WYTV staffers may not have jobs much longer
Youngstown: Tomorrow (11/30) will more than likely be a tense day at WYTV in Youngstown. That’s when employees will get their paychecks. But it’s not the pay they’re worried about. It’s finding out whether they’ll still have a job after 12/9. That’s the day when WYTV’s broadcast operations will be consolidated at WKBN/WYFX in Boardman. Advertising sales and senior management will remain at ‘YTV’s building.Meanwhile, employees who are offered jobs have until 12/4 to accept or reject their new employment. After that, on 12/7, employees of WKBN/WYFX will learn whether they still have jobs or will be furloughed.
Andrea Wood of The Business Journal of Youngstown (ONLINE: Subscribers only) also reports that WYTV news anchors Vince Bevacqua and Gina Marinelli will be out of a job 12/9. Ironically, Marinelli left WKBN/WYFX two years ago for WYTV.
The WKBN and WYFX combo was purchased in March by New Vision Television based in L.A. and Atlanta. WYTV was purchased by Parkin in August. Parkin is a new company whose financing was backed by New Vision. Before you say that it cannot be done due to market size, the FCC has allowed the deal because two different individuals or companies own the broadcasting license and programming decisions are made separately. Operations come from shared service agreements.
Both New Vision and Parkin are offering voluntary buyouts and severance packages.
PBRTV Hat tip: Andrea Wood; The Business Journal of Youngstown Ohio