UPDATE: More talent layoff news after the jump below.
Breaking news now confirmed by SFLTV.com: Major talent layoffs at WTVJ NBC6 today. Shocked tipsters are telling SFLTV.com that longtime anchor and South Florida icon/news legend Kelly Craig was laid off from the station early Monday afternoon. You heard right. The anchor that has been there since April of 1990 was laid off. Joining in this major round of lay-offs are weekday morning reporter Joe Carter, and Andrea Brody, the only female sports anchor at WTVJ. SFLTV is told that these layoffs were all most likely due to the economy.
Talent wasn’t the only cost-cutting item to go. SFLTV.com has confirmed that WTVJ has canceled the NBC6 weekend morning newscast.
We observed this “Tweet” by WTVJ executive producer Tammy Delgado, which seemed to originally confirm the suspicion of the layoffs:
“I hate today.. hate it.. hate it.. hate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Tammy would be the producer in charge of both Kelly Craig and Joe Carter. As of 3:30 PM on 6/29, their bios have been removed.
We contacted Ms. Craig and received this response:
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank South Florida for 19 years of support and viewership. I am truly blessed to have worked at a station where I was surrounded by dedicated professionals who I am honored to call my friends. I will dearly miss them all.”
SFLTV.com insiders are also telling our staff that several production employees were ALSO let go today from WTVJ. We’re told some layoffs include a floor manager, and possibly a steady camera operator.
Update: More production employees will soon be let go starting today 6/30. This is in addition to the two production staff already let go.
Update: According to tipsters, sports EP Jeff Tavvs was just let go. This will reportedly conclude the cuts on NBC6’s production side. Though, major layoffs at T51 are rumored tomorrow.
Update: Tisha Lewis along with 6 other behind the scenes staffers have also been handed pink slips today. Ardyth Diericks tells Broadcasting and Cable that the layoffs are related to the economy and that none of the people laid off so far have been permanent full-time employees but part timers.
Keep checking in for updates.
Last Update: 10:00PM 6/30
Kelly brings a uniqueness to the news that I have never seen before. There’s no reason to be loyal to NBC anymore. Nothing is special about them now.
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Is sad… Very Sad!!! Is the station is still for sale????
Technically…no, not anymore.
Yes…? Yes it is. The station was put back up for sale the day the PN sale was called up. It’s just that no one wants to buy them for the price WTVJ is selling for.
That’s not what I have been lead to be known, but I don’t want to say more.
Is WTVH for sale???\
Poor Kelly. Maybe in the interim, until she finds another TV gig, she could work the Paul and Young Ron show on Big 105.9 She’s always been hilarious when she has appeared on the show.
As long as the private sector economy is in a weak state, so will all forms of media: newspapers, TV, magazines. If you’re not a company selling bread or milk, you’re probably not selling much of anything…with or without advertising. Why should Royal Caribbean advertise their cruises if people don’t have the discretionary income to go on a cruise to begin with. Why even advertise? You can say this about airlines, about cars, about hotels, about boats, about almost anything that requires discretionary dollars to buy. The sad thing is, our federal government is doing a marvelous job growing itself. Trouble is, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid aren’t buying commercials on WTVJ.
Wonder if they plan to hire new, lower paid replacements? Or just run WTVJ to the ground.
WTVJ…almost dead?
Now might be an opportune time to bring in Tom Doerr who, almost certainly, will make sure it’s dead!
Tom Doerr is not available. He was picked up off the scrap heap to try and bring Houston’s Fox O&O KRIV-TV back to life. He should be available shortly… as soon as the station tires of him.
No news director will be hired and they have never planned to replace Joel Connable. It will be Julia and Jackie alone with the weather man no one knows until WTVJ is sold. NBC wants high salaries gone and costs kept down to sell WTVJ for nothing.
I don’t think so.
You layoff those three but keep Roxanne Vargas and Tisha Lewis????
Do the powers that be watch the newscast. Both Roxanne and Tisha make me cringe everytime i watch. Guess its time to start watching “when it bleeds it leads” channel 7
Yes, but how much to Roxanne and Tisha cost NBC compared to the others?
can i just say that some of these people do read this blog and what you say they read?
Yes. I talked about it on our forums. I advise all on-air talent i speak with not to read our comments. It’s just life.
I know! but still have some consideration.
Who said i didnt have consideration???!! I’m just pointing out reality. Some anchors are paid more than others.
Do you think Tammy Delgado’s Tweet had anything to do with her looking in the mirror? I wonder.
Don’t know if Tammy Delgado’s looking in the mirror, but she sure has been looking over her shoulder. Anybody see her today? A little jumpy – more so than usual. It was pretty comical.
