Gone in the A-T-L
/FTVLive was the FIRST to tell you that Meredith's WGCL had parted ways with their News Director Frank Volpicella.
Of course, FTVLive also predicted that Volpicella tenure in Atlanta would be short. The station runs through News Directors faster then you can think.
The Atlanta CBS affiliate has had 6 news directors to leave over the last 9 years. Volpicella's tenure being the shortest (July 2016-June 2017, 11 months). His predecessors being Larry Perret (September 2014-May 2016, a little under 2 years), Lane Michaelsen (April 2013-July 2014, 15 months), Eric Ludgood (March 2011-January 2013, also a little under 2 years, and later resurfaced at WAGA as assistant news director), Steve Schwaid (May 2008-March 2011, a little under 3 years), and Rick Erbach (January 2005-May 2008, a little over 3 years).
Insiders at WGCL say you can't keep blaming this on the News Director. Morale is low and bouncing Volpicella, just made it that much worse. "Frank was someone who was clear on earning the newsroom's respect," said one newsroom staffer to FTVLive "He and others didn't see eye to eye but I never heard him once berate anyone. Yes, he said he was in it for the long haul, and we know how that turned out," the staffer added.
Here is the internal memo, sent out by GM Mark Pimentel and obtained by FTVLive: