WEYI | WSMH

Operates like a typical mid-size station, and one that's last in the market. Everyone is overworked in an understaffed newsroom. Newsroom culture could definitely be better at times.
Aside from that, a great place to work. News director and GM were great.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

It is a great market to grow in.

A great mid-sized market with lots of news. Management does lots of morale building activities. There's a focus on storytelling. We do stories that the other stations won't. The station produces lots of specials. They allow travel while other stations in the market won't. Lots of feedback from newsroom managers. Station looks the best in the market. New technology. New studio. New building. Reporters and photographers work together everyday. Anchors have been in the market for decades and there's not a lot of room for fill-in opportunities. Many producers and photogs are newer with not much experience and are learning. They've hired some of the best talent away from the competition. Any negativity comes from people who have never worked in a bad newsroom and don't realize how bad it can get. Smallest weather and sports department in the market, but they do the most and better work than WNEM or WJRT. WEYI and WSMH are Sinclair stations, so you have to run the corporate national must run stories. Not a perfect station, but the staff from the GM and news director all the way down to the newest employee care about doing great work.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

There was an overall sense of dissatisfaction with management. Nothing was ever good, or noteworthy. The News Directors worship the ground Bill Harris walks on but that's it. They do not like their staff and the people they hire. I did learn a lot while I was there, but that was from other field employees, and not the NDs. The general manager is probably the best in the state. He is full of great things to say, truly believes in his staff, and truly a gift of warm energy to bless that station. From what I was told by employees of other stations, it's the best one to work for in the Flint-Saginaw market, sadly.

It's Sinclair, so. That. Also. The news facility is state of the art. Just over a year old and everything is brand new and well-maintained.

Local management is great. Every month local management does a fun event for employees, and morale is high. There’s a big photog staff which makes reporting much easier. You learn a lot about best practices in storytelling. The only drawback is Sinclair’s corporate leadership. They have a rigid way of producing news.