It’s been rumored across the Motor City for weeks: Graham Media Group has buyout offers agreed upon with longtime staffers that could impact its flagship station, NBC affiliate WDIV-4 in Detroit, as well as its broadcast TV stations in other markets.
It’s now known that the company’s stations in Houston and San Antonio will be seeing some significant staff changes.
At WDIV, reporters Mara MacDonald and Rod Meloni are reportedly exiting, as its longtime sportscaster Bernie Smilovitz. The news was first reported May 14 by Deadline Detroit. Devin Scillian, considered by many to be the dean of local TV news in Detroit, reportedly turned down a buyout offer; this has not been confirmed by WDIV, branded as “LOCAL 4” and the market’s dominant news station.
Speaking to Deadline Detroit, WDIV-4 GM Bob Ellis declined to comment on employees’ “individual and private personal decisions.” However, Ellis confirmed that WDIV, along with other Graham stations, launched a “Voluntary Retirement Incentive Program,” described as “an optional program” that provides “a thoughtful pathway for our long-serving colleagues nearing retirement.”
Smilovitz, a Washington, D.C., native, who began his career at WTOP-AM 1500 and later worked at WTTG-5, has been with WDIV-4 since 1986. Meloni joined WDIV-4 in 1995.
LONE STAR LAYOFFS
Houston market TV industry reporter Mike McGuff, a former producer at ABC Owned Stations’ KTRK-13 in Houston who also served as a reporter at KIAH-TV” “The CW39,” a Nexstar O&O, reports that buyout offers have been accepted by 12 staff members at KPRC-2 in Houston.
Those exiting include Beatrice Kearney, who has served as News Director for the past 1 1/2 years, arriving from sibling KSAT-12 in San Antonio — which also saw a reduction-in-force twister come through the Alamo City. Kearney had been at KSAT since 1993.
Then there is KPRC’s longtime Chief Meteorologist Frank Billingsley, whose final day is June 28. He has been with KPRC since February 1995.
Some 10 others exiting KPRC. It was not immediately known as to who those individuals are; RBR+TVBR has reached out to Graham Media Group Director of Transformation Michael Newman for comment and deferred all questions to each local market manager.
The changes at KPRC-2 come under the local leadership of Phil Lane, who assumed the role of station VP/GM in August 2022.
In San Antonio, KSAT announced that Mark Austin, Mike Osterhage, Ursula Pari, David Sears, Jessie Degollado, and Marilyn Moritz are all exiting in what is being called a “group retirement.” Moritz will depart June 26, while the others’ last day is July 1.
“This decision marks the conclusion of years of work that left an indelible mark on the industry and our community, setting the standard for excellence and trusted journalism,” KSAT said.
All of the exiting KSAT staffers are veterans. Pari has been associated with the station for 28 years; Degollado’s tenure at Channel 12 began in 1984, while Sears also has four decades of service at KSAT on his resumé. Moritz has been a reporter at KSAT since 1985. For Osterhage, 29 of his 38 years in TV news have been at KSAT. As host of Good Morning San Antonio, Austin has been at the station since 1999.
This suggests salaries for long-time television news professionals are becoming a growing concern for multiple companies. Efforts at The E.W. Scripps Co. to lure print journalists seeking a career transition as fresh college graduates take key on-air reporting roles at such stations as KSBY-6 in San Luis Obispo, Calif., could have lasting effects on an industry investing money in ATSC 3.0 despite flat to declining core advertising revenue and a continued consumer shift to streaming and digital video platforms.
According to the Graham Media Group Careers page on its corporate website, KSAT is hiring for a News Trainee, News photojournalist, News Producer, Morning News Reporter/Anchor, Account Executive, Television News multiplatform reporter, and AE trainee.
A GOOD Q1 FOR TELEVISION
Interestingly, the first quarter of 2024 was a positive one for Graham Holdings Company, the diversified parent of Graham Media Group. In Q1, operating income rose to $35.4 million from $27.7 million, with TV station improvements cited for the gain. Yet, a closer look shows flat year-over-year revenue for the TV broadcasting arm of $113.06 million, slightly higher than $112.88 million seen in Q1 2023.
Operating income rose 3%, to $30.98 million as adjusted operating cash flow increased by 5% to $35.49 million.
With Tom Wills signing off as the lead anchor for WJXT-TV, “News4JAX” in Jacksonville on May 31, GMG on March 3 announced that Jerry Askin, an anchor/reporter at WKMG-6 in Orlando for the past six years, would be exiting.
