The studio at Entravision-owned KLUZ in New Mexico will no longer seat news anchors at the desk. Entravision has opted to cancel local production of its 5 and 10 pm newscasts in Albuquerque. Instead, it will “hub” the news from its Denver station.
In doing so, it has laid off staff at KLUZ, just like it did at WVEA in Tampa.
Anchors Alejandro Contreras and Laura Holguín were among the layoffs, as well as a producer, editor and a technical director. The company hired Yuniesky Ramirez and Garna Mejia as anchor replacements for Noticias Univision Albuquerque, based out of Denver.
Two MMJs and longtime cameraman Jim Morrison will remain in Albuquerque. The KLUZ newscast will be pre-recorded to air as live-on-tape. And just like at the Florida station, the changes went into effect yesterday.
A source says Juan Carlos Gutierrez, News Director at KCEC, the Entravision-owned Univision affiliate in Denver, will oversee the newscasts for both cities.
After requests for comment, the company sent Media Moves a press release where it spins the downsizing and the production of local news in another city as the launch of “enhanced television broadcasts.”
The “enhancements” are listed as an upgrade to HD for Albuquerque and an on-air graphic package upgrade for Tampa.
The company would not address the layoffs or the reason for hubbing local news out of other cities.
The release includes the following updated talent roster for Tampa and Albuquerque:
In Tampa: Paola Varela Rossi, Samuel Rivera, Stephanie Becerra and Carolina Cruz. But as Media Moves reported yesterday, Samuel will be based in Orlando, where Paola has been working as a sports anchor since last year. There was no mention of Sarykarmen Rivera, who currently continues to work at the station. After Media Moves inquired about Sarykarmen, the company sent a revised release a day later, including her in the Tampa talent roster.*
In Albuquerque: Yuniesky Ramirez, Garna Mejia, Karina Moreno, Yesmani Gómez Cervantes, Rocío Irún, and Rudy Acosta. The company lists Luis Armando Canela, but he is actually a sports anchor at the Entravision station in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, Entravision also shipped production of its Univision Midland/Odessa newscast to El Paso.
* The updated release was emailed on Wednesday, Nov. 4.