As former employees note, management clearly did not consult with weather forecasters on its branding because thunderbolts are not meteorological phenomena at all. Initially, management responded with an email to News 12 staffers, obtained by TVNewsCheck, instructing employees not to engage with hecklers on social media and to alert Altice security if they felt physically threatened. This week in Made in Connecticut, News 12's Becky Surran takes you to Wilton for an inside look at one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, ASML. Though Waldman worked at WPIX New York for 11 years, ascending to news director in 2015, she was rumored to be hot tempered and tone deaf toward staffers as a manager. I had a wonderful career at Cablevision and News 12. I loved my job, I loved going to work every day, says another former newsroom staffer. These former staffers also take umbrage with claims by News 12 upper managers that their team members are leaving the network en masse because they cant handle the grind of news any longer. The company also points out that it recently partnered with Charter to offer News 12 to Spectrum customers and with Verizon to bring News 12 to Fios customers. "I don't think anybody's happy with the way this has played out," the source told the San Antonio Current. And this is basically just more of the same. Popular, long-running series such as the tech-focused The Download and the Long Island high school sports show The Sports Rush, among others were canceled because of a lack of sponsorship opportunities, sources say they were told. Topics you care about, straight to your inbox. They also say News 12 meteorologists pleaded with Natz, Gruber and other managers in past years to allow them to return to weather forecasts with a more fact-based approach. Leadership instead wanted stories rife with shock value that would garner web clicks, and they inadvertently got one on May 14, 2020. Isis Romero was one of the most recognizable faces on KSAT 12 San Antonio for over a decade. She started her career in Elmira, New York at WETM 18 News. 59K views, 594 likes, 62 loves, 924 comments, 2.6K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dan Thomas: I was fired because I can't get the shot. She was also part of the CBS affiliate team that received the coveted National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) Service to America Television Award, among the highest public-service honors in broadcasting, that honors exceptional public and community service. WM: Could you tell us about your new radio show? There needs to be journalists out there. The Bronx Brooklyn Connecticut Hudson Valley Long Island New Jersey Westchester. Brand exposure had become paramount. And right now, the country is polarized, but I think that will happen for a while, but if you look at history, I always say, todays news is tomorrows history. Sources say Altices sole focus on profits has been to the detriment of both its workforce and its brand. That story was spread internationally so we could capitalize on it.. But Im very proud to have been one of the founding members of when News 12 was in its agency. The anchor worked at CNN for many years before moving to Fox News, where he . Karin Adams,Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter. This past year, the number hit 470,000. She was all alone, without help, when she needed it most for her staff.. Join Carissa Lawson, Kristina Behr, James Gregorio, and Don Smith for the latest headlines, breaking news from overnight, traffic and weather information for all . One former Long Island employee says, We were told [by upper-level managers] several times, Look, were the only product on Long Island; people are gonna watch us no matter what.. Getty Images. JR: Ill be honest with you, I think they have a larger responsibility, because there are so many facts and figures coming in every day that they have to sift through, and I also think there is its unfair, but so many deadlines are imposed on people, and theres this belief that you have to be the first one to report something, and I think journalists have gotten into trouble rushing to get a story to air or rushing to get a story on their website or rushing to get on Facebook. Bill O'Reilly was ousted from his long-running, top-rated primetime show on Fox News in April 2017 after being accused of sexual harassment. He just tried to help them keep their jobs for as long as possible so Dolan filed a lawsuit and it stalled the firing . Today, journalism is a lot harder to get into, as you said. An interview request to Waldman was unanswered. Grayson Co. Sheriff's Office offer 12-week citizen's academy. The Amy Waldman hire was very unsettling for staffers, says one News 12 source. The employee discussed issues with the companys direction and its treatment of staff. Elizabeth Hashagen is a well-known reporter for News 12 in Long Island, New York. The Fourth Estate is really important. The 10 p.m. anchor said the ABC affiliate opted not renew her contract, adding that her last day on air was July 12. Because, in many cases, news directors have imposed on them so that we not only want you to file a story by 5 oclock today, but we want you to do five Facebook posts, and we want you to go on your Twitter account. So theres this rush to get information out, and I think we have to be very cautious that that information be accurate before we broadcast it to the world or podcast it to the world or type it to the world or put it out on any venue, even a radio station. Now we have it on record, its on record. You have to be prepared to work and want to love what you do. Matt Pieper's apology and statement on Twitter which appeared earlier today. Of course, you had pressures and deadlines, the typical stuff, but it was great.. I dont think its dying. The 10 p.m. anchor said the . September 22, 2022 7:39pm. I learned everything I needed in the News 12 newsroom.. Events like these have made personnel looking to leave the organization with any grace or at least intact bridges fearful of a prospective exit from the company. And of course we started with the news of the day, which was the terror attack in New York City. She was always a professional and her love of our city was always on display. This act and others meant that Altice had failed to maintain the legacy and quality of News 12, according to the Dolan complaint. People at home dont give a shit how long my cold open is, says one former newsroom staffer. a user exclaimed. Here's my story: How you can help: -Pray for all those. 