Channel 3 in Las Vegas cuts staff as Sinclair eliminates hundreds

More than a dozen KSNV-News 3 employees were laid off Wednesday as one of the country’s largest television networks eliminated hundreds of jobs across the country.

Four well-known on-air personalities were put on the swing: weekend anchor Gerard Ramalho, day anchor Heather Mills, weekend weatherman Jerry Brown and sport anchor / reporter Amber Dixon. All four individually confirmed their departure to the RJ on Thursday morning.

The decisions were communicated on Wednesday during the Zoom meetings convened by KSNV station manager Larry Strumwasser and news director Stephanie Wheatley.

Efforts to reach station management for comment were unsuccessful.

Eight employees under the roof of the newsroom, including the four broadcasters, have left the broadcaster. The others came from departments like sales and promotion.

Came in shock

The movements came as a shock to those who were let go. As recently as Thursday morning, the station broadcast a promo of Mills’ weekend report from Brian Head, Utah, despite being informed the day before that it was no longer employed by the station.

Ramalho said he was asked to attend an afternoon meeting and felt it was a company-wide meeting or a staff meeting.

“When I was the only one in the meeting, I knew it was something else,” said Ramalho on Thursday morning. “But I’m fine, seriously. I am optimistic about what’s next. I’m really grateful for my years on Channel 3. I’m more excited than people might think, and I could try something new, maybe somewhere new. I am looking forward to it.”

Ramalho, who has won five Emmy Awards, was with News 3, an NBC affiliate, for nearly 21 years, according to news3lv.com, while Mills joined News 3 in 2016. Dixon was working as a news reporter when he was hired about eight years ago before moving to the sport anchor / reporter. Brown has been on the air in Las Vegas for nearly 30 years and was inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2009. Ramalho is also a member of the Hall of Fame.

“It’s the business”

“It’s the business,” said Brown, who has been with the station since 2007 and has been in the Las Vegas market since 2003. “I’m from Vegas. I’ve been up in the air for a long time and hope to stay here. I don’t want to put it on yet. I still have a few miles with me.”

Of his Channel 3 colleagues, Brown said, “I wish you all the best. I had a great experience there. “

Mills said during a phone call Thursday morning, “It’s a shock.”

“I really loved working on Channel 3 and The CW,” said Mills. “I loved working with my news director. The people in Las Vegas were wonderful. It is my home I can’t take it to heart, it’s heartbreaking, but I know it wasn’t performance based. “

She went on and said, “It’s going to be very difficult. It is not a good time to be looking for jobs on television. “

That’s a wrap. Thank you Vegas & So Nevada for everything. This city has so much ♥ ️. I have been truly blessed to do what I love with people I consider not only talented but also real friends.

I was among those laid off by Sinclair. But this is not a goodbye. It’s just a new chapter❣️ pic.twitter.com/tQzgLKG92O

– Heather Mills (@ HeatherNews3LV) March 4, 2021

Dixon wrote on Thursday morning, “I’m fine. I was shocked yesterday. “She said the first thing she did after receiving the news was an online search for“ Sinclair ”.

“The first item that came up under” News “was a heading that said,” Sinclair Broadcast Group Profit Pops. Getting Key Rating Upgraded, “said Dixon.” It’s confusing and disappointing, but I’m grateful for mine eight and a half years on Channel 3. I’m a free agent now. “

Pandemic problems

Citing the pandemic, Baltimore-based Sinclair Broadcast Group announced it would cut its 9,211 employees by about 5 percent, meaning about 460 people would lose their jobs nationwide.

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be felt across all sectors of the economy. This can have profound implications for a company as diversified as ours,” a Sinclair spokesman told CNN Business in a statement. “From local businesses and advertisers to retailers and partners, no component of our company’s ecosystem is fully protected from the effects of the global pandemic.

“In response, we are currently downsizing across the company, including corporate headquarters, to ensure we are well positioned for future success,” it said.

Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman texted Thursday afternoon to support those who had left the train station. Describing it as “fresh air,” she said, “So positive, truthful, apolitical, and truly part of our family in Las Vegas. Losing Gerard with five Emmys, Jerry, Heather and Amber from Channel 3 coverage is the biggest blow to the city of Las Vegas. “

Sinclair bought in 2014

Sinclair acquired KSNV in 2014 from owners Jim and Beverly Rogers. Jim Rogers acquired the station in 1979. The station also operates several Las Vegas sister channels, the main part of which is The CW.

Sinclair had expanded into sports coverage prior to the pandemic and struggled when the professional sports season was canceled or postponed last year, the Baltimore Sun reported Thursday.

The company reported a massive loss for the third quarter ended September 30 when it wrote off some of the value of regional sports networks, which it bought in 2019 for $ 10.6 billion. Sinclair lost $ 3.2 billion from July through September as the pandemic weighed on goodwill and intangible assets of $ 4.2 billion.

The Sinclair Broadcast Group was trading on the Nasdaq just before last Thursday, down 32 cents at $ 35.43.

Contact Marvin Clemons at mclemons@reviewjournal.com. Follow @Marv_in_Vegas on Twitter. Clemons worked for the KSNV newsroom from 2011 to 2019. Contact John Katsilometes at JKatsilometes@reviewjournal.com.