The Peacock Purge [Archive] - b-roll.net FORUM

Lensmith

12-07-2007, 06:22 AM

NBC is taking more drastic steps.

Just thought I'd share.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/12062007/business/peacock_purge_42933.htm

http://www.nypost.com/img/nypmasthead.gif

PEACOCK PURGE

By PETER LAURIA

December 6, 2007 -- NBC boss Jeff Zucker is expected to make big cuts on the newsgathering and operational side of the company's news division, including eliminating an entire level of MSNBC's management team, in a bid to save between $20 million and $40 million, The Post has learned.

Sources inside or close to NBC yesterday claimed the cuts, which are expected to come down this week or next, will be weighted evenly between NBC News and MSNBC. CNBC staffers are being shielded from this round of cuts because Zucker wants the network to be at full strength now that the battle with Fox Business Network has begun. (FBN is owned by News Corp., which also owns The Post.)

click the link to read the full article.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12062007/business/peacock_purge_42933.htm

This news is on top of the earlier notice that NBC has sent word from on high they will not be hiring any freelancers for the rest of the year according to some of our B-Roll Online members.http://www.b-roll.net/forum/showthread.php?t=19436

Canonman

12-07-2007, 12:12 PM

CNBC staffers are being shielded from this round of cuts because Zucker wants the network to be at full strength now that the battle with Fox Business Network has begun.

Frankly, I'd like to see them start with CNBC. I won't go into the reasons why.

cm

Land Rover

12-07-2007, 12:25 PM

They let go of a number of people at the NBC station here in Dallas months ago when they installed an automated system. They ended up hiring some of them back because they couldn't work out some of the bugs but they launched it anyway knowing there were problems. As I understand it the system kept missing audio cues so they had to bring back the audio techs. Supposedly there was a big drop in the morning show's ratings because of all the problems.

Baltimore Shooter

12-07-2007, 03:35 PM

Supposedly there was a big drop in the morning show's ratings because of all the problems.
You mean viewers actually notice a lack of quality. No, say it ain't so! ;)

Warren

Canonman

12-07-2007, 08:00 PM

You mean viewers actually notice a lack of quality. No, say it ain't so! ;)

Warren

Yeah, and the thing I notice is they're (Dallas NBC affiliate) trying to run an HD newscast and having to use graphic pillarboxes because their field cams won't do 16:9.

cm

Lensmith

12-10-2007, 06:00 AM

First reports have doom and gloom, now this from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN0626667620071207

http://www.reuters.com/resources/images/logo.gif
NBC News to eliminate 15-20 jobs

By Paul J. Gough

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC News will cut about 1% of its work force, or about 15-20 jobs, throughout the division.

Final decisions haven't been made, but the cuts likely will start Friday and continue through the middle of next week. Some of the 15 or 20 jobs will be buyouts; the others will be layoffs. NBC News has about 2,000 employees between the network news division and its cable channel, MSNBC.

No on-air talent will be affected, unlike the last round that led to the contracts of several -- including anchors John Siegenthaler and Stone Phillips -- not being renewed. The cuts would lead to a savings of less than $20 million a year.

The cuts will be felt at several places, including "NBC Nightly News" and "Today" as well as MSNBC. They're not related to the 750 or so jobs cut late last year in a reorganization of the news division.

"There's an ongoing process at NBC News to reallocate, reorganize and right-size the division given the business pressures that every major media organization is facing," NBC News spokeswoman Allison Gollust said. "This process began some time ago, it continues to today and will continue tomorrow."

Click the link to read the entire article.
http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN0626667620071207

What makes me wonder...is how fifteen to twenty jobs is going to achieve the supposed goal of cutting $20 million to $40 million from their budget.

Especially with the claim that none of these few jobs involves on-air talent.

Still...not good news for some during this holiday season.

Tippster

12-10-2007, 10:22 AM

Frankly, I'd like to see them start with CNBC. I won't go into the reasons why.

cm
Supposedly CNBC isn't hemorrhaging money like MS is. (This according to a NewsChannel source.)

svp

12-10-2007, 03:50 PM

First reports have doom and gloom, now this from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN0626667620071207

http://www.reuters.com/resources/images/logo.gif
NBC News to eliminate 15-20 jobs

Some of the 15 or 20 jobs will be buyouts; the others will be layoffs. The cuts would lead to a savings of less than $20 million a year.

20 jobs = 20 million huh??? Must be all high level executives. At that salary, I'm sure they're not going to be hurting this holiday season.

wqert89

12-11-2007, 12:10 PM

[QUOTE=Lensmith;179887]First reports have doom and gloom, now this from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter.

http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN0626667620071207

http://www.reuters.com/resources/images/logo.gif
NBC News to eliminate 15-20 jobs

NBC News will cut about 1% of its work force, or about 15-20 jobs, throughout the division.

Final decisions haven't been made, but the cuts likely will start Friday and continue through the middle of next week. Some of the 15 or 20 jobs will be buyouts.

Lets see if we can help NBC decide whom to cut.
If we just cut the overpriced managers who have driven NBC quality below home video ensuring channel 7 a 1st place victory over channel 4.
First NBC should cut the bloated salary of Tim Russert with his 12 million dollars a year salary that equals about or 250,000 per week or 50 thousand a day. Meet the Press would still be number one on Sunday if "howdy doody" was running the show. The only difference is he would probably be paid in splinters.

12 million down only 3 more people to toast.

While I do not know who manages the Peacock it is obvious that those who cut George Michael and Arch need to go! I hear they still believe that coming in 2nd to channel 7 had nothing to do with people going to a higher quality news cast.

Anyone else with a suggestion?

pre-set

12-11-2007, 04:13 PM

20 jobs = 20 million huh??? Must be all high level executives. At that salary, I'm sure they're not going to be hurting this holiday season.

No, more like 18 men and women at average of $68,000 a year, and TWO guys at $9,388,000.

svp

12-11-2007, 08:25 PM

Well, I haven't been in Washington that long and I've already seen enough wasted money from the networks that has me wondering how they stay in business. I understand that unions have their place and keep the pay and working conditions above the slave scale but they're also a drain from a financial standpoint. There is no reason why network photogs can't edit too. Right there, the networks are paying two people to do the job one could reasonbly do. Also, the amount of money they waste hiring freelancers is ridiculous. They waste more money on freelancers than they would pay if they added staff positions, despite the healthcare costs. If I owned a business and had managers that ran it like the networks are run, they'd all be fired. I know alot of you vets in Washington complain about how things aren't as good as they used to be but most of you network guys still make damn good money for relatively easy work. In my honest opinion, despite whoever I may pi$$ off, alot of you guys have gotten spoiled.

pre-set

12-12-2007, 12:47 AM

Like all stereotypes, there's a little (a lot?) of truth in them, and you've said some of it right there. BUT, rest assured, without said Unions and their "spoiled, overpaid" membership roles, you wouldn't be making the money you're getting paid right now, and you'd be doing a hell of a lot more work for that smaller paycheck to boot. So those "old Union guys" might seem like an anacronism to you, but you should at least acknowledge they've helped you out...

There is an incredible amount of revenue in this business. It's basically a license to print money. That's changing now, and will continue to do so, but for many years it was the rule. And much of that money tended to go into the pockets of a very few people. Coincidently, the same people who ALSO had the jobs that required the least amount of physical work, exposure to harsh elements and long, grueling days of field or studio work. And Unions have made things a little more equitable, at least by making sure that money got spread around somewhat better, while providing for better working conditions.

I'm never going to feel guilty about earning what I earn, getting penalites for missed meals, overtime, night differential and having a "2nd photog" for liveshots when the CEO's and VP's of our ownership groups and networks earn MILLIONS of dollars EACH, for essentailly doing part-time desk jobs and playing a lot of golf.

