Over the past five months, we have seen the continuum of this story run from vehement denial to matter-of-fact announcement, but in the end our hunch was true; the news staffs of WICU and WSEE will merge.

In an article by David Bruce in Saturday’s Erie Times-News, Brian Lilly confirmed that the stations will combine on June 1. However, each station will broadcast its own newscast.

“Nothing will change to the outside viewer, except they will perhaps see more content,” Lilly said. “The bottom line is that WICU and WSEE will each stand alone.”

Lilly is quoted to say that despite the consolidation of news personnel and resources, no layoffs are planned for the 28 on-air staffers. Meanwhile, the paper quotes Eric Seggi from the NABET union who said four part-time photographers were let go from WSEE Thursday, and WICU has reduced front office staff in the past several weeks. Add these moves to the attrition factor by folks like Shannon Solo who has left Erie to pursue his singing career in Nashville, and the staff will resize in short order.

The big remaining question is how you do multiple live broadcasts in such a small space as WICU’s studios. Some scheduling scenarios that have been suggested on The Press and Tower include (not including mornings):

• Noon: WSEE
• 5-6 PM: WICU
• 6-6:30 PM: WSEE
• 7- 7:30 PM: WICU (the return of Hotline News?!)
• 10-10:35 PM: WSEE produces a Prime-time newscast on WBEP
• 11-11:35 PM: WICU live cast, while WSEE plays the tape delayed cast that aired on WBEP

A creative solution will have to be developed to do simultaneous live shows in the morning including maybe trying to build an isolated green screen weather booth, or configuring the news room as a “flash cam” anchor point.

In the last part of this morning’s article, Brian Lilly issues a warning to consumers of news that times are very quickly changing:

“The markets will not exist as we know them today,” Lilly said. “In five years, newspapers, television and radio will all be under one owner.”

There are loads of questions, uncertainties, and deep emotional responses. But now we know that a new era for Erie television journalism is about to begin, and there is no going back now.