Sinclair Broadcasting has confirmed with TVSpy it is planning changes to some of its local stations.
This morning, FTLive reported layoffs have hit WACH in Columbia, S.C. and WGXA in Macon, Ga. In addition to layoffs, FTVLive said “word is that newscasts are being cancelled and will be replaced by news from Sinclair’s The National Desk.”
When we asked Sinclair about it, a spokesperson said the station group was not planning mass layoffs or closing newsrooms, but will be making some changes to the way it produces news in a few of its markets.
“In addition to our local news coverage, we will be adding The National Desk, which provides real-time national and regional news from Sinclair’s television stations across the US. TND will feature local news content from the market in every hour of the newscast,” Sinclair told TVSpy. “TND, which offers an alternative choice for news, has grown exponentially over the last year, reaching more than 2.5 Million total viewers per week, across all dayparts, and will bring something uniquely different to our community.”
>UPDATE: We heard from a reader that along with layoffs and an elimination of positions scheduled for April 1, Sinclair’s NBC affiliate WEYI and Fox affiliate WSMH in Flint, Michigan was told that the local morning and weekend evening newscasts on both stations and the weekday 5 p.m. on WEYI are going away. We hear at least some time slots will be replaced by The National Desk.