INLANDNEWS

12-12-2007, 01:40 AM

Daily Hires also got a letter stating there would be cuts however none have lost their jobs.

svp

12-12-2007, 07:41 AM

PreSet,

I do understand your point. And let me say that any company that wants to TRIM THE FAT, should start with their CEO's salary. Furthermore, I'm not calling for an end to the unions, I'm merely stating that some of the rules networks have to follow with regards to the contracts are very counter-productive. In my opinion, photographers usually make the best editors. The photographer knows what he/she shot and would probably edit a pkg much better than a network editor that can't get his/her finger off the dissolve button. I find it absolutely absurd that network photogs don't edit their own work. I find it absolutely absurd that alot of the network reporters have field producers that do most of the work THEY are paid to do. Some network reporters do NOTHING. The producers make the calls, get the info, do the running, and even write the story. All some network reporters do is STAND IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA AND READ IT. Now that's a waste of money. I'm not saying the networks should completely eliminate editors and field producers altogether. They do have their place, but alot of those jobs are unneccesary. It would make more sense to replace those jobs with more photog positions and rotate photogs between shooting and editing. Anyway, I'm done ranting on this issue. I just see alot of areas where money could be saved.

Some Guy in LA

12-12-2007, 08:33 AM

wqert89

12-12-2007, 08:41 AM

Tue Dec 11, 9:37 AM ET

Fourth-ranked broadcaster NBC has quietly begun reimbursing advertisers an average of $500,000 each for failing to reach guaranteed ratings levels, the first time a network has taken such a step in years, media buyers said.

Networks usually offer make-goods -- free advertising slots -- in the event of such shortfalls. But NBC has none to give. In fact, no broadcast network has much ad inventory left between now and year's end -- except for, perhaps, a handful of units the week between Christmas and New Year's, and that doesn't do much for advertisers chasing holiday shoppers.

CBS, ABC and Fox also are doling out make-goods, primarily for the first quarter. They have blamed softness on a new ratings formula, but media agencies disagree. None of the networks would comment.

The networks' problems emerged even before the Writers Guild of America went on strike November 5. The networks had enough first-run shows to get them through November, and repeats and replacement programming will not begin in earnest until January -- when their problems will likely start to worsen.

Among the Big Four networks, NBC has the most serious ad shortfall, as its primetime ratings are down most dramatically. Meanwhile, none of its new series this season have caught on with viewers. Compounding buyers' angst about NBC is the network's plan to schedule more reality shows, including "Celebrity Apprentice" and "American Gladiators."

"We're trying to understand NBC's recent moves," Starcom Entertainment exec vp Laura Caraccioli-Davis said. "We are concerned that it might be thinking about adopting a programming strategy like some of its sister cable networks. 'American Gladiators' and even some of the shows they have in development, like 'Knight Rider,' are remakes being dusted off rather than coming up with new creations.

"NBC used to be the upscale, quality network," she added. "We have come to expect quality, iconic programming. Maybe they are searching for the reality hit they don't have, their own 'American Idol.' But too much reality just doesn't play well with advertisers."

NBC program planning president Vince Manze countered that the network will air more scripted shows in the first quarter than it did a year earlier, so the perception that NBC is moving more heavily into reality is wrong.

"We will have about 85 hours of original, scripted, first-run programming in the first quarter," Manze said, citing the return of dramas "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (which previously aired on NBC's sister cable net USA Network) and "Medium."

In February, NBC will premiere midseason drama "Lipstick Jungle." It also has first-run episodes of "Law & Order: SVU," "ER," "Chuck," "Friday Night Lights," "Las Vegas," "Scrubs" and "My Name Is Earl" yet to air.

Magna Global audience analysis exec vp Steve Sternberg said he saw no problem with NBC airing a reality block on a low-rated night like Saturday or even during the week if the production values were high or if it replaced other reality programming. However, "if it replaces midweek scripted hours, it could have a negative impact" on ratings and audience quality, he said.

Reality programs featuring high production values, including Fox's "American Idol," CBS' "Survivor" and "Amazing Race" and ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" and "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," draw sizable audiences each week.

