Birmingham TV news station plans layoffs
The layoffs will take effect in June.
Chloe Mitchell 
Birmingham’s CBS affiliate, WIAT, is bracing for a series of staff reductions. The station is set to lay off more than 10 employees next month, with staff receiving notification of the decision this past Monday.
Inside the Changes
According to an employee at the station, the majority of the personnel affected by these cuts are based in off-camera newsroom production roles. Additionally, there have been staff reductions within the station’s sales department.
Ownership and Industry Context
WIAT is owned by Nexstar Media Group, the largest television station owner in the United States. While requests for further comment were not immediately met, the company issued a statement to the Birmingham Business Journal, noting that they do not comment on specific personnel matters but are actively “taking steps necessary to compete effectively in this period of unprecedented change.”
These developments occur against the backdrop of a larger legal battle for the parent company. Last month, a federal judge halted the proposed $6.2 billion merger between Nexstar and rival Tegna, citing a pending antitrust lawsuit.
The merger, which had previously secured approval from the Federal Communications Commission, would have resulted in a media entity operating 265 television stations across 44 states, according to PBS.
