CRANSTON – WJAR-TV NBC 10 today announced it will trim another 12 staff members, including News Director Betty-Jo Cugini and Chief Meteorologist Gary Ley, as the station and its parent company struggle to cope with declining advertising revenue.
“We very much regret having to take this step,” Lisa G. Churchville, president and general manager of WJAR, said in a statement.
Besides Cugini, a WJAR vice president and 22-year station veteran, and Ley, those affected include weekend anchor Kelley McGee; Jeff Walkes, vice president of sales; and Barbara Beresford, director of marketing. The move “is all the more painful in light of the strong contributions they have made,” Churchville said.
“The strength of our news team is a testament to [Cugini’s] vision and journalistic integrity,” Churchville told Providence Business News, noting that the station last year achieved national recognition with an Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence under Cugini’s leadership. (READ MORE)
The new cuts affect about 12 percent of the roughly 100 workers – 80 percent of them in the news department – whom Churchville has said remain after the station trimmed 10 workers in January and seven last year. They bring total cuts over the past year to about one-quarter of WJAR’s staff.
The January layoffs – of one part-time reporter and nine off-air employees – came one day after parent company Media General Inc. (NYSE: MEG) posted a $631.85 million loss for 2008. (READ MORE) At the time, Churchville said more cuts would be coming in March as the result of “a technological upgrade to our studio operations.”
“The people who work here have worked here a long time,” Churchville told PBN in an interview earlier this month. (READ MORE) “They know the market, they are very familiar with it, and they are very well-acquainted with a lot of the area’s newsmakers. A lot of news sources, a lot of people, feel comfortable coming here.”
But, she said in her statement today, “the regional economy continues to contract. Both businesses and consumers continue to reduce spending and our advertising revenues have been adversely affected at unprecedented levels.”
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Cranston-based WJAR-TV NBC 10 – the most-watched television station in the Providence-New Bedford market – is a property of Media General Inc. (NYSE: MEG), a Richmond, Va.-based television and newspaper company. For additional information, visit www.MediaGeneral.com or www.TurnTo10.com.
It was saddening to see Kelley McGee’s farewell on last night’s 11pm broadcast, but it’s earth-shattering to read about Gary Ley’s departure. Maybe an opportunity for 6 or 12?
Ditto for Cugini, who has a natural talent and nose for news. Her vision is what really took the news team to the top.
Should be interesting to see how (and if) 10 remains as a player in the local news market…. Very sad for Providence and the ADI….. I suspect that Churchill is going to be forced to take the station in a much different direction, given the economic constraints that have resulted in this sour economy….
I have to agree; sad about Kelley, but earth-shattering about Gary Ley. How can a station let an employee like him go? He is part of the station’s history, and like Ghiorse, can’t ever really be replaced. I am no longer loyal to that station (sorry Patrice), and they were my local station of choice. I agree that they will probably go in a different direction.
I too was appalled to read that Ley (especially) and McGee were being let go. I wonder if the broadcast new media simply don’t understand that the PEOPLE who deliver the news are important to the viewers. This is who we have the “relationship” with. We learn to trust them and build a sense of loyalty. When stations let these trusted folks go, what is there to keep us viewers around? Pretty talking heads with little or no experience just don’t cut it in my book. Another reason that I continue to cut my watching of TV news, and rely on print and online sources.