WTVC

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

WTVC NewsChannel 9 would be best described as cursed. It is a station that goes through an endless cycle of toxicity. They say news photographers are the “eyes and ears of the newsroom”. Well I’ve seen and heard a lot during my tenure. I’ll make this short by saying common sense is not so common at WTVC. You will be manipulated, emotional scarred, threatened, etc. This is a boot camp style station for hungry college graduates looking for their first gig. Know you are going to a place with a high turnover rate on which you will be added on to that statistic. If I could recommend a way of improvement, it would be for those employed to have a better grasp on kindness. Management needs to be more approachable, understanding, kind, trusting, (the list goes on) to ALL employees. It’s easy to be a boss but harder to be a leader. I feel like many take the easy (former) path, unfortunately.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

It has come to my attention that a recent review for this station have many people who work there think it has come from me — as I have received numerous messages about it. While it did not come from me, this gossip (and false assumption) is a good example of the “toxic environment” that a lot of the previous reviews left here reference.

You will walk away from this station having learned, but I do agree with the other reviewers that there is lots room for improvement here.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

I can’t believe this station is still standing, honestly. This newsroom is so disorganized — especially since those in management are people that really shouldn’t be. Right off the bat, there’s Tom’s pet: “Managing Editor” Latricia Milburn (or maybe Tom is HER pet? It’s hard to tell most days). She may come off as caring and nice at first, but don’t be fooled. She is a bitter, rude, and miserable human being who will make you hate your job. Numerous reporters have broken their contracts this year (2021), mainly citing Latricia as the reason why — she kills your spirit and love for journalism to the point you never want to do it again. And we’re talking about reporters who (unfortunately) landed at WTVC for their first job out of college. It’s very sad. As far as her job “duties,” she sits at her desk all day long doing… nothing??? She’s a managing editor, which means she has to approve scripts — and those don’t come in until the afternoon, so between 10am (and after the morning meeting) and 3pm, she just browses the internet and gossips about everyone (openly) with Assignment Manager Shannen Sharpe (more in her later). Another thing about Latricia is when she’s “approving” your script, she’s actually rewording things the way SHE writes / speaks, rather than the way you, the reporter does. Sometimes her rewordings make the story incorrect/infactual — because, again, she doesn’t work for a majority of the day until it’s her time to shine on “the Latricia show” for the 5/6pm news. Additionally, I have called out to her in the newsroom numerous times for help. “Hey, Latricia…” and I get no response or acknowledgment of any kind. I sat 10 feet from her, there’s no way she didn’t hear me. Last thing I’ll mention about Latricia is how fake and insincere is becoming on social media. She is now tweeting “great job,” “so glad you’re on our team,” etc tweets to reporters because there’s new ND (named Phil Bueler — yikes, have your read HIS reviews on this site??) and somewhat new GM who are well aware of these reviews and she is possibly afraid of them now that her protector Tom isn’t around, I’m assuming. Now to Shannen Sharpe, Assignment Manager. She is RUDE and overall an unpleasant person to engage with at all. She got promoted to a management role only because she’s Latricia’s favorite and pretty much anything Latricia says (to Tom, at the time) goes. Shannen does not handle stress well, and honestly, she often makes high pressure situations worse. The station has had numerous power outages of the past year-year and a half that have taken the station off air completely and every time she doesn’t come in for those, there’s a big sigh of relief from the newsroom. She, like Latricia, will also usually ignore you if you call out to her in the newsroom. We are all peasants, after all. Then there’s this guy… Dan Lehr who runs the social media. He’s like, 50-something but you’d think he’s a 13-year old by reading his replies to viewers. He makes the station look like a joke TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. I can’t tell you how embarrassed I was to even be associated with the station based on his social media posts/interactions. He’s technically a “manager,” and he definitely enjoys having “manager” in his title,” but he doesn’t actually want any of the managerial responsibilities, so if you come to him with a problem, he will give the information to another manager and have them handle it. And based on the other managers I’ve mentioned, is that really what you want? Dan also takes a million smoke breaks a day. And gets paid for them. Which is annoying because reporters rarely (if ever) get breaks to EAT. Also, this station doesn’t pay proper salaries. This was my 2nd job and employees at Walmart and Hobby Lobby were making more than me. Also, there HR Rep, Katie Carlson Bandy is a real Witch. She is the very last person who should be in a HR position. She routinely sends out rude emails. Me, personally, I would never take any issues to her because she genuinely doesn’t care about you problems or concerns and again, is very rude. The GM, Todd Ricke, I do think is a nice and sincere person, overall. I think he makes strange choices though. The big request is to have a fenced parking lot for employees — there have been many threats to the station made where people say there are going to shoot up / blow up the station, etc. Police routinely get involved to “investigate.” But instead of getting a fence/gate, he is more concerned about updating the kitchen and bathrooms. And while that is a nice gesture, yes, it really shouldn’t be at the top of the list. What’s more important? Your employees safety, or a pretty kitchen? Do. Not. Work. Here.

