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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Big changes in Indy media could bring losses in quality journalism; diversity

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In our 21 years, Just Tellin’ It has written about local media’s impact on our African-American community.

Well, last week a tsunami of changes occurred in Indianapolis media. Changes I fear will negatively impact what Indiana, Indianapolis and our Black community reads and sees. Here’s what happened, why and the impact.

CBS dumps WISH-TV/Channel 8 for WTTV/Channel 4

This is a deal motivated by a $15 billion dollar company, CBS, trying to make billions more. WISH-TV/Channel 8’s affiliation, or permission to broadcast CBS entertainment, sports and news programs, was up for renewal.

The major issue was how much WISH-TV would pay CBS from money WISH-TV gets from cable companies that pay local TV stations millions yearly in return for carrying their programming on cable. Called retransmission fees, this cash has become a critical part of a TV station’s revenue. Broadcasting Cable magazine estimates WISH-TV earns $10 million in retransmission fees from Comcast, Bright House, U-Verse and other cable systems in Central Indiana.

CBS wants a larger cut of those fees. WISH-TV’s owners, LIN Media, disagreed with the so-called “fair value” cut CBS wanted.

Meanwhile, Tribune Broadcasting, which owns WXIN/Channel 59 and WTTV/Channel 4 were renewing their agreements for their CBS stations.

Tribune talked with CBS and agreed to meet their demands for Indianapolis. And suddenly WTTV will air CBS programs starting Jan 1.

This deal isn’t about public service or service to the community. This is a straight up gangsta’ move by CBS Chairman Les Moonves for cold naked cash.

Make no mistake, CBS’ decision is a devastating financial blow to WISH-TV. How bad?

According to the TV/NewsCheck website quoting BIA/Kelsey, Indianapolis TV stations generated $156.1 million in revenue last year. WISH-TV earned an estimated $34.5 million; 22.1 percent of the pie. WTTV just $11.7 million; 7.5 percent.

With CBS programs like NFL Football (including Colts), NCAA Basketball Tournaments, “CSI,” “NCIS,” “Big Bang,” CBS News, “The Price is Right,” “Young and the Restless” and many more, WISH-TV could lose between $15 to $20 million bucks to WTTV.

That’s a rough financial hit to overcome. WISH-TV could try to snatch away a major network from another Indy station.

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports WRTV/Channel 6’s ABC affiliation agreement is up in January. LIN could try to snatch it away. But, WRTV’s owner, Scripps is a major broadcaster with 15 ABC stations, including five in the biggest markets. Scripps won’t let their WRTV be the odd TV station out.

WISH-TV/Channel 8 has a great group of journalists on staff, including African-Americans. They have African-American managers and the station’s visibility in our Black community has been strong for decades.

On the other hand, while Tribune, which owns Channel 4 and 59, is a great broadcasting company, their two Indy stations’ visibility in our Black community has been spotty at best. Of Indy’s major TV stations, they have no African-American mangers and the fewest African-American TV journalists in the city.

More cuts at the Star

When Gannett bought the Indianapolis Star in 2000, there were some 280 reporters, photographers and other journalists employed. Last week another 15 percent were cut, bringing the total number of journalists to roughly 100. That’s a reduction of 64.3 percent in 15 years at Indiana’s largest newspaper.

Gannett’s revenue now mostly comes from their 46 TV stations. Two weeks ago they announced they were splitting into two companies; TV and websites in one and their newspapers in the other.

At the same time, Gannett newspapers in Nashville, Cincinnati and some smaller cities had full staff shakeups and layoffs, similar to what the Star announced last week.

Star Editor Jeff Taylor says they’re creating the “newsroom of the future.” The change involves eliminating their 12 copy editors, nearly half of their 15 photographers and eight managers. The Star’s future is bleak with fewer photographers than a TV station; and a continued decimation of seasoned, experienced journalists.

Taylor says the Star’s “adding reporters” and beefing up their investigative team.

But by asking employees to reapply for their jobs, those new reporters probably are reassigned staff, not actually a real increase in journalists, especially experienced ones. It’s unclear whether any African-American journalists or reporters will be laid off.

In another major blow, the Star’s most visible columnist, Bob Kravitz, jumped last Thursday to WTHR/Channel 13 to write for their website and be an on-air sports analyst. Another major loss for the paper.

Sports Editor Ronnie Ramos says he’ll conduct a national search to replace Kravitz. But the newspaper has two African-Americans, Stephen Holder and Candace Buckner, who are sports journalists with good skills and strong voices. Why go hire another non-minority journalist, when you’ve got quality minorities already on the payroll? Especially, with the newspaper’s growing weakness and declining African-American readership, down 13.3 percent since 2010.

Bleak Outlook

The changes in local TV could cause WISH-TV news department to drastically downsize; or perhaps be eliminated with a loss of African-American journalists and managers with no guarantee Tribune will increase their current paltry employment of Black journalists and managers.

The Star’s continued decimation of quality, experienced Indianapolis journalists from their staff is cause for deep concern.

CBS and Gannett’s corporate greed will cause quality journalism and news reporting in Indianapolis to suffer and deteriorate. That hurts not just our African-American community, but the entire community.

See ‘ya next week!

You can email comments to Amos Brown at acbrown@aol.com.

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