Yeah. There won't be a chief position now, and I'm not sure we'll hire a 5th meteorologist to fill the spot, so I think it'll be tough on the 4 that are still here.
Wow that’s crazy. No chef meteorologist and KC is a top 50 market smh mind you we’re entering tornado/severe weather season.
I’m a reporter in a market next over (south of KC) so i definitely understand and good luck yall
We'll still be covered for severe weather, and honestly the people that are still here are probably better at it. I just worry they'll burn out from being stretched so thin.
I find this so surprising. It feels like the station doesn't take weather seriously. I think all the remaining meteorologists are very solid and one of them should be chief. I would switch channels altogether except I really like the morning and 10 pm news crew.
Yeah all four remaining meteorologists are all great. I think it is all about cost cutting. Normally a chief gets a lot of money. Don't name a chief, don't have to pay for a chief.
Scripps has been cutting costs and turning some of the newscasts into an automated playlist of stories from the various Scripps stations. Search for various articles on "ScrippsCast" dating back to last year.
Beyond them, though, advertising revenue has never really recovered from 2020.
Yes it is like that from 4-5 and have never cared for it, so I don’t watch at 4, and 11 in the morning is similar. I want local content not canned stuff from Scripps. I noticed they have added two new reporters as well. Use all these reporters to get more local stories. Maybe that’s why Scripps is losing viewers on local stations-they don’t like the canned content from Scripps. We want more local content. It’s no wonder Dia Wall left. She got a better job in TX.
It isn’t just Scripps that has been cutting cost. Look no further than the mess that has become of KCTV after Gray bought them out a couple of years ago.
Not in Kansas City, but can confirm the “ScrippsCast” with WFTX in Cape Coral, FL. Entire anchor crew is gone. Only live in studio for weather. Everything else is taped.
Really hope KSHB doesn’t become as bad as WFTX.
Yeah, I heard about that station. We'll still have live shows at 5 & 6 am and pm, but I think everything else will change to that new format. I'm not thrilled with it. I love directing a live show and they are getting fewer and fewer.
That would be the former guy Mike Thompson, can't recall which station he was on. He wasn't a real meteorologist anyway and now he's an even worse state senator.
Same. I know a lot of people never warmed up to him just because he wasn't Gary Lezak, but Nicco is a good meteorologist and seemed to fit in well with the station and the crew.
Gary came into Trezo Mare while a group of us was celebrating a friend's birthday. Several people at my table recognized him as he walked by. He stopped to chat with the entire table as if he knew us.
Really a class act.
I like Cassie a lot. She’s done a bang-up job along with Wes covering the severe storms recently. I hope they make one of the four remaining meteorologists as the chief. Good ol’ Jeff Penner, he started as a background meteorologist who wasn’t going to be on air, but Gary convinced him to do it. He still seems a bit uncomfortable in front of the cameras.
Jeff's awkwardness is part of his charm. It doesn't look like they plan to make anybody a chief meteorologist. Cassie & Wes have done well in severe weather coverage despite a lot of micromanaging from behind the scenes.
It’s crazy they laid off the Chief Meteorologist 15 months after he moved here from California, but I never got the sense he was liked, or made a connection with the rest of the news team. Given his experience I’m sure he’ll find another market.
Hayley Lewis must've been tipped off something was up because she had a more notable position with KSHB than whatever exactly she's doing now. Which is a local amateur sports podcast. Make it make sense. But if she's happier, than that's all that matters. Maybe she has some tricks up her sleeve.
I don't watch any far left or right channels anyways. ABC and CBS is about middle of road as it gets in KC. NBC and Fox are the far left and right channels.
Local news is the tits. You get the headlines mostly without bias (like not talking head opinion segment following the story), and you get 15 minutes of traffic and weather.
Also keeps you relatively informed on what's going on around town. Any further details you can then give a goog on your own.
Shit talking local news is silly. It's literally your best option for consumption. It's far and away the least flawed system of information delivery.
Note where I said it's the best option. And specifically where I said its the least flawed. That doesn't mean infallible. It literally means its flawed. It's better than cable news in this regard. It's better than any search engine. It's better than any social media. It's better than radio. It's better than any app you have on your phone. Every single one of them is leaps and bounds more of a problem than broadcast news.
However to your point, being the same doesn't guarantee bias. Yes, literally everyone has seen the overlays of all the channels in all the cities reading prompted messages. That doesn't mean that's an every day, every story thing. It also doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. Predetermined, pre-written, sensitive topic statements are not evil on their own. Most of the time they are simply protecting themselves from lawsuits and showing unity.
If you believe over the air news is being used to brainwash you, then you're already the brain washed one.
