Between 27 and 32 staffers were laid off at the Newport duopoly KTVX and KUCW, reports the Salt Lake Tribune, who got the figures from five unidentified staffers. The cuts involve some high-level positions:
Yet another employee confirmed that KTVX’s top management was laid off, including the ABC affiliate’s program director Karen Zabriskie, as well as public affairs director, special projects director, marketing director, a nighttime newsroom editor and some floor staffers.
Acting news director Pat Benedict was laid off from KTVX about a month ago.
The Deseret News puts the figure at 25% of the station staff in SLC.
KTVX General Manager Matt Jaquint politely declined to comment yesterday.
The Cincy Enquirer says WKRC may have cut as many as 18 positions.
Newport laid off around 162 systemwide yesterday, citing a weak advertising economy but saying the layoffs, a 7.5% reduction, have been part of the master plan ever since Newport bought the station group from Clear Channel.
The layoffs are big news in Salt Lake–the Tribune story is the most visited one on the newspaper site so far today.