Speaking of Tammy Twitters: Does anybody out there really care about her home improvements and the brand new, Panda kitchen she’s having installed? Anybody? Is she really that insecure and in need of that kind of virtual validation? Maybe it’s time for this website to hold a new vote. QUESTION: Do you really need updates on Tammy’s new kitchen. VOTE: 1) Yes. 2) No. 3) I couldn’t care less about Tammy’s brand new kitchen and if I get one more Twitter on the subject I’m going to burn out my own eyes. I pick 3. Your thoughts?
how about its her own personal twitter so she can post what ever she wants. No one is forcing you to read it so quit your bitching
Just when I thought WTVJ was just a shell of its former self they sink to new lows! Blame corporate for this bloodletting! They haven’t demonstrated that they care for their employees (for a long time now) just the bottom line.
Where is Julia Yarbough? If she is laidoff Im will not be tuning in to the Jackie Nespral Newscasts!
I don’t care what Tammy Delgado does now.
But a few months from now, she had better not screw up my Taco Bell orders when I’m using the drive thru.
Speaking about diarrhea, how’s Tom Doerr?
Still passing around his resume of destruction and failure….
Any truth to the rumors that WTVJ was seen in the clearance isle of The Dollar Store looking for new “talent”. I certainly hope these new employees have their Green Cards.
Is Julia gone? Nothing for two days on the nightly news and the promo with Conan O’Brien only has Jackie in it now.
(shrug)
Hey googleChicken, sorry to inform you – but your Taco Bell order will be an absolute mess. However, if you complain to the manager you’ll get a free bean burrito.
screw it, me and Connable will just go to Hooters instead…
Just called Julia’s line at the station. She’s on vacation and will be back Mon. July 20th.
Sorry Tavss I still Love u!!!!
peaCOCK loves the ladies
Oh, Lord… The day I become a TV Anchor, I can’t wait to come back on here, and see all the negative posts about me… If any. :p
I’ll be waiting….
WTVJ as we know it is dead. Hopefully a miracle will happen and we’ll see them at #1 again…someday.
Naw, I’m gonna watch WTVJ to watch Jackie smile and hear her dumb laugh. When the news story gets serious, Jackie gets that real serious frown. Yes sir, thats my girl !
Maybe WTVJ can take a hint from WSVN and get some better looking talent with brains! I mean we live in South Florida people! If they plan on keeping any viewers they need to do something to get our attention!
I bet….If they put Bob Mayer on at 6pm with Julia, they would see an increase in ratings. It wouldn’t even cost them anything !!!
Edison…Better looking talent with brains?….like Belky or Lynn ( is it time for another facelift yet?)…..Yup…thats the answer….lol.
I’ve said this many times…imagine a cat 5 heading to Miami/Ft Laud or a giant meteor or any important event…what anchor would you trust for good info? me? I’d only trust Bob Mayer. He could tell you how to get from Key Largo to WPB or know the actual names of govt officials. (Kelly Craig could too, same with Segreto, Norcross, Noe and Dwight Lauderdale)
Most of the others couldnt tell you how to get off Miami Beach without a GPS. rank amatuers with absolutely no knowledge of South Fl. They only care about who will see their tapes and hire them in NYC. just shameful. and to think Renick and Bishop used to rule this place. (BTW, Renick was only 62yo when he died. i was shocked he was so young)
I don’t really understand what you are getting at? I think most that live on Miami Beach know how to leave it. I am 21 and live in West Palm Beach and know Miami and Miami Beach (and Fort Lauderdale) very well. I dont think you need to be an experienced television anchor to know how to do that.
And, why is that such an important quality to you. I wouldn’t be watching TV in my car getting away from a CAT 5 hurricane.
I also think it is very stereotypical of you to think young anchors all want to go to NYC. South Florida is a very large television market with the potential to reach several million. People in OTHER smaller markets around the country wonder what those in Miami (and other top 20) will think about their tapes.
Amen!!!!
Ralphfurley, you hit the nail right on the head! There is no anchor on the air right now that anyone can trust, except Bob Mayer. He and Pam Giganti have to only potential to save the station right now.
I’m not surprised. Not only the potential sale, but industry-wide layoffs for some time.
Well …Julia has lived down here a long time. Don’t forget she was an anchor at 7 ( God, forgive her please) before she went to WTVJ.
you may not like WSVN but they must be doing something right.. They havn’t had to laid no one off yet.
Correct, Sunbeam Television is one of the few media outlet companies in the country that has laid off no one almost ever!
exactly! They also get pretty good ratings too. So like them or hate them, They are doing something right maybe the other stations should take a look at how they run things.
don’t forget that Sunbeam is not a publicly traded company.
Ed Ansin has much higher tolerance for low profits than an executive at even one of the smaller TV groups.
