Scripps Staffer Sounds off on Producer Hiring Bonus

Yesterday, FTVLive told you that Scripps was offering up a $5,000 sign on bonus for Producers to try and fill a number of open positions within the company.

A longtime current Scripps staffer said it felt like a slap in the face to those now working at Scripps.

Here is their email to FTVLive:

I fully understand Scripps is desperate for more producers throughout the company. As a local Scripps employee I see that first hand. It’s stressful to spread producers (or any position) so thin.

But it is an absolute slap in the face to offer new hires a $5k signing bonus while simultaneously denying current employees a raise, especially in the face of incredible inflation. Local management has cut overtime to the bone which is spreading multiple departments thin. No one fills in to cover vacations.

When adjusted for inflation, many local news employees are making $5k-10k less annually than they were 3-5 years ago (comparing base pay to base pay…not even factoring the elimination of OT).

The focus on recruiting instead of retention is going to bite them in ass sooner than later. The reason they need to recruit so much is because they are terrible at retaining the staff they already have. Bad managers fail upward within the company making some stations a nightmare to work at.

Companies can’t brag about profits on shareholder reports and then cry there isn’t money for raises. Inflation is killing workers right now. Especially those of us who are battling rising costs of living and more expensive healthcare plans from the company while basically losing money staying with the company.

If Scripps would focus on current employee appreciation and cost of living challenges in this economic climate, they wouldn’t have to bribe people to fill the vacancies left by people who got fed up and left - often for other industries and better paychecks and benefits.

Don’t get me wrong, Scripps overall is a good company to work for and still puts great journalism as a priority, but we are workers not volunteers and should be compensated accordingly.