Ax to Swing at News 12
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It appears that the ax is about to drop on the News 12 operations in the northeast. News 12 is a cluster of local cable news outlets that cover news in NY, New Jersey and Connecticut.
FTVLive has obtained an internal memo that shows that News 12 will be combining operations and that people will be let go.
Here's the memo sent to the staff:
From: Patrick Dolan
Date: October 6, 2016 at 2:48:48 PM EDT
To: NEWS 12 - All Employees
Subject: Changes
News 12 has always been about good journalism, excellence and public service. It has always been a company where people who are serious about tv news can do great work together. And do it in a place that feels almost like family.
That will not change.
But the world around us is changing. I don’t have to tell you that the telecommunications and media industry is different than it was 20 years ago. The dynamics of the business are just not the same. And to stay healthy, we have to change too.
Bottom line: We have to evolve News 12 to a place that can not only deliver a terrific news product but can also function as a strong business.
To do that, we plan to re-organize our operations.
Beginning in the first quarter of next year, News 12 Westchester/Hudson Valley newscasts will be produced out of the News 12 Long Island studio location. News 12 Connecticut’s shows will be produced out of News 12 New Jersey’s facility. Both of these “hubs” will contain two complete and separate production studios and control rooms so that each channel can operate and deliver live news simultaneously. All four of the operations will continue to run independently and deliver about the same amount of local programming as they do today.
The re-org does not affect News 12 the Bronx/Brooklyn, which will continue to originate at its studio in the Bronx.
It’s important to note that newsgathering operations in Westchester, Hudson Valley and Connecticut will NOT move. The reporters, photographers, assignment editors and video editors will remain where they are in the communities they serve. That will allow us to maintain the quality hyper-local coverage that our viewers love and depend on us for. The Westchester/HV and Connecticut newsrooms will also be equipped to do live interviews with guest newsmakers when needed.
Another part of the plan creates two single-person “multi-media journalist” positions on Long Island and in New Jersey, Westchester and Connecticut. The MMJ’s will move around quickly each day to help us expand our coverage and increase story count. That in turn will allow our reporter-photog teams to tackle stories that have better visuals and/or require more in-depth treatment.
These steps will unfortunately result in some staff reductions. There will of course be severance and outplacement support. In addition, some jobs will be “moving” from Westchester and Connecticut to one of the hubs. Employees affected by this will be offered the opportunity to work at the new location. If someone declines that offer and a position opens up as a result, anyone is free to apply.
I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished over the years, and proud of the way we pull together every day to deliver a truly unique news service that makes a difference out there. Taking these steps will ultimately strengthen News 12 and assure our future.