Some in the tv business will say Sunbeam “undrpays” or are cheap, so if that is true then it probably helps things.
WSVN also has around 20% of the TV ad market, at leas until last year, in the South Florida area. They also have the youngest audience and the best demo. Often they might not be top of the ratings but they’re top of the demo and demo is what makes money not total audience
BTW Long Gone… Don’t know if your aware that Pam was given an a try out on the 6 pm news several months ago for a few nights. I’m sad to say, it was not very good.
Mitch – get it right: She was not given a try-out, she was filling in. There is a huge difference. Pam is a morning anchor and staying there. When staffing is lean, people move shifts. Don’t read into it for more than it is: fill-in.
Bottom line….Pam did not do a good job, as I was hoping she would. OOPs….Getting close to 6 pm…..Jackie at 6, 7 & 11 pm……. Maybe , the J in WTVJ stands for Jackie !!!! All Jackie all the time. Ralph must be turning over in his grave. The station that he built !
I really don’t know anymore about these guys…half of me is saying that WTVJ needs to do a major restructuring effort (almost like GM?) and put in a lot more serious effort to get top-ranking newscasts out there. And the other half is saying that WTVJ should just give up on it all. It really is that difficult…but to be honest, I would like to see them at least try to return to their former glory, as they have a long and storied history…including being Florida’s first television station.
Is this the first time a station is in the dumps?
The time to change has long gone…People have too many sources to get their news today; internet,phone, and can be more selective with what they want to see. Their schedules have changed, the dinner at 6:00pm is a thing of the past. The news at noon for the stay at home mother; also a thing of the past.
4 stations are grabbing for the local new in English,4,6,7, & 10. The population has changed dramatically. The major winners now are 23,51 & 69. So gone are the highly paided anchors as the viewers have dimmished. Will they return? Not in South Florida. The ethnic makeup is the major reason the shift has occured. A viewer could care less if Kelly Craig, or Tony Segretto has left. I remember when they and Bob Mayer started. Their cost(salary) is now too much to carry in these tough times and as the news becomes more selective. The writing has been on the wall for years, it just when the number(cost of doing business) exceeds the salaries. I know several people who can run circles around the management; but this will not stop the problem. Not enough viewers and too big an expense. NBC who is owned by GE made a decesion long ago to stop expanding in this market. When the parent stops supporting you, the end is near.
Bob Mayer is next….familiar faces do not get you viewers.
i am going to have to disagree with you. I have found that i enjoy watching certain Anchors on shows because over all they are more enjoyable. Lynn Martinez is a perfect example of that. She is funny, entertaining but yet can also be serious. I enjoy that and i would perfer to watch her more than someone else at that time.
Bryan is wrong. News anchors do bring in viewers, if they are good. People like Bob Mayer, they like Kelly Craig, they like John Gerrard and people like Joel Connable. There are many people on NBC who were well liked and brought in viewers. If you asked anyone why they watched the 7pm news, it was because Joel and Jackie had good chemistry. It was because Joel knew his stuff and made people laugh. Why do people watch the 11am. Well, they don’t really, but some people tuned in to watch Bob and Kelly because they liked them. If you’re saying that people are not watching NBC6 or other channels becasue of the people that are on, you are dead wrong. Why else would they watch? It all comes down to the people who are on TV. If you put Tisha Lewis anchoring the news every night, people would turn away, but some people would tune in becasue they like her. Ratings are based on the lead-in and the people delivering the news. After that, you can hold the ratings if you do a ood job telling stories and covering stories that people care about. Why did NBC’s ratings dop? They got rid ofgood people, covered stupid stories and mde the news unwatchable. Anyone who thinks it doesn’t matter who is anchoring shouldn’t make decisions in this business. People want to watch people they like, people who make them laugh, people who know their stuff and people who they can get to know. That has not gone away, even with Twitter, the Internet and Cable.
So very very sad. I remember when Kelly 1st came to Miami, and one of her 1st events to cover was to do the news from the U of Miami, as it was hosting a college baseball playoff. She was there with Tony (who was still just doing sports). She was so pretty and so nice, a charming lady.
Kevin C you are right! Kelly was fine/sexy when she was skinny. Very attractive woman, which still is, but more when she was young & skinny.
UM Girl…. you are living in the past..There was a time a major hunt was done for the anchor, case and point Laurie Jennings when she was hired by 7. When see left, they put two current local talent..Look at the turn over at 7. Look at the turn over at 4. The veterans who know the game are costly $$$ and the market has deversified. Why are magazines and the local papers in trouble?
Advertisers pay the salaries of the tv station and newpaper workers. The advertisers have gone to the interenet where they can target an individual.
Nick Bogert saw the handwriting….
