Posted by chicagomedia.org on May 01, 2009 at 10:15:55:
In Reply to: CBS2 cuts & cutbacks posted by chicagomedia.org on May 01, 2009 at 10:14:02:
WBBM-Ch.2 cuts jobs in station reorganization
Reporter Joanie Lum, film critic Bill Zwecker and sportscaster Howard Sudberry sent packing
Phil Rosenthal | Tribune Media
May 1, 2009
Among those cut Thursday in a reorganization at CBS-owned WBBM-Ch. 2 were general assignment reporter Joanie Lum, entertainment reporter and film critic Bill Zwecker and sportscaster Howard Sudberry, as well as assistant news director Todd Woolman and other behind-the-scenes staffers.
Anne State, who had been co-anchoring the station's three evening newscasts, will front only the 5 p.m. broadcast while taking on reporting assignments. Rob Johnson will anchor solo at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.
The station plans to discontinue its weekend morning newscasts.
"We need to aggressively develop the quality of our news programs and simultaneously, because of the economic environment we're working in, we need to reduce the operating costs of the organization," said Channel 2 boss Bruno Cohen, who called the moves "a local decision."
Cohen said having State do some reporting and having Johnson anchor without a partner at 6 and 10 was both experimental and developmental.
Not all the station's cuts were in news. But WBBM's sales department was not affected. The station would not confirm the number of people let go, but a source said the number was less than the 18 released in a similar budget purge 13 months ago.