News
ENLARGE
Early next month, veteran KPIC news director Dan Bain will look into the camera in the Roseburg station's studio on Harvard Avenue and sign off for the last time.
Bain, who has anchored the evening news in Roseburg for just short of 20 years, will lose his job March 9 when corporate parent Fisher Broadcasting eliminates the news director position at KPIC. His counterpart at Coos Bay station KCBY, Tim Novotny, is being terminated at the same time.
“It goes to show no job is safe,” said Bain, who will receive a severance package that hasn't been made public.
The change marks a shift in how the two newsrooms in Roseburg and Coos Bay are organized, said Greg Raschio, general manager for parent station KVAL-TV in Eugene.
With the loss of Bain and Novotny, Fisher Broadcasting will shut down its anchor desks in Roseburg and Coos Bay and begin producing the local news segments in Eugene.
For years, local anchors have presented Roseburg and Coos Bay news during five-minute segments packaged within the 30-minute broadcasts from Eugene.
Beginning March 12, KPIC reporters Glen Beeby and Kat Wolcott and their counterparts in Coos Bay will submit their stories to KVAL, where anchor David Walker will host the nightly Roseburg and Coos Bay segments at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Other KVAL anchors will handle the segments during the morning news slots and during the 11 p.m. newscast.
“We hope what we're doing will enhance our news operations,” Raschio said.
Bain, 61, said the move came as a shock. An official who oversees Fisher's Oregon stations came down from Portland station KATU to deliver the bad news two weeks ago.
That meeting took place days after Bain came to the newsroom of The News-Review to tape a story on departing publisher Mark Raymond. Bain mentioned then he planned to work at KPIC until he turned 65.
Fisher Broadcasting, which operates 18 television stations and three radio stations in the western United States, reported earnings of $9.7 million in 2010, according to the latest annual report filed with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. The company, headquartered in Seattle, incurred a net loss of $9.3 million the year before.
The company in part blames the bad economy in Douglas County and along the south coast for dropping the Roseburg and Coos Bay news directors. The Great Recession that gripped the country was especially felt in Douglas and Coos counties because of the downturn in demand for wood products.
Last November, Fisher received a letter from the Oregon Department of Revenue seeking $800,000 in taxes and penalties connected to the company's sale of Safeco Co. stock in 2007 and 2008. The company is disputing the assessment but would take a financial hit if made to pay the bill.
KPIC has been vague in explaining to viewers why Bain, who spent 17 years at KQEN radio in Roseburg before moving to television, is leaving. Some people who posted to the station's Facebook page, before the comments were removed in the past few days, expressed surprise that Bain was retiring. No one from the station corrected the mistaken impression that he was leaving voluntarily.
Typically, no public announcements are made when reporters and anchors leave their stations, Raschio said. The company did post copies on its websites of a press release sent out to media outlets announcing the format change for the Roseburg and Coos Bay broadcasts.
“I love my job here. It's definitely been about the most interesting job you could have,” said Bain, who grew up in Pleasant Hill and first came to Roseburg to work for Montgomery Ward. “It's always something different, and I get to meet a lot of different people.”
Sharon Costanzo, a retired Glide High School teacher and varsity volleyball coach, said she's upset by the decision to terminate Bain.
“I don't understand why they would do that,” Costanzo said. “He's passionate about what he does. He knows everyone. His work ethic is over the top, and you don't find a lot of people like that.”
Fisher Broadcasting officials say they're committed to providing news coverage in the two markets.
“We will still have reporters and cameras on the streets here gathering the important news of the day for our viewers in Douglas County,” Walker said in a written statement. “I'm excited to work with our talented young journalists on a daily basis to continue to provide the best local news coverage possible.”
Costanzo questioned whether young reporters can be adequately supervised from Eugene. She said Bain helped reporters hone their skills and prepared them for a move to a larger station.
“They'll be losing someone who is seasoned and experienced and who has that personal touch,” she said. “It's going to be a huge loss.”
Douglas County Commissioner Susan Morgan, who has dealt with Bain during her four years in office and during 10 years in the Oregon Legislature, said she'll miss him.
“His leaving is going to leave a huge gap just in his knowledge of what has gone on in this area for a long number of years,” Morgan said. “He's very professional, he's very thorough and he works hard.”
