May 29th, 2009 
joel The end of an era.
After 55 years of continual broadcasting from a building that one housed a hairdressing academy and bingo hall, WSEE is moving to 35th & State as it merges with WICU. Scott Bremner and Jacqueline Policastro aired the final Newswatch from the studio last night at 11:00.
WSEE.tv Screen Shot
There will be no newscasts from WSEE Friday and over the weekend, but Scott did say that they would have a local cast at 6:00 PM on Monday.
On the staff front, NABET representative Eric Seggi doesn’t expect to have a complete roster of who is being retained by WICU and who is gone until Monday. Meanwhile, as we have been reporting, all off-camera, and several former on-camera talent are now seeking jobs. They include morning anchor and producer Raychel Vendetti, along with reporters Jennifer Mobilia, and Charles Santini.
On Thursday’s last Morning’s Live, Raychel indicated that Ray Petelin would be back Monday, albeit without her. Sources say that Stephanie Schelkun is the leading candidate for the morning show and the Nooner. Meanwhile all indications are that Policastro and Bremner will be anchoring the 7 & 11 PM shows, although on Monday, there will be a 6:00 cast, which will probably be taped.
Go to the new WSEE.tv for videos of some of the reporters’ last newscasts.
Finally, we want to remember that as we are sorting out all of the news and trying to figure out management’s next move, we are feeling a great deal of empathy for those now looking for employment. Our hearts and well-wishes go out to all of the unsung heroes that have served that station and our community; some for decades.
Thank you for your efforts and energy to make our city and our media community a better place.
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A sad day in Erie….SJL drives a stake into the heart of WSEE.
I have this terrible, sick feeling that many folks (on-air) at WSEE were told not to worry about their economic livlihood, only to be blind-sided by management’s final decision.
I learned a few years back that loyalty is to whomever is signing your paycheck this week. I once had the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed outlook that as long as I was doing good work, my job would be safe. WRONG! TV news is purely subjective and it can make you mad enough to bite your lips off!
A colleague of mine, who was fired simply because the newsroom had too many female anchors, once told me that you really need to be fired at least once in this business or else you might find that you are compromising your core journalistic values to keep the front office happy. Well, times have indeed changed and given the current economic climate, if you plan on working in TV news expect to compromise everything. When it’s all said and done, we’re just a bunch of news ho’s working for several pimps, The front office, the owner, sales dept., news director, etc.
Can a TV Station change a person’s life?
Channel 35 was not far from where I grew up on 2nd Street, between Sass and Myrtle. As a child, I was allowed to venture up Peach St no further than W.T. Grant, to purchase 45’s — miniature record albums to you new generation kids.
Dad walked to work at Erie Resistor (Fryling Manufacturing) and came home to build a family.
He did. 12 of us siblings.
Money was tight, but love stretched and filled in any gaps.
Up With People came to town and I wanted to travel like they did. An interview and an acceptance was not enough to seal the deal. I needed money, and that just did not exist.
A woman named Jeanne Carnes had a TV show and I went on it to ask for sponsors, to send a kid from Erie to travel with this group.
I went on to travel 46 of the 50 states, all of Europe, some Mexico, and stayed in people’s homes in every place…. a unique view into families and cultures everywhere. It had an effect on my entire life to view a “Globe”, instead of a perspective from only Erie.
I had two main sponsors picking up the tab to see Erie represented in an International group of youth.
Boston Store was one.
They are as gone as Erie Resistor and Fryling Mfg.
The main sponsor that changed my life…….
was WSEE TV.
The show to ask for money and community support was preempted by the death of a president.
So, WSEE picked up the bulk of the tab.
In the past year, I have witnessed much death (9) beginning with my own mother, friends like Jack Tirak a week later, and a kid at age 24 who would not be best man in a family wedding. He snapped his neck surfing in California on vacation.
My high school principal and I wrote back and forth for decades until his death in this period. There are more.