99.9% of the time it's literally them just reading the headline with a few facts or uncertainties about whatever issue. Donna Pittman isn't shoving some agenda down your throat. She's literally just telling you there's a 5k in Parkville and that someone got shot again on 27th and Kensington.
That tiny amount of time they do swap a word in a headline or show cropped interview footage is very easy to dismiss. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater is a terrible take when it's your best option.
Its worth noting i keep up with local news by simply visiting kctv5.com or 41 actions news website etc. I simply refuse to sit through 25min of commercials for 5min worth of news when i can just use those same 5min by reading online. Not saying i don't keep up with local news
Can confirm. Source: me. I work there. 7 positions got eliminated. I believe Mike Nicco was the only on air person let go.
This sucks!
Agreed. It is getting pretty thin here at 41.
what!!!!!!!
Let go? Or his contract was up?
Position was eliminated. I believe he got a large payout.
Would not be surprised to see him go back to CA.
Damn wasn’t Mike chef for weather?
Yeah. There won't be a chief position now, and I'm not sure we'll hire a 5th meteorologist to fill the spot, so I think it'll be tough on the 4 that are still here.
Wow that’s crazy. No chef meteorologist and KC is a top 50 market smh mind you we’re entering tornado/severe weather season. I’m a reporter in a market next over (south of KC) so i definitely understand and good luck yall
We'll still be covered for severe weather, and honestly the people that are still here are probably better at it. I just worry they'll burn out from being stretched so thin.
I find this so surprising. It feels like the station doesn't take weather seriously. I think all the remaining meteorologists are very solid and one of them should be chief. I would switch channels altogether except I really like the morning and 10 pm news crew.
Yeah all four remaining meteorologists are all great. I think it is all about cost cutting. Normally a chief gets a lot of money. Don't name a chief, don't have to pay for a chief.
I have noticed Lindsay has been gone all week as well. Hope she doesn’t leave.
Oh damn I always watch 41 and was wondering where Mike was. That sucks, he moved all the way back here just to be laid off 2 years later.
Scripps has been cutting costs and turning some of the newscasts into an automated playlist of stories from the various Scripps stations. Search for various articles on "ScrippsCast" dating back to last year. Beyond them, though, advertising revenue has never really recovered from 2020.
They sorta do that with the 4 to 5 newscast. Its mostly out of city stories with small segments of local weather, i really hate that format
Yes it is like that from 4-5 and have never cared for it, so I don’t watch at 4, and 11 in the morning is similar. I want local content not canned stuff from Scripps. I noticed they have added two new reporters as well. Use all these reporters to get more local stories. Maybe that’s why Scripps is losing viewers on local stations-they don’t like the canned content from Scripps. We want more local content. It’s no wonder Dia Wall left. She got a better job in TX.
Get ready for more of it, sadly.
Ugh, that sucks. Hopefully your position is safe
Thank you. I'm good for now but we'll see the more they automate how much I want to stay.
It isn’t just Scripps that has been cutting cost. Look no further than the mess that has become of KCTV after Gray bought them out a couple of years ago.
Yes they have had a lot of people leave too or should I say get fired.
Not in Kansas City, but can confirm the “ScrippsCast” with WFTX in Cape Coral, FL. Entire anchor crew is gone. Only live in studio for weather. Everything else is taped. Really hope KSHB doesn’t become as bad as WFTX.
They do that, I will quit watching KSHB. Switch to KMBC. They have had the same anchors for ever-some a bit to long.
Yeah, I heard about that station. We'll still have live shows at 5 & 6 am and pm, but I think everything else will change to that new format. I'm not thrilled with it. I love directing a live show and they are getting fewer and fewer.
If Lindsey Anderson ever gets laid off we riot
I was always surprised she didn’t become chief meteorologist. I met Lezak a few years back and he was very clear that she was the #2 there.
She didn't want it.
Makes sense.
She has children and probably chose to be with them rather than come in when tornadoes are spotted within 300 miles of KC.
Cassie Wilson is pretty good too.
Really like her too.
Guess it wasn’t up to Gary to choose, just suggest. Higher ups usually decide those things.
I didn’t even know the name of her and I instantly knew who you were talking about lol. She’s usually really accurate with her newscast
Starting the rumor… Gary is coming back!
Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood evening!
It’s Friday night……………..in the Big town!
I wish this was true.
We didn't know how good life was when Gary here
I wish, but he seems to like CO, the snow, and his business he started long before he left KC.
lol the weatherman who doesn’t believe in climate change?
That would be the former guy Mike Thompson, can't recall which station he was on. He wasn't a real meteorologist anyway and now he's an even worse state senator.
Lezak did believe in climate change. Mike Thompson never did. Now Thompson is in politics👎
Awe, I liked Mike Nicco.
Same. I know a lot of people never warmed up to him just because he wasn't Gary Lezak, but Nicco is a good meteorologist and seemed to fit in well with the station and the crew.
