Channel 12 beancounters’ axe falls on paychecks
Tags: Curt Fonger, Eric Roby, Liz Quirantes, Tara Cardoso, WPEC
| Thursday 9 July 2009 3:34 pm
Unhappy days at WPEC-Channel 12.
(Freedom Communications)
Management at the CBS affiliate cut salaries by five percent, or two-and-a-half weeks of pay.
From star anchors Curt Fonger and Liz Quirantes to clerks, everyone supposedly will feel the pinch, some starting Monday.
The move, ordered by station owner Freedom Communications, comes in the wake of layoffs in January and unpaid one-week leaves in March. In a memo, Freedom bosses blamed it on “the general economic situation.”
“It wasn’t pleasant,” an insider said about a meeting called by General Manager Brien Kennedy to announce the cuts. “Some people were crying. There’s a real sense of doom. Everyone clocks in every morning hoping the machine works.”
The announcement came in the middle of a newsroom baby boom.
Three anchors and two other newsroom staffers either have just had, or will soon have, babies. Morning star Tara Cardoso just returned to work after her second. Suzanne Boyd’s preggers and the wife of her colleague Eric Roby is due soon.
For more about the angst at Channel 12, and our poll, click
The pay cut is a second slap for the talented Cardoso. She returned from leave to find newbie Ashley Glass was sitting in her anchor chair. Cardoso’s been relegated to the weekend anchor’s desk.
It’s not like local television workers earn big money. A photographer at 12 makes between $12 and $15 an hour, according to the insider. And an editor is supposed to be happy with nine bucks an hour.
Prime-timers like Fonger, Quirantes and John Matthews, who are on contracts, will not be docked immediately. But the company plans to renegotiate with them, a second newsroom source told me. Freedom bigs, he added, want to factor in the five percent retroactively in the new deals.
What’s the word from Freedom?
It’s happening to everybody in the media!
Any consideration made for new parents?
Nope.
“Everyone at the station . . . was handled consistently,” said company spokesman Bob Emmers. “This was the fairest way for everyone of implementing what is a painful but necessary step.”
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I think everyone who reads the news for a living should be happy the public has no input into their salaries.
You asked for it…you got it..Obama
From the reception desk to the control room, TV12s people are amongst the nicest and hardest working in the business. My heart goes out to each of you. It is a shame what the broadcast “business” has become.
Today, there are several people waiting in line, who are willing to do EVERY job for less. If management takes a similar or deeper pay cut, halts further layoffs, and you can still pay the rent next month, you’ll be OK for now.
There is an old saying that goes… “it still beats a sharp stick in the eye”. Keep in mind that something good will allways come along eventually.
What’s the shocker? This has happened almost everywhere. Including WPTV. They had a 5 day furlough. Salary reduction and 5 days “paid” time off.
Tara Cardoso is talented?
and if people are going to breed in this economy then they should be prepared to deal with the issues it brings up. no sympathy. birth control?
Ive been watching Channel 12 a long time,weather guy John Matthews been there since 70s good guy, also like his morning counterpart Chris[smiley]Farrell always upbeat.Dont watch channel 5 much anymore,I think Laurel Sauer got shafted over there because of her age or whatever….talking about that nice to hear from Paul Cavenaugh again Im sure he has his own war stories to tell regarding local TV.
Everything is on sale right now - including us.
I have never even seen Suzanne on the noon show, she is on the evening shows. it just goes to show that Lambiet has no idea what he is talking about.
Perhaps CBS should take a look at the millions they are paying people like Curic and others. How do we justify paying these large sums to some while others have to scrounge?
It’s a shame…… oh…. and it was Bush who put us here, not Obama (in office only 4 1/2 months) Republicans had their chance (8 years)
This is just the tip of the Al Gore and President Obama’s “iceberg.” We’re on a fast-track for “change.” Expect more cuts to come. No one is exempt. If it hasn’t hit home to the 90% employed, it soon will. For the 10%+ un-employed “hope” is on the way…Other’s will be joining you as soon as cap and trade is initiated.
I agree with Mike (comment #2). I have stopped watching TV news on all channels, Just fluff.
However, I do miss Laurel Sauer (top drawer)
Yes. People are belt tightening and people are in line to take anyone’s job for less for the same work or better.
But what about West Palm Beach Leadership?
Funkel pushes to build a New Taj Mahal City Hall with Private Executive Bathroom (allegedly in contradiction to the Supreme Court Decision on the construction) and then her alleged personal Pet……Breesinmiister applies for a second job or same job with another City that competes with West Palm Beach.
What does Funkel do?
She allows her to keep both jobs?!
How many other City Employees would get that deal?
Stinks.
You can almost smell the alleged payoffs and cash money passing under the tables on this deal.
We need even more Fed help. Locals Politicos and Admin and Law Personnel are apparently too inbred to do anything to Police the obvious abuses still going on.
They allegedly still think or have this town wired in the opinion of many people.
Very sad for sure, but welcome to the real world. At least your jobs can’t be sent overseas like so many others have been.
I agree with number 2’s response.
…just because you read the news doesn’t mean your immune from becoming it. Read the book “Who Moved My Cheese” nothing lasts forever
I agree that #14 and #2 are idiots.
Hey, comment number 17, how about if you keep it in your pants and have some respect for women working hard to support their families. Your disgusting, vile opinion only shows what a lonely, pathetic little man you really are. Why don’t you go play in traffic.
I agree with 2, 6, and 10, I somewhat agree with 7, 8, and 1, I somewhat disagree with 3, 16, and 17, I strongly diagree with 4, 9, and 15, So There!
[...] took several economic measures this year, including layoffs in January, unpaid furloughs in March and the summer announcement that [...]