KEYE

CBS Austin (KEYE) is one of those stations where you just have to keep your head down and get your work done. The station lacks organization and it was always depending on what the other stations were doing for stories. There doesn't seem to be a want-to-win culture at this station. CBS Austin is a revolving door right now. It's so hard for the station to keep talent, producers, assignment editors, and photographers. They've resorted to hiring people straight out of college or people with no news experience. Every department was always understaffed. The work/life balance here was hard because you'd always have to fill in on someone elses shift. I felt like we were always doing the same stories over and over and there was never any opportunity to tell good people stories. It was always news of day and talking to officials. Characters were always found through MOS. The station has GA reporters and MMJs. I do not recommend MMJing here. MMJs here are time fillers in the C Block and never get to do bigger stories. Those are always left for the reporters. As the weekend reporter/MMJ if you get a big story over the weekend, it was always passed to a reporter during the week. MMJs don't even get live shots most of the time or even studio time. It was mainly straight PKGs and an added Anchor VOSOT here and there. I was always begging for a live shot. If you want to grow to get to your next market, it's going to be hard to put together a reel unless you fight for those live shots. I'm in top 25 now and the workload is more than I can handle because I wasn't prepared, even though I get a photographer every day now. There aren't enough photographers usually to get a live shot. Your mental health will be tested at times. One reporter even had to take a leave of absence. The assistant news director was promoted from EP. She's still figuring out the role and will talk behind people's back. She's been caught a few times but nothing ever happens. Reporters/MMJs are also required to get Spanish sound for Telemundo when they can because Telemundo reporters just redo PKGs shot from the CBS side. Last but not least, the pay is awful. Austin is too expensive of a city to live in. 3-4 photographers quit around the same time because the station doesn't pay enough and they don't like to pay overtime. Positions have been cut to give other departments raises. I wouldn't label the station as toxic but there are a lot of organizational issues and it could be negative at times. Working here was described as "embarrassing" by some. Managers think the new set will change how people view the station, but good luck. You might be happier at another station in the market.

Racial Discrimination, An Overall Toxic Work Environment

Worse place I ever worked, extremely toxic and don’t even say about the poor employees from Telemundo they’re treated like a second class workers and that’s why most people leave the station otherwise just check the lawsuit they had in Federal Court for wrongful termination and discrimination and also the several complaints with the EEOC. The apples doesn’t fall far from the tree, the GM Amy Villarreal accused a former producer of terrorist and sent the Special Intelligence Unit to his house (more an attempt of murder after making a false police report) the ND is the maid and a puppet, also Lisa Hagle the HR always covered the crap from the company to use against employees who complaint of the toxicity and rotten environment, and the list continue That’s why they transfer the former producer Ana María Llamas Brouhard to KOMO in Seattle after all the complaints against her and also using her laser to benefit her BFF the anchor from Telemundo Pedro Daniel Morales, this both are who sent the former producer Franklin Leal to the hospital and the guy was fired … all that has been exposed in a federal lawsuit in Austin and was publicly in some media. They have a lot of dirt of them if you want to experience hell this is the place

People is abused and fired after they complaint, management and supervisors Plot against people to have bad reviews and put the other employees against the person complaining so they can have “reasons” to not renew your contract or simply fired you but if you leave the station os the best thing that can happen to anybody. I mean is own but Sinclair Broadcast Group known for mistreated employees and for being a propaganda right wing machine

Racial Discrimination, An Overall Toxic Work Environment

If you’re a POC be prepared to feel uncomfortable. A lot of the people at the station make racially insensitive comments. No one is ever checked or held accountable for their actions.

If you’re reading this don’t work here. Your mental health will be in jeopardy. This is the warning I wish I received.

Racial Discrimination

A lot of people in the newsroom feel very comfortable with saying racially insensitive things, including the assistant ND. If it has ever been reported to HR, all these people got was a slap on the wrist. Not sure how a reporter can be trusted to report fairly when they clearly have some sort of bias against certain minority groups and can't control what comes out of their mouth.

Rob is fine as a ND. He's smart, creative, and is a people person. The assistant ND is who you should watch out for. He has terrible news judgment, cannot make a decision to save his life (especially during breaking news situations), doesn't know how to interact with people (especially if you're a POC.) He definitely plays favorites. If you can avoid any interaction with the assistant ND and do your job, you're in good hands. Also, the editorial meetings are death and can go off the rails for an hour. Good luck!

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

This station doesn’t know how to communicate with each other. They all function on passive aggressiveness and they bully you.

It kills your soul.