ABC12 ought to be embarrassed

[Realist]

6pm news tonight - not only did they have way too many technical glitches, but the ability to spell was lost. When you can’t correctly spell “Target” (it’s a common store) and then say there is going to be a lot of “flodding” because of the upcoming rain, it looks like someone has never heard of spell check...

[sinklair]

LL: no they aren’t alone. You have young and overworked journalists doing more with less. When you’re producing multiple newscasts or turning multiple stories per shift, you limit your ability to catch these mistakes. Is it right? Hell no. But it’s the reality for money hungry station managers who care only about the bottom line by adding more shows and cutting staff. But that’s what you get when you hire accountants from third-rate Iowa colleges to run TV stations.

[Beerbong]

LL: no they aren’t alone. You have young and overworked journalists doing more with less. When you’re producing multiple newscasts or turning multiple stories per shift, you limit your ability to catch these mistakes. Is it right? Hell no. But it’s the reality for money hungry station managers who care only about the bottom line by adding more shows and cutting staff. But that’s what you get when you hire accountants from third-rate Iowa colleges to run TV stations.

Way back, when 12 was owned by Disney, they had a person for every task during a newscast. Director, Producer, Chyron, Audio, MCR and Microwave Control. They still had typos all the time. As do all stations. Nothing new here. While those examples are glaring mistakes, I really don’t think you can point to cost cutting as the culprit.. People make mistakes no matter how much time they have to prepare, or how much you pay them.
They’re human.

[sinklair]

Focus should be on building systems that prevent mistakes. Less people who are overworked doing more tasks/newscasts lead to these types of preventable mistakes. We need to stop excusing the mistakes and demand better from workers and managers who create the conditions that allow for sloppiness.

[Beerbong]

Focus should be on building systems that prevent mistakes. Less people who are overworked doing more tasks/newscasts lead to these types of preventable mistakes. We need to stop excusing the mistakes and demand better from workers and managers who create the conditions that allow for sloppiness.

I’m sure the folks in the back room at 12 are working a lot harder than they used to. Most people over there had down time between newscasts and production, so much so that they probably only actually worked 3 or 4 hours during an 8 hour shift on any given day. The rest of the time they were just passing time. People pick up on that and try to find ways to eliminate that problem. Now they are busy.
Stations are tired of paying people to read books or nap.

[Beerbong]

Focus should be on building systems that prevent mistakes. Less people who are overworked doing more tasks/newscasts lead to these types of preventable mistakes. We need to stop excusing the mistakes and demand better from workers and managers who create the conditions that allow for sloppiness.

I’m sure the folks in the back room at 12 are working a lot harder than they used to. Most people over there had down time between newscasts and production, so much so that they probably only actually worked 3 or 4 hours during an 8 hour shift on any given day. The rest of the time they were just passing time. People pick up on that and try to find ways to eliminate that problem. Now they are busy.
Stations are tired of paying people to read books or nap.

[sinklair]

Sounds like an excuse coming from someone who only worked in management... and never spent more than a passing moment in Master Control or Production. So on one hand “people make mistakes”. Then when challenged that sloppiness comes from management not providing the proper help when they make budget-based instead of quality outcomes-based decisions, then all of a sudden Beer starts blaming “lazy” workers. Yep, talking out of both ends...

[Beerbong]

As usual you are wrong in your assessment of me and my attempt to provide clarity on some of your issues., Down time was a H*** factor in 12s decision to “hub”, which by the way was a H*** failure. After a year or so of having the absolute worst looking air product imaginable, they brought back MCR. With that came more cost cutting. More people were cut, more work was added to the poor slobs that got to stay, and then, the birth of the TMP. These guys do everything MCR did, plus have the good fortune to be able to code and direct newscasts. All in one day.
You seem to have blinders on, and aren’t aware of all the changes in your own market, let alone the changes in the industry.

[sinklair]

Wrong again. I know the changes that are going on. It’s you who seems to have blinders on, since you “claim” to no longer work in the industry/are retired.

I see the impact that automation, cost cutting, and piling on more work/more newscasts/additional digital duties/increasing digital sub channels have had in the quality of the product we’re putting out.

Beer blames the “poor slobs”. I blame the rich and out of touch management who don’t support workers with the time and support to do the job right.

There used to be good GMs like Tom Bryson and News Directors like Jim Bleicher who were the envy of the market because they cared about the workers, insisted on high standards and made sure to support both. Those are days gone by... now only the bottom line matters to managers. Oh, and biased must-runs and lame branding campaigns.

[Beerbong]

Wrong again. The term “poor slobs” is a term of affection. I know those people well, and don’t envy the position they are in. But if we are going to tell the truth, there was a lot of down time, and just a matter of time before it was addressed. TMP.
I will give you credit where credit is due. Tom and Jim are fine people.
You could’ve learned at lot by watching how they handled triumph and defeat.

[sinklair]

Beer: “Poor slobs is a term of affection”

With friends like that, who needs enemies??? I don’t know anyone who is working their tail off that would view “poor slobs” as an endearing term.

Maybe things are VERY different at 12 where people are just mailing it in... but I doubt it. At 25-66, we are being asked to put on a quality product with very little support from management. And “poor slobs” is not considered an endearing term in the East Building on Pierson Road by those of us who care about the work we do.

[Beerbong]

It’s funny how dragging your entire operation through the mud is OK, but “poor slob” insults your sensibilities.

[sinklair]

Advocating for change to improve working conditions is different than dragging thru the mud...

[Dudley]

Instead of blaming the people who can't spell worth carp, why not blame the schools that didn't teach them! (intentional misspelling)

[Beerbong]

Advocating for change to improve working conditions is different than dragging thru the mud...

No, it’s called dragging your employer through the mud. You’ve insulted everything about your shop including managers numerous times throughout your process.
If I was looking for change in the workplace, you would be my last choice to be an “advocate” on my behalf.