Media of Birmingham has learned in this exclusive report that NBC 13 eliminated 11 positions across various departments this week, including senior reporter Scott Mauldin (top left) and reporter Havonnah Johnson (bottom left). Vice president and general manager Gene Kirkconnell cited the economy as the reason behind the latest round of cuts.
Monday, Media General, which owns NBC 13, cut 130 positions total nationwide, after suspending 401(k) matching contributions and mandating two-week furloughs.
NBC 13 laid off 10 people in January, while ABC 33/40 laid off 15 people and Fox 6 laid off 10 in February.
Kirkconnell would not say how many employees NBC 13 has, and referred questions about further cuts from Media General to the company’s representatives. Media General has not responded to e-mail requests.
He said that NBC 13’s employees were doing a good job working with limited resources and that the station’s March ratings were looking good. NBC’s local news programs in the morning and at 5 and 6 p.m. showed increases in household ratings over the same time in 2008.
Update: Birmingham Business Journal story profiles Mauldin’s new company, Vulcan Media Team.
Media of Birmingham 