Shortly after President Donald Trump signed an enormous tax cut for corporations, Sinclair Broadcast Group, the conservative local media giant, joined a handful of other companies in announcing they would award employees a Christmas-time bonus as a result. Nine thousand employees will get $1,000 extra dollars each.
But some KOMO news employees, Seattle’s ABC affiliate that was purchased by Sinclair in 2013, are unlikely to get that bonus because of forthcoming union negotiations. Members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represents on-air reporters, have an expired contract. According to one employee, who requested anonymity to speak about internal affairs, KOMO’s HR has told employees they will not get the bonus.
It’s a kick in the gut to KOMO staff who are already frustrated with Sinclair’s leadership. The employee called it “scrooge revisited.”
The station’s photographers recently voted, 11-10, to accept a new contract and will therefore receive the bonus, according to their union representative Dave Twedell.
Sinclair is the largest owner and broadcaster of local news in the country, with 193 television stations on 589 channels in 89 U.S. markets. That presence is likely to grow if a proposed $3.9 billion merger between Sinclair and Tribune Media is allowed to go through.
READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE AT Crosscut.com
Bonuses? “A poor excuse to pick a man’s pocket every 25th of December.”
Wonder how it was at KOMO during the decades of ownership by Fisher Communications? That family-controlled firm seemed famously considerate of staff. Particularly news anchor Kathi Goertzen, who remained on staff during her multi-year battle with cancer. Within a year of her 2012 death, Fisher was sold to Sinclair, a firm that has since further expanded into the Seattle market by purchasing KCPQ.
Observers had expected Sinclair to divest FOX-affiliate KCPQ by selling it directly to FOX. Guess we’ll see…as the new laissez faire regime at the FCC probably won’t mind one firm owning multiple stations in one market. Besides,t Sinclair may want to dedicate one of its Seattle holdings to the rumoured de facto network they are planning to compete against FOX News Channel for conservative eyeballs.
Something seems totally out of whack here. First off, why would Sinclair stand up at the plate and make the offer in the first place? The story goes on to say Sinclair is one of a handful of companies reportedly giving these substantial bonus as a result of President Trump Tax cuts. Looking at the source of this story, I see its all PBS staff (Trump haters), left wing liberals, who love to report a distorted view of the facts. To me, it appears this is more to do with the union who is spouting Bah, Humbug. I’m surprised psr would use such a source.
Ive been driving truck since 1974. Never got a Xmas bonus of any value.One year the union gave their members BRAC (theres a blast from the past) a $20 voucher for Woodwards Food Floor. Another blast from the past). On the upside truckers as a rule dont get fired at the drop of a hat. From what I have come to understand reading this most excellent blog (keep up the great work PSR) job security in the radio biz is almost non existent.
Bonuses?