Still, one network executive charged that audiences for those shows are "borrowed" viewers. "A majority of those viewers come in for that show and then leave," the executive said.

Added MediaVest senior vp group director Ed Gentner: "No one (advertiser or agency) wants to see too much reality programming on TV. But broadcast television has changed, and reality is part of today's landscape."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Who'd of thunk it! Rating go down when quality is flushed down the toilet.
Have you scene the trash being aired on NBC lately?

svp

12-12-2007, 10:58 AM

Knight Rider is coming back????? HOLY COW! I think they should just bring back all the great shows like Cheers, ALF, A-Team, Quantum Leap, Dukes of Hazzard, Airwolf, etc. Now those are shows I'd watch. Doesn't surprise me that audiences are turned off by the flood of low cost, LOW QUALITY reality programming. MR, are you listening???

svp

12-12-2007, 11:02 AM

"There is no reason why network photogs can't edit too." svp

If you only have 6 photographers for 13 states that are constantly working, driving or flying, it is more efficient to have the photographer stop, drop, and ship and keep shooting than edit.

Make sense?

SGILA

NO, 6 photogs for 13 states at the network level makes no sense. However, if local guys can shoot, edit, and do a live shot in 6 hours editing on laptops in the field, than network guys can do it too. I'd support STOP, DROP, AND SHIP if the quality were better than local, BUT IT ISN'T!!!

GoToTomWells

12-12-2007, 11:48 AM

NO, 6 photogs for 13 states at the network level makes no sense. However, if local guys can shoot, edit, and do a live shot in 6 hours editing on laptops in the field, than network guys can do it too. I'd support STOP, DROP, AND SHIP if the quality were better than local, BUT IT ISN'T!!!

Just to clarify, network shooters acting as editors would not work for several reasons, but mainly because story elements are pulled nationwide and fed to a central edit bay (NY or other bureau) where supervising producers are located.

george121

12-12-2007, 07:14 PM

It would appear the problem at the Peacock is they are management and producer heavy.

You could probably do away with most of the bureau staff and run it like they do in Chicago, Dallas, Denver, and LA. In the other markets NY calls the shots and you just have a few good crews, producers and correspondence cover everything.

The phone's could be forwarded to New York and no one would know the difference.

Baltimore Shooter

12-17-2007, 01:53 PM

Looks like it's not just NBC. This came from Medialifemagazine.com and references CBS staffers (mostly from dot com) as well as NBC.

Bummer news: Layoffs for NBC and CBS news people
These won’t be the happiest holidays for seven NBC staff members. NBC News and MSNBC have made a new round of layoffs, including cutting MSNBC editorial director Davidson Goldin and Amy Rosenblum, senior producer of the new fourth hour of the “Today” show. The cuts there also include NBC News producer and former Rome Bureau chief Joe Alicastro, as well as two members of the “Nightly News with Brian Williams” staff. Meanwhile, CBS on Friday also made a number of staff cutbacks, including seven people from CBSNews.com. The network isn’t saying how many people it laid off, but some reports say the number could be as high as 20, with the remainder of the cuts coming from other areas within CBS Interactive. CBS has not directly acknowledged the layoffs. Word of them leaked following a release in which CBS revealed a reorganization of those operations.

Warren

Lensmith

12-17-2007, 05:07 PM

... a new round of layoffs, including cutting MSNBC editorial director Davidson Goldin and Amy Rosenblum, senior producer of the new fourth hour of the “Today” show.

Hey Warren! You missed something interesting there!

Doesn't that last name above sound just a little bit familiar?

Guess who her brother is!

I'm surprised she wasn't able to sell NBC on VJ's doing everything to save some bucks! ;)

george121

12-17-2007, 08:01 PM

According to my sources "NBC has decided to lower it's broadcast standards".

According to my sources NBC has decided that it since 95% of it's audience gets its programing from cable or Direct TV instead of over the air. The Network will not concentrate on HDTV instead they will try and cram as many analog signals into one transmission as possible. I was told that "viewers do not want HDTV all they want is a picture they can put on a computer."

