The Intermountain West Communication NBC affiliate in Idaho Falls-Pocatello says that it's "a victim of this economy" and is ending weekend newscasts and laying off at least 12 employees.
DMA 163
KPVI Reducing Newscasts And Staff
KPVI, the NBC affiliate in Idaho Falls-Pocatello (DMA 163), will be cutting its weekend newscasts as well as at least a dozen employees, the station’s general manager said Wednesday.
The layoffs will leave just 10 reporters remaining. The last weekend newscasts will air this weekend. Regular weekday newscasts will continue as scheduled, she said.
“We are just the victim of this economy,” says Shelley Goings, GM of the station, which is owned by Intermountain West Communication Co., formerly Sunbelt.
“In these smaller markets, of course, everyone knows that small businesses are suffering terribly,” she said. “What are they going to cut? You’re going to cut advertising.”
The layoffs at KPVI come less than a month after reports that 27 news staffers at KIDK, the market’s Fisher-owned CBS affiliate, would be losing their jobs under a shared services agreement with News-Press & Gazette’s KIFI, the ABC affiliate. The changes in Idaho Falls-Pocatello — long known for being one of the smallest markets able to sustain three robust news-producing affiliates — leaves KIFI as the only fully staffed TV news operation in Eastern Idaho.
Comments (5)
Candis Terry says:
January 6, 2011 at 9:49 am
“The only fully stafd TV news operation in Eastern Idaho”? Isn’t that a little judmental, or at least non-objective? Let’s not write off KPVI just yet — it might be able to make some significant news contributions to the community with 10 reporters.
carmen finch says:
January 6, 2011 at 12:13 pm
TVNewsCheck must not be “fully staffed” enough to check their facts. How did Ms. Marszalek determine that KIFI was the only “fully staffed” news operation in Eastern Idaho? This is a false statement. I believe KPVI is fully staffed, thank you very much. And a very good staff it is.
Andrea Rader says:
January 6, 2011 at 7:17 pm
If you’re not producing a weekend newscast, by definition you’re not fully staffed. Ms. Marszalek’s characterization is correct. That said, I would rather see this than what went down at KIDK.
carmen finch says:
January 7, 2011 at 10:00 am
I respectfully disagree. I feel one thing has nothing to do with the other. Maybe there isn’t enough sales revenue to pay the expense of a weekend newscast. If a station chooses not to air a weekend newscast, and still has enough staff to do so if they wanted, then the station is fully staffed. I agree with you regarding KIDK.
Dara Soumpholphakdy says:
August 19, 2011 at 12:13 am
Long live KPVI!