Posted by chicagomedia.org on March 05, 2009 at 18:58:27:
In Reply to: Emmis-Chicago fires Tisa LaSorte & Marc Young posted by chicagomedia.org on March 05, 2009 at 10:07:08:
WLUP-FM cuts Erin Carman as Emmis reduces staff, pay
Erin Carman, midday host at WLUP-FM 97.9, was among the seven Chicago staffers shown the door Thursday as part of a 7.5 percent workforce reduction by Indianapolis-based parent Emmis Communications.
Also, as part of the company's response to the economic downturn, non-contract employees at Chicago's WLUP-FM and WKQX-FM 101.1, as well as other Emmis outlets nationwide, will have their pay cut by 5 percent beginning Monday. The employees will get a few extra paid vacation days to soften the blow.
Management of Emmis Chicago's programming, imaging and branding will be consolidated with those of Emmis St. Louis stations KSHE-FM and KPNT-FM.
Carman's 10 a.m.-to-3 p.m. weekday slot on the Loop will be filled the rest of this week by Pete McMurray. Beginning Monday, John "Byrd" Kempf will move in, with McMurray taking Kempf's 7 p.m.-to-midnight weeknight shift on at least an interim basis.
Other casualties of Thursday's cuts, according to a memo sent to employees by Emmis Chicago boss Marv Nyren, are WLUP sportscaster Bruce Wolf, brand manager Tisa LaSorte, imaging director Mark "Ned Spindle" Tammany, WKQX program director Marc Young, former WKQX morning co-host Jim Lynam and Kim Weeks, who worked in accounts receivable.
"Not one of these people lost their jobs for performance issues" Nyren said in an interview. "This is just because of what's going on in the economy, and we've got a fiscal responsibility to try to continue to perform."
WLUP morning man Jonathon Brandmeier was on the revised schedule Nyren iincluded in his staff memo. Brandmeier's contract renewal has not been finalized yet.
The memo also has Alex Quigley and the Manno Brothers changing WKQX slots next week, with Quigley (now on from 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays) moving to 7 to 10 p.m. and Ryan and Kevin Manno (now 6 to 10 p.m.) going from 3 to 7 p.m.
Nyren's staff memo cites "the ongoing challenges of a struggling media sector and turbulent economy" and Emmis' efforts "to better position itself for shifting global and industry realities." All told, he said the company is eliminating 91 full-time and 14 part-time positions in its corporate, radio publishing divisions.
KSHE's Rick Balis, who was Radio and Records Magazine's 2008 Rock Operations Manager/Program Director of the Year, will add the program director duties at WLUP as Emmis vice president of rock programming. Tommy Mattern of KPNT will be programming WKQX now, as well.
The plan is to have Balis and Mattern in Chicago on alternate weeks, while Kyle Guderian, director of digital solutions for Emmis' St. Louis cluster, will become full-time operations manager for both WLUP and WKQX, effective immediately.
Rick Cummings, Emmis Radio's president of programming, is set to meet with Chicago staffers on Wednesday.
(Phil Rosenthal, Chicago Tribune)