WQED Layoffs

WQED Multimedia laid off 9 employees on Tuesday and eliminated two vacant positions citing the economic climate and the delayed state budget will eliminate funding for public television throughout the Commonwealth for fiscal year 2010. “Since 1968, WQED used these state monies for station operations and production. For the past five months we mounted a public communications campaign to explain why those monies were important to our daily operations. We now have to confront the reality that these state monies may never be reinstated,” said WQED president George Miles.

There was no word about which staff members were let go, but the highest ranking staff member was the executive producer of local programming. Those let go will be assisted in job searches.

The layoffs will not impact the station’s ability to produce signature programs such as “On Q”, Black Horizons and “Dave & Dave”. However, the programs remain in jeopardy as do national programs purchased separately such as “The Lawrence Welk Show.”

The last round of layoffs at WQED was in October 2005.