Allen Media Group bloodbath and ABC 12

[MaqAttaq]

Longtime lurker, but I'm also pretty well connected in weather, and to a lesser extent, news. But, I'm surprised no one else here is talking about this.

Seems in several markets, Allen Media Group is consolidating all operations in certain states as they claim to be struggling. It's happened in Indiana and Wisconsin. Furthermore, there are talks that many weather operations are being consolidated at the Weather Channel headquarters near Atlanta (also owned by AMG). All while AMG is producing a syndicated reality show called "Deep Water Salvage" (likely to air on The Weather Channel as well).

This is on top of the other things happening to degrade the local news/weather operation, like AI-based talent being developed for local weather, using the NIL of some of our local talent. I've seen previews of it at an NWA annual meeting, and I remember a lot of people (I myself was with WLNS's Katie Nickalou as we watched these presentations on the technology) were pretty pissed. I'm pretty sure it's also being considered for the other news operations.

This was posted by Emily Pike (herself a meteorologist) on Facebook.

If you rely on the news for weather updates, please take note: Allen Media Group (AMG) is laying off most, if not all, local meteorologists across the country. This means local meteorologists are being replaced, which could pose serious risks, especially during severe weather events.
The Weather Channel is becoming a centralized hub, and AMG’s approach may set a trend for other companies. This is happening now and will continue through March when they takeover.
To check if your local station is owned by AMG, search for its call letters. If it is, make sure you have alternative ways to receive weather updates and alerts. If you depend on your trusted local meteorologist for severe weather coverage, they may no longer be there if it’s an AMG-owned station.
Current Allen stations:
WTVA Tupelo, MS
KIMT Rochester, MN/Mason City, IA
KEZI Eugene, OR
KDRV/KDKF Medford, OR
KHSL/KNVN Chico / Redding, CA
WTHI Terre Haute, IN
WLFI West Lafayette, IN
WFFT Fort Wayne, IN
WAAY Huntsville, AL
WEVV Evansville, IN
KADN Lafayette, LA
KITV/KIKU Honolulu, HI
WAOW Wausau, WI
WQOW Eau Claire, WI
WKOW Madison, WI
WXOW La Crosse, WI
WSIL Carterville, IL
KVOA Tucson, AZ
WREX Rockford, IL
KWWL Waterloo, IA
WJRT Flint, MI
WCOV Montgomery, AL

[organman95]

Longtime lurker, but I'm also pretty well connected in weather, and to a lesser extent, news. But, I'm surprised no one else here is talking about this.

Seems in several markets, Allen Media Group is consolidating all operations in certain states as they claim to be struggling. It's happened in Indiana and Wisconsin. Furthermore, there are talks that many weather operations are being consolidated at the Weather Channel headquarters near Atlanta (also owned by AMG). All while AMG is producing a syndicated reality show called "Deep Water Salvage" (likely to air on The Weather Channel as well).

This is on top of the other things happening to degrade the local news/weather operation, like AI-based talent being developed for local weather, using the NIL of some of our local talent. I've seen previews of it at an NWA annual meeting, and I remember a lot of people (I myself was with WLNS's Katie Nickalou as we watched these presentations on the technology) were pretty pissed. I'm pretty sure it's also being considered for the other news operations.

This was posted by Emily Pike (herself a meteorologist) on Facebook.

If you rely on the news for weather updates, please take note: Allen Media Group (AMG) is laying off most, if not all, local meteorologists across the country. This means local meteorologists are being replaced, which could pose serious risks, especially during severe weather events.
The Weather Channel is becoming a centralized hub, and AMG’s approach may set a trend for other companies. This is happening now and will continue through March when they takeover.
To check if your local station is owned by AMG, search for its call letters. If it is, make sure you have alternative ways to receive weather updates and alerts. If you depend on your trusted local meteorologist for severe weather coverage, they may no longer be there if it’s an AMG-owned station.
Current Allen stations:
WTVA Tupelo, MS
KIMT Rochester, MN/Mason City, IA
KEZI Eugene, OR
KDRV/KDKF Medford, OR
KHSL/KNVN Chico / Redding, CA
WTHI Terre Haute, IN
WLFI West Lafayette, IN
WFFT Fort Wayne, IN
WAAY Huntsville, AL
WEVV Evansville, IN
KADN Lafayette, LA
KITV/KIKU Honolulu, HI
WAOW Wausau, WI
WQOW Eau Claire, WI
WKOW Madison, WI
WXOW La Crosse, WI
WSIL Carterville, IL
KVOA Tucson, AZ
WREX Rockford, IL
KWWL Waterloo, IA
WJRT Flint, MI
WCOV Montgomery, AL

I just saw Christina Burkhart's Facebook post. Very sad day for weather and journalism.

