Some of you may have heard or read that Scripps has completely removed anchors from the 7 and 11 newscasts at its station WMAR in Baltimore, still a top 30 market. It runs only sequenced local taped reports along with hubbed national stories from its 24/7 streaming service.
For me, it touches a nerve. That's me in the middle.
I worked there from 74-87 and, even though WMAR was a pioneer and legacy station and the first station in Maryland (1947), it ended up with four different owners from 86-91, suffered thru an ill-fated talent strike in 83 and just two years earlier in 81, lost its CBS affiliation because of low ratings and too many pre-emptions for Orioles telecasts and specials. The decline put a bullseye on the station for a long time and Scripps has made zero progress managing it since 91, culminating in this decision to try something totally different there and in about a dozen smaller markets. They just laid off about 20 WMAR staffers and use AI automation to run the sequenced taped reports. I actually think Sinclair, which owns Channel 45 there, might like to buy it and start a duopoly. Sinclair once challenged the station's license in the 90s. It also now owns the Baltimore Sun.
Other owners will be wjatching this move, but with this station's numbers already low, who is going to watch a further weakened product. Young viewers? I doubt it. Older viewers? Nah, they've now lost any connection to what might have been a preferred station. More importantly, Baltimore viewers have lost a community connection. There will be less community outreach, if any, and less journalism, if any, not to mention what will happen during severe weather or major breaking news. It has no General Manager either that I can find. I'm very sad to see all of this unfold.
Scripps has said it is 're-founding' the company. Laying off abut 260 people company wide sounds more like 're-funding' the company. But this and the recent FCC ruling that a company can own two network affiliates in a market, takes the TV industry where it hasn't gone before and there is no turning back. There will be more changes and innovations ahead that no one can predict. The golden days of happy talk and helicopters are over. The Scripps move is revolutionary and evolutionary. I believe those two adjectives will continue to drive inevitable change.
I feel for everyone at WMAR and other Scripps stations who have lost their jobs as a result of these changes. Being laid off is bad enough. But to know that you're being laid off to make way for an inferior product that will deliver less to the viewers that depend on these stations for reliable, trustworthy local news and weather coverage has to be one of the worst feelings anyone in this industry can expierence. I truly hope that everyone who has been laid off will be able to land on their feet.
ReplyDeleteAs for WMAR and Scripps, it will be interesting, though not necessarily in a good way, to see what viewers make of the changes. Will they keep watching? Will they switch to watching other stations? Will new viewers be drawn into what WMAR and Scripps are now offering? Only time will tell.