But for me personally, this day for WSEE is like a death in the family.
In a Legacy Obit, they list the viewing hours and where the services will be held.
There are no viewing hours for WSEE.
No services will be held.
There is no listing of next of kin and survivors, or history of who worked where.
On the other end of Griswold Park, Jim Berlin has built a successful enterprise at Logistics Plus. His effort at painting the wall to the south, for one block between Peach and Sass at 16th-ish called the community to “add a star” to the wall for $10 to help the volunteer Picasso’s of the wall.
Soon, Berlin shot a group of homeless outside his windows, on the Peach Street side.
I suggested that if the area was unsafe to bring my daughter down, maybe we should skip the star painting.
Berlin was magnanimous and invited Karli and I to a tour of his company, and a view of the homeless spot that vexed all so much.
(One of our homeless died in Phoenix a month or so ago, and his Buffalo sister contacted me after reading him in a blog. He is not among the (9) I mentioned, but another death for the community as well).
Jim Berlin had me view Griswold Park from a perspective I had never seen; high and above all the clamor.
I peered across the park and spotted WSEE TV, and recalled their help when I was just a kid, giving away money to send a local kid around the world and represent US.
Neither Jim Berlin, nor Karli, heard my silent thank you go out from that lofty view. But my own life was lifted higher, and changed, thanks to WSEE long ago.
And now, that group of homeless to the east, has a group of jobless to the north. My heart goes out to both groups of people. And I will forever miss the pulse and heartbeat of transmissions, invisible in the air from 13th and Peach……into our hearts.
Change hurts.
This move by Brian Lilly, most likely dictated by economic necessity, has failed to take into account one very important factor: the viewer. After reading several ANGRY comments on the “WSEE Mornings Live” Facebook page it becomes crystal clear that there is a tremendous amount of anger at this move. The type of “I’ll never watch your station again” anger that can spell ratings disaster….and possibly economic disaster for the bottom line.
The team of Raychel Vendetti and Ray Petelin WAS Morning’s Live. Even if Ray stays and Stephanie Schelkun replaces Raychel it still won’t match the chemistry of Raychel and Ray.
This is a very sad day in Erie TV history. A lot of people are really pi**ed over this move. They only have one recourse to complain: with their remotes…and they will most likely turn to WJET or just not watch local TV at all anymore.
Why does it seem like WSEE has ALWAYS gotten the short end of the stick for most of its history?
Danny,
I knew Jean Carnes very well. Her daughter went to school with me at McDowell and dated a very good friend of mine for several years. she was a great lady and back then 35 had a personal touch. Just like Bea Canfield at 12, the station’s were much more in-touch with the community. Today’s absentee owners could care lass about the locals…all they want is the money.
Jeanne Carnes treated me very well.
I was a nobody of a kid, and she treated me like royalty.
But when the show was pre-empted, the station manaer came to bat on my behalf for funding.
Memory fades, but I believe it was Ed Zellefrow.
Thank you for sharing that story, Danny…it was moving.
Tim, your last question has perplexed me since this whole thing broke. Why is it that SEE has always seemed the odd man out? They are not the youngest station, they had more watts (analog) than anyone else, they are on the most watched network, and originally, they were owned partially by the Mead’s who had the stronger newspaper in town. Even more: the first live truck, the first local weather radar, the best programming surrounding prime (Wheel/Jeopardy & Dave).
I don’t have an answer.
I think I have an anwer and it dates back to the Hoffman era at the station. There were, over the years, innovative things done to set WSEE apart from the other two newsrooms. But Mr. Hoffman was an impatient man and as soon as one thing provided a spike in the ratings, he was willing to do anything to turn that spike into a ratings surge. Case in point ,the hiring of Joey and Don. The pressure to generte enough ad revenue to cover these two high ticket salaries alone sent the station into a revenue tailspin. That coupled with the current economic climated and…(To quote the father from My Big Fat Greek Wedding) ….there you go!
