Telemundo Chicago Budget Cuts

Telemundo's station in Chicago is undergoing a $2 million budget cut according to the Chicago Sun-Times (penultimate item).

"Job cuts are being sought in the areas of news, operations and creative services.

"Ed Fernandez, vice president and general manager of Channel 44, cited this year's overall "soft advertising market" and a desire to maintain local autonomy for the stationwide restructuring.

"No discernible changes are planned in Channel 44's 5 and 10 p.m. local newscasts, he said."

The cuts take place almost eight months after Telemundo eliminated locally-produced newscasts in half a dozen markets. The move drew the protest of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. The shows were replaced by regional newscasts uplinked from a production center in Fort Worth.

At the time, network spokesperson Alfredo Richard said no layoffs were planned in the local news operations of Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and New York.

Coincidentally, Marketing y Medios just published a market profile of Chicago that quotes  WSNS general manager Ed Fernandez in a more upbeat context

"WSNS' Fernandez said the station overhauled its 10 p.m. newscast earlier this year, adopting a format that originated in L.A., "En Contexto," where in-depth discussions about key news stories have replaced news bites.

"In May, WSNS' 10 p.m. rating among adults 25-54, the news demographic, was up 36 percent from May 2006, to a 3.0. "Since we launched 'En Contexto' in late January, it's been terrifically well received," Fernandez said."

Not terrific enough to avoid newsroom buyouts.