The owners of the local station, the CW (WBKI-TV) have canceled the station’s three-year-old morning show, Louisville Live. Staffers were told after this morning’s show that the cancellation was effective immediately.
Tara Bassett, who’s been hosting the show for seven months, said she felt bad for the staff members who lost their jobs.
“I was told after the show that it was being canceled, effective immediately, by the owners. That’s the only thing they told me,” she said. “We’ve gotten a tremendous amount of positive feedback,” she said. “I’m just sorry for my young producer, Erica (Benton) and the other guys. I’m sorry for my co-workers who don’t have the benefit of experience of going through this sort of thing.
Earlier this week, after co-host Becca White was given a send-off after announcing she was going to be a flight attendant, the station announced that the show would go on with Bassett as sole host until a new co-host was hired. The station even posted an ad for a new co-host.
The station was purchased in 2008 by a group, Fusion TV, from Iowa, and the current owner is listed as Louisville TV Group. Its website lists 17 employees.
The station hasn’t announced how many employees will be affected by the cancellation.
The show originated with Dan Spangler as host in the company’s former location in Jeffersontown. Craig Hoffman took over when Spangler was dismissed by the new owners (and eventually filed suit, later settled). Hoffman left in December, when Bassett took over, and White was named co-host.
