Local News Station Reduces Number of Editorial Employees
Six weeks after its premiere on local cable television, Orange County Newschannel has dismissed about a dozen editorial workers--more than 15% of the 24-hour news station’s staff.
Kenneth D. Tiven, OCN’s vice president and general manager, said those dismissed were free-lance journalists who knew “going in” that they were hired for short stints of two months or less.
“We were using a whole series of free-lance people to get started,” Tiven said. “Many of them knew they were just there because we were not sure what we needed. We felt it was better to be overstaffed at the start.”
Tiven would not give a precise number for those dismissed or for those still remaining. The reduction leaves OCN with fewer than 60 reporters, technicians and advertising sales people.
When OCN was launched in mid-September, he said the news channel would be run with a staff of about 70 workers.
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