2. I was very blessed to get into Cablevision early on in my career and to pursue a television career, which I came to love and adore. I feel nothing but blessed, and Ive taken a little time off, which was good, because when youre in the news business, you go, go, go, and the phone is ringing 24 hours a day, and it was a lot of responsibility. However, the email also told personnel to share our News 12 links covering the situation Kevin [Vesey] endured to show facts and what actually happened.. It wasnt about us, one former News 12 newsroom employee says. I'm not going to lie, I was a little shocked when I heard that the kake news anchor had been fired. These sources also say employee safety has been compromised across News 12, and they liken their work experience at the company to that of a traumatic event. In her . TV32. Matthew Eisman/Getty Images. Many viewers in Long Island and other News 12 markets have soured on the channels, sources say. A spate of new series drummed up by former GM Natz, covering local attractions and businesses, consumer tips, do gooders and other subjects, were nearly devoid of news value, sources say. The document goes on to say that there is credible evidence that Waldman pressured the networks head of human resources to use a coworkers false statements as a precedent to fire Evseroff. Theres a tad of hype that you have to put into it for the viewership, but you dont lie to them and we were basically lying to the viewership for ratings., Not unlike other areas of coverage from News 12, the Storm Watchers have also become a focus of ridicule on social media by viewers. The recruiter, who spoke anonymously so as not to disrupt prospective career opportunities, says theyve heard about the News 12 hostile work environment and the short tempers, raised voices and banging fists on the table from upper management. WM: Your guest, Vince, called in and said, Change is not always good. So far, has this worked out for you? Emmy-winning anchor and political correspondent Janine Rose is back doing what she does best this time on WVOX 1460 radio. Fired News 12 The Bronx anchor Matt Pieper tried to save face a week after he dropped the f-bomb and bashed government assistance on a live mic by pointing the finger at a behind-the-scenes boss. The source, who asked to remain anonymous so they could speak freely, says micromanaging can sometimes elevate a brand. So stupid," one viewer said. Though Dolan remained on the Altice payroll for a time, he never returned to a News 12 newsroom. Veteran anchor Jackie Lukas, sports anchor . News. They surmise that Altice wishes to see such workers leave the company permanently so they can be replaced by inexperienced, inexpensive personnel. A Westchester Assemblyman, Tom Abinanti, even drew up legislation requiring cable providers to each produce hyperlocal coverage as part of its licensing agreement with New York State. A Los Angeles news anchor has been fired after going off-script and calling out his own television station live on air over the departure of his beloved co-anchor.. Mark Mester, 36, of KTLA, was . Holmes has been with ABC News since 2014 and has co-anchored GMA3 since 2020. As a result, the news product suffers and it just skews everything. Like in New Jersey, staffers in other News 12 newsrooms have also been disheartened by an increased amount of sponsored content at their channels, as well as anodyne, non-market-specific stories. Theyre doing a lot of local news. A news anchor at WJTV in Jackson, Mississippi said she was fired because of her choice to wear her natural hair instead of straightening it. Whether its sponsored or not, its supposed to be generic enough that it can air network-wide, a source says. One former News 12 newsroom employee says the networks broadcasts do look pretty good in a lot of respects, observing that some talented people still work there., However, the same source, who retains relationships with former News 12 colleagues, adds: The most frequent complaint I hear is that its lost some of its hyperlocal focus, [which is] the concept that made News 12 wildly popular. Upon graduation from NYU, Lawson earned the James Fenimore Cooper Memorial Prize, which is presented annually to the most outstanding undergraduate student of journalism. Ana Orsini joined the NewsWatch 12 team as an anchor and producer in May 2020. Multiple sources say that comments like these are rampant on social media and have been for the past few years since the Altice takeover. And you heard today, you heard the show. Sources say the low marks were supported by falsehoods and exaggerated tales of what were, at worst, minor infractions. The Kevin Vesey situation was scary, says a former staffer. But security costs had been slashed in prior budgets, according to sources, and it required multiple requests from some employees before guards were assigned to field crews. Other employees detail events that felt like personal attacks on co-workers considering a departure from News 12. New hires were not provided sufficient training, sources say, which forced more experienced staffers to pick up the slack. You guys missed another one as usual. Wrote another: Stop the drama News 12 Long Island.. Jason Hahn. I say that all the time, todays news is tomorrows history. And I wanted them to know that Im back on the air, on radio. We were wrong. Due to flooding, Gov. Not long after Altice took over News 12 in 2016, however, according to multiple sources Dolan was