Bain said he plans to seek another journalism job. Some other television stations have spoken to him but he hasn't been offered a job, he said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 541-957-4209 or by email at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
Bain, who has anchored the evening news in Roseburg for just short of 20 years, will lose his job March 9 when corporate parent Fisher Broadcasting eliminates the news director position at KPIC. His counterpart at Coos Bay station KCBY, Tim Novotny, is being terminated at the same time.
“It goes to show no job is safe,” said Bain, who will receive a severance package that hasn't been made public.
The change marks a shift in how the two newsrooms in Roseburg and Coos Bay are organized, said Greg Raschio, general manager for parent station KVAL-TV in Eugene.
With the loss of Bain and Novotny, Fisher Broadcasting will shut down its anchor desks in Roseburg and Coos Bay and begin producing the local news segments in Eugene.
For years, local anchors have presented Roseburg and Coos Bay news during five-minute segments packaged within the 30-minute broadcasts from Eugene.
Beginning March 12, KPIC reporters Glen Beeby and Kat Wolcott and their counterparts in Coos Bay will submit their stories to KVAL, where anchor David Walker will host the nightly Roseburg and Coos Bay segments at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Other KVAL anchors will handle the segments during the morning news slots and during the 11 p.m. newscast.
“We hope what we're doing will enhance our news operations,” Raschio said.
Bain, 61, said the move came as a shock. An official who oversees Fisher's Oregon stations came down from Portland station KATU to deliver the bad news two weeks ago.
That meeting took place days after Bain came to the newsroom of The News-Review to tape a story on departing publisher Mark Raymond. Bain mentioned then he planned to work at KPIC until he turned 65.
Fisher Broadcasting, which operates 18 television stations and three radio stations in the western United States, reported earnings of $9.7 million in 2010, according to the latest annual report filed with the federal Securities and Exchange Commission. The company, headquartered in Seattle, incurred a net loss of $9.3 million the year before.
The company in part blames the bad economy in Douglas County and along the south coast for dropping the Roseburg and Coos Bay news directors. The Great Recession that gripped the country was especially felt in Douglas and Coos counties because of the downturn in demand for wood products.
Last November, Fisher received a letter from the Oregon Department of Revenue seeking $800,000 in taxes and penalties connected to the company's sale of Safeco Co. stock in 2007 and 2008. The company is disputing the assessment but would take a financial hit if made to pay the bill.
KPIC has been vague in explaining to viewers why Bain, who spent 17 years at KQEN radio in Roseburg before moving to television, is leaving. Some people who posted to the station's Facebook page, before the comments were removed in the past few days, expressed surprise that Bain was retiring. No one from the station corrected the mistaken impression that he was leaving voluntarily.
Typically, no public announcements are made when reporters and anchors leave their stations, Raschio said. The company did post copies on its websites of a press release sent out to media outlets announcing the format change for the Roseburg and Coos Bay broadcasts.
“I love my job here. It's definitely been about the most interesting job you could have,” said Bain, who grew up in Pleasant Hill and first came to Roseburg to work for Montgomery Ward. “It's always something different, and I get to meet a lot of different people.”
Sharon Costanzo, a retired Glide High School teacher and varsity volleyball coach, said she's upset by the decision to terminate Bain.
“I don't understand why they would do that,” Costanzo said. “He's passionate about what he does. He knows everyone. His work ethic is over the top, and you don't find a lot of people like that.”
Fisher Broadcasting officials say they're committed to providing news coverage in the two markets.
“We will still have reporters and cameras on the streets here gathering the important news of the day for our viewers in Douglas County,” Walker said in a written statement. “I'm excited to work with our talented young journalists on a daily basis to continue to provide the best local news coverage possible.”
Costanzo questioned whether young reporters can be adequately supervised from Eugene. She said Bain helped reporters hone their skills and prepared them for a move to a larger station.
“They'll be losing someone who is seasoned and experienced and who has that personal touch,” she said. “It's going to be a huge loss.”
Douglas County Commissioner Susan Morgan, who has dealt with Bain during her four years in office and during 10 years in the Oregon Legislature, said she'll miss him.
“His leaving is going to leave a huge gap just in his knowledge of what has gone on in this area for a long number of years,” Morgan said. “He's very professional, he's very thorough and he works hard.”
Bain said he plans to seek another journalism job. Some other television stations have spoken to him but he hasn't been offered a job, he said.
• You can reach reporter John Sowell at 541-957-4209 or by email at jsowell@nrtoday.com.