The days of the 400k to 500k anchor are short lived and those still making the big bucks will be axed. Network viewership is the lowest ever. Thats why so many shows are cancelled. You can have an excellent show and if the cost to produce is too expensive, they cut an actor, or they might just cancel the show.
Loyality to an anchor is dead….The anchor is a messenger server and nothing else…they are a puppet…Gone are the days of where the anchors had an input into what is presented to the public. Costs must be contained and the easiest way is through the most costly talent. Where is Ike seamans? Tony Segrettowas given a “good boy” exit. They were not going to renew a 400 -500k salary.
The news media is always looking for new talent that has a pleasant apperance.
The interent is unregualted an allows the networks to provide addtional video / stories not allowed to be given with their 30 slot. And if you look now, 6 is cut the news at 6:25 so they can plow most commercials.
I will give you a comparision. You go to a restaurant and are treated well by the waitress. When you return, you might request her again. Why? You like the service, or was it the food? On your next visit, she is gone…moved to a higher paying restaurant. Do you still eat at the restaurant or do you move to where she went? Its the quality of the food, not the person.
Same applies to the TV industry. Veteran actors, Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, even Cristine Applegate where suppose to draw you to a series…the series failed in each of these individuals 3 times. Name a show which has sustained time like Friends, Cheers, Happy Days, I can give you a list very deep….Its not done today…Its too costly…
Closing….the anchors and sportcasters in the 70’s – 90 were like rocks. They stayed a long time…Jennifer Valoppi, Ann Bishop,,Diane Magnum, Jimmy Cefalo. Its been a new era and its will only get tougher as the days go forward…
I agree with UM girl. Bryan made a point at first, which was incorrect. he claimed that anchors do not hold viewers.. that anchors do not play any role anymore in bringing in viewers. Not true. They may not play such a big role, but listen to what everyone is saying on this blog. They really liked watching the Kelly Craigs, the Tony Segretos, the Joel Conable’s and the many others who stood out on local television. People did watch because of them. Advertisement revenue dropped because people became less dependent on local news for their news. But, those who were still watching were watching their favorite channel because they liked their favorite news anchor and the style of delivery.
This ain’t the WTVJ I grew up with. Sad day when when these fine folks are let go.
So where’s Bob Mayer?
Extended vacation.
One thing the current managerial hacks running TV do not understand is this: it takes time to build an audience. Seinfeld tanked the first year, so did Cheers, and MASH, and All In The Family, and shall I go on? It takes years to build a following, and in local news, the kind of trust you build in an anchor pays dividends after a while. These idiots think the equity is in the call letters. They are wrong. On a national level, Brian Williams is a good example. He took over a #1 newscast, and just as his numbers teetered ever so slightly, he owned the Katrina story with the stellar job he did in New Orleans. He hasn’t had to look back since. Get rid of the bean counters and find me some damned journalists!
I totally disagree about the importance of anchors. I want to see a personality with whom I am already familiar. I always watched WTVJ exclusively because I liked the anchors and the reporters. As I started to see ne faces doing the live segments I started switching channels. As I got to know the anchors on the other channels, I started watching more and more. When I would go back to WTVJ, I’d notice that the anchors I liked (like Joel Connable, Paul Deano, Jennifer Gray) were gone and replaced with new people. That made it easier for me to switch back to 4 and 10. Now I watch Laurie Jennings and Charles Perez far more often than I watch Jackie and Julia. I thought Kelly Craig was a gift to the airwaves and I hope she finds another job before she leaves South Florida.
Having a good anchor , is like a football team having a good QB . Your not gonna be successful without a good QB in football ( just look at the top NFL teams) and your not gonna be successful in TV News without a good anchor. Why do you think some of the top anchors make so much money, much like the top QBs . They are that important!
Bob Mayer is on vacation till mid July.
After NBC6 got rid of Kelly Criag, and the others, I don’t think they care about their viewers. We were loyal to NBC6 and trusted the reporters they just up and fired with no regard for the viewers, NBC6 & NBC have lost my family, friends and I as loyal viewers forever. First they ruin the only number one show they had for decades, The Tonight Show, by dismissing Jay Leno and giving the show to someone everyone but NBC, knew would kill the show, and now they are just going from town to town firing the reporters and anchors people trust locally, to finish off NBC even at local levels. Well, congrats NBC, you can safely say that you have killed the NBC6 Miami Market. There’s a lot to be said for a reporter who hangs around for almost 2 decades, and that you have to quietly fire to get rid of. NBC has slowly gotten rid of every reporter we’ve trusted, that has stayed with NBC6 only to be stabbed in the back by NBC and gotten fired after decades of service to South Florida. Shame on you NBC & NBC6. You just lost an everyday loyal viewer. I guess I’ll try Channel 10, they were smart enough to bring on Lori Jenning. Hpefully they’ll hire Kelly.