demoted from his position as president of News 12 Networks. And Ive known people whove been in this business a long time, but Ive also known people who come into this business because perhaps, professors said, oh, pursue this, or their parents might have said, oh, go into media. But they really had a love for something else. Before moving to Oregon, there were many places Ana once called "home." She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado before moving to Texas in 2014. Word of News 12 workplace problems has crept beyond network newsroom walls. Over the years she's shared the desk with Melba Tolliver, Bill Zimmerman, Lea Tyrrell and Stone Grissom. "I want to thank those of you who have supported me with your viewership these past 11 years, and for the incredible love and kindness you have shown me. It was a wonderful career for me. When is news 12 finally going to be taken off the air., When a group of on-air talent left News 12 Long Island in January, multiple Facebook users criticized the channel and its parent company for a decline in quality, and after News 12 Long Island recently posted an image on Instagram promoting a story about energy reducing tips, one user commented with a tip of their own: dont believe anything #new12 spews [sic]., Last month, News 12 Long Island produced a story about two dresses that were returned to their owner after she lost them on a local train. Stations manned by interns and inexperienced employees. Part of the reason, sources say, is the attached Ford branding. Jackie Lukas has left the News 12, as her 16-year long journey came to an end on January 2022. She is a New York City native who grew up in Queens. Pat was really great to us, says one former employee. In addition to the notes about ratings increases and a boost in distribution channels, the spokesperson says Altice has invested millions in the News 12 brand, with an updated logo, modern graphics, as well as studio and set upgrades. Ive heard the rumor that journalism is dying. He remained a senior network advisor for some months afterward, but was forced to move out of his office in the Long Island newsroom into a tiny corner space located in an administrative wing of the grounds. Join Rick Holmes, Annalisa Klebers, Lauren Fabrizi, Don Smith, Justin Godynick, and Geoff Bansen for the latest headlines, business news, traffic and weather . Very bad move KSAT. Since acquiring News 12, we have invested in the network with the goal of growing its audience and viewership and so they can provide the news and information to our local communities across the tri-state.. But radio is a wonderful way to reach people. ABOUT THE SHOW. We have to know how to separate fact from fiction. To the extent you move away from that I think a lot of people would say it weakens the service., On Long Island, sources say upper management believes it can take the News 12 content in any direction it wishes because there isnt another hyperlocal-branded offering in the area. 2:47 Feb 21, 2023 So I think you just have to pursue your passion, whatever it is. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Cortland, she also attended the University of North London and got her first job at WLNY TV-55 where she covered a wide range of news assignments. Mix comfort and convenience at Comfort Inn. 12 has replaced its lead news anchors of the past six years, Reg Miller and Laurel Sauer. News 12 is still going strong. The question, like with everything else, is always in the implementation, the source says. Cherny Amhara, who has anchored the weekend morning newscasts at WISN-TV (Channel 12) since January 2019, said on social media Friday that she's leaving the Milwaukee ABC affiliate. The number of News 12 distribution channels and brand exposure may have broadened of late, but the integrity of the organizations reported content has been called into question by current and former employees. A few days later, he and his family sued the company, claiming in court filings that Altice had breached its sales agreement by laying off a large number of workers. Jackie Lukas is a television journalist, anchor, and reporter from the United States. However, a bigger picture of network-wide malfeasance, which has not only inspired dozens more departures, but compromised News 12s hyperlocal value proposition in markets with no shortage of impactful stories has emerged. [Management] had us, for a while, digging through our comments on Twitter and Facebook for Tagboard, this social media integration tool that they had us using for the shows, and it became real difficult to find usable comments., They were all negative, the source adds. The 10 p.m. anchor said the ABC affiliate opted not renew her contract, adding that her last day on air was July 12. Anchors and reporters were going to get let go, that wasn't a secret. In response, according to sources, Natz said he would not consider the perspective of a spineless coward who refused to show their face on the Zoom call. It does, and there will always be times in the country when theres political unrest. Conspicuous ads were increasingly embedded into newscasts. JR: Im here as a journalist asking people to comment on the news of the day. Multiple sources claim so much emotional distress over the workplace toxicity Waldman has fueled that theyve become physically ill as a result. When your ass is on the line because youre in charge of these multi-, multi-million-dollar assets, you sometimes have to get down in the weeds, especially if youre trying to move a ship thats been going one way for years, the source says, noting they are also in touch with a few News 12 employees who are having the times of their lives working for the network. According to a member of staff, management hadn't yet discussed Romero's departure with fellow employees. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. And reporters spending more time practicing dance moves on social media than covering stores. 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