Birmingham TV news station plans layoffs
The layoffs will take effect in June.
Ethan Parker 
Birmingham’s CBS affiliate, WIAT, is bracing for a series of staff reductions. More than 10 employees at the station were notified on Tuesday that their positions are being eliminated, with the layoffs set to take effect in June.
Impact on Newsroom Operations
According to station staff, the majority of the impacted roles are situated within the newsroom’s off-camera production team. Additional layoffs have also been confirmed within the sales department.
Nexstar Media Group Response
WIAT is owned by Nexstar Media Group, the nation's largest television station owner. While attempts to reach the company for comment were not immediately successful, the media giant provided a statement to the Birmingham Business Journal. The company noted that it does not discuss personnel matters publicly, but emphasized that it is "taking steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change."
Corporate Context
The local staffing adjustments arrive amid a larger period of instability for Nexstar. Last month, a federal judge intervened to block the company’s $6.2 billion merger with competitor Tegna while an ongoing antitrust lawsuit proceeds.
That proposed agreement, which had previously received approval from the Federal Communications Commission, aimed to consolidate 265 television stations across 44 states under one ownership group, according to PBS.
