May 14th, 2009 
joel UPDATED: Lilly Broadcasting apparently has no place for the off-air employees of WSEE. The gist of continuing individual meetings with WSEE employees is that all non-on camera personnel are being released by Lilly Broadcasting before June 1st.
In my opinion, this is the end of what makes WSEE an individual or independent television station. Gone is the competitive spirit of three newsrooms. Gone is the individual and sometimes award-winning excellence shown by commercial production and promotion departments. Perhaps even gone is the drive to shoot things a little bit better, light sets more artfully, and the ability to create a product that stood on its own.
I don’t say this as a slap on the remaining hard working production staff at WICU, but given the workload those folks will be under very shortly, quality will inevitably suffer.
From earlier:
Today reality resembles fiction at WSEE-TV.
In a scene straight out of 1987’s Broadcast News, individual meetings are being held at 1220 Peach Street as the management of WSEE informs its employees who will continue to work for Lilly Broadcasting after the merger with WICU is completed.
Word is that all on-air personnel at WSEE will retain their jobs through at least the end of their contracts and move to 3514 State Street. The decisions today will affect personnel working off air.
Posted in 
Tags: 
Loading ...
What about the 2 WSEE on-air talent who are working sans contract?
Sounds like everyone WSEE is being let go from what I’m hearing.
John is correct. ALL behind the scenes employees have been let go. It is ironic in that I believe Scott Bremner posted on Press & Tower a couple months ago that “rumors of mass layoffs due to a combined WSEE/WICU merger are blatantly false.”
This is a very sad day in Erie Television history.
Even though some believe this move needed to happen due to “the worst economic environment in the history of broadcasting” in my opinion this move did not need to happen…period!
This is the end of the line for WSEE. I don’t see how anyone can put a positive spin on this move?
At least WJET-TV will have a seasoned group of veteran news production staff to choose from if Channel 24 has any future job openings.
I don’t blame Brian Lilly for this…that would be too easy. Instead I blame the Federal Communications Commission and the United States Congress and Senate for allowing Individuals who have no business owning a broadcast license to own multiple broadcast properties in the same market.
WSEE-TV Channel 35
R.I.P. 1954-2009
Well, I kinda figured that WSEE employees would be the big losers. Hope they’re all able to land on their feet.
Are these people gone now or do they get to stay till the end of the month?
I was an intern at WSEE last summer and just want to say that I feel really bad for everyone at the station today. They are all very talented and very nice people. They went above and beyond what was expected to help me during my internship and it’s a shame what happening to them.
I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come across the industry. As far as WSEE maintaining its identity, I really don’t see how that can happen without any of their own photogs or other behind the scenes workers. I think this could very well be the beginning of the end for WSEE-TV…
I hope everything works out for all of you!!
Here’s what Captain Dan left on my Facebook wall:
What’s wrong with this picture Joel…..I think you know. Consolidation =eradication.I know all to well the pain these folks are experiencing…..I got my notice while moving my car on a Friday evening on the radio……from somebody named Bob , a disembodied voice and the bane of all those who try to ply their trade. I was one of the lucky ones … and am living the dream thanks to Mercyhurst College and the greatest audience in the world. Strength to my fellow brothers and sisters of the media….what’s left of it.
The debacle at 12/35 is caused by one family…the Lilly’s. All they see these stations as is cash cows to feed their bank accounts. I agree that the FCC is the real one’s to blame. They have allowed the consolidation of small market stations under LMA’s and as a result independent voices have been lost.
Brian Lilly and his family do not care one iota about Erie and it’s viewers. All they care about is taking the $$$ and running. It’s a shame Erie viewers won’t speak up and tell the advertisers on 12 & 35 we won’t buy from you because you deal with crooks and lairs…but that will never happen.
Erie is destined to become a black hole as jobs and businesses leave town and the youth of tomorrow look for greener pastures. Soon Erie will be nothing but a place to stop for gas on the way to Cleveland or Buffalo.
As I read the WSEE news, I can’t help but feel a part of my
childhood is gone. I worked in Erie just out of college, with a great group of people who were just starting their way through their profession. It was a wonderful time. We were poor, but so energized by the experience, we didn’t care.
Many of them got the boot today for reasons that have nothing to do with them. That’s still a hard thing to wrap your head around.
Much love and luck to them today.
Tis really a shame that 35 gets the short end of the stick. I think their reporters are fresh and contemporary on the air,
Mornings Live is like a well scripted radio morning show where everything flows and it’s a natural chemistry between the talent.
You can’t create talent, it comes from within.
So, what actually happened today at 35? I feel so bad.
What kind of workers got bad news?
I still can’t figure out who’s going to do the news there if they are getting rid of all the off air people? I mean, who takes the pictures and pushes all the buttons…that’s important stuff!
Can both stations under one roof do news at the same time?
I wonder if the Erie Times News will even bother to cover this story? As of 9:42pm this evening there has been no mention of the WSEE layoffs…almost 9 hours after the story happened.
On second thought, if the story did make the Erie paper it would probably be a few quotes from Brian Lilly about it being “a good thing for both stations” or something along those lines.
I too had the privelege to work with some very talented people at Newswatch 35…Jeff Filapowski, Dave Hetrick, Carol Pella, Carol Wilson, Marsha MacKinnon, Mary Amthor and many many more.
An earlier post effectively summarized exactly who is to blame, the FCC. Deregulation of our industry has lead to the current situation. Competition is good…period.
Now, there is no competition, no variety of programing and in the end the one who suffers most is the viewer.
Soon Erie will becomne the “Mingo Junction” of I-90!
(No offense to Mingo Junction)
My thoughts go out to the WSEE family. As an intern there in ‘84, I was fortunate enough to learn from the likes of Gary Drapcho, Steve Scully, Scott Bremner and other talented individuals behind the camera. My best to all of them.
Great seeing Dave Kaelin post here – a showing he hasn’t forgotten his roots, and cares about Erie media while carving his own niche in a major market.
Kudos, Dave.
My husband worked in the Erie market for a number of years at one of the tv stations. And while I have met only one or two of the news people/anchors who worked at WSEE, I know that any time someone loses their job in this business, it is hard. This isn’t, however, unexpected. At least not to me. It made sense that WICU and WSEE would merger, especially with WSEE’s floundering numbers. I’m not really sure it has anything to do with Lilly owning both stations. Erie is a competitive market, but it’s only really competetive between WJET and WICU. WSEE was never really in the picture, being the #4 station (behind WFXP) in the market. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t good on-air people, or good reporters. It just means they didn’t have a product that a lot of people wanted. If you aren’t producing a product people want, you won’t be able to sell it, no matter how hard you try.
My thoughts and prayers are with everyone at WSEE as they start on a new path in life. There is life after tv, and those talented people are likely to find jobs in other markets. I hope the folks at WSEE find that Erie was just a stepping stone for a greater career. Good luck to all involved.
So, mergers lead to layoffs. What happens to the individuals with future aspirations pertaining to a career in broadcasting. I pass by those windows down at the Boston Store and I hate to see what has become of the studios. Where once stood talented individuals now is a place of storage for alot of fancy computer equipment. I don’t understand. I see audio consoles and phones and I see microphones in each of the 6 state-of-the-art studios. Who pushes the buttons and speaks into the microphones? Is the Boston Store now a broadcast museum? Gosh, even the closet that houses the sports radio station has lost a lot of it’s former Erie sports glory. Cold and empty, that’s the impression I get.
What happens to the influences of Don Kelly and Frank Martin and Captain Dan… is the influence, the excitement and the passion destined to die with the person….. As powerful and efficient as the most technologically advanced computer is, they don’t have passion!
I so wish that I was surprised by this devastating news. I am saddened (especially for the dedicated professionals losing their jobs) but definitely not surprised.
I have become one of the old-timers who say, remember when… media was fun? cool? necessary? independent? vital?
Some serious talent is being tossed by the wayside as a result of this merger, and any perspective the television market provides on all things affecting Erie suffers as a result.
I’m sorry but the words “Deb Ireland” and “old-timer” will never go together!
We all miss you!!
“I have become one of the old-timers who say, remember when… media was fun? cool? necessary? independent? vital?”
Why must media stop being cool and fun?
We have the internet, and along with it – MySpace, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and any of a number of media-oriented web sites (this forum included)…. HELLO!
Last time I checked, as recent as today, a few minutes ago, in fact, media was still very necessary and vital to the overall well-being of it’s HUMAN consumers.
I find it so very odd, we rely on computers so much…too much and yet the product that is produced is solely for human beings. I often have an amusing visualization of a computer in front of a radio station representing the current day radio listener.
Why must the old-timers roll over and play dead? You guys are what Erie radio is all about. Do you still have something to say or teach? Those with open ears (ahem) are more than willing, not only to hear you, but listen as well. To hell with automation and voice tracking!
Will WSEE-TV still have newscasts in the am, noon, 6 & 11?
As far as keeping the shows on the WSEE side that is CURRENTLY the plan. I say CURRENTLY because things are changing day by day. Friday the on-air side was told they had their two weeks as well and will be done at WSEE May 29. All were strongly encouraged to apply at WICU. Now whether or not all will be hired that is yet to be seen. WSEE has been dissolved but keeping product on the air is something the company wants to do. The UNION must now decide, what do WE want to let THEM have it all…..
UPDATE:
All on-air people met individually today as well… no word as to what the outcome of those meetings was.
On air personalities got the same treatment. 2 week notice til last day with the company. All were encouraged to apply up the street. Whether a job will be garanteed is another thing. There are personal contracts to work out and such. In essence the company is being dissolved but they still want to put product on WSEE airwaves and they need faces to do that, but what does the union want to make that happen?
As a PR man, I spent many years dealing with many of the very talented people at WSEE! Its a sad day! What a major loss for this community
UPDATE II:
According to several sources all on-air staff at WSEE were told that it would be “appreciated if their private employment conversations were not made public.” Looks like that didn’t happen?
However, no further information is available as to the fate of the Reporters and Anchors – other than they may work through the end of their contracts…and Lilly will not stand in the way if they wish to find employment elsewhere before said contracts expire.
I wasn’t going to post but so many people have been attacking the Lillys that I thought I’d get a word in. They have a sign at Sarah’s on the peninsula that reads:
“Don’t like how we do things? Buy us out!”
The stations are Lillys property and they can do what they like ( I know it’s sad and yes good people will lose their jobs; I’ve lost mine several times due to bad management and it sucks)
Maybe if we as a community had purchased more of their products they wouldn’t be in this mess.
check out this video and pay attention to the mics… just thought this was interesting and maybe an example of what we’ll see in the future.
http://wsee.tv/blogs/politics/?p=524
I’d love to buy Jet AM 1400 from Connoisseur! Anybody got a million dollars, perhaps 1.5 million dollars that they could lend me until I get a few thousand paychecks together.
I agree with the words of Heavy D. The only way to make change is to buy the place. As an owner, you have final say. As a radio OUTSIDER, I have discovered, much to my dismay, that I have no impact on the corporate suits or their decisions.
The only real power lies in the hands of the OWNERS. In order to deal with suits, you have to become a suit!
Right now, as my short term goal, I’m aiming for being included as a topic of conversation in a staff meeting. I’m looking for a label other than “The Nut That Stands In Front Of Department Store Windows”.
David: Your enthusiasm is admirable, but what is your business plan for 1400 ? What do you propose which would convince your lenders/investors that they could get more return on their $$ than sticking the same $$ in some other investment vehicle….with equal or less risk ?
Why not set your sights on an LPFM license ? Heck, a small handful of folks out in Cambridge Springs (WXCS-LP 92.9 MHz) seem to be making their own dreams come true on a daily basis.
If your radio concepts and aspirations have merit …and I’m not saying they do or they don’t… this approach would be a great ‘proving ground’ as well as a potentially satisfying outlet for your creative energies.
This is all such sad news. Corporate America is definately not the media dream, is it?
Amen – Heavy D!
OK, Erie Blogwatch, You’re absolutely right! I know that I don’t have the experience or the financial resources to approach a media giant like Clear Channel or Connoisseur or Citadel. I don’t have a business plan and I don’t have the proper formal education required. But I do have enthusiasm. I do have a sense of responsibilty!
I must confess that I am looking only at the radio side, but what is happening at WICU and WSEE has already happened at the Boston Store. Once a glorious building which attracted many people from all over, and now it’s just a big storage area for a lot of fancy computer equipment. Empty studios do not attract people. I just would like to see more people in the studios. I’ll shoot for that goal first, and we’ll go from there.
Other than a very few on air staff at WICU, the staff at WSEE is much better by far.
So after the merge is complete, is WSEE-TV going completely off air?
No Mike, this merger is all about personnel, both on and off the air. CSI and Survivor and NFL football are going nowhere!