Ana Orsini joined the NewsWatch 12 team as an anchor and producer in May 2020. But because Altice had already been sued once for large staff layoffs, sources say the company is instead forcing pricey personnel to leave of their own volition through unfair, harsh treatment. Very bad move KSAT. Sources at News 12 say Waldman regularly berates editorial team members and, like Natz and Gruber, judges their output with uncivil intensity, coming down hardest on veterans who earn the most money. I stopped looking at the Facebook page; I stopped looking at the comments, says one former staffer. As with the hiring of Gruber who one source calls the most condescending woman Ive ever encountered sources say there were further problems with the hiring of Amy Waldman, who became the Long Island branchs assistant news director in February 2020, a few months prior to Natzs hiring. In court documents supplied to TVNewsCheck by a source, Waldman is labeled by Evseroffs attorney as a properly named defendant in the case because she was one of two co-conspirators in the hostile work environment Evseroff experienced. Like in New Jersey, staffers in other News 12 newsrooms have also been disheartened by an increased amount of sponsored content at their channels, as well as anodyne, non-market-specific stories. Dont expect that youre going to be the next Katie Couric or Megyn Kelly. Exiting workers were told that they were beloved, and the company wanted to invest in them if they chose to stick around. Typically, that would have been the case, sources say, as it was when the station covered the remnants of Hurricane Henri only nine days earlier. Video consumption of the network is growing by more than 800% year over year, the company says. (Multiple former newsroom employees estimated that number of departures; one maintained a rolling list of names that reached 74 and shared it with TVNewsCheck.) JR: Ill be honest with you, I think they have a larger responsibility, because there are so many facts and figures coming in every day that they have to sift through, and I also think there is its unfair, but so many deadlines are imposed on people, and theres this belief that you have to be the first one to report something, and I think journalists have gotten into trouble rushing to get a story to air or rushing to get a story on their website or rushing to get on Facebook. It promoted two brands in a single spot, and one source says content like that was corny and it delegitimized us. The source thought to themself at the time, Are we journalists or shills?. It's one destination for everything you need to know to start your day. Several follow-up segments on the Vesey episode were ordered up by management and, later, more stories about Veseys personal experiences turned up on newscasts, too. a user exclaimed. Sources say managers at News 12 have since made light of the incident and are quick to point out that though News 12 received multiple Emmy nominations for Hurricane Ida coverage, many of the employees responsible for that reporting 11 months ago have since left. The focus definitely seemed to be on attention, and not our well-being. They worry that their credibility as meteorologists is on the line; however, sources say nothing has changed. In October 2021, while News 12 Long Island was once again in Storm Watch mode, covering what the staff called a Noreaster, dozens of locals took to Facebook and hounded the station with critical comments indicating they were experiencing an ordinary rain event. I think its much more difficult for the younger generations to have a path of success in this field because there are so many areas where you can be in journalism, which is good, because when I was literally starting my career, as I mentioned, you had channels 2, 4, 7, 9, 11 in the New York market, but you couldnt leave the New York market. It was ruining my entire life and my health, one source, who was closely managed by Waldman, says. The anchor worked at CNN for many years before moving to Fox News, where he . Requiring them to cover stories for advertisers. News 12 Long Island (TV Series 1986- ) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. What Noreaster? wrote one person in a comment. Generally, middle managers at the company like Stellato are concerned about worker safety and well-being, sources say. Josh Elliot was abruptly fired by CBS News on Monday and escorted out of the building by security. The first week, when I started the show, I had George Latimer, state senator George Latimer, on. "Ksat 12 didnt renew Isis Romeros contract? Direct payment worth up to $4,555 to be sent out in 12 . Updated: Feb. 27, 2023 at 3:45 PM CST | By KXII Staff. Then, one weekend in 2018, sources say Dolan and his secretary cleaned out his office of personal belongings, fearing Altice would soon permanently lock him out of the Long Island headquarters. Ground zero for this initiative was the News 12 Long Island newsroom. Of course, sponsored content has become a commonplace for local TV news in the past decade. And of course we started with the news of the day, which was the terror attack in New York City. But you dont care.. But I do try to keep a balance and have some national, some, perhaps, state information on, and I do always try to get to some issue thats local, because I do think thats important to people. 