WYTV learns Friday about job status

Union workers at WYTV will learn Friday whether they will retain their jobs as broadcast operations are merged with WKBN-TV.

Workers at WKBN will learn whether they are still needed Dec. 7.

Both announcements were part of a letter from management that was posted at the stations Thursday.

Joe Bell, a reporter and union steward at WKBN, said some workers feel their jobs are secure because of their positions or expertise, but others aren’t sure. Union officials have been asking about how many jobs will be cut but haven’t received an answer, he said.

“We don’t know how many, but we expect there might be some,” he said.

Job cuts are more certain at WYTV. The notice says that its newscasts will start originating at WKBN’s studios Dec. 10. All of WYTV’s broadcast operations, everything excluding advertising sales and upper management, are to be run out of WKBN’s offices under an operating agreement.

An employee at WYTV, who didn’t want to be named, said union officials there have not heard how many jobs will be cut.

Dave Trabert, WYTV general manager, declined to comment.

On-air personnel, photographers, producers and technicians at both stations are represented by the National Association of Broadcast Engineers and Technicians.

The changes follow sales of both stations earlier this year. Parkin Broadcasting of Los Angeles bought WYTV and signed the shared services agreement with WKBN’s new owner, New Vision Television of Atlanta.

For more on this story, see Friday’s Vindicator or www.vindy.com.