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A group would not sell off their biggest stations which bring in the most money. There's a reason why when NBC put WTVJ and WVIT on the market (and obviously off) and not any of their Top 10.
It's presumably the same reason why TEGNA still kept WUSA, WXIA, and KHOU, which I still think they'll keep. Besides, even if they sell WFAA (largest non-O&O ABC affiliate and largest non-O&O affiliate of any network), WUSA (largest non-O&O CBS affiliate) and WXIA (soon to be the largest non-O&O NBC affiliate) already earn the company a lot more money than most of their other stations (not that they'll sell any of them)
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Does anyone have a full buyout casualty list (of the names we know so far)?

 

I was going to do one today but with the breaking news earlier that WFAA was losing their ABC affil, then getting sold to Hearst, I left it alone. I'll put it together in a bit though.

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I was going to do one today but with the breaking news earlier that WFAA was losing their ABC affil, then getting sold to Hearst, I left it alone. I'll put it together in a bit though.
WFAA losing it's affiliation and it getting sold to Hearst are both unlikely scenerios especially, as I have just mentioned, that by August, they will effectively own the largest non-O&O stations for ABC, NBC, and CBS
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So the Tegna buyout casualties have now expanded to the First Coast....

 

FTV is saying this morning that WTLV/WJXX morning weather anchor Steve Smith and longtime reporter Roger Weeder are taking early retirement packages.

 

 

http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/more-tegna-buyouts-in-st-louis-and-charlotte/168687 is saying that street beat reporter Glenn Counts at NBC Charlotte also took the buyout package as well too. Along with others in St. Louis.

 

Still to this day I can't believe Gannett bought Belo and for some reason I think it should of been the other way around. Belo buying Gannett.

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So with all the craziness of WFAA being disaffiliated and all that..here is the long awaited list of those who took buyouts. There is one question mark and that is with KIII's ND Richard Longoria

 

Doug Miller-KHOU

Glenn Courts-WCNC

Cindy Prezler-KSDK

Steve Smith-First Coast News

Roger Weeder-First Coast News

Joe Becker-KGW

Melissa Swan-WHAS

Diana Pierce-KARE

Allen Costantini-KARE

Mike Roberts-KSDK

Keith Whitney-WXIA

Donna Lowry-WXIA

Kevin Rowson-WXIA

Lee Van Ameyde-WZZM

Dennis Bounds-KING

Jean Enerson-KING

Jeff Renner-KING

Linda Byron-KING

Steve McKay-WLBZ

Joe Cupo-WCSH

Joe Flanagan-WVEC

Velma Scaife-WVEC

Mark Murray-KVUE

Dave Wirth-WTSP [Thanks to AJClementeFan]

Richard Longoria-KIII [NEWS DIRECTOR?]

Frank Volpicella-KVUE [NEWS DIRECTOR]

Patti Smith-KVUE [GENERAL MANAGER]

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There is zero evidence that WFAA's affiliation is being revoked nor is there any evidence it is up for sale. It's barely worth discussing.

 

Posting in a manner that's only to cause controversy is generally frowned upon.

 

Only generally? Could we bump that up to a "sternly"?

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We will have to see. It will be interesting. I think they should hire somebody new. I think Greg is good for 4 and 9. Jim Guy would be fine for cheif.

It would be a poor move for Tegna to give Jim Guy the chief meteorologist position. He has no warmth on air, and a non-existent sense of humor. I agree that seniority-wise it would be a natural move for Rich Marriott to take over.

King has been grooming Amanda Grace since her arrival from Boston several months ago. She and Greg Copeland have chemistry, and deliver the news with punch, using humor where appropriate. Out of all of the 4 'top' names to depart KING, I will miss Linda Byron most. She shined during the Martin Pang and Amanda Knox stories. Her writing is sparse but concise.

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So with all the craziness of WFAA being disaffiliated and all that..here is the long awaited list of those who took buyouts. There is one question mark and that is with KIII's ND Richard Longoria

 

Doug Miller-KHOU

Glenn Courts-WCNC

Cindy Prezler-KSDK

Steve Smith-First Coast News

Roger Weeder-First Coast News

Joe Becker-KGW

Melissa Swan-WHAS

Diana Pierce-KARE

Allen Costantini-KARE

Mike Roberts-KSDK

Keith Whitney-WXIA

Donna Lowry-WXIA

Kevin Rowson-WXIA

Lee Van Ameyde-WZZM

Dennis Bounds-KING

Jean Enerson-KING

Jeff Renner-KING

Linda Byron-KING

Steve McKay-WLBZ

Joe Cupo-WCSH

Joe Flanagan-WVEC

Velma Scaife-WVEC

Mark Murray-KVUE

Dave Wirth-WTSP [Thanks to AJClementeFan]

Richard Longoria-KIII [NEWS DIRECTOR?]

Frank Volpicella-KVUE [NEWS DIRECTOR]

Patti Smith-KVUE [GENERAL MANAGER]

 

One person that took a buyout from another group was hit with a 40% tax bill on 25 grand buyout.

 

Ouch!

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One person that took a buyout from another group was hit with a 40% tax bill on 25 grand buyout.

 

Ouch!

 

Add KHOU weekend meteorologist Mario Gomez to the list.

http://mikemcguff.blogspot.com/2016/04/mario-gomez-other-staffers-to-leave-khou-11.html

 

On the 40 percent tax bill, if they took it as a lump sum, that makes sense. If they're going to continue to be paid every two weeks, as they are now, until they reach the total number of weeks they're entitled to, taxes should stay about the same.

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On the 40 percent tax bill, if they took it as a lump sum, that makes sense. If they're going to continue to be paid every two weeks, as they are now, until they reach the total number of weeks they're entitled to, taxes should stay about the same.

40% seems a bit high. I know when I termed with a former company at 12 weeks of PTO payout, it was withheld at about 25%. Granted, I wasn't making large market anchor salaries (maybe small market), but not 40%...

 

Most likely it'll be a lump sum, so that it can be written off immediately, and not a liability. If there is a continuation of medical benefits involving an employee contribution portion, they may be able to defer that specific amount, since that's usually pre-tax money...

 

(Plus some states - California, especially, have some whacko laws which may impact withholdings, etc.)

 

Jim

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I was watching KUVE news tonight, and they were showing a tribute to their employees who are retiring from the station after tonight. There are soooo many of them, I believe 9 employees. It made me sad. I'm surprised KENS down the road, also a TEGNA station, has not announced anyone retiring from their station (yet).

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Surprisingly, WKYC has been unscathed in this go-around.

The only two on-air personalities that come close to the qualifications are longtime sports anchor Jim Donovan and senior correspondent Tom Beres. Many longtime employees have already left in prior years, including the high profile departures of Tim White, Romona Robinson, Mark Nolan, Kim Wheeler and Jeff Maynor.

Even reading through Director Frank Macek's blog has no mention of any buyouts or departures...

http://wkycdirectorscut.blogspot.com/

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