PennsylvaniaStations to Merge June 1
ERIE, PA.: WSEE-TV and WICU-TV in this Great Lakeside city are on the verge of combining operations. WSEE, the CBS affiliate owned by Lilly Broadcasting, cut nine people from its staff earlier this month, the Erie Times-News reported. All were off-camera technical staff; on-air changes are said to be in the works. WICU, the NBC affiliate, is owned by SJL Broadcast Management, which is also a holding of the Lilly family. The intent to combine station operations was announced last year.
Media General Cuts More Jobs in Florida
TAMPA,FLA.: Media General’s Florida Communications Group is shedding more employees, according to local news outlets in this Gulf Coast city. FCG servers WFLA-TV along with the TampaTribune. Media General, based in Richmond, Va., has been cost cutting since the first of the year, affecting bureau closures and layoffs. The St. Petersburg Time’sEric Deggans put the number of eliminated jobs at 85. The Tampa Bay Business Journalputs it at 25.
Fisher Adopts WorldNow for Web Platform
SEATTLE: Fisher Communications cut a deal with WorldNow, a New York firm specializing in taking media content online. WorldNow will handle the online video platform for 13 of Fisher’s 20 TV and radio stations. The company also serves video for stations owned by Raycom, Barrington, Drewry, Journal, Pappas and Schurz.
Belo Partners With Car Repair Site
DALLAS: Belo is teaming it’s Web properties up with an auto repair purveyor that provides free online estimates for services. RepairPal of Emeryville, Calif., said Belo Interactive has agreed to a content distribution partnership by which Belo’s TV station sites carry RepairPal’s content and price estimator.
