Boston, MA
WBUR is laying off 7 employees, 24 workers taking buyouts at Boston NPR station: ‘A significant loss’
Facing a financial crisis, WBUR has announced that Boston’s NPR station is laying off seven employees and 24 others are taking buyouts.
These job cuts come weeks after the station on Commonwealth Avenue warned of possible job cuts.
WBUR’s on-air sponsorship income plummeted by about $7 million in recent years, and the station is looking to begin the next fiscal year with a budget that’s at least $4 million lower than this year.
“I will begin with the hardest news,” CEO Margaret Low wrote to staff members on Wednesday. “We are laying off seven people, including three part-time colleagues. This means valued co-workers are losing their jobs and will leave WBUR before the end of June.”
“It’s painful to lose longtime colleagues and friends and we’ll make time in the weeks ahead to recognize those who will depart,” Low added.
The station has also been offering buyouts, and 24 employees are taking them.
“The number of people who raised their hand allowed us to limit the number of layoffs,” the CEO said.
Among those taking the package are four members of the senior leadership team: Pete Matthews, Del Reese, Mike Steffon and Karl Voelker.
“This is a significant loss of institutional history,” Low said. “It’s worth noting that three of the four have been at WBUR (or Boston University) for more than 25 years. They all saw the Voluntary Program as a rare opportunity to turn the page and do something new.”
The buyout total number won’t be firm until May 1 when employees must formally commit to the voluntary buyout program.
Beyond the layoffs and buyouts, WBUR plans to cut expenses across the board. WBUR is eliminating nine unfilled positions, cutting travel costs, spending less or negotiating lower rates on contracted services.
“A small but not insignificant item — we will no longer buy Peet’s Coffee,” the CEO said. “Thanks to our Business Partnerships team, we now have a trade deal with a local coffee roaster — Fazenda. This will save WBUR thousands of dollars a year. Finally, we will no longer cover cell phone costs for any non-represented colleagues.”
These cuts come as WBUR has the top share for a radio news station in the city.
“There is so much for all of us to be proud of, but I recognize that this has been a tough period for everyone at WBUR,” Low said. “Change of this magnitude is very hard.”
Boston, MA
Pelicans' Brandon Boston honors a late friend in his pregame ritual. 'You don't ever recover.'
Boston, MA
Boston College Football Coach, Players Talk Impact of 1984 Team on 40th Anniversary of Hail Flutie
Saturday was an important day for the Boston College football program.
Not only did the Eagles secure bowl eligibility with a 41-21 win over the UNC Tar Heels, but it also marked the 40th anniversary of the “Hail Flutie,” a Hail Mary touchdown pass that former quarterback Doug Flutie threw as time expired to give Boston College a 47-45 win over the reigning national champions the Miami Hurricanes.
Members of the 1984 team were in attendance at Alumni Stadium and were honored as a way to mark the milestone.
After the game, Eagles head coach Bill O’Brien as well as quarterback Grayson James and offensive lineman Drew Kendall spoke about the impact of that team and how them being at the game helped them come out with the victory.
“It’s sweet,” said James. “Just being able to know what he’s done, done for this program, just being able to see guys like that come back and support, it’s awesome. It makes us want to put on a show for them and put on a show for the whole BC community, so it definitely got us going knowing that team was there today.”
Kendall emphasized that the season and that team made impacts on the program that are still felt today.
“Obviously they kind of put Boston College on the map,” said Kendall. “They were, I believe, a top five team in the country, No. 2- I’m not 100-percent, but they really put Boston College on the map and what they did has kind of allowed Boston College as a program to thrive. Of course Doug Flutie is the only Heisman at Boston College so hopefully we can get another one day but their toughness and their determination has really rubbed off through the program throughout the years.”
O’Brien shared that he showed film from the Hail Flutie game the day before the Eagles matchup against the Tar Heels as a part of preparation.
“I told them in this room on Friday, I showed them the last drive of the Miami game,” said O’Brien. “That that was a team, quite obviously, that played 60 minutes. They understood what playing 60 minutes was all about and on this screen right behind me, I showed that drive. And then, when you have the ‘84 team here, they were 10-2, ranked fifth in the country, Heisman Trophy winner in the house, you got to play well. It’s kind of in the same vein a little bit as the Red Bandanna Game, like you got to play well in these games. There’s a lot of tradition here at Boston College and for those guys to be here meant a lot to our program and it was important for us to go out there and win.”
The Boston College Eagles (5-5, 2-4 ACC) football team looks to become bowl eligible as it returns to Alumni Stadium to take on the UNC Tar Heels (6-4, 3-3 ACC).
Both teams are currently dealing with injuries in the program.
Below is a look at the latest injury updates for both teams.
[This story will be updated throughout the game with the latest injury news].
LB Caleb LaVallee | Questionable: Tar Heels linebacker Caleb LaVallee’s status for today’s game has yet to be determined. He has not played since UNC’s Nov. 2 game against FSU. He is dealing with a lower body injury and has been reportedly “monitored” this week.
RB Darwin Barlow | Questionable: Tar Heels running back Darwin Barlow’s status has yet to be revealed. Barlow’s appeared in three games this season, most recently in the team’s Nov. 2 game against FSU.
TE Bryson Nesbit | Out: Tar Heels tight end Bryson Nesbit will miss the game against the Eagles with an injury.
DB Max Tucker | Out: Eagles defensive back Max Tucker will miss the Eagles game against UNC. Tucker exited Boston College’s matchup against No. 13 SMU early in the game and did not return. Eagles head coach Bill O’Brien considered him “day-to-day.”
DB Bryquice Brown | Out: Eagles defensive back Bryquice Brown will miss the Eagles game against UNC. Brown exited Boston College’s matchup against No. 13 SMU and did not return. Eagles head coach Bill O’Brien considered him “day-to-day.”
LB Kam Arnold | Questionable: Eagles linebacker Kam Arnold’s status for today’s game has yet to be revealed. Arnold has missed Boston College’s last three games with an upper body injury.
RB Turbo Richard | Questionable: Eagles running back Turbo Richard’s status for the game has also not been revealed. Like Arnold, Richard has also missed the Eagles last three games as he’s dealing with an ankle injury.
Players Out For Season: LB Owen McGowan, CB Amari Jackson, RB Alex Broome, LB Jaylen Blackwell.
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