KTVX, KUCW employees to take 10-day furloughs

Following a national trend in the media industry, KTVX Channel 4 and KUCW Channel 30, the ABC and CW television affiliates, asked employees on Friday to take 10-day furloughs this year to alleviate 2009 budgetary concerns.

KTVX and KUCW general manager Matt Jaquint said in a written statement that furloughs will apply to all employees, including on-air talent and executives.

"In the midst of the current financial challenges, we believe this to be the most advantageous and least disruptive for our employees," Jaquint said.

The stations' parent company, Newport Television, based in Kansas City, Mo., announced Friday that it would require unpaid furloughs for employees of its 50 stations across the country.

In a letter to Newport Television employees made available to the Deseret News through a spokeswoman for the company, president and CEO Sandy DiPasquale said furloughs, as well as layoffs for 33 full- and part-time positions at six of its stations, were vital for the company's economic health.

"It is our goal to minimize staff reductions and to support our stations with the resources necessary to maintain the station quality during this difficult period," DiPasquale said. "We believe that implementing the furlough will assist us in achieving this goal."

Neither KTVX nor KUCW was affected by the layoffs, Jaquint said.

Newport Television is not the first media company to implement furloughs for its employees. Gannett Co. Inc., the nation's largest newspaper publisher, instituted two rounds of furloughs this year. In March, the New York Times Co. announced a 10-day furlough and 5 percent pay cut for staffers.

Despite Newport Television's prediction for continued revenue shortfalls in 2009, Jaquint said he did not expect any more announcements regarding furloughs from his stations.

E-MAIL: mgonda@desnews.com