This shows how backwards NBC executives are thinking!

I am sure I am not the only one who just paid $3,000 for a HDTV set and surround sound. That being the case I put up an outdoor antenna system for the best signal available between Baltimore, Washington.

I have discovered that CBS and Fox put out the best looking signal. And guess what I am now watching FOX and CBS programing instead of NBC currently 4th place soon to be behind news channel 8 in viewers.

======== ======

The below comments from DCR-Tv Mailbag shows NBC management is missed the boat.

Well, according to the discussion at avsforum.com (in the high def. programming forum) regarding last nights Redskins game, the NBC broadcast was in hd. (12/17/07)

Dave's response: To me, the overall looking-down-on-the-field shots looked in HD clarity, but not the shots from cameras down on the field. I noticed a background pixilation and lack of sharpness in shots from those cams. Looked like "Kinda HD" to me. Whatever.....

Unbelievable. NBC! Yes, NBC. The 'Skins-giants game last night WAS NOT aired in HD!

Run&Gun

12-17-2007, 10:40 PM

I was told that "viewers do not want HDTV all they want is a picture they can put on a computer."

This shows how backwards NBC executives are thinking!

I am sure I am not the only one who just paid $3,000 for a HDTV set and surround sound.

I was kinda thinking the same thing... Consultants and bean counters can spin data anyway they want to serve their agendas. And here's a surprise too, people pay more attention to HD commercials than SD one's...

Baltimore Shooter

12-17-2007, 10:43 PM

And NBC can't figure out why they're in last place.

Warren

svp

12-18-2007, 12:01 AM

Run&Gun

12-18-2007, 10:54 AM

Amazing! Growing up, NBC was the only network I watched. They had all the great shows, was the network I watched my Browns on Sunday (AFC Rights), and were just considered the cream of the crop. Fast forward to 2008, the Biggest Loser is the only show I watch on NBC. Everything else is CRAP! Who would have ever thought that FOX would be the network of choice in 2008? SIMPLY AMAZING!!!

Well, I've said it for years, NBC is the old white guys network... I don't believe in "flash" simply for the sake of "flash"(that's a whole other thread ;) ), but times do change and they have simply failed to keep up. I mean honestly, Football Night In America? I'm not trying to contribute to the crumbling of "the American way" and society, but what old white guy came up with that title? NBC just isn't hip and cool anymore and hasn't been for a looong time.

Tippster

12-18-2007, 12:05 PM

"Sunday Night Football" and "Meet the Press" are the only NBC shows that I watch. Then again CBS Sunday Morning is the only show I watch on THAT network, and I'm relatively certain I haven't watched anything non-college on ABC in a year (since Monday Night Football left.)

The truly well written shows are on the cable Networks and Fox, IMHO. Thanks to TiVO I can watch what I want and when I want, skipping through the commercials (if any) along the way.

george121

12-24-2007, 07:36 PM

krazycamera

12-25-2007, 01:13 PM

Frankly, I'd like to see them start with CNBC. I won't go into the reasons why.

cm

OH HELL YEAH.

I freelanced there recently. ConfusingNotionsofBulletinCrap. Even for financial news, which is just above pets wearing clothes and calling it tele, CNBC are scraping the barrel!!

svp

12-26-2007, 12:01 PM

george121

12-26-2007, 09:15 PM

There is a bright side to all of this. If NBC continues to plummit (which it probably will) then its only a matter of time until we see sweeping management changes across the board at NBC. All the top exec's will be canned before too long. NBC will make a comeback, its only a matter of time.

I am sure the canning of management would be a joy to all my friends at the Peacock in D.C.

I am aware of numerous incidents when NBC management has punish some of the best engineers because of Management incompetence and failure to cover news correctly.

Foxwood

12-27-2007, 08:06 PM

Go Browns!

george121

01-06-2008, 12:43 PM

I hear another PEACOCK PURGE is coming by the end of January.
Last time it was Producers and Freelancers.

