Ax Falls in KLRT/KARK Merger
Arkansas Business.com reports nearly 30 staff members of KLRT and KARK have lost their job. AB.com reports KARK on air personalities Wendy Suares, Adam Rodriguez and Jonathan Athens were let go. From KLRT that list includes sports anchor David Raath and news director Ed Trauschk. AB.com reports the first newscast from the consolidated facilities will air Saturday.
posted by ATN @ 9:50 PM
43 comments
43 Comments:
Haven't cared for either staton in a long time, especially FOX 16. Being last in the ratings probably had something to do with it, and if your news station sucks already, don't create new worthless programming on sister stations like KARZ.
i think it is interesting that KARK lost a lot more "on air" people than Fox16
Can anyone publish a list of those that were let go at both places?
They got rid of Suares? Her picture is still on the website.
If this is true, then their management doesn't have a clue.
I hate to hear that Wendy Suares has been let go. She is the best thing about KARK4 morning newscast in my opinion. Guess this means I won't be watching any more local AM newscasts. Can't stand 7 or 11 morning folks.
Suares was their best asset. Poor business decision to ax top talent in Little Rock. She deserves better
Suares was good. Sure like her better than Mosler.
Word is she was trying to get more money... she may be good but talent are a dime a dozen. Nextar execs know they can replace her easily, and it's pretty dumb to be asking for more during a time like this.
Take their severance package and find career. I did and I have never been happier.
everyone gets to stay till friday
Cut at KLRT
Ed Trauschke News Director
Dean Weatherbee Asst news Director
Shane Dietert Managing Editor
David Raath Sports Director
Kent Smith Chief Photog
Ross Cook Photog
Daniela Montgomery Editor
Scott Brown P/t Desk
Mike Kemp Weekend Desk
Keith Williams Eng
Artie Shinn Eng
Jim Drew Eng
Ryan Brewer Producing
Bill Gentry MCO
Suzanne Speerman Programing
There are a couple other MCO
cut Suares over Hardin? I don't get it. What are the morning salaries there?
I hope someone else in this market picks up Wendy. They let the wrong person go but I'm sure money/contract was a big player in that position.
Is Fox 16 losing their weekend show? They've already lost their weekend sports anchor and met. Where are Kelly Dudzik and Hubert Tate fitting into the merged stations?
Oh sheesh. she is a KARK morning show anchor - If a tree falls in the woods...
Sorry to here about so many people losing their jobs.
Surprised that David Raath lost his job. I thought he did a very good job. Maybe KTHV would grow up and snag him.
Hopefully some of the other stations will hire the people that lost jobs to build their capacity and show Nextstar up.
Nexstar doesn't care if you "show them up". You all should have known this before you started working for a company that has demonstrated their philosophy time and again.
All they care about is making money, and they do a great job of that.
So as much as you want to beat your chest and tell them off - they still will win in their minds.
They should get rid of Jessica, Deedra, and Lauren.
Right on 1:12. Three of KARK worst!
It seems like KARK could have kept Raath. Never really watched him. But it seems it could have benefited them by having a known face covering central AR sports. I went to the U of A but I still want to see more than Hog sports coverage. High schools sports coverage is something that lacks coverage at 4.
KTHV should grab some of these that were fired. Any of them would be an upgrade over some of the ones they have now.
I too am surprised by Raath's leaving. Very good sports guy, along with Sully, were the two best in the state. I heard they wanted to slash the salary for his position. I guess he made too much for their liking.
I agree with 7:30. I quit watching a few years ago. To many commercials, too much "Happy Talk" and fake insincere personalities (7) forced me to watch Fox, CNN, Imus and Morning Joe are all better. Local newscasts are coming more irrelevant all the time! Local newscasts should do away with national news stories which I read two days prior on the Internet or saw on CNN.
Channel 11 would be smart to hire David Raath. Guess Nexstar is probably going to let the Razorback nation and Jason Snavely cover all the sports.
Stop trying to push all these people over to us at THV! If Nextstsr didn't want them, neither do we. Let 7 pick up the pieces.
Here are some answers for all of you!
Kelly Dudzik is off to Buffalo (NY) but we don't know what station yet. But she's going to jump up four markets!
http://www.collectivetalent.com/gallery.aspx?id=1820
Plus here's how Wendy's agent is spinning her departure(and yes this demo has been online before).
New material from Wendy Suares (yes---that's her real name, and, no---she's not Hispanic: she's Portuguese). From Mississippi; went to college in Boston; family in North Carolina and Colorado. Wendy was anchoring mornings at KARK in Little Rock PLUS she did three weekly franchises. Was offered a new contract (and a $1k raise), but she opted to say "no thanks". Then, on January 29th, she was one of thirty employees axed as Nexstar merged KARK with KLRT. Married to a teacher. Grab her quickly!
http://www.collectivetalent.com/gallery.aspx?id=1220
So I have the scoop and I don't lie, so no gossip please!
I like Suares, pleasant personality and good delivery. Wish THV would pick her up and replace Alyse Eady but I know that's just wishful thinking.
No way that will happen. Ashley and Liz will get the axe first.
Kelly's off to the NBC affiliate in Buffalo - WGRZ.
It's sad my former co-workers were laid off, but it's no surprise. We all knew this was coming. I hope you find something quickly like I did so you stash that severance in the bank.
Will klrt keep Jeff Basking for weather?
Mike Vaughn doesn't have a clue.
You apparently don't know Mike very well.
Is trey mallett still with KARK and Arkansas sports nation on KARZ? Did not see him on Arkansas sports nation Thursday or friday. I hope he wasn't one of the people that got let go .
Doesn't have a clue might not be accurate.
How about this?
KARK and KLRT are consistently finishing 3rd and 4th in a 4 horse race and station management hasn't changed the way the stations connect with the public.
What??? KARK has moved ahead of KTHV. KATV is still dominating but past that point the stations have shuffled.
Did anyone catch Friday Fox 16 10:00 news cast? They did a good by to David Raath. It was interesting as they fired him not that he was off to bigger better things.
I as a viewer i truly hope KTHV gets smart and snags him up. I enjoy watching him. I gave up on KARK's sports along time ago.
Fox16 and KARK's websites are now updated with the new combined bios. However I think they left Deedra Wilson off the KARK page unless she is now just Fox16 only (I thought she was both).
It is interesting how some people are combined between stations and some are station specific. The bios have been adjusted to make some of combined people to be more "generic". Interesting to note that the KARK page is still a mess and hard to navigate. I had to search to find the bios. Fox16's page is still still much better. Will KARK drag Fox16 page down hill?
Just a viewer....
http://arkansasmatters.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=633942
http://www.fox16.com/content/bios/default.aspx
" Will KARK drag Fox16 page down hill?"
Of course they will. It's what they do!
If it sucks, they will. Sucks = cheaper.
Well it's been a few weeks and the Fox16 6 and 9pm shows still look like shit. They can't seam to punch the buttons at the right time or even the correct video for the proper story. For several days I watched KARK's 5:00pm and Fox16's 5:30pm shows, They made the same mistakes in both shows! I'm glad I didn't get hired on after the move, I would be ashamed to say where I worked now.
I miss Wendy Suares in the morning...sad to hear she was let go
Where is Steve Adamson? Have they gotten rid of him to for Natalie Walters?
I am sure she is a nice person, but not entertaining with interviews or the weather.
Will he be the next one let go from the KLRT/KARK merger?
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