RIP,
I think you hit the nail of the head. Hoffman’s poor financial management…including the prices he paid for Wheel and Jeopardy to get them from 12, followed by the investment in Don & Joey (10 years contracts, supposedly $100k/year each…hence his million dollar men) never paid off. Yes, they had some viewers switch from 24 to 35 as a result, but layoffs to cover the increased salaries for D&J decimated the 35 news department. I remember for a while they had to dump the weekend news due to lack of staffing. As a result they never recovered. Also, the multiple owners over a short time span left the station in very confused state. For a while the employees didn’t know if their paychecks would bounce or not. 35 had great potential, just not the leadership to make it happen.
Great posts RIP and Tim. Most managers in the TV industry have long forgotten who their main client is — the viewer. Another vet of Erie TV and I work together every weekend here, and lament this almost every day. They have so tied themselves to the bottom line (which, is very important), that they have forgotten to serve the viewer. In fact, many decisions made (most with the help of consultants), are very insulting to the viewer’s intelligence. I think if owners and managers (as the former ones in Erie did) took into account their viewers, they’d be much better off. I am afraid, however, that that ship sailed long ago.
My gut feeling is that Lilly’s plan is to strengthen what he has in the short run, to make it more attractive to sell. His plan may not work out the way he sees it.
Legend…I think in the end viewers will leave 12/35 locally for 24/66. They wil be fed-up with SJL’s management and the loss of favorite on-air people. 24/66 has been much more stable…even with Nexstar…and as we all know Erie viewers seem to be more loyal to people than to the station. The network shows will do OK, but I think the local news show will suffer. If you see FR tell him PR said hello.
I couldn’t agree more PR. I’m still working on FR though.
FR, PR about now I could really go for an ice cold PBR!
I have not worked at a Erie TV station but I almost took that route when I was 16. In the mid 80’s everyone remembers Lloyd Newell, Carol Pella, Pete Rackoczy(sp)sorry, a younger Scott Bremner, Russ Frye, Gary Drapcho, and many other good people at WSEE. For one week in the summer through a friend of a friend I got to go to WSEE and just kinda hang out and absorb everything from production to the newsroom to whatever. I even got to go in the Newswatch35 car and watch them film a fire. Don’t know if that would happen today. My point is these people were really COOL!!! They answered my dumb questions and the few good ones I had. They were so nice. From the receptionist right up to Lloyd who was anchor at the time. I did not go that path in life but I totally agree that good leadership is a must. I think in talent, WSEE was the best. After that I watched Newswatch 35 faithfully and still do today and will continue to do so. In the business I run today for 9 years I think my employees and myself have grown together to make the business I’m in very successful. You don’t hear that much today with our economy the way it is. I think that with good leadership, WSEE could have blown ICU and JET out of the water back then. I do also feel sorry for the people who lost jobs because of the merger, and to see that WSEE building eventually come down. Good luck to the new WSEE, I hope it works out.
What…no Koehler’s? Miss them too….the best was down in the Rahskeller. NABET tried to have at least one meeting a year there.
back in my radio days, we used to meet for wings and beer with Jack Speers and Bob Hughes at a place that was a private club at W32nd and Cherry. I think it’s now a fruit basket place.
Who remembers the old Erie Press Club? It was on Parade St. around East 8th or 9th. I remember going to a dance there back in the early 70’s. Not a fancy place…but a neutral place where we could get together for a beer and talk about how screwed up our employer’s were…LOL
FR, PR, RIP: PBR Me ASAP!
How about The Junction just across from Mercyhurst…good deals there on Thursdays as I recall. I think it’s an Arby’s now.
I wonder if it were the other way around…if 12 were moving to 1220 Peach…would WICU have been the one getting the raw end of the deal?
Maybe We’ll see one of the on JET/FOX since there is now a posting on their website for a full time reporter.
Probably. If ICU’s building had been the one that needed the big $$$ repairs I’m sure that SJL would’ve gone with the building in the best shape.
