SAG-AFTRA President Sounds Alarm Over Local TV Station Layoffs Across U.S.
Local L.A. station KTLA, Chicago station WGN and WPIX in New York have all reportedly been impacted by the cuts. SAG-AFTRA leaders are laying into Nexstar for conducting sweeping layoffs at local television stations across the country, saying the action demonstrates the dangers of media consolidation.
Local L.A. station KTLA, Chicago station WGN and WPIX in New York have all reportedly been impacted by the cuts. In L.A. alone, anchors Glen Walker and Lu Parker and meteorologist Mark Kriski have been swept up in the round of layoffs, the Los Angeles Times reported. SAG-AFTRA claims that eight union members have been laid off at Chicago’s WGN.
Leaders of the performers union, which represents local TV journalists, went on the offensive about the layoffs on Wednesday. “By laying off journalists across the country, Nexstar is eroding the resources and talent that local communities rely on for trusted news,” union president Sean Astin said in a statement. “These actions highlight the risks of media consolidation and underscore the urgent need for regulators and the company to prioritize the public interest and the professionals who serve it.”
Nexstar, the largest television station owner in the U.S., said it does not comment on personnel issues but that the company is “taking steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change.”
Nexstar is currently in the process of attempting to consummate a $6.2 billion merger with rival station owner Tegna. With his remarks, Astin appears to be flagging regulators to consider the deal closely, even as Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr has previously signaled support for the transaction.
