IN BRIEF
Staff -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/30/2001
Illinois bans noncompete clauses
The Illinois legislature passed a bill outlawing noncompete clauses in broadcaster contracts. The bill had passed the State Senate last month and the House last week. Eileen Willenborg, executive director of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, called the margin "veto-proof," although there's no indication that the governor would veto the bill. Willenborg said the union pushed the bill after successful efforts in Massachusetts and Maine. With No. 3 market Chicago in Illinois, the legislation is AFTRA's biggest victory thus far.
Ness to vacate FCC seat by June
FCC Commissioner Susan Ness will leave her post by June 1, she said last week. Ness has been serving on a temporary basis since her term expired in June 1999. President George W. Bush has announced plans to fill the Ness seat and two others with Democrat Michael Copps and Republicans Kathleen Abernathy and Kevin Martin.
News alliance in San Francisco
KTVU(TV) and the San Francisco Chronicle have announced a strategic alliance to share news, marketing, promotion and sales. The city's largest newspaper and the city's other news powerhouse, KRON-TV, were co-owned by Chronicle Publishing until last year and contributed to a strong cross-platform news operation. KTVU had a relationship with the then-Hearst-owned Examiner and made the switch to the Chronicle now that Hearst owns that paper, said General Manager Jeff Block.