Baltimore Shooter

01-06-2008, 01:35 PM

Keep on and there won't be anyone left to layoff...except ACCOUNTANTS!!!!

Warren

george121

01-06-2008, 03:26 PM

Keep on and there won't be anyone left to layoff...except ACCOUNTANTS!!!!
Warren

No I think they would even lay off the accountants and hire replacements in India, Philippines, or Haiti. So the egotistical presenters and overpriced Senior Managers in New York can have a bigger bonus.

wqert89

11-06-2008, 03:42 PM

NBC started meeting with all of its news employees yesterday (Nov. 5th) to inform them that the network will be cutting 1/3rd the staff positions.

It was stated in one of the meetings that a manager would meet with all employees’ individually to gauge the interest in a buy-out. It should also be noted that just because a person asks for a buy-out does not guarantee they will receive it. Management reserves the right to turn down any request based on the position to be lost.

One manager stated that she hoped enough employees’ would take the buy-out preventing forced termination/layoff.

Those interested in Ceros should contact personnel in Ny. It was also stated that Today show, Nightly News, Dateline and each show has a separate termination target to meet.

The deadline for requesting a buy-out is November 14th.
Final decision on whom will receive the buy-out or termination will be made by November 28th.

Buck

11-06-2008, 04:17 PM

Can someone explain how the buy out works, as in how much money they'll receive (I know it varies) and how that's decided?

NBC started meeting with all of its news employees yesterday (Nov. 5th) to inform them that the network will be cutting 1/3rd the staff positions.

It was stated in one of the meetings that a manager would meet with all employees� individually to gauge the interest in a buy-out. It should also be noted that just because a person asks for a buy-out does not guarantee they will receive it. Management reserves the right to turn down any request based on the position to be lost.

One manager stated that she hoped enough employees� would take the buy-out preventing forced termination/layoff.

Those interested in Ceros should contact personnel in Ny. It was also stated that Today show, Nightly News, Dateline and each show has a separate termination target to meet.

The deadline for requesting a buy-out is November 14th.
Final decision on whom will receive the buy-out or termination will be made by November 28th.

svp

11-06-2008, 04:25 PM

I figured everyone would start laying off people after the election was over. I think you'll see most of it after the inauguration. I'd like to see NBC get rid of Andrea Mitchell, David Shuster, & Chris Mathews. I'm sure that would save them a nice chunk of change. I still think Fox News should go after Joe Scarborough.

at the plate

11-06-2008, 04:47 PM

Its not about offering talent buy-outs. They're locked into contracts. They just let talent contracts expire or reach an opt out window. This is about offering all other behind the scenes staff buy-outs. From NABETS to Associate Producers, writers, stagehands etc.

Usually the buy-out is about double or a little more than double the union severance package for NABET employees. In the past most senior ENG guys walked away with a year or two of group 6 base pay ($75-80K) depending on length of service. If they don't take the buy-out, they roll the dice and may end up getting laid off anyway with just regular severance pay. I don't know if they're going to be that generous this time around. For non union employees its usually 6 months to a year of severance pay in a buy-out.

wqert89

11-06-2008, 04:55 PM

I was kinda thinking the same thing... Consultants and bean counters can spin data anyway they want to serve their agendas. And here's a surprise too, people pay more attention to HD commercials than SD one's...

The formula is normally straight forward

It is normally based on highest year salary divided by 52 weeks a year. This will be the weekly amount used for the formula,

Then you get 1 week pay for each year you work for a company pus unused vacation.

Then they add a sweetener.
Last time NBC added 30 weeks.

If you worked at the company 25 years and they gave you an additional 30 weeks.
You would basically get 55 weeks pay or just over a year pay. Remember this is in a lump sum and you will be waked by the tax man, unless you invest it wisely and change your W2 withholdings for the check.

People then end up leaving with a lot of cash, plus a year of medical benefits or full retirement if they are the right age.