ESPN pay cuts?

Also, I’ll chime in here. Always wanted to make it to Bristol when I started out and never did. I was good at sports but never got above the Texas League in sports.

I, too, get the boot. Contract terminated this week but I have 10 months of getting paid / showing up to work until they tell me not to.

That’s a long stretch for me to pivot to something else. And I will.

Maybe the sports books. I may just go be a bartender on the beach. The irony, I know.

TV news seems to be falling apart as quickly as the Eastern Bloc in October 1989. Survived eight rounds of layoffs in the business. Finally rolled a 7.

Also, I’m doing okay. Really. Saved my money, built up retirement and my kids are all good.

 

Good luck. These things usually work out OK but there are often bumps on the road. I hope you avoid them.

I ahve a question about local television. My understanding of the current FCC rules are that in larger markets (like to top 50 or so) duopolies are legal but that the top four stations can not merge with one another. The top four stations are going to be the network affiliates and the only stations programming local news. But I believe that in smaller markets there are examples of companies owning two of the four network affiliates. Is this true? Could the affiliates show the same programming, like the late local news, on both channels and just run one newsroom.

I am asking because I saw from afar the consolidation of radio in local markets and wonder if more of these consolidations are coming in television?

 

They’ll keep coming as the ad revenue has dried up. For a long time, even the last-place newsrooms made money because their ads were at a different price point than the top dog. My previous market — our ads were $400 for a 6 pm :30. The dog in the market was $75. But we all had our clients — outside of the car dealers, different advertisers.

It’s shifted now because the audience left and never came back. NO ONE under 40 watches local TV news. Tough model to build on.

 

it is a wonderful thing to get paid while you're figuring out what in the blarney hell to do with the rest of your life.
many times I have assumed that exercise without the getting-paid part.

 

Good luck as you move on to the next opportunity, ex.

We had a couple layoffs in our shop and their last day was yesterday. June 30 is becoming almost as treacherous a time in the media business as Dec. 31. I guess it depends when the fiscal year ends.

Either way/time of year, layoffs suck. We let a couple of really talented and nice people go.

 

The bright side for me. This shop paid a crap-ton of money to me for two years. Got the college paid for with it. They paid me to move to a place I love.

I do hurt for my younger colleagues who don’t make a lot and just signed a lease and are on the hook for 4 or 5 months of rent at $2000.

 

Sorry to hear it. Have appreciated all the insight and know it’ll keep coming.

You’ll pivot well.

 

Honest question -- Who is Ryan Clark?

 

+1

 

I don't know the law or have an accurate answer. This sounds like what has happened in L.A. with KCBS (Ch. 2) and independent KCAL (Ch. 9). KCBS calls its local news KCAL news and the KCAL logo is in the corner. I think what they show on Ch. 9 at 10 p.m. is rebroadcast on Ch. 2 at 11 p.m.

 

Ryan Clark - A man as serious about the game as he is about fastening the top button on his shirt

Dan Orlovsky - Tape-grinding youth pastor who's all about faith, family, and formations