After 78 Years on Air, This Baltimore TV Station Cut Its Anchors. What Replaced Them Has Critics Worried
The move comes amid sweeping layoffs at the broadcaster’s parent company. Former and current employees are pushing back.
This week, the anchors at WMAR-2, a Baltimore news broadcast part of the Scripps News Group, said farewell to loyal viewers.
On Tuesday, morning anchor Megan Knight held back tears as she thanked viewers for letting the team be a part of their mornings. “Who’s cutting onions right now?” an emotional Knight joked. Later in the week, Kelly Swoope, an evening anchor who has been at the station for 23 years, said her own farewell. “You guys are like family, and it’s been such an honor to come into your homes,” the longtime anchor said.
The emotional moments came amid sweeping layoffs
The emotional moments came amid sweeping layoffs at the broadcaster. The station will move to anchor-less newscasts. In place of journalists reading the news, the station will rely on AI and automation.
WMAR, Maryland’s oldest news station which has been on the air for over 78 years, first debuted the change on Wednesday, August 12. In place of the evening anchors, the station aired segments of prerecorded news stories spliced with graphics and commercials.
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WMAR won’t be the only local news station affected by the new model. The shift is being rolled out across dozens of broadcasts. Earlier this month, Scripps CEO Adam Symson laid out the changes, including layoffs and increased reliance on AI on an earnings call. “We’re leaning into AI, automation, technology and the centralization of some roles,” he said
In an August 4 letter, Symson explained
In an August 4 letter, Symson explained that hundreds of employees nationwide would be laid off as the company moves toward “24/7 local news streams” in an effort to make the network more “sustainable” moving forward. “268 colleagues we work alongside are losing their jobs. These are teammates who have helped build and serve this company in important ways, and we are deeply grateful for everything they have contributed,” he wrote.
The CEO continued, “At a time when many communities are losing local coverage, the depth we are bringing is our competitive advantage. New AI systems and other technology designed and developed by Scripps employees is making this possible.”
Source: www.inc.com
