Posted by chicagomedia.org on May 01, 2009 at 10:14:02:
Channel 2 lays off Joanie Lum, Howard Sudberry, Bill Zwecker, scales back Anne State’s anchor duties
Rob Johnson will go solo anchor at 6 and 10 -- cuts said not to be performance-related
May 1, 2009
LEWIS LAZARE | Sun-Times Media & Marketing columnist
The push to cut costs at CBS-owned WBBM-Channel 2 led to another round of layoffs at the station Thursday that included both on-air talent and production staff.
Gone from the on-air lineup are entertainment reporter Bill Zwecker (who remains the Sun-Times celebrities columnist), general assignment reporter Joanie Lum and sports reporter Howard Sudberry. Among those cut from the production staff are assistant news director Todd Woolman, news writer and producer Shelly Howell, cameraman Chris Cangilla and producer Liz Johnson.
In addition, to cut expenses, WBBM no longer will produce three hours of local morning newscasts (8 a.m. on Saturday and 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Sunday) and the hosts of those shows --Suzanne LeMignot and Mike Puccinelli -- will be reassigned as reporters.
WBBM General Manager Bruno Cohen stressed that the staff cuts were all linked to efforts to cut overhead, and were not performance-related. Cohen said the station is expected to bring on board a replacement for Woolman to work alongside recently arrived news director Jeff Kiernan.
Cohen said much of the production staff associated with the weekend news shows was free-lance.
And in another big switch for WBBM viewers, starting Monday anchor Anne State, who arrived a year ago from San Diego, will co-host only the 5 p.m weekday newscast with Rob Johnson, who will anchor the 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows solo. Cohen said State will be doing more reporting along with her anchor duties.
Cohen also said the solo anchor experiment is another way WBBM is trying to differentiate itself. He stopped short of saying the station would stick with the arrangement over the long haul as the station works feverishly to improve its local news product. WBBM for years has trailed the ABC-owned market leader, WLS-Channel 7, and the NBC-owned No. 2, WMAQ-Channel 5 in the ratings.