. 30305
Office:  404 260-6720
Cell:  404
e-Fax 404 260-

Operations Manager
Dickey Media, Inc.
Atlanta Braves Radio Network

Layoffs Coming To KPIX; Karnow Only The Beginning; 'Night Beat' In Trouble

 Behind the scenes at KPIX: Layoffs coming.

*CBS Corporate in NY talking about across-the-board layoffs at 855 Battery, including middle and lower-level staff.

*Reporters, a few anchors and producers on the list.

*Karnow , the first of many.

*Cutbacks in management--two senior EP's and a manager.

*"Night Beat" in trouble; could lose at least three key staffers and is designated for a complete overhaul.

*Developing...

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Breaking: Layoffs at KPIX; Update

 KPIX layoffs ...

I'm hearing from a source it just broke late Wednesday and there's several Pixers who received pink slips. Must be quite a scene at Hunan.

It's across the board too, apparently concentrated to mostly off-air personnel.

Nevertheless something major has gone down at 855 Battery. We're on it.

***Developing...

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UPDATE: 9/11 --10:01 AM

I'm hearing it's editors --tape/online video editors who received pink slips from KPIX on Wednesday.

I'll update if I hear anything else.

Breaking: Cumulus Layoffs at KGO Radio/KSFO; Fowkes and Rockwell Out; APD and Owens Producer Jared Hart Quits; Angst at 55 Hawthorne

 CUMULUS LOWERS THE BOOM ON KGO


Layoffs galore at the 55 Hawthorne Cluster housing KGO Radio which has seen a number of layoffs in the last few days and more coming as Cumulus cuts ties at its "all-news" outlet.

GONE:

*News and Traffic anchor/reporter, Dave Fowkes, (who also subbed at sister-station KSFO.

*Traffic anchor, Steve Rockwell.

*RONN OWENS/APD--KGO/KSFO PRODUCER QUITS:

Jared Hart, KGO's "Doogie Howser" producer for Ronn Owens and the Assistant PD at KGO and KSFO has left the station and has taken a new job. Good thing since it was widely rumored Hart was on his way out the door anyway.

Sources at the station expect a new round of layoffs--not if but when. Union reps were to meet later today and in the coming week.

*Developing...

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Layoffs at ABC O and O's; KGO-TV Nervous Staffers; Thursday Quick Start

ABC is owned by Disney and the Mickey Mouse Club is cutting the workforce nationwide --almost 200 people, in fact, many who work at the O' and O's, (owned and operated stations).

Among those stations included in the purge is at 900 Front, at KGO-TV near the Battery Media gulch.

"Of course we're nervous, but what are you going to do about it," say a longtime staffer who told me it's been especially hard in the newsroom where the dreaded pink-slip affair has been rumored for weeks.


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