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Report Sheds Light on the Turmoil at WHYY

The report states that the radio station has lost half of its journalists since last February.

Eduardo Razo

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A report from the Philadelphia Inquirer shares the turmoil behind the scenes at the Philadelphia NPR outlet WHYY-FM (90.9). The newspaper states that the radio station has lost half of its journalists since last February.

The Inquirer says 34 journalists signed a note to management in February 2021 complaining of inadequate organization, lack of communication, and a priority on shorter stories. “Inspiration, communication, and morale are low, while burnout, siloing, and attrition are high,” the letter said.

A year later, the newspaper reports that half of those journalists have left the company. Since the beginning of 2021, at least 25 newsroom staffers have departed or have provided notice of their intent to leave.

“The desire to retain our talented colleagues was one of the many reasons we formed a union and fought so hard for our first contract,” a statement from SAG-AFTRA read. “But WHYY has not addressed all the underlying issues contributing to turnover.”

After completing interviews with those who worked or are currently employed at the radio station, the Inquirer says ten former and six current employees cited various reasons why they left or plan to go should a better opportunity arise. 

Low pay, lack of advancement opportunities, a directive for shorter stories, and a feeling that management is not committed to podcasts and new approaches to journalism are some of the reasons as to why they have left or are planning to do so in the future.

The Inquirer report points out that WHYY verified 19 newsroom departures in 2021. The station started 2021 with 51 people attributed to the newsroom. That works out to a 37% turnover rate. So far this year, an added six people have departed or are about to leave. That lifts the rate to 49% since Jan. 1, 2021

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News Audio

Megyn Kelly: Jeff Zucker Ruined CNN, Chris Licht Is Just Struggling to Fix It

“None of it works. It’s a recipe for disaster, and the ratings are showing it.”

Barrett News Media

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The profile of CNN CEO Chris Licht from The Atlantic continues to reverberate around the news media world, but SiriusXM host Megyn Kelly questions why Licht is the one taking all of the blame for CNN’s struggles.

During The Megyn Kelly Show Tuesday, the former Fox News host said she believes former CNN head Jeff Zucker is responsible for where the network currently finds itself, and took issue with comments he made to The New York Times.

“Jeff Zucker is…clearly trying to say ‘Chris Licht sucks and that all the CNNers are calling me saying how bad he is’. But Jeff Zucker is the one who ruined CNN,” Kelly said. “Chris Licht isn’t the one who ruined it, he’s just the one that’s struggling to fix it again.”

She then argued that while Licht isn’t responsible for the recent downturn in CNN’s ratings, the mission he has been put on by Warner Bros. Discovery head David Zaslav to return the network to its strictly news-gathering roots is a difficult one because Americans haven’t forgotten the shift CNN took during the Trump presidency.

“What Chris Licht is trying to do is take a bunch of avowed leftists, and make them fair and balanced reporters now, and stop them from being themselves,” Kelly argued. “He’s trying to undo the programming that Jeff Zucker let loose before realizing that all he had left was a bunch of wannabe MSNBC anchors and now those horses have left the barn.

“And now Chris Licht is trying to shove those horses back in the barn and fool the American people that they never left the barn and that they’re totally fair and balanced and you should trust them because now they’re going to say the right things. None of it works. It’s a recipe for disaster, and the ratings are showing it.”

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Chris Plante: Laughable for Chuck Todd to Say There Was Never Propaganda On Meet The Press

“There’s no propaganda from him, Meet The Press, or NBC News. They don’t stand for that stuff. He’s just another old Democrat.”

Barrett News Media

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As Chuck Todd prepares to depart Meet The Press later this year, it seems unlikely WMAL host Chris Plante is sad to see him go.

During The Chris Plante Show, the host brought up several reasons why Todd — in his view — is misguided for stating that he, the show, and NBC News will never allow propaganda from either side to air on the program or network.

Plante described several cases that he believed showcased how that statement wasn’t true, alluding to the Steele Dossier as just one example. He then wondered aloud about the choice of Kristen Welker to be the one to succeed Todd.

“He’ll be replaced by a woman of color. Is she on the LGBTQ spectrum as well? Because if she’s not, why not?” questioned Plante. “Chunk (sic) actually says there’s no propaganda from him, Meet The Press, or NBC News. They don’t stand for that stuff.

“He’s just another old Democrat,” Plante continued. “He was a campaign guy for a Minnesota senator who was the most liberal member of the Senate at the time. Now his wife is a Democrat party apparatchik, who has her own company because her husband was the host of Meet The Press.”

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WFLI Changes Format to News/Talk

WFLI airs on 1070 AM, 96.1 FM, and 100.3 FM, which are licensed to Lookout Mountain, GA; Hickson, TN; and Chattanooga, TN.

Barrett News Media

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WFLI, labeled as “The Big One”, will remain on the air in Chattanooga, but now with a new format.

After previously airing a classic hits format, the Tri-State Broadcasting station has flipped to a news/talk format.

After airing a simulcast of WTVC-TV’s morning show until 7:00 AM, the station will broadcast The Rick & Bubba Show until Noon. It will then add The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton Show from 12:00-3:00 PM, The Sean Hannity Show from 3:00-6:00 PM, and commentary from Bill O’Reilly from 6:00-7:00 PM.

The station, which is the flagship station for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Mocs, will continue to hold a sports presence, airing the nationally syndicated OutKick Hot Mic with Jonathan Hutton and Chad Withrow on a delayed basis from 8:00-11:00 PM. The Press Box Radio Show featuring Brad Law, Mike Mote, J.D. Byars, and Mike Grace will also air on a delayed basis from 11:00 PM-1:00 AM.

WFLI airs on 1070 AM, 96.1 FM, and 100.3 FM, which are licensed to Lookout Mountain, GA; Hickson, TN; and Chattanooga, TN.

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