Posted on 01/17/2025 10:47:47 PM PST by cross_bearer_02
TUPELO – WTVA in Tupelo may be facing a third round of layoffs that includes its entire meteorology team, according to sources with knowledge of the situation that asked to remain anonymous.
The layoffs will be in phases and completed by the end of the first quarter, sources said. Station manager Luke Stanford declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Journal.
WTVA's parent company Allen Media Group in May announced a restructuring move that affected about 12%, or some 2,500 employees.
In October AMG laid off several station employees.
(Excerpt) Read more at djournal.com ...
The most asinine part of all this is Allen Media Group has chosen to layoff our entire local weather team, not just some of the best weather folks around, but they’re doing so right as tornado season is approaching for us. My understanding is they want to consolidate it down to a “hub” where all the content is produced by The Weather Channel, and that’s just aired instead of actual local weather on the stations they own.
My city’s oldest AM station, 0630 CHED folded back in November. They sold their antenna and everything.
They took over 880 CHQT and became 880 CHED.
Read it off an internet weather app.
A lot of media groups have already consolidated specialty reporting, such as health, economics, national and international politics, and travel. For example, one local DC station has all their health reports coming from a reporter in Ohio. Maybe they will do something similar, with one team of meteorologists doing the weather for several local stations.
I can’t see how using The Weather Channel for local weather could work out, however.
Wes Montgomery was the best morning DJ EVER!
Yes. I was probably more in Rob Christie.
I don’t know if you know Chuck Chandler, who was pretty big. But I played a prank on him that worked. When Corus Entertainment was trying to figure out what to do with 880 CHQT, they branded it Cool 880. After a few years, they rebranded it as Joe AM.
On the morning of the rebranding, I phoned him during a commercial break and I asked if the change was permanent, which it was. I also asked him if the Cool 880 was dead, he said it was. I asked if it would ever be heard about again and he said no. I thanked him and ended the call.
The very first words out of his mouth was, “And here’s Cool 880. I swear I could hear him wince as he was saying the words.
Ryan Hall Y’all’s extreme weather coverage on YouTube is quite good. Check him out for that.
There are so few AM listeners {compared to other types of communication choices} that advertisers can't get a return on their ad buys.
AM radio is like 8 track tapes, there are still some around, but few people care.
FM radio is used by oldies music, PBS, country stations and short range {but clear} over the air ads for meds, furniture stores, and mattress stores with no visible customers.
The chief meteorologist is Matt Laubhan. If you recall some years ago, this is the same weather guy that prayed live on the air as a tornado was ripping through Amory, MS back in March of 2023. Link here.
This isn’t just a one-time thing. On his livestreams, he prays regularly for the folks in this area, most especially during severe storms. His coverage is second to none in the area, and I’d put him on par with James Spann, Ryan Hall, and others. But for this area he’s more than just a weatherman.
This is why you’re seeing so many people up in arms about this decision. Not by the station but by WTVA’s parent company, Allen Media Group. And of course it’s just a play to save a buck. But they’re hurting whole communities in doing so, not just ours, but all the other stations and communities they’re doing this to.
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