12 has replaced its lead news anchors of the past six years, Reg Miller and Laurel Sauer. Resources were pulled and staffers were increasingly worn thin, taking on additional roles producers picked up cameras and started shooting, for example. A few have, but many have gone on to work at other news outlets. However, the email also told personnel to share our News 12 links covering the situation Kevin [Vesey] endured to show facts and what actually happened.. "KSAT 12 has always strived for a workplace reflective of our vibrant and diverse community both in front of and behind the camera," he said. Word of News 12 workplace problems has crept beyond network newsroom walls. Long Island's News 12 is now suing a meteorologist who caused some high pressure when he stormed off the job. During the incident, there was an exchange which many found offensive where Matt Pieper was relaying a message to reporter Amy Yensi and said, "David wants . You can try and lure people to what they say is the No. It was just people tearing [us] apart.. "This is a cornerstone of our culture and will continue to be so.". Lynette Romero, left, and Mark Mester were co-anchors at KTLA. What is your advice to young journalists who want to get into this, or, do you see journalism as a dying profession? Literally keeping an eye on politics. These are people who truly know the communities they cover. Ana started college at the University of Arizona but ultimately graduated from Texas A&M in 2018. She is a New York City native who grew up in Queens. If I was a news reporter I would have been furious. Anchors and reporters were going to get let go, that wasn't a secret. Some sources observe that there is a place for sponsored content and ads in news broadcasts. Changes were made for, as you mentioned earlier, economic reasons. They feel the newsrooms were inclusive and collaboration was also encouraged when Dolan was in charge. She joined News 12 in 2000, working her way up from . Kelly Lane, Weekday Evening Anchor/Reporter. Altice also says that News 12 remains home to a number of long-time anchors and reporters who are mainstays of our local communities while also bringing in new talent who are quickly becoming familiar faces to viewers. Around 40% of News 12s full-time employees have been with the network for more than 10 years, the company adds. They say News 12 has become a brand that consumers can no longer rely on for the community-focused coverage that was its hallmark for decades. And he was very insightful about taking on this new role. 728,429 people follow this. When your ass is on the line because youre in charge of these multi-, multi-million-dollar assets, you sometimes have to get down in the weeds, especially if youre trying to move a ship thats been going one way for years, the source says, noting they are also in touch with a few News 12 employees who are having the times of their lives working for the network. A year later that half-hour newscast morphed into the nation's first 24-hour local news channel, News 12 Long Island. Sources also believe the companys upper management purposely includes trumped up charges of poor performance in employee reviews to make cases for their firings, keeping Altice in compliance with the Dolan sales agreement. Over the years she's shared the desk with Melba Tolliver, Bill Zimmerman, Lea Tyrrell and Stone Grissom. Fourteen former and current employees from three additional News 12 markets tell TVNewsCheck the workplace culture in newsrooms throughout the company had become unbearably noxious under the problematic leadership of Natz, Assistant GM and VP of News Audrey Gruber and other managers hired by Altice. Altice last October also announced plans to relocate News 12 Connecticut's anchor studio to its News 12 New Jersey facility in Edison, N.J., while keeping a crew of local reporters and video . Copyright 2023 NewsCheckMedia LLC, 238 Crosshill Road, Wynnewood, PA 19096 | 610-649-7989, Multiple former and current employees of News 12s metro area New York cable news channels tell. "After reviewing . They surmise that Altice wishes to see such workers leave the company permanently so they can be replaced by inexperienced, inexpensive personnel. A Los Angeles news anchor was fired after he slammed his own station on the air for how it handled his former co-anchor's abrupt departure from the airwaves, a report said. She went on to thank her audience for supporting her work with KSAT. They want stories that matter to them.. (KTLA) KTLA-TV Channel 5 fired news anchor Mark Mester Thursday afternoon, days after he was suspended following an off-script segment in which he criticized the station's handling of his co-anchor Lynette Romero's abrupt departure . She also documented the devastating effects of pancreatic cancer and the fight for a cure. They just fired her for no reason?" Multiple sources express dismay over leaderships insistence that meteorologists play up weather events