This is a direct quote from Scott Bremner back in January:
“Joel,
It’s not my place to discuss future business plans here.
But I can tell you that lines like this from “Tom”–
‘Plans for the 12/35 consol have been finalized. It would appear that all behind the scenes staff at WSEE (shooters, producers and promotions) will be eliminated. ‘
are 100%, absolutely, undeniably FALSE.”
This quote leads me to believe that the WSEE staff was mislead throughout this entire ordeal. Why else would Bremner strongly deny another posters comment, that turned out to be completely on the mark? Either Scott believed what he was posting, or he was on here doing damage control- but I think the second post on this thread by RIP WSEE is right on the money.
Kinda wondering something as I wind down a day. Since Raychel and Jennifer had once worked at WICU, was there some resentment on the part of anyone from WICU towards them?
Sure hope not…
I wouldn’t be so quick to assume WSEE will continue to have its own morning newscast. Remember … the combined 12/35 studio can only air 1 live show at a time. (Thus the new 7 p.m. newscast, and the rerun of WBEP’s 10p newscast at 11p on WSEE.) WICU is on the air from 5-7a. So the only real option would be for 35 to bump ‘The Early Show’ from 7-9a or air a newscast on WBEP in the 7-9a time slot, if they still want to be in the morning news business. Guess we’ll find out next week.
A salute to the fine people at WSEE, who got the squeeze. Those out the door at 35, I sincerely hope you land in a better place.
I get the impression from outside the market that just about anyone not named “Lilly” was misled about the future combination of 12 and 35, and how it would shake out.
The only person who knows with absolute certainty what is going to happen is Brian Lilly, and he is keeping counsel with only himself.
Of course Scott and Jacqueline and whatever remains of the WSEE on-air staff would think that everything will remain the same at WICU. Mr. Lilly has obviously given them that indication. However, if anything can be learned from this “ordeal” it is to expect the unexpected when dealing with Mr. Lilly.
Perhaps honesty from the beginning would have been the best policy? I realize Mr. Lilly most likely OVERPAID for WSEE. Debt payments have probably increased due to the down economy. The cost of having to provide benefits to the Channel 35 full-timers probably went through the roof.
Would it have made ANY difference if Mr. Lilly just said, “Hey! The economy isn’t what it used to be, fixed costs at WSEE are eating me alive. Profit margins are squeezed razor thin, I have no choice but to do this??” Would that have eased the pain at all of this merger?
This isn’t National Security or Espionage we’re talking about here. This is only Television in Erie, Pennsylvania. Why all the cloak and dagger? The Lies? Maybe even deceit?
Once again…Honesty with your employees is ALWAYS the best policy. But that’s just my view.
So I have been out of town and I go to turn on my FAVORITE morning show and it was gone. What happened????
Honesty in TV news (or TV in general), wow, what a concept. I think that went out with family owned stations. I do remember a time when managers sincerely cared about the employees and the product, but that was quite a long time ago.
Maybe the lack of honesty has to do with your theory that Lilly overpaid for WSEE. And he doesn’t want to appear that 35 isn’t as profitable as it could be. This is just a supposition, but would you want one of your properties to look bad if you planned to sell it in the future ?
It’s happening all over broadcasting. Groups buying up many (possibly too many) stations, then selling them to even larger groups.
Sorry if I’m rambling a little, been under the weather.
Rhonda,
35’s news ended as of Thrusday @ 11 PM. SEE has left the building…at 1220 Peach. They are now co-located with ICU at 3514 State. They should be back with some news today…but look for major changes on what time and who is on.
Just curious … what’d they show in place of Mornings Live? And the noon news?
