13 News, NEWS

[genlock]

Sources tell FTVLive that WOWK (Charleston, WV) News Director Keith Baker has handed in his notice to Owner and GM Bray Cary.

Baker has been at the station for just a year.

Word is that Baker gave the station 4 weeks notice and then, to quote Just Kraemer, he's getting the fuck out of there.

We hear that Cary wants to keep the fact that Baker is leaving quiet and does not want the staff to know.

Oops!

My bad.

[Greg Goodfellow]

As bowling great Nelson Burton Jr. always said, "Trust is a must or your game is a bust."

You've got to trust your news directors to do the right thing...if they're from their area, they know it better than anyone else, because they're accountable to the people they grew up with, not just considering them as viewers. Give them the money to execute the plan, then set them free. No micromanaging-trust them.

You've got to trust your reporters, sales folks, maintenance people (if any are left on a permanent basis and not 'farmed out') and everyone else necessary to run a great TV station and to resuscitate the heritage that WTRF, WBOY and WOWK built from their beginnings up until WVMH became the 'Borg.' Again, no micromanaging-get out of their way and let them do what in their hearts needs to be done.

As an aside, IF you're going to have a statewide show called "Decision Makers," have your news directors be rotation anchors for an entire show, or anchor different segments pertaining only to their area within the same show." If you feel the need to do an editorial, then you can represent the brand and have the chairman have his two minutes. It's called "Decision Makers," not 'The Bray Cary Show.'

Don't run your properties according to the North Korean plan.

[Hoss]

Knew Keith since he moved here last year, not a long friendship but I found him to be a stand up person with a good sense of the News business. I know and have worked with several at 13 and hear that it's hard to excel in a place where there is strong owner that wants a big roll in day to day operations but doesn't want responsibility for all those pesky daily decisions and problems, he just wants his results and no excuses. I don't know Bray Cary and do respect what he has grown just wonder what he may have grown if he was more willing to take the advice from the folks on the front line and be a little more understanding of the process and problems some jobs take. Good luck Keith, thanks for your kindness to me personally.