The weather guy Brian Smith is also a piece of work. He’s a gossip who will routinely twist and manipulate situations that benefit him / make him look like a victim, so do not trust him no matter how “nice” he may seem. He just hates when he doesn’t get his way and will infactually talk about you behind your back.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

Tom comes off as genuinely kind and I believe that he is but he is also foolish and shows lack of compassion for his reporters.

This station really kills many people's joy and happiness. Over half the people that left while I was employed bought themselves out because of treatment from management. Many people came to this station with a love of news and within a month hated the field and never want to work again. Tom and managing editor Latrica pick candidates straight out of college and completely kill their spirits. Six former employees left news completely because Tom and Latrica made stop loving their job. Even mentioning this place to some former employees makes them cry. Tom also tries to pit coworkers against each other if you aren't a favorite you won't get a thing. DO NOT WORK HERE.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

Tom’s vast knowledge of the news industry is overshadowed by a hot temper and poor, dictator-like leadership. He does not trust his staff and fosters a culture finger pointing and scapegoating. He is out of touch with the happenings of his own newsroom. The man knows good story telling and will drops some solid gems along the way. Just be prepared for some character assassinations.

Managing Editor and Anchor, Latricia Thomas is also veteran journalist with a lot to offer. Rather than make good on her word to help develop rookie reporters, she wields her power in the newsroom to crush creativity and patronize lower level employees. She engages in petty office politics. Sometimes, falling down on the job to catch errors before air, she becomes combative with anyone from photogs to web staff. She simply has too much on her plate, and will throw you under a moving bus to save face.

You will walk away from this station a solid reporter with a thick skin, and likely a good psychologist on speed dial. Keep everything in writing. HR will likely be copied on any email against you.

An Overall Toxic Work Environment

Where do I even begin. News Channel 9 thrives on one thing, and that’s getting the juicy stories. There are people that make the newsroom toxic, and unfortunately it’s the people that are in charge. Latricia T. (5,5:30 anchor, and managing editor) she is condescending and rude. 0 compassion comes from the person that’s being paid to mentor reporters and MMJs. Latricia picks her favorites and if you’re not one of them she’s sure to let you know it. She takes all your scripts and makes them her own. Don’t expect to actually do or write something you’re passionate about. She’ll read it, crumble it up and throw it out then force you to read and claim what she wrote as your own. She doesn’t change things because they’re factually incorrect or because it sounds weird, she changes it because she wants it to be her writing. She doesn’t give compliments or praise when deserved to any of the reporters, and when she does you can feel that it’s being forced from her. When you pitch a story idea, she’ll make sure you feel ignorant for even saying it out loud. She speaks to her employees as if they’re all in preschool when she’s trying to get her point across. If you get something finished throughout the day on time or early it will NEVER be good enough, she’ll expect you to get more and demand things that just aren’t doable 45 minutes before shows. SHE requires that you write not one but 2 different stories for the 5&6 news casts. SHE HAS to approve what your write for the 5, before you can voice and edit your package in time for it to air at 5, and then once you’re finished with that you HAVE to write the 6 and get it approved in time to also voice and edit before the 6 starts. And that’s if you’re lucky and aren’t elected to be top of 5 and 5:30. She believes both packages must be different, but doesn’t care if that makes your job harder. You’re also required to post to social media three times a day at the minimum, begin your web story before shows, and if you don’t expect a passive aggressive text message from her. She’s a very rude manager, and to be honest as long as she works there with power under her belt, there will never be a reporter that leaves there without running(unless you’re a favorite). She doesn’t actually care about the reporters, photographers and staff at Channel 9. I watched a reporter that had worked under her for four years on their last day at channel 9 walk out the door and Latricia not even look at that reporters direction. It’s very sad. The next manager there, previously a producer, now promoted to Assignment Manager, Shannen S. Shes a rude person in general, but has her good days. She and the managing editor are close. Personally when it’s just her in the newsroom, she’s a pleasant person to be around, but is influenced by Latricia. Overall the newsroom only does stories on shootings, deaths, car wrecks, city scandals, and really anything negative. They do not like happy stories.

The photographers, producers, HR, sales team, engineering and everyone else are all wonderful. Everyone else tries to work as a team and a lot of them love what they do. If you’re in sales you’ll like it there, everyone always seemed to be smiling across the hallway.
The other anchors are all very helpful and sweet.
Kim Chapman (anchor) is the kindest and sweetest person at Channel 9 and if you ever needed real help and guidance she’s the woman to ask!