By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Tuesday, June 7, 2016
The steady departure of on-air content out of CNN Center continues.
The latest: HLN has rehired Erica Hill for a dayside news show for this fall, but it will be based out of New York, not Atlanta. New York is now where most of sister station CNN's anchors preside. Hill worked at HLN and CNN from 2003 to 2012 and then did stints at NBC and CBS.
This follows the announcement of an upcoming new show out of Los Angeles hosted by current "New Day" host Michaela Pereira, who now works in New York.
These two new shows mean fewer hours out of Atlanta at HLN by this fall.
HLN currently shoots three daytime shows out of CNN Center:Robin Meade's morning show from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., "The Daily Share" from noon to 7 p.m. and Nancy Grace at 8 p.m.
CNN now only uses anchors out of Atlanta on weekends, including Fredricka Whitfield. It moved its last two Atlanta-based weekday anchors Carol Costello and Brooke Baldwin to New York in 2014.
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Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Credit: Melissa Ruggieri
Frank Ski has become the go-to substitute for V-103 after re-joining the station last month as a weekend host. He filled in for Ryan Cameron on Monday, in a role reversal. When Ski was the morning host, Cameron used to regularly sub for him when Cameron was the afternoon guy. Ski had plenty to talk about with Muhammad Ali's passing and brought in his buddy and former Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell to talk about Ali's lighting of the torch during the 1996 Olympics Opening Ceremony.
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Condolences to Clark Howard. His mom Joy, 92, passed over the weekend. He posted the following news on Sunday:
https://www.facebook.com/clarkhoward/posts/10155330170019572
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Credit: Rodney Ho
Credit: Rodney Ho
Nobody joins radio to make a lot of money. It's truly a labor of love. But in San Francisco, where the minimum wage is already a relatively high $12.25 an hour, a group of employees for Cumulus Media-owned sports radio station KNBR-AM are seeking a "livable wage."
The Atlanta-based company is in financial duress due to high debt after purchasing Citadel Broadcasting in 2011 and new management has been trying to right the ship.
The KNBR station employees joined the SAG-AFTRA union in November and held a protest recently at AT&T Park over low pay, according to this story.
The union also released a two-minute video last week you can view below. One employee noted that San Francisco is an incredibly expensive place to live so that $12.25 an hour isn't as high as it seems.
"We are 11 percent more expensive than New York," said Tony Rhein, creative director.
"We're very dedicated to working here. However, it's nearly impossible when wages have been completely stagnant for ten years," said Tim Webb, a producer.
"The only way I keep my dream alive now is working two other jobs," said James Kincaid, producer. "And I know I'm not the only one. It's a reality for most of us here at KNBR."
Patrick Connor, producer/anchor: "I just want to be paid what's fair."
In April, KNBR was ranked No. 1 in the overall ratings in San Francisco with a 6 rating, according to Nielsen Audio.
SAG-AFTRA is seeking a contract negotiation with Cumulus but has fallen on deaf ears.
I am awaiting a response from Cumulus investor relations spokesman Collin James.
Unions are very weak in Georgia and no radio employee that I know of is in one. People get paid what they can negotiate or what is offered.
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