I think the "central hub" for ALL markets is going to fail, in a H*** way. Think stations that used AccuWeather 20+ years ago (example, WFQX in Traverse City.) While the forecast may have been ok, it was useless (or near useless) in severe weather events.

[Harvey]

This comes at a time when 5 has changed their severe weather graphics to a blink and you miss it scroll.

[MaqAttaq]

I just saw Christina Burkhart's Facebook post. Very sad day for weather and journalism.

I think the "central hub" for ALL markets is going to fail, in a H*** way. Think stations that used AccuWeather 20+ years ago (example, WFQX in Traverse City.) While the forecast may have been ok, it was useless (or near useless) in severe weather events.

I agree 100%. I saw Christina's post around my lunchtime, and saw several of my friends in the industry have commented themselves, and other stations that share markets with AMG are themselves in shock especially since many of these people are friends outside of the screen.

[GrahamWellington]

Just wait for the first severe storm when some random meteorologist gets thrown on air and has to pronounce Tittabawassee upon first glance.

[SBaxley]

So THATS why they shut down The Weather Channel En Espanol, so they can use its studios for AMGs Weather Hub, by the way , to add clarity to Emily's FB post, WCOV, while owned by AMG, hasn't had an "In-House Produced" newscast since January 1, 1986 , thats when WAKA took over as Mongomery's CBS affiliate , 'COVs newscasts were done by WSFA, and then [shock of all shocks] produced by WAKA/WNCF under their "Alabama News Network" name, their newscast is now produced out of WAAY in Huntsville, with a couple of MMJs based out of Montgomery

But I do agree that Byron Allen has [ with all due respect ] really made one mighty big error in THIS decision...[ and this was the guy who wanted to buy the ABC O&Os , then wanted to buy Tegna, and then eyed Scripps .. ] i dont know about you guys , but he's got to stop mixing his kool-aid with monster energy drink, this has FAILURE written allllll OVER it !

[Harvey]

The Grio has been removed from 12-3. Is AMG trying to save bandwidth?

[MWmetalhead]

A lot of the affected stations are in severe weather prone areas, too.

What happens if there is a multi-state tornado outbreak with live tornado warnings in eight or nine different TV markets with AMG stations at the same time? Will TWC be staffed with sufficient personnel to do wall-to-wall coverage on each & every station in an affected area? I doubt it.

WTVA in Tupelo, MS is home to Matt Laubhan, who in my opinion is one of the Top 10 most respected meteorologists in the entire country with regard to live severe weather coverage. His termination due to budget cuts is causing shockwaves:

https://www.djournal.com/news/local/wtv ... 63a26.html



https://www.reddit.com/r/Broadcasting/c ... _laid_off/

Tupelo, Huntsville, Evansville, and Rockford are among the markets located in tornado prone areas.

This seems like a short-sighted decision to say the least.

[whitebalance]

Poor management. Living beyond your means. Buying stations you can't afford to operate. Corporate greed.

[edj]

I've seen clips of Laubhan. Knowledgeable, accurate, and passionate. It's absurd they're getting rid of him.

Better hope Allen never buys BMA or James Spann is gone too.

[MWmetalhead]

Yeah, no kidding.

WSIL-TV, the CBS affiliate serving Paducah and Cape Girardeau, is owned by AMG. That station did a very good job providing wall to wall coverage of the late December 2021 outbreak that spawned the deadly Mayfield, KY tornado. Both they and Paducah's WPSD-TV (a truly great local station) were awesome at covering that storm system. Full length videos of each station's coverage are available on YouTube.

[lane the cowboy]

It is unacceptable. what is Allen media is doing to my ABC 12 weather Team & the rest of my station

[DefendTheDen]

I hope that Matt Laubhan will not be out of a job in Tupelo MS hope the other TV stations pick him up or in other areas in MS, LA, AL. Matt isn't going to be out of a job for long in my opinion. Byron Allen has been late on payments with CBS, NBC, & ABC why don't they yank their networks from AMG?

Byron Allen had no business to buy TV stations in the first place as he is running them into the ground and on a shoestring budget just like his syndication dreck.

[edj]

Tupelo/Columbus is only a two station market I believe. Birmingham has Spann and his protege Jason Simpson as chiefs at two of the big stations. Maybe Huntsville, though they have an Allen station too.

Mobile/Pensacola market has some interesting weather too, probably more on the hurricane side, but some tornadoes.

[tvbobn]

The Grio has been removed from 12-3. Is AMG trying to save bandwidth?

The Grio (formally Light TV) shut down and is out of business. AMG also shut down the Local Now channel (formally This TV.)