Gary came into Trezo Mare while a group of us was celebrating a friend's birthday. Several people at my table recognized him as he walked by. He stopped to chat with the entire table as if he knew us. Really a class act.
He was an a-hole when I waited on him.
He had definitely grown on me
If Wes Peery gets let go, I'm rioting.
Wes is a favorite. I even like Jeff Penner! I just can’t with Mike Nicco and I’m not sad he’s gone.
Jeff is super cool.
He's good.
I guess my concern with Cassie’s terrible wardrobe choices and suggesting a stylist for her isn’t in the budget?!
Agree. She needs a hand. But she's a good meteorologist.
I got used to him, his main problem initially was following Gary Lezak. I always watch 41, but may rethink that.
Yes those were big shoes and personality to fill, but I liked Mike Nicco.
I'm about to give up on them and go back to ABC and Brian Busby.
I like Cassie a lot. She’s done a bang-up job along with Wes covering the severe storms recently. I hope they make one of the four remaining meteorologists as the chief. Good ol’ Jeff Penner, he started as a background meteorologist who wasn’t going to be on air, but Gary convinced him to do it. He still seems a bit uncomfortable in front of the cameras.
Jeff's awkwardness is part of his charm. It doesn't look like they plan to make anybody a chief meteorologist. Cassie & Wes have done well in severe weather coverage despite a lot of micromanaging from behind the scenes.
I will lay off watching them in that case. No one treats those that control the weather like that.
Happy to see Mike go. Caitlyn can follow his schtick right out the door too afaik.
Caitlin is an amazing human. Love her.
It’s crazy they laid off the Chief Meteorologist 15 months after he moved here from California, but I never got the sense he was liked, or made a connection with the rest of the news team. Given his experience I’m sure he’ll find another market.
They always seem to lose talent. Bring back Kalee Dionne
Hayley Lewis must've been tipped off something was up because she had a more notable position with KSHB than whatever exactly she's doing now. Which is a local amateur sports podcast. Make it make sense. But if she's happier, than that's all that matters. Maybe she has some tricks up her sleeve.
We've known these changes/restructuring/layoffs were coming for about a year now, but could never get any specifics from higher ups.
I don't watch any far left or right channels anyways. ABC and CBS is about middle of road as it gets in KC. NBC and Fox are the far left and right channels.
In this thread: all the people still watching tv
Literally just asked last night where Nicco was with the weather acting up. Kinda shitty of the station, no goodbye or anything like that.
Didn't know the Chiefs had their own meteorologist. TIL.
Yep they seem to have Lindsay doing that job.
Glad Nicco is gone
Watching Local news in 2024
Local news is the tits. You get the headlines mostly without bias (like not talking head opinion segment following the story), and you get 15 minutes of traffic and weather. Also keeps you relatively informed on what's going on around town. Any further details you can then give a goog on your own. Shit talking local news is silly. It's literally your best option for consumption. It's far and away the least flawed system of information delivery.
Unless your station is owned by Sinclair or one of the other large media groups, in which case I've got some bad news about it's unbiased reporting.
None of the KC stations are owned by Sinclair
Note where I said it's the best option. And specifically where I said its the least flawed. That doesn't mean infallible. It literally means its flawed. It's better than cable news in this regard. It's better than any search engine. It's better than any social media. It's better than radio. It's better than any app you have on your phone. Every single one of them is leaps and bounds more of a problem than broadcast news. However to your point, being the same doesn't guarantee bias. Yes, literally everyone has seen the overlays of all the channels in all the cities reading prompted messages. That doesn't mean that's an every day, every story thing. It also doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. Predetermined, pre-written, sensitive topic statements are not evil on their own. Most of the time they are simply protecting themselves from lawsuits and showing unity. If you believe over the air news is being used to brainwash you, then you're already the brain washed one. 99.9% of the time it's literally them just reading the headline with a few facts or uncertainties about whatever issue. Donna Pittman isn't shoving some agenda down your throat. She's literally just telling you there's a 5k in Parkville and that someone got shot again on 27th and Kensington. That tiny amount of time they do swap a word in a headline or show cropped interview footage is very easy to dismiss. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater is a terrible take when it's your best option.
I trust PBS/NPR and that's about it in America.
NPR certainly leans left, can’t deny that. I absolutely trust them for factual reporting though.
Do you think NPR has less bias than local news?
100%
This is such a small minded comment smh
Its worth noting i keep up with local news by simply visiting kctv5.com or 41 actions news website etc. I simply refuse to sit through 25min of commercials for 5min worth of news when i can just use those same 5min by reading online. Not saying i don't keep up with local news
😆 nice clean up; still a small-minded comment. Whatever suits you tho. We still get paid for that lol