to sound overtly threatening when they are not. Fox 5 Las Vegas morning weekday anchor and reporter Feven Kiflegiorgis was busted nude and . Current and former News 12 staffers also say Natz had taken the stance that any employee who contracted COVID-19 did so out of poor judgment and a disregard for safety protocol, even though carriers can be asymptomatic. Fired News 12 The Bronx anchor Matt Pieper tried to save face a week after he dropped the f-bomb and bashed government assistance on a live mic by pointing the finger at a behind-the-scenes boss. One former Long Island employee says, We were told [by upper-level managers] several times, Look, were the only product on Long Island; people are gonna watch us no matter what.. Though it was once an estimable product for News 12, in-depth reporting became increasingly endangered in recent years, sources say. At the heart of the issue is the . Roxanne Evans is an Emmy Award-winning evening news anchor for News 12 Connecticut. A television news anchor who ended up swearing on a live broadcast has apologized for his ill-timed rant and said his editor was to blame. At least four anchors and reporters are out at Altice owned News 12 Long Island after a reorganization. Initially, management responded with an email to News 12 staffers, obtained by TVNewsCheck, instructing employees not to engage with hecklers on social media and to alert Altice security if they felt physically threatened. If youre going to be a journalist, dont expect to be a millionaire. Ive never seen it like this, says the source, commenting on the industrys labor problems. . Holmes has been with ABC News since 2014 and has co-anchored GMA3 since 2020. Oops! As Veseys presence in front of the camera grew, some News 12 employees wondered, Is this news?, (Sources for this story see Vesey as a team player who, throughout, was simply following assignment orders from management. She told the HR head to do so, even while those statements had already been investigated and completely discredited. (Per one source, supported by his social media accounts, Evseroff has since been hired back by WPIX.). The move of news into marketing. Described in an Altice press release as a "longtime veteran journalist, digital and media strategist," Natz was put in charge of "the entire News 12 organization, including editorial and business operations." He was tasked with growing the digital imprint of the group, boosting . By: News 12 Staff. She enjoys traveling in her time off and is also a vegetarian who advocates for healthy living. WM: Your guest, Vince, called in and said, Change is not always good. So far, has this worked out for you? I was given a chance to grow. He just tried to help them keep their jobs for as long as possible so Dolan filed a lawsuit and it stalled the firing . 59K views, 594 likes, 62 loves, 924 comments, 2.6K shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Dan Thomas: I was fired because I can't get the shot. Nielsen ratings data obtained by TVNewsCheck reveals that overall viewership of the News 12+ streaming channel collective, which includes five markets, has grown between 2020 and 2022. So I just want to make that clear. She was also part of the CBS affiliate team that received the coveted National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation (NABEF) Service to America Television Award, among the highest public-service honors in broadcasting, that honors exceptional public and community service. Since acquiring News 12, we have invested in the network with the goal of growing its audience and viewership and so they can provide the news and information to our local communities across the tri-state.. Singleton, hired from a Lexington TV station in 2015, had his disagreements with WCPO-TV management. Jason Hahn. Reports of Holmes and Robach's relationship surfaced . The company said. The insider also says, from their perspective, the News 12 brand does not appear to have fallen out of favor in the industry or with viewers. [Natz] said in several meetings that if we couldnt monetize a story, it wasnt worth doing.. According to a member of staff, management hadn't yet discussed Romero's departure with fellow employees. The sponsorship of stories. Sources say Altices sole focus on profits has been to the detriment of both its workforce and its brand. Kevin Vesey at a Long Island protest of state-issued mask mandates. They dont exist, and sources say this fact underscores the station groups forced efforts to air branded content and overhype weather events. Ramos joined the News 12 team in September 2019. Local news, weather, traffic, sports events and more from 12NEWS KPNX in Phoenix, Arizona One month before Waldman was hired by News 12, a former WPIX camera operator, previously under her direction at the network, sued the station for slander. Her tireless dedication to journalism, as well as her infectious laugh will not be forgotten. "Mornings with News 12" is the only place to get the local news that matters to your community. The document goes on to say that there is credible evidence that Waldman pressured the networks head of human resources to use a coworkers false statements as a precedent to fire Evseroff. In comments underneath a News 12 Facebook post promoting the story, a platform user posted a link to an article from another Long Island news source about four people who were arrested for illegal gun possession. A news anchor at WJTV in Jackson, Mississippi said she was fired because of her choice to wear her natural hair instead of straightening it. Meteorologist (1986-) unknown episodes . Ed Henry has had a long career in television news. Leadership instead wanted stories rife with shock value that would garner web clicks, and they inadvertently got one on May 14, 2020. But Im very proud to have been one of the founding members of when News 12 was in its agency. Sources say the whole affair was demoralizing for Dolan. ABOUT THE SHOW. Anchor (1986-) unknown episodes Norm Dvoskin . So if your passion is journalism, whether its on the air or off the air, you dont have to be in front of a camera or a microphone. Brand exposure had become paramount. After the takeover we couldnt imagine it get worse. A disconnect in station leadership was partly to blame, say sources close to the situation. This person laments that, when such content is included in a hyperlocal news broadcast, the more you water it down, the more useless it is.. Not long after Altice took over News 12 in 2016, however, according to multiple sources Dolan was demoted from his position as president of News 12 Networks. Exit announcements have been made without consent of those leaving the company, breaking industry etiquette, and job offers from other networks were pulled when word got out across News 12. KTLA. Ed Henry dropped his defamation suit. News 12 also recently introduced five-time Emmy award-winning meteorologist and Long Island native Addison Green to the network to anchor weather for Long Island and Westchester. It was difficult, to get a job, you had to have major experience to get into the New York City stations, but what was wonderful about Cablevision, was they saw the opportunity to offer more, to offer local news, and I happened to be in, for lack of a better way to say it, the right place at the right time as we were building that. 2:47 Feb 21, 2023 Of course, you had pressures and deadlines, the typical stuff, but it was great.. And this is basically just more of the same. You have to be prepared to work and want to love what you do. When News 12 Westchester announced in 2016 that it was moving the bulk of its production facilities from Yonkers to Long Island, several bastions of local news, including Emmy-winning anchor and political correspondent . When the reporting day was done, many workers slept on the stations floor, others in their own cars as Ida pummeled the area. I was very blessed to get into Cablevision early on in my career and to pursue a television career, which I came to love and adore. And I said this to all the interns Ive worked with over the years and all my employees that I brought in. Patsy Carter, Morning and Noon Anchor/Reporter. In response, according to sources, Natz said he would not consider the perspective of a spineless coward who refused to show their face on the Zoom call. Though Waldman worked at WPIX New York for 11 years, ascending to news director in 2015, she was rumored to be hot tempered and tone deaf toward staffers as a manager. A Fox anchor in Michigan was fired after going into an off-air tirade against his co-anchor. That story was spread internationally so we could capitalize on it.. We had said [to management] multiple times that we want differentiated branding, says one former News 12 Long Island employee, because there was a day or two where we had legitimate tornadoes in Suffolk County and were using the same branding that we would be if it was raining hard., Weather, in any news station, thats kind of your bread and butter, says another former News 12 staffer. When the micromanaging took hold, everything from on-air performance to edits to employee social media posts and beyond were dramatically scrutinized. Last week we reported about News 12 The Bronx anchor Matt Pieper and reporter Amy Yensi's on-the-air snafu while they thought they were on commercial break. The source says treatment like that was the polar opposite of what they and their former colleagues endured at News 12 before they left, and what current employees are dealing with today under Altice ownership. It does, and there will always be times in the country when theres political unrest. Those whove earned the highest salaries at News 12, after accruing lengthy track records of quality work and trust in the markets they serve, have borne the brunt of toxic management in recent years, sources say. So stupid," one viewer said. The company says, today, News 12 reaches 4.1 million households, which is a 20% increase since Altice purchased the network six years ago. Now we have it on record, its on record. However, they claim Natz who many say is not a newsman made a habit of calling people out on their shortcomings with public shows of frustration that ascended to levels of open disrespect. 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