I have had the fortune to work at all three stations (WSEE, WJET, WICU) in the past 10 years, with my last and longest tenure being at ICU. Thankfully, for my own financial well being, I got out of news about 4 years ago and never looked back. Despite that, I can honestly say I do miss it, not for the hours and not for the slight fame being in news garners, I miss it because I felt what I did mattered. Working in news, especially in a good news room, is like being a public servant. You get a sense of pride thinking that the information in the stories you provide (unless it’s a Lisa Adams church event, seriously not every craft show is news worthy) helps the community. Excellent journalism isn’t about the perfect hair or a smooth voice, those are just tools of television; excellent journalism is the desire to clean up the streets by exposing scams or spreading the word about an escaped fugitive. In my brief time I worked with some excellent journalists such as your Carol Pella’s and Paul Wagner’s, but some of the great ones, were never considered great by the public. People like, Doug Bucchanan(sp) from WJET and Scott Cook from WICU, they weren’t pretty and their deliveries weren’t television friendly, but they wanted to help and they understood what the weight of being part of the “5th of State” was. Those are the ones you want to see succeed from the inside.
As for the current state of Erie TV affairs…I still have a lot of friends at all of those stations. I’ve drank with them all, listened to them talk shop and I’ve seen a lot of change. I watched John Christansen go from a mediocre assignment editor to an un-trusted, un-respected GM, just because he tows the company line. I watched colleagues at WJET suffer from “Black Friday” firings to lighten the load. I worked with WICU employees that had to document what they did every hour on the hour to justify their existence as Brian Lilly took over and on that note; I watched employees pitted against other employees and supervisors as Brian Lilly manipulated careers in news management at WICU. In a nutshell, I went from going out after big story nights and getting a drink with colleagues from all the stations to reflect on a job well done; to going out every other night to get a drink hoping things won’t get any worse tomorrow (oddly enough most of those nights Brian Lilly got the check, guess that’s part of the employee mental wellness plan). That’s a change in lifestyle that makes it hard to love what you do, especially in a career where you have to love what you do in order to be good at it.
So, in my humble opinion, I don’t feel as bad for those good people who lost their jobs. Times are tough for everyone. Most of the people I know at WSEE are smart, tough and resourceful. They will land on their feet. I truly feel for the ones who are left behind. Those are the people whose fates are blowing in the wind. Most of them love the job and are good at it, but working there (WICU/WSEE) is like waltzing on a mine field. It may look beautiful, but you never know when the next step is the last.
Morning: CBS News
Noon: Chef William
We miss Raychel and Ray
I saw two promos on WSEE this morning for “WSEE Morning’s Live with Raychel Vendetti and Ray Petelin”
Oops! Guess someone forgot to purge all the promos? Or perhaps they’re just winging things these days at 3514?
Watching tonight at 11, it appears 35 is using the temporary set that 12 used while their new set was being constructed.
Is it live? Don’t know…
It is a shame what has come of WSEE TV.
Yeah I do not know which news was live and which was taped. It looks like this move was made without ANY advance planning and was thrown together. Well at least WICU is getting the word out about going digital.
I sure miss Raychel and Ray in the morning. I wil be looking for a new station to watch the AM news
In my opinion, Mornings Live with Raychel and Ray was Erie’s best morning show. Since Lilly Broadcasting decided to oust Raychel, the show has never been the same and will never be. WSEE’s management made a terrible decision, and I hope they suffer from it.
It is very disheartening to see what Erie’s CBS affiliate has become. What’s wrong with putting weekend news on the station since the operations have been merged? It should not be a difficult or demanding task; news is already on the other station. You might have to pay a few extra people to get it done, but what’s wrong with spending a little extra money to put something useful on the air?
Who are the idiots resposible for for still showing promos
for Raychel and Ray?
Pete asked: “Who are the idiots responsible for still showing promos for Raychel and Ray?”
Probably the same idiots who bring you “Live” Taped newscasts – and see nothing wrong with doing so!!
Perhaps this is merely the WICU/WSEE merger “synergy” that Brian Lilly spoke of to the Times-News in his famous April interview? The one where he said